Norfolk Island Second Settlement

An extract from a Norfolk Island convict on the rations they had to endure.
He is named as 'Mortlock' and I feel he may be John Frederick Mortlock who was sentenced to 21 years transportation for 'shooting at his uncle Rev E Mortlock'..."I did it to frighten him". His surgeons report was 'remarkably good'. Some of that time he was on Norfolk but sent back to VDL in 1846.
'our fare was excessively meagre, at breakfast and supper we ate insipid hominy (made of unsifted Indian corn flour, boiled to the consistency of baked rice pudding, which it resembled only in appearance) nominally sweetened with an ounce of sugar per diem-really about half that quantity. A morsel of salt junk was served out for dinner, a nauseous, coarse, maize bread, tasting as if it were composed of sawdust......the debility brought on by this diet caused many deaths...for many months I never had anything like a full meal and gradually began to live without food'
The daily hard labour and insufficient, monotonous rations provided for convicts on Norfolk Island must certainly have affected their health. Dysentery was the cause of many deaths on Norfolk Island.
From Australian Historical Archaeology 2001.

 

Amazing the knowledge being share these days about such times & conditions there-in. History would be so much more interesting for anyone studying with this recent information sharing. My school days didn't have much to recommend the study of history.

 

Which is why I'm devouring as much as I can now. I wasn't much interested back then but I enjoyed Australian history marginally more than any other. We went to Norfolk about 30 years ago but didn't absorb as much as I would now.

 

I would like to have gone over there just to see what scared my Paternal Aunt [by marriage] from wanting to go there in 1911. There have been more recent sad stories since then, but it has it's own beauty.

I think we need to know a bit before we can learn or appreciate anything.

 

Nor mine . I had no interest in learning of our kings and queens, wars, or church history. The peasants revolt stirred some interest, perhaps I admired rebels . The only history topic I remember having any enthusiasm for was recent social history.

Sue's extract is fascinating, and had we studied convicts, transportees and their daily life and hardships I think even back then I may have absorbed it.

 

I always enjoyed history at school and love it now. But I must admit I find things like Sue has found even more interesting.

 

I have just found the most wonderful story about John Frederick Mortlock. If you would like to find the truth about his sentence and transportation please google- John Mortlock-The story of a disputed will.
He was the one of the most loved and friendly men around Tasmania. A beautiful story with a sad ending for someone who was clearly wronged.
Then you can have a tear or two.

 

I'm babysitting soon, my little rascal is due to arrive in 30mins. I am looking forward to reading more about JFM , but it has to be later.

 

I would be extremely proud to have John Frederick Mortlock as an ancestor. He had the last laugh.

 

No wonder my George Coulson died 7 weeks after his arrival! Poor devils, the torture they endured!

 

I do find it interesting that you think that Mortlock might have been the person who shot his Uncle, and received a sentence of 21 years, whereas 'my' man, George Coulson set fire to a haystack and got LIFE!

 

I guess it all depends on the magistrate. Others got life for less.
He did shoot at him, he admitted it. He also went back to England when on a conditional pardon, was caught and transported back. This time to Western Australia. He was still fighting the absolutely disgusting way that transported convicts were treated until the day he died back in England.
Hat's off to him.

 

Dear AM, Thank you so much for discovering and pointing us in the direction of the story of John Frederick Mortlock, and for the paragraph about conditions on Norfolk Island, which, as you know, is of great interest to me at the moment. I read it all with the greatest interest, and although I cannot say I enjoyed it (because of the dreadful contents), it absolutely consumed me until I reached the very last words! When things quieten down here a bit (my ex is visiting my son and they are getting very elated!), I am going to quietly re-read it as I am sure I have not taken it all in!
Diana

 

And this I found earlier today on TROVE
The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News, dated 23rd August 1861 page 3...article. John Frederick Mortlock, letter of appeal to public.
Hope you find it.

 

Yes, hats off to him! I have to admit that until I read this, I had no idea that convicts were ever transported to Western Australia! You learn something new every day, don't you? I knew that SA never had convicts sent there, and guess I assumed it also applied to WA....a part of Oz that I know very little about! Diana

 

Doesn't it just. On hubby's side, he has a 2 X gt. Grandfather who spent six months in Norwich castle gaol doing hard labour. Whilst he was in there his wife and daughter (hubby's gt. Grandmother) were in the workhouse.

His crime. He stole five tame ducks

 

Well! I have been doing a bit more nosing around looking for John Frederick Mortlock and although I do believe his intentions were good toward the plight of the convict, he seems to have been a bit of a trouble maker in the family. A bankrupt looking for a way out and setting fire to his Rev uncles property (the charge dismissed for lack of evidence) before the shooting incident. Sometimes all is not as it seems. He has lost a little of his shine.

 

Well! I have been doing a bit of nosing around for John Frederick Mortlock. While I do believe his good intentions for the plight of the convict it seems he was a bit of a troublemaker in the family. A bankrupt desperately looking for a way out and setting fire to his Rev uncles property (found not guilty for lack of evidence) before the shooting incident. Sometimes things just aren't as they seem. His family was extremely well to do. A grandfather being knighted.

 

Well look here. I rewrote it because I lost it!!!! Now I have two.
He's still lost his shine.

 

But we didn't miss out