Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Best was transported on the Friendship, departing 13th May 1787 and arriving 21st Jan 1788 with 107 passengers.
This convict ship, being 274 tons and 75 feet long was one of the light weight ships in the fllet and was skippered by Master Francis Walton. Built in Scarborough in 1784, she carried 76 male and 21 female convicts. During her return voyage to England her crew came down with scurvy and with insufficient crew to man her, she was scuttled in the straights of Macassar. The survivors were transferred to the Alexander.
FriendshipReferences
| Primary Source | http://www.firstlanding.com.au. http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/twconvic/302 |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
Family oral history has recorded that John Best had a child called Henry Best who then had a son called John Henry Best who then had a son (amongst others) called James Best who then had a son called Reginald Best who then had a son (me) called Daryl Best who then had 2 sons called Simon and David Best who together have three sons Emmett, Campbell and Lucas Best
Old Bailey transcript 29 Oct. 1783 : JOHN TASKER, JOHN BEST, GUILTY Of stealing to the value of 39 s. but not of breaking and entering the dwelling-house. Transported for seven years. John Best, along with his partner in crime John Tasker, were on board the convict transport 'Mercury' - bound for America - which was taken over by the convicts in a mutiny. Best was among the escapees who were recaptured at Torbay on 13 April 1784. 4 March 1790 - Sent to Norfolk Island on the 'Sirius' 30 Nov. 1791 - John held 12 acres of land on Lot 65 at Sydney Town, Norfolk Island and was sharing with Garce MADDOX 1793 - John was elected a member of the Norfolk Island Settlers Society - he was listed as a clerk 1796 - Employed as a General Government Overseer 1801 - He had leased an additional 18 acres of land and from 12 Oct. 1801 until early 1805 he held the position of Superintendent 1805 - John was recorded with a wife but no children John Best opted to remain on Norfolk Island in the early years of evacuation however, in 1811 he was sent to port Jackson for medical attention - returning to the Island by Aug. 1812. 1814 - Listed as a landholder in Windsor and granted 470 acres at Evan on 24 Jan. 1817. 1828 - Aged 71 he was recorded as holding 470 acres Buried 7 March 1839 at St Matthew's, Windsor, NSW - He was recorded as a pauper. Marriages/Partners: Maddocks, Grace Cohabiting on Norfolk Island - 1791 1744 Chippenham, Rebecca 16 June 1817 Castlereagh, NSW No children recorded.
John Best was tried at Old Bailey, London on 29 October 1783 for burglary with a value of 39 shillings. He was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on the Friendship aged about 27 at that time (May 1787). His occupation was listed as None. He died in 1839. Guilty of return from transport following the Mercury mutiny.Report from Dunkirk hulk was “troublesome at times”.