James Castle (c. 1759–1803)
James/John Castle (c.1759-1803) was found guilty on 7 January 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of the theft of a pair of shoes, a silver watch, and a silk handkerchief. Sentenced to 7 years transportation he was sent to the Censor hulk in September 1784 and embarked for New South Wales on the Scarborough in February 1787, arriving in the colony in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.
On 2 December 1788 at Port Jackson he was found guilty of stealing goods from Ann Sandlin and was sentenced to remain in the colony for life. He was granted 30 acres of land at Prospect in July 1791. In mid 1800 as John Castle he was living alone, off stores, on a purchased farm at Mulgrave Place. He was still there, and still single in 1803. He supported himself and manservant.
His property and its contents were auctioned for sale in 1803. An ad in the Sydney Gazette of 3 July 1803 described the property as 'The Estate and Effects of the late John Castle'.
* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 66-67
Additional Resources
- ad for the sale of his property, Sydney Gazette, 3 July 1803, p 1, column 2
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Sandlin, Ann (related entry)
Citation details
'Castle, James (c. 1759–1803)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/castle-james-30534/text37854, accessed 13 September 2024.
Life Summary [details]
Alternative Names
- Castle, John
Birth
Death
June,
1803
(aged ~ 44)
Windsor,
New South Wales,
Australia
Cause of Death
Cultural Heritage
Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.