Honest John BARRETT J A brief History... 1812 to 1888 JOHN BARRETT - TIMBER MERCHANT B Brisbane Street, Launceston, Tasmania by Gwenda M. Webb - Launceston, Tasmania. John Barrett was born in 1812, one into trouble only once during his time in the of a family of six boys and one girl, to James and country, appearing before the magistrate, Mr. Rebecca Barrett. The family came originally Simpson, on the 7th of June 1832 on a charge from Suffolk, England, (1) but by the time of of disobedience of orders and neglect of duty. John’s transportation in 1827, he had moved He was found guilty and ordered to receive 25 to London. John’s father, James’ was a cutler. lashes. The rest of his sentence was uneventful, He had a small shop in the George Yard; it was and on the 26th of November 1835 he was one of the warren of shops which sprang up granted his Ticket-of-Leave. This enabled him around the yard of the George Inn, near Hatton to work for himself (9). Garden, in North London. During the interval between In 1826 John, aged 14, was receiving his Ticket-of-Leave and the grant of a unemployed, but assisting his father and also Conditional Pardon (10), John had joined with doing odd jobs as an errand boy. (2) On the several other emancipist. They worked as timber 14th of February 1826, John Barrett was indited fellers, clearing land for settlers and carrying for “...feloniously assaulting Caroline, wife of the resulting timber away to sell for fuel. John Jas Meyers, on the Kings Highway, putting her received a carriers license (11) and spent several in fear, and taking from her person, and against years working with the gang in various sites her will, one umbrella, one shilling and a pair of around Northern Tasmania. The work was hard, patterns, value sixpence” (3). and they lived rough, but several of the owners John was duly tried on the 16th of of big properties preferred to employ free men, February 1826 at the third sessions at the Old who were working for their own benefit, rather Bailey; he was found guilty. As the offense had than use convict labour, usually working at occurred on the King’s Highway, and Highway “Government Stroke”. Robbery incurred a mandatory death sentence, John and the gang were working he was first sentenced to death but, as he was on “Mountford” estate when a Methodist aged only 14 at the time, he was recommended missionary, Nathaniel Turner, rode up. He to Mercy on account of his youth, and the accepted their offer of food and drink and, sentence was reduced to transportation for life. after lunch, gave a brief talk to the 12 men. He John was first sent to the hulks, where preached so effectively that all 12 of them were his behaviour was reported as “indifferent - converted. There after they were known, at flogged once for disobedience of orders” (4). first derisively, and then with somewhat greater He was selected to be transported on the ship respect, as the Twelve Apostles (12). The men “Asia”. This ship carried a number of other joined various Protestant Churches and most of juvenile offenders and it is reputed that, when them continued to work in one or other branch Governor Arthur looked at the shipping indents of the timber trade. William Hills, for example, for the “Asia” and saw how many youthful became a funeral director and Joseph Clayton offenders were on board, he was inspired to set a builder. They continued to meet annually on up the reformatory at Point Puer. the day of their mass conversion. John was to The “Asia” left England on the 1st of be the last survivor of the group. He joined the August 1827 and landed 157 male convicts at Wesleyan Church, and became an active and Hobart Town on the 29th of November 1827 regular attended of church functions, supporting (5). The ships Surgeon, Campbell France, it’s work with gifts of money as he became more reported very fully on the voyage (6). The affluent and supplying timber at cost price for passage out was apparently smooth. Several of many of the churches in Tasmania. the convicts brought belongings with them. One Because John’s sentence had been Robert Phillips came particularly well equipped For Life, he had received only a Conditional with tools to start a business after serving his pardon. He applied to have it upgraded to time, but John had nothing but the cloths he Absolute Pardon, so that he could return to stood up in. England. He claimed that he had “...held a Upon arrival, John was recorded as Conditional Pardon beyond the regulated Convict No. 1002, and a physical description period, and his general conduct was satisfactory” was recorded (7). He was Now aged 16 years, (13). His pardon was extended in July 1845 to height 4 feet 11 and a half inches with brown cover travel between the Australian Colonies, hair, brown eyes; his trade or calling was listed as but he was forbidden to return to Europe. The errand boy, and his native place as Suffolk. This extension of his pardon enabled John to direct was the Assignment period in Van Diemen’s his attention to the rapidly growing settlement Land, when prisoners were assigned to settlers, at Port Phillip, later the colony of Victoria, to to work out their sentences under supervision. the north. While continuing to provide fuel John was fortunate in his assignment, as he was and building materials to both Government assigned to Lewis Gilles(8), and at first worked and private individuals in Van Dieman’s Land, on Gilles Property “Eppindorf”. near Ross in he made several trips to mainland Australia to the Midlands of the Island. This was a sheep explore the growing market there. property, and John would have learnt some He had further incentive to work hard rural skills there, which must have helped him and improve himself, as he was now a married later, when he became a property owner. He got man. John Barrett married Ann Broadhurst in

Page 12 Honest John BARRETT J A brief History... 1812 to 1888 Continued... St. John’s Church, Launceston, on the 15th of John was able to pay off his mortgage on the B November 1842 (14). The groom was aged 29 Brisbane St. (24), property and to buy more and the bride 18. unfortunately we have not land in the country (25). In 1856 he bought been able to trace Ann’s forebears, or the date 500 acres from Keith J. King, originally Henty of her arrival in Tasmania. We know she was property, on the East Tamar, near Egg Island. not a convict or imancipist, but was probably This turned out a wise investment, as he erected one of the numerous immigrants who arrive in a few cottages for his workmen there. Some of the early 1830’s, being listed in ships manifests the workmen were working at this period on the as “...an 80 steerage” (15). properties of “Mount Stewart” and “Belmont”, The couples first son, James, was born clearing the land for their absentee-landlords on the 22nd of August 1843, his father being (26). described by the informant, a fellow worker of John’s workmen were now going John’s, as a “woodcarter” (16). Jame’s baptism further afield to meet the demand for timber was recorded in the Paterson Street Wesleyan and were beginning to work in areas out from Church Records, as were those of the sequent Patterson’s Plains, Prosser’s Forests and over children (17). By the time of the couples 5th to-wards the Piper River. John began to buy child, Mary Ann, was born in 1851, John was properties as an investment for his own future being described as a “Timber Merchant”, living use. His major purchase was undoubtedly in his own premises in Brisbane St, employing “Redmire”. This property was advertised for sale extra labour and both exporting and importing as “A valuable sheep and dairy farm within 16 timber. miles of Launceston” (27). In 1848 (18), John’s name appears in The farm was called “Redmire” after the Census as occupier of a house in George St., the home town of the original grantee, John owned by Philip Oakden, a leading Methodist Terry, and the district “Turner’s Marsh” after merchant and brother-in-law of John’s former Dominique Turner, Mr Terry’s son-in-law. The master, Lewis Gilles. The Barrett household property passed to Ronald Campbell Gunn who, included, John, Ann and 3 children: James, b. in turn, sold it 1860 to John Barrett for 1000 1843, John Jnr. b: 1845 and Rebecca, b: 1847; pounds (28), to-gether with some adjoining as well as one male servant. land (29). Three years later, when the 1851 Although now comparatively affluent, Census was taken in March (19), two more John’s life had sad moments. Three of his children, George (1849) and Mary Ann (1851) daughters, Rebecca, b. 1847, Harriet Louisa, b. had been born. The family was living in the 1854 and Martha Amelia, b. 1856, died as young Brisbane St., premises which John had bought children of childhood complaints which were from Charles Field, son of the original owner, the scourge of Victorian households. However, William Field (20). This property near the two girls, Mary Ann, b. 1851 and ester Maria, b. corner of Brisbane and George Sts., had a 40ft 1868, were to grow to adulthood, as did all their frontage on the south western side of Brisbane seven brothers: James, John, George, Robert St., and a private lane running into the timber Henry, b. 1853, William Charles, b. 1858, Isaiah yard and stables. Lane is still in use and part of Josiah, b. 1861 and Arthur, b. 1863 (30). the house has been incorporated into a present As his family increased, so did John’s dwelling (21). business, and he acquired the nick name John had made his move into the “Honest John”. However, during the 1860’s retail business in a very good time, as gold had there was an agricultural slump and, inspired been discovered in Victoria and there was a by the Victorian example, Tasmanian’s began great demand for timber products for building. to hope for mineral discoveries to occur here. John developed his business, making several As early as 1853 the Launceston Examiner trips to the mainland with his goods and reported: reaping great profits (22). He also increased his “Two men splitting at Prosser’s staff of timber getters (23) and retail assistants, Forests for Mr. Barrett have exhibited quartz imported quality timber from abroad and was containing nuggets of gold, said to have been able to advertise in the Launceston Examiner of found in that locality. It may or may not be the 22nd of October 1853: V.D.L. gold!”(31). “JOHN BARRETT, Timber Further reports occurred during Merchant, Brisbane St., Launceston, begs the year (32), sparking off minor gold rushes, to return his sincere thanks to the public but none appeared to have been in sufficient in general for their very liberal support and quantities to warrant the reward offered for patronage since he has been in business, and the discovery of gold on the colony. Some also to notify he is now landing by the brig years later, in 1881, the Government offered a “Amon” from England, a great quantity of substantial reward for the discovery of gold in very superior Deals from 13 to 20ft in length payable quantities. John Barrett was one of the and 11 inches wide, and likewise a quantity claimants for the reward, claiming that some of Singapore Cedar of various lengths, widths of his men had discovered gold at “The Den”, and thicknesses, with a great assortment of near Lefroy, in 1863 (33). After much dispute Hardwood, Shingles and Laths etc. And he from rival claimants, and despite being legally trusts by punctual attention to his town and represented by Adye Douglas, John’s claim was country orders that he will still continue to dismissed in favour of that of Samuel Richards merit their kind support and patronage” (23). (34). With the profits of this enterprise, During the 1860’s, despite the

Page 13 Honest John BARRETT J A brief History... 1812 to 1888 Continued... B Depression, John continued trading from his built at Turner’s Marsh; He was also a member shop and timber yard in Brisbane St. The of the local School Board and served on several children were growing up, the family was juries, as well as being on the Road Trust (41). completed with the arrival of Esther in 1868. Another potentially more lucrative interest was The older boys were educated at The Collegiate in the Bangor State Quarry. At this time slate School, where they received a commercial was being used as roofing and several attempts education as well as basic subjects, with a were made to form a company to develop the strong emphasis on mathematics and speech. quarry at Bangor which Flourished briefly in the The school was run by Mr Abraham Barrett, early 1880’s (42). The Barrett involvement in no relation, the son of an emancipist. It was the company took several forms. George Barrett situated in Lyttleton St. on the corner of Elphin one the contract to build and help operate the Rd. and most of the pupils were children of the wooden tramway from Bangor to the jetty on more successful emancipists (35). the Tamar near Egg Island. The boys on the By 1872 the two older boys had married and farm provided some of the farm products and in that year John, by now aged 60, decided meat for the miners in the small township of to move out of town and live on his farm at Bangor. The Barrett’s were Methodists, as were Turner’s Marsh. This news was not received well a number of the miners and hence the boys by all members of the family. There still exists felt this gave them an edge over the Irish and a letter from Mary Ann, written to an English Catholic settlers further south along the Piper at uncle, but never posted (36) describing their Karoola (43). The Welsh miners also augmented move to Turner’s Marsh and deploring some of the church quire on occasion, helping the local the habits of certain locals who were given to Methodist Church. In return, the Church raised dancing, fighting and playing cards on Sundays! funds to help a distressed mining family who ironically, Mary Ann was to marry a local settler, had lost their breadwinner (44). one Corncelius McCarthy, only to die one year later in child berth (37). On the 22nd of February 1881 John's John had faith in the future of wife Ann died at Turner’s Marsh (45). She Turner’s Marsh. Although the road system was was buried in Launceston General Cemetery deplorable, the railway was beginning to be near the graves of the small daughters who had built to the north east, with stops projected pre-deceased her (46). Ester, the remaining at Turner’s Marsh and Karoola. Further down daughter was to marry John Rich, an English the Piper River, slate had been discovered at immigrant in 1886 (47). Robert was now the Bangor, while at Lefroy the gold miners at the oldest unmarried son living on the farm with his diggings were a market for such produce as the farther and younger brothers. farmers could provide. During the 1880’s both the Several of the Barrett sons also Launceston Newspaper included items covering bought blocks in the same district. James had the news from the Turner’s Marsh area. Most of a block at Lefroy and became one of the towns the information concerns the parlous state of butchers, Interspersed with the occasional the roads and how various local characters came spell as a prospector. John Jnr., Robert, Isaiah, to grief on them (48). There are also reports of William, George and Arthur, all had land in the Church gatherings (49) at which the Barretts surrounding districts of Karoola and Tunnel as feature, also of concerts, picnics and other rural well as in Turner’s Marsh (38). pursuits. At one stage, John Snr. was a member John Barrett died at Turner’s Marsh of the Road Trust as later were George and on the 26th of March 1888, and was buried in Arthur. John had leased his Launceston property Launceston with his wife. His decease provoked to W.J. Norwood in 1872, and in 1875 he broke obituaries in both local papers (50) as well as his ties with Launceston when he sold the a mention in Walch’s Almanac for that year. timber business to John and Thomas Gunn. There was an nostalgic account of “The Twelve The Gunn brothers expanded the business, Apostles” (51) and, more practically, notices diversifying into other branches of the building advertising the sale of his main assets (52). trade, and supplying hardware and other Under the terms of his will (53) his property associated items. The firm traded originally was to be sold and the proceeds divided between from John Barretts premises, but with expansion his eight surviving children. Several of them moved across Brisbane St. and on to other sites wished to buy out their brothers. Ester and her around Launceston. to-gether with the sale of husband worked the East tamar orchard for a John’s business went his business records, lists period, while James retained ownership of a of customers etc. These were retained by the small portion of the Brisbane St. property. The Gunn family, sadly they were destroyed in a fire sons remained at Turner’s Marsh for some years, at Gunn’s shop (39). A sketch of the original the remainder all marrying within the next shop as it was when purchased by the Gunn two years after their fathers death. Robert and brothers in 1875 from John Barrett, was used for his wife remained for some years on the farm several years in their advertisements and also in “Redmire”, before moving to town, later Arthur a history of their firm (40). also moved to town. George became a Justice of Although John had retired as a timber the Peace and remained at Turner’s Marsh until merchant, he had plenty to occupy himself with his death, while Isaiah also remained on his at Turner’s Marsh. He was a keen supporter and farm at Tunnel. William and John junior stayed treasurer of the new Wesleyan Church being on the land, but in different parts of Tasmania.

Page 14 Honest John BARRETT J A brief History... 1812 to 1888 Continued... B Turner’s Marsh has not developed as hoped for (28) DR 4-8803 No.29 DR 4-8918. by John Barrett, but it remains a pleasant place (30) All births and infant deaths to live. registered in Tasmanian Pioneer Index. (31) LE 20th of October 1853 P.34. References... (32) Adverts in LE 22th of October, 5th of (1) Both John and his sister, transported November, 10th of November and Passim as rebecca Johnson, alias Barrett, give Suffolk as their to the 29th of December 1853. native place. Rebecca is more specific, naming Stoke, (33) Original report of John Barrett’s Suffolk, as her native place. John’s brother, Amos is Gold: HM 16th of March 1863, LE 18th of listed in the I.G.I. as born in Suffolk; he states his March 1863 through to April. native place as London. It is probable the family (34) The Goldfields Rewards Commission, moved to London when Amos was small, either 24th of September 1881 through to forced out by the enclosures or seeking work during October 1881. John's own account the rural depression of the early 1820’s. reported the 24th of September, subsequent challenges and correspondence in LE (2) CON23-1,A.O.T. and HM. (3) O.B.S.P., 5th day, 3rd. session 1826, (35) Oral information from a daughter of (4) CON 31-3, A.O.T. Robert Henry Barrett. (5) Nicholson, Ian: Shipping arrivals and (36) Letter from Mary Ann to Uncle departures, V.D.L. 1803-1833. James, in possession of a descendent of her (6) Adm. 101-4, A.J.C.P. reel 3188. sister Esther. (7) CON. 23-1, CSO. 1-215-5176, A.O.T. (37) RGD 511-1877: Marriage, 187-1878, (8) MM 33-10. death of May Ann. (9) Hobart Town Gazette, 1835. P.999: (38) The Barrett surname is scattered Ticket of Leave, John Barrett, Asia. liberally across Dorset (Tasmania) Maps (10) CP 2496, H.O. 10-56, A.J.C.P. reel 1A, 1B, 3A, 3C. . (39) Information from Mr. David Gunn, (11) HTG 1835, P. 1056. descendent of Thomas Gunn and a (12) “The Twelve Apostles”: John company director of J and T Gunn. Keylock, Joseph Clayton, Thomas (40) The Weekly Courier 15th of July Blackleach, Thomas Turner, George 1931. Oliver, John Clarke, Robert Batt, William (41) SC Inquest 9015. Hills, Henry White, John Tongs, John (42) Chamberlain, Brian C.: Wooden Smith and John Barrett. Rails to Bangor. (13) HO 10-58 P. 482. (43) Oral information from dependents of (14) RGD 1636-1842 also St. John’s Arthur and Robert Barrett. Church of England records, NS 748-11. (44) LE 24th of June 1886. (15) One possibility is a James and Lydia (45) LE 24 of February 1881. Broardhurst and two children (unnamed, (46) Records of Charles St. General who arrived on the ship “Atwick” on the Cemetery., graves block A-326 and A-484. 15th of January 1834. Hobart Town (47) RGD 534-1886, also report in LE Colonist, 21st January 1834. 29th of December 1886. (16) RGD 1658-1843. (48) LE 10th of October 1882 P. 3, and in (17) NS 499-975A, Nos. 219, 341, 446, DT 16th February 1885. 553, 656, 748, 840, 941, 1061, 1197, 1278. (49) LE 21th of March 1884. Esther (child 12), baptism 10th of May, (50) Obituary LE 27th of March 1888 also 1868, entered in new bock CHM, DT 27th of March 1888 P., 2 Col. 4. Launceston. (51) LE 4th of April 1888. (18) Census of V.D.L. 1848, Parish 1, No. (52) LE 26th of June 1888, No. 53, Will in 383, Launceston. Book 25 No. 2675. (19) Census of V.D.L. 1851, Parish 1, No. 91 Launceston. Abbreviations:- (20) Deeds registry, Vol. 3, 3872. HTG = Hobart Town Gazette. (21) Lane way next to 63 Brisbane St., CC = Cornwall Chronicle. owners of either or both land and laneway DT = The Daily Telegraph, and stables after John Barrett have i Launceston. ncluded, J and T Gunn, King’s Cycles, WC = Weekly Courier, Launceston. Salon Figaro, Garage and shop. Described HM = Hobart Mercury. in Launceston Examiner, 26th of June, RGD = Registrar Generals Department, 1888 as lot 1. Births, Deaths and Marriages. (22) P.O.L., 20-9-1, P. 621: Shipping List NS = Non -State Records held in “Gazelle” 22nd of March 1853, see also Archives of Tasmania, L.E. 5th of October 1854, 16th of May (These are usually Church Records of 1857and C.C. 3rd of October 1854. Burials, baptisms etc.) (23) L.E. 24th February 1849 P. 1., John DR = Deeds Registry, Hobart Barrett was a signatory to the agreement of SC = Supreme Court Registry, Hobart: the Anti-Transportation League, not to Wills and Inquests. use convict labour. CON = Convict Record, Archives of (24) DR3-1250: Conveyance dated 20th Tasmania. of June 1853. HO = Home Office, from A.J.C.P. Reels. (25) DR 4-2556: 500 acres Dorset from POL = Port of Launceston. K.J.King, 25th February 1856, described as Lot. 2, L.E. 26th of June 1888. (26) HTG 1858 P. 653: assessment list, Launceston. (27) CC 1st of October 1856 P. 1 Col 2.

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