Skip to content

The Wesleyans of Port Arthur

Citation

MacFie, Peter, 2022, The Wesleyans of Port Arthur, https://petermacfiehistorian.net.au/publications/wesleyans/

Abstract

This history of the Wesleyan ministers and their relationship with convicts, military and civilian personnel covers the eleven years during which they held the official role of Chaplain at Port Arthur. There they were primarily responsible for moral instruction through services, prayers, religious instruction and consolation, and oversaw schooling for the free children, the boys of Point Puer and the adult convicts. In addition, they buried the dead and baptised the babies. The Wesleyan chaplains were involved in the design of the grand sandstone church which was consecrated and in regular use from July 1837. Most of the Chaplains took their wives and children with them to Port Arthur, living in a cramped and damp cottage. Their position was taken over by the Anglicans when a new brick parsonage was built at the start of 1844.

Details

199 A4 pages, 98 images including 7 historic maps & charts, plus footnotes, bibliography and detailed index.

Wesleyan Endorsements

Coming soon

Purchasing the book

This book is now available direct from Lulu.com through ‘Print on Demand’ from anywhere in the world.

If you want help in buying direct from Lulu, click here.

Bookshops with current stock of the book

Cracked & Spineless

Imperial Arcade, Collins St, Hobart, Tas, Australia 7000

Petrarchs Book Shop

89 Brisbane St, Launceston, Tas 7250, Australia

Hobart Bookshop

22 Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tas 7004, Australia

Fullers Bookshop

131 Collins St, Hobart, Tas 7000, Australia

Dymocks Hobart

Centrepoint Shopping Centre, Shop 206/207, Level 2, 70 Murray Street
Hobart, Tas 7000, Australia

Port Arthur Historic Site

Visitor Centre – Gift Shop

Arthur Highway, Port Arthur, Tas 7182, Australia

Libraries Tasmania

The book is also now available from Libraries Tasmania

Sample Chapter

To read the Introduction chapter, click here.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1: Penal Settlements on the Tasman Peninsula
  • Chapter 2: The Wesleyan Chaplains
  • Chapter 3: Neighbours on the Tasman Peninsula
  • Chapter 4: The Military Neighbours
  • Chapter 5: The Convict Neighbours
  • Chapter 6: The Churches of Port Arthur
  • Chapter 7: Spiritual Guidance
  • Chapter 8: Schools of the Tasman Peninsula
  • Chapter 9: Weddings, Births and Baptisms
  • Chapter 10: Deaths, Murders and Executions
  • Chapter 11: Private Life of the Wesleyan Chaplains
  • Chapter 12: Life with the Point Puer Boys
  • Chapter 13: Wesleyans Under Attack
  • Chapter 14: On the Defensive
  • Chapter 15: Point Puer Without the Wesleyans
  • Chapter 16: The Lasting Appeal of the Wesleyans
  • Chapter 17: Future Questions
  • Appendix 1: Religious Instructors, Ordained and Lay
  • Appendix 2: The Probation Stations
  • Appendix 3: The Wesleyan Clergy After Port Arthur
  • Appendix 4: The Chaplains’ Neighbours
  • Bibliography

Index

The Index from the book is provided here but not the page numbers.

Adams, John
alcohol
Andrews, Alfred
Anglicans
Anstey, Thomas
Arden, James
Armstrong, George
Armstrong, Joseph
Arrowsmith, John
Arthur, Lt Gov. George
Ashforth, Robert
Ashworth, Henry
Atkinson, Joseph
Axtell, George
Backhouse, James
bakehouse
baptisms
barracks
Barrow, Peter
Barrow, Sir John
Batman, John
Beattie, John Watt
Bedford, Rev. William
Belfield, Henry
Bell, Thomas
Belliard, Edward
Bench Books
Bennett, John
Benson, Dr William
Bethune, Drinkwater
Bibles
Bickley, Richard
Birch, Robert
Birch’s Bay
Black Line
black-market trading
Blake, George
Boardman, Thomas
Bobbie, Jack
Bond, Father William
Booth children
Booth, Charles O’Hara
Booth, Elizabeth (Mrs Charles)
Boulder, Charles
Bowles, William
Boyce, James
Boyd, Alexander
Boyes, William
Boys, Thomas
Bragg, Sarah
Brailsford, William
Bray, George
Briggs, Thomas
Brissa, Richard
Brock children
Brock, Bethia (Mrs Frederick)
Brock, Dr Frederick
Broughton, Bishop William
Brown, Joseph
Brown, Simon
Brownell children
Brownell, Dr Thomas
Brownell, Elizabeth (Mrs Thomas)
Brownell, Rev. John
Browning, Rev. Dr Colin A.
Bryant children
Bryant, Mrs
Bryant, Private ?
Buller, James
Bullocks
Bullying
Bunker, William
Burn, David
Burnett, John
Burns children
Burns, Andrew
Burns, Mary (Mrs Andrew)
Burrows children
Burrows, Josephine (Mrs Samuel)
Burrows, Judith (Mrs Samuel)
Burrows, Mary Ann (Mrs Samuel)
Burrows, Samuel
bushfires
Butcher, Solomon
Butters children
Butters, Jane Middleton (Mrs William)
Butters, John
Butters, Rev. William
Byron children
Byron, Isabella (Mrs John)
Byron, John
Campbell, Charles
Capon, Thomas
Carte children
Carte, Honoria (Mrs William)
Carte, William
Carvosso, Deborah (Mrs Benjamin)
Carvosso, Rev. Benjamin
Cascades
Casey, Dr Gavin
Caston, Thomas
Catechist’s Quarters – PP
Catholic Chapel
Catholics
Cavanagh, Robert
Champ children
Champ Street
Champ, Helen (Mrs William)
Champ, William
Chaplain’s Quarters – PP
Chappell, Henry
Charles, Frederick
Charlton, John
Chidy, John
Chief Constable’s Quarters
childbirth
Children
Church of England
Clark, William
Clarke children
Clarke, Grace (Mrs William)
Clarke, John
Clarke, Marcus
Clarke, William
Coal Mines
Coans children
Coans, Ellen (Mrs Jonothan)
Coans, Jonothan
Collins, David
Collins, Dennis
Collins, William
Collison, James
Commandant’s office
convict clothing
convict escapes
convict servants
convict tramway
Cook, Thomas
Cookhouse
Cooper children
Cooper, Jansay (Mrs Thomas)
Cooper, Thomas
Copperwaite, Richard
Cotham, Rev. James
Courtenay, Capt. G.H.
Crawley, Jeremiah
Crossland, George
Cummins, William
Cuthbertson, Lt ?
Danes children
Danes, Abraham
Danes, Sarah (Mrs Abraham)
Daniels, Joseph
Darby, Ensign ?
Davies, Martin
Davis children
Davis, Ann (Mrs William)
Davis, John
Davis, William
Dawson, John
Day, Thomas
de Castanos, Perez
de Marsa, Joseph
Deane, Joseph
deaths
Denison, William
Dermer, William
Dickenson, Constable ?
Dickson, William
Dobbs children
Dobbs, Edward
Dobbs, Elsey (Mrs Edward)
dog
dogs
Doherty, John
Donn, Charles
Dove, H.D. (Mrs Thomas)
Dove, Rev. Thomas
Downes, Charles
Downie, Andrew
Drake, George
Dumont d’Urville, Jules
Durham children
Durham, ? (Mrs Edward)
Durham, Rev. Edward
Eagle, Elizabeth
Eaglehawk Neck
East Bay Neck
Eastman children
Eastman, Louise (Mrs George)
Eastman, Rev. George
Edwards, William
Elliott, William
Ellis, Charles
Ellis, Joseph
Elston, Richard
Errington, Capt. Arnold
Evans children
Evans, Ellen (Mrs Jonathan)
Evans, Jonathan
Evenden, John
Fenton, Thomas
Firearms
Fisher, James
Fletcher, James
Fletcher, Richard
Flinders Bay
Flinders Island
Flogging
Flowers children
Flowers, Mary (Mrs Robert)
Flowers, Robert
Flowers, Thomas
Foggo, Neil Gow
Forrest, Ann
Forster, Honoria
Forster, Matthew
Forsyth, John
Foundation Plaque
Franklin, Lady Jane (Sir John)
Franklin, Lt Gov. Sir John
Frazer, Miss H.D.
Freeman children
Freeman, Mary (Mrs William)
Freeman, William
Gale, William
Garden Island
Garrett, William
Geary, George
Geils, Charles
Gellibrand, Joseph Tice
Gibbons children
Gibbons, Capt. John
Gibbons, Dinah Ann (Mrs Robert)
Gibbons, John
Gibbons, Robert
Gibson, Helen
Gibson, William
Ginneresley, John
Goodman, John
Gordon, James
Goulter children
Goulter, Anna Maria (Mrs Henry)
Goulter, Henry John
Green, Ann
Greensmith, Samuel
Griffiths, James
Groves, Richard
Gruby, Edward
hair-cuts
Hall, Robert Heath
Hambrook, Jonathon
Hancock, John
Harding, Nathaniel
Hare, John
Hargreaves children
Hargreaves, ? (Mrs John)
Hargreaves, John
Harkness, James
Harris, Joshua
Harrison, William
Harry, John
Haydon, Peter
Heath children
Heath, John Scott
Heath, Mary Ann (Mrs John Scott)
Henning, Joseph
Henry Tatlow
Hepburn, John
Hill children
Hill, James
Hill, Mary (Mrs James)
Holden children
Holden, Ellen (Mrs Peter)
Holden, Peter
Holmes, Samuel
Hooper, Fred
Hornsley, William
horrid crimes
Horses
Horton College
Horton, Rev. William
Horton, Samuel
Howell, Howell
Howling, Morris
Howse, Robert
Hoy, David
Hughes, J.H.
Hughes, John
Hunt children
Hunt, James
Hunt, Margaret (Mrs James)
Hunter, Frederick
Hurley, Constable ?
Hurst, Mary Ann
Hutchinson, Mary (Mrs John)
Hutchinson, Rev. John
Impression Bay
Indigenous People
Informers
Isle of the Dead
Jamison children
Jamison, Ann (Mrs Robert)
Jamison, Robert
Jeanneret children
Jeanneret, Dr Henry
Jeanneret, Harriett (Mrs Henry)
Jones, Francis
Jones, Richard
Keast, Catherine
Keefe, John
Keefe, Margaret
Keegan, Michael
Kelly children
Kelly, Alastair
Kelly, Elizabeth (Mrs Alastair)
Kelly, Thomas
Kidney, Daniel
Kimberly, Richard
King, George
Knopwood, Rev. Robert
Laing, Henry
Langford, Anna Maria
Langham, William
Laplace, Cyrille
Law, Benjamin
Law, Edward
Law, Hannah (Mrs Benjamin)
Lea, Charles
Leanard children
Leanard, Catherine (Mrs Michael)
Leanard, Michael
Leary, John
Leeming, William
Lees, Benjamin
Leigh, ? (Mrs Samuel)
Lemprière children
Lemprière, Charlotte (Mrs Thomas)
Lemprière, Mary Earle
Lemprière, Thomas
Levi, Philip
Lhotsky, Dr John
Lillis, Sarah
Linaphon, Crussa
Lisdillon
Logan, William
Longworth, John
Lovell, Samuel
Lowe, ? (Mrs Alexander)
Lowe, Alexander
Lucas, George
Lucas, Margaret
MacBraire, Dr John
Macdonald, Captain ?
Mackie, George
Maconochie, Alexander
Macquarie Harbour
Mahon, Capt. John
Mainday children
Mainday, Ann (Mrs ?)
Mainday, Private ?)
Manton children
Manton, Ann (Mrs John)
Manton, Rev. John
Manuel, Michael
Maria Island
Martin, John
Martin, Peter
Maskey, Ann (Mrs Edwin)
Maskey, children
Maskey, Edwin
Mason, George
Mason, Joseph
Matthews, Josephine
Maxfield, Francis
McCaig, Duncan
McCann, Thomas
McConochie, Alexander
McGregor, Malcolm
McGuire, Hugh
McInally, James
McKnight, William
Meggett, Peter
Merritt, Harriett
Meyers, James
Meyers, Thirza (Mrs James)
21st Fusiliers
48th Regt
51st King’s Own
63rd Regt
84th Regt
88th Connaught Rangers
96th Regt
guards
Miller, Linus
Milnes, Martha
Minehan, Patrick
Mitchell children
Mitchell, Catherine (Mrs John)
Mitchell, John
Mitchell, William
Mollyneaux, Daniel
Montagu, John
Montgomery children
Montgomery, ? (Mrs John)
Montgomery, John
Moore children
Moore, Hannah (Mrs William)
Moore, William
Morris, Robert
Mount Arthur
Mountshire, James
Mousher, James
Murdoch, Lt Peter
music
Muster Master’s Quarters
Myers children
Myers, James
Myers, Thirza (Mrs James)
Neill, Robert
New Town Farm
Newington College
Newman children
Newman, George
Newman, Richard
Newman, Sarah (Mrs Richard)
Nichols, Arthur
Nixon, Bishop Francis
Nokes, Benjamin
Norfolk Bay
O’Halloran, Father John
O’Neil, John
Oakes, Mary
Oliver, Robert
Olsen, Hans
Orangemen
Orton children
Orton, Rev. Joseph
Orton, Sarah (Mrs Joseph)
Overly children
Overly, Mary (Mrs William)
Overly, William
Oyster Cove
Padmore, Henry
Paisley, Walter
Palmer, Rev. Philip
Parry, John
Partridge, Chief Constable ?
Pegus, Mary Sophia (Mrs Peter)
Pegus, Peter
Peyton Jones, Ensign John
Point Puer map
Pollard, John
Poultney, Robert
Power children
Power, Dr ?
Power, Ellen (Mrs John
Power, John
Pringle, James Jones
Pringle, Mary (Mrs James)
Probation Stations
Probation System
Pydairrerme
Quick, Rev. William
Randall children
Randall, ? (Mrs Walter)
Randall, Walter
religious boys
Ribbonmen
Riley, William
Roberts, R.A
Roberts, Robert
Robinson, George Augustus
Robinson, William
Roby, Edward
Rogers, George
Rose, George
Ross, James
Russell, Dr John James
Rutland, Henry
Salmon, George
Saltwater Creek
Saltwater River
Samuel
Sarah Island
Saunders, Joseph
Scanlon, Margaret
schedule – Point Puer
Schofield, Martha (Mrs William)
Schofield, Rev. William
schooling
schools
Scott, James
Scrimshaw, William
semaphore
Separate Prison
sermons
servants
Settlement Creek
Settlement Road
Sharpe, Joseph
Sharpe, William
Shaw, Thomas
Sheffield, William
shipyards
shoemakers
Shuttleworth, Joseph
Sickness
Simcock, Edward
Simpson children
Simpson, Rev. William
Simpson, Rev. William West
Simpson, Sarah (Mrs William)
Skardon, George
Skardon, Mary Sophia
Slaves
Slopen Main
Smith, James
Smith, Job
Smith, Judith
Smith, Timothy
Smith, William
Snodgrass, Kenneth
Somercote, Richard
Sorell, Lt Gov. William
Sparks, Henry
Spencer children
Spencer, Agnes (Mrs James John)
Spencer, James
Spencer, James John
Spencer, John James
Spencer, John jr
Spillard children
Spillard, James
Spillard, Sarah (Mrs James)
Spottiswood, Alicia
Spottiswood, Capt. John
Spottiswood, Catherine
Spottiswood, Elizabeth (Mrs John)
Stanfield, William
Stanton children
Stanton, ? (Mrs Benjamin)
Stanton, Benjamin
Steele, Joseph
Stevens, Bax
Stevens, Benjamin
Stevens, James
Stewarts Harbour
Stimpson, Elizabeth
Storey, William
Stuart, John Ramsay
Summercotes
Superintendent’s Quarters – PA
Superintendent’s Quarters – PP
Taite, James
Tams, Charles
Tassett, Henry
Tatler, Henry
Taylor, John
Teayhorn children
Teayhorn, Richard
Teayhorn, Rose Anne (Mrs Richard)
The Marshes
Therry, Father John
tobacco
Tom children
Tom, Catherine (Mrs Henry)
Tom, Henry
Tonga
Towers, John
Travers, James
tread mill
Trial Book
Turner children
Turner, Ann (Mrs Nathaniel)
Turner, Rev. Nathaniel
Twist, Emmanuel
Veitch, Robert
Visitor’s Accommodation
Waddy, Sgt ?
Walker, George Washington
Walker, Thomas
Ward, Senior Constable ?
Warner, Ashton
Waterhouse, Jane Middleton
Waterhouse, Rev. John
Waters, Richard
Waterson, William
Weatherston children
Weatherston, Mary (Mrs John)
Weatherston, Rev. John
Webb, William
Weddings
Wedge Bay
Welsh, James
Wesley, Edward
Wesley, Rev. Charles
Wesley, Rev. John
Wesley, Rev. Samuel
Whaleboats
White, William
Whitsett, Thomas
Willett, William
Williams, John
Williams, Samuel
Wills children
Wills, Frederick
Wills, Sarah (Mrs Frederick)
Willson, Bishop Robert
Wilson, Capt. ?
Wiltshire, Charles
Wiltshire, Francis
Wood, Ann
Woods, Andrew
Wright, Bethia
Wright, John
Wyballena
Wynne, James
Young, Robert

Underground Hobart

Underground Hobart

The World Beneath the City

An exploration of subterranean Hobart. The rich and colourful history of the once open but now buried waterways – including the Hobart Rivulet, Domain Park Rivulet, and Sandy Bay – Wellington Rivulet.

The book includes details of tunnels and drains stretching back to the very start of Hobart’s first settlement in Sullivans Cove. Some of these have only recently been rediscovered. Other topics examined are burial grounds, the installation of water, gas and sewerage systems together with basement shops, homes and places of entertainment.

Unexpected events revealed include the formation of the Liberal Party in Tasmania, and the excavation of graves on the site of an old Campbell Street convict era cemetery. Underground Hobart contains an excellent range of photographs highlighting all aspects of the world – and life – ‘beneath the city’.

Details

104 A4 pages, plus maps, photographs, footnotes, bibliography and detailed index.

ISBN: 978-0-9805139-2-9

Purchase

The book is available from “Cracked & Spineless” in Imperial Arcade, 9/138 Collins St, Hobart

03 6223 1663

https://www.facebook.com/CrackedNSpineless

If they can’t help you, use the ‘contact’ page on this website (on left) to send us a message.

Contents

Download contents listing

Index

Download copy of index

Libraries Tasmania

Libraries Tasmania Catalogue – Underground Hobart

Reviews

Download Reviews of Underground Hobart

Further Discussion and Information

Additional information on Underground Hobart

Shop

Books available through Print on Demand (Lulu.com)

See No Evil – A childhood mostly on The Glebe, Hobart 1946-1953

The Wesleyans of Port Arthur

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Wesleyans-Cover-Thumbnail.jpg

‘The Newsprint’ – A Social and Forestry History of Maydena 1920 – 2020

A History of North West Bay and Margate, Tasmania 1792-2000

Books not available through Print on Demand (Lulu.com)

See individual books as to where they may be sourced.

On the Fiddle from Scotland to Tasmania 1815-1863

Stock Thieves and Golfers

Stock Thieves and Golfers by Peter MacFie

Underground Hobart

DVDs

Pitt Water Fiddle Excursion 2016

The free Youtube version of the video, available from 16 Aug 2021

https://youtu.be/E3NTTRI46c0

North West Bay and Margate

A History of North West Bay and Margate, Tasmania 1792 – 2000

A detailed study of this locality south of Hobart includes the first contact with the indigenous people by the French Baudin expedition in North West Bay on 1802, the 1814 land grants to Marines authorised by Lachlan Macquarie, the nearby 1823 convict sawing station, the rock walls mystery, the early ship building industry. In addition, the local schools are examined plus farming and old settlement families are also documented.

The study also contains photographs, plus historic maps, including some unique maps which use a techniques suggested by Peter MacFie and Marie Giblin, where historic maps are overlaid over current satellite image maps.

Details

148 A4 pages, over 30 photographs, plus 22 historic maps & charts, plus footnotes, bibliography and detailed index.

Purchase

The first printing of this book sold out. It is now available from Lulu.com through ‘print on demand’.

If you want help in buying direct from Lulu, click here.

Contents Page

Download the Contents Page

Index

Download the Index

Sample Page

Download a sample chapter

Library

LINC access to Margate book

On the Fiddle from Scotland to Tasmania 1815 – 1863

The Life and Music of Alexander Laing (1792-1868). Convict, Constable, Fiddler and Composer. 65 Original Melodies Drawn from a Rare Manuscript with Historical Commentary.

Drawing on a rare music manuscript recently discovered by Peter MacFie, On the Fiddle from Scotland to Tasmania 1815-1868 makes available the previously hidden musical legacy of Alexander Laing, Scottish-born soldier, convict, fiddler, composer and constable.

After being transported to New South Wales in 1813, Laing arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). He died there in 1868, leaving many descendants.

In the context of folk music traditions, the authors examine the musical, historical and cultural significance of Laing’s manuscript in 19th Century Tasmania and Australian history, and reproduce 65 of Laing’s original tunes.

The book consists of two sections: A history by Peter MacFie of Alexander Laing’s life and times in colonial Tasmania seen through the title dedications of the tunes; and a re-transcription of the 65 tunes with added chord accompaniment by musicians Steve Gadd and Marjorie Gadd, who comment on the broader musical significance of the Laing’s work.

Details

Authors Peter MacFie and Steve & Marjorie Gadd
ISBN 978-0-646-56618-4
Front and Back Cover Design for On the Fiddle: from Scotland to Tasmania 1815–1863 by Christopher Cowles © 2009.

Purchase

Order online (as below) or if you are in the Hobart area, you might try contact via this website to save postage.

Index

The index for On the Fiddle from Scotland to Tasmania 1815-1865

Book Tunes

The 65 Tunes Appearing in “On the Fiddle”

Manuscript Tunes

All 243 Tunes in the Original Laing Manuscript

Libraries Tasmania

Libraries Tasmania Catalogue – On the Fiddle