People Australia

 John Archer was found guilty, on 26 May 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing two coach glasses. Sentenced to seven years transportation he was sent to the Censor hulk. He arrived in Sydney in January 1788 aboard the Scarborough as part of the First Fleet. On 28 December 1788 he married Susannah Mason, signing the register as Forrester, his wife signed as Gibbs. He was to alternatively use Forrester and Archer as a surname. He married as Forrester, was a member of the nightwatch in August 1789 as Archer, and received a 30 acre grant at Petersham Hill in 1794 as Forrester.

Archer was clerk to Henry Kable in 1806 and in 1814. He died on 29 June 1818, his age given as 71.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 10-11