Joseph Collins

343

Maureen Withey on 29th July 2022

THE ECLIPSE; On Wednesday the 11th instant, at about the hour of ten o’clock in the forenoon, the cutter Eclipse, belonging to Messrs. John Atkinson and James Reibey, was piratically taken from alongside the Government Wharf, at the port of Newcastle, Hunter’s River, by thirteen prisoners of the crown, three of whom are said to be seamen. They were facilitated in their escape by the sails being loosened to dry, and the master only being on deck at the time, so that they had only to put him below and slip the cable. There was a sentinel on duty at the wharf, when she began to move ; she was almost out of musket shot before suspicion was excite, and any alarm given; she was nearly round Nobby ‘s Island before a boat, properly manned and armed, could be got ready. The master and the crew were put into a boat, which was alongside belonging to the government, but this was not done until the vessel was well out at sea. At twelve o’clock she was just visible faraway, in the offing, steering North East. The provisions on board at the time consisted of two bags of bread, a cask of salt pork, a harness cask of beef, and a quarter of fresh beef, with about 80 gallons of water. Two puncheons of rum were landed from the cutter a short time previous to her seizure by the pirates. (Further particulars.) In less than two minutes the men had entire possession of the cutter. When she swung it was thought she had parted from her moorings ; but, on seeing the sails begin to be hoisted, it was immediately suspected what they were at, and alarm was given; but before Captain A. or Lieutenant Owen could reach the wharf she was running down the harbour with a fine fair westerly wind and ebb tide. Every effort was made to get a boat away in pursuit; but the boats crews being all convicts, did not hurry them selves to overtake her. However, they started with six or eight soldiers, under Mr. Owen’s orders, but their expedition was fruitless, and they soon returned. The pirates put the master and his crew into a boat, and sent them on shore; and by three or four o’clock the cutter was out ot sight. The last time she was seen she was standing to the N. E., wind at west, and appeared to be hauling up north, under a press of canvas ; but being very crank, on account of the small quantity of coal on board, they were obliged to run her away large. We have no doubt, from all that can be learnt, that they intend for Timor. A person who was steward with Captain King (Jas. Johnston) in his voyage round this Island, is the navigator, and Wm. Tunnecliffe, who headed the party that ran away with Captain Allman’s gig last January, is the Captain. There were no spirits on board, and consequently there is less chance of falling in with the pirates, as they will be kept sober. They were, employed in lading the vessel with coals ; for which service the owners were to pay so much per ton. Three of them had been ordered to be kept in gaol previous to their being transported to Port Macquarie but notwithstanding their being under sentence they were allowed to work in irons — their overseer had run away from Port Macquarie. The Australian, 26 May 1825. Accompanying the following list was a letter from the Colonial Secretary, dated 14 Nov 1825, to A. Hely, the Principal Supt. of Convicts. Sir, I beg to call your attention to the enclosed list of runaways, whose names have not, I believe, been published in the Gazette, and I solicit a statement of the reasons of these omissions to enable me to adopt measures to prevent their recurrence. Signed, F. Goulburn. List of Runaways specifying their names, ships, assignments and dates of desertion. All were assigned to Govt, Hunters River, and deserted on 11 May 1825. William Tunnecliffe, per Elizabeth, James Obery, Per Coromandel Charles Day, Per Lady Castlereagh John Patterson, per Guildford. James Johnston, per Larkins Lewis Collins, per Neptune Thomas Greenway, per Dick Danl. Delahantry, per Earl St Vincent Charles North, per Recovery Joseph Collins, per Medway William Wheatley, per Batavia George Cain, per Elizabeth George Spencer, per Shipley. —————————————————————————- Nothing further was heard of the Eclipse and the 13 men who sailed in her.

221

D Wong on 26th June 2021

Old Bailey: JOSEPH COLLINS. Theft: pocketpicking. 18th September 1820 Verdict Guilty Sentence Transportation JOSEPH COLLINS was indicted for stealing, on the 21st of July , one watch, value 25 l.; two seals, value 9 l.; one key, value 1 l., and one ring, value 1 l., the goods of Samuel Verdy Read , from his person . SAMUEL VERDY READ. I am a ship-owner in Jamaica . On the 21st of July, about nine o'clock in the evening, I was going by George-yard, with a lady on my left arm. The prisoner made a slip with his foot, and fell slightly with his head against my breast, at that instant he made a snatch at my watch, pulled it out, and ran up George-yard with it. I immediately called Stop thief! and received several violent blows from others. An officer knocked him down, and the case of the watch dropped from him immediately. I saw it fall from him. I never lost sight of him till he was secured. SAMUEL MILLER. I am an officer. I was in George-yard, heard the cry of Stop thief! and stopped the prisoner who was running before all the rest, we both fell down, and at this instant the case fell on the ground, and the watch close to it. It fell from him. (Property produced and sworn to.) GUILTY. Aged 16. Transported for Life. _____________________ Joseph Collins alias Moses Solomons was listed as 17 years old on arrival in VDL. Place of Birth: London. Parents not stated. Occupation: Fruiterer. Joseph was 4'10" tall, brown hair, light hazel eyes. 1821: Sent to Sydney. Colonial Secretary Index: COLLINS, Joseph or SOLOMONS, Moses. Per "Medway", 1821 as Joseph Collins; previously transported per "Marquis of Wellington", 1815, as Moses Solomons 1821 Apr 28,30: Prisoner arrived from Hobart per "Medway" being a runaway from a former sentence (Reel 6008; 4/3504 pp.8, 10) 1821 Apr 30: Prisoner arrived from Hobart per "Medway" under sentence of transportation to Newcastle; to be held in Sydney Gaol (Reel 6008; 4/3504 p.10) 1821 May 24: On list of prisoners transported to Newcastle per "Snapper" (Reel 6008; 4/3504 p.34) 1821 Nov 12: Convict from Van Diemen's Land under sentence to Newcastle. Re warrant respecting the commencement and duration of sentence (Reel 6008; 4/3504A p.57) 1821 Dec 24: Convict at Newcastle under sentence from Van Diemen's Land. Request for details of his sentence (Reel 6008; 4/3504A p.196) 1822 Feb 14: On list of prisoners transported from Van Diemen's Land to Newcastle (Reel 6009; 4/3505 p.257) 1823 Mar 24: On list of convicts removed from Newcastle to Port Macquarie per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.394-5) 1824 Dec 21: On list of runaways from Port Macquarie forwarded to Newcastle per "Sally" (Reel 6014; 4/3513 p.130) 1825 Mar: On monthly return of prisoners punished at Newcastle (Reel 6023; 4/1718 p.201) 1825 Nov 14,19: On lists of runaways; escaped from Newcastle in the cutter "Eclipse" (Reel 6015, 4/3515 p.615; Reel 6063, 4/1784 p.307a) ______________

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 26th June 2021

Trial; Middlesex Goal Delivery - 13 September 1820 Transported before in the Ship; Marquis of Wellington in 1815 having been tried in London G. D. in the name of Moses Solomons - 10 Feb 1814 - Sentence; Life Ran from the Colony in the Derwent Schooner in 1817