People Australia

John Matthew Cox (c.1754-1808) and John Pontie were found guilty on 7 July 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of the theft of 13 yards of thread lace from a haberdasher. His death sentence was commuted to life transportation on 7 August 1786. He was sent to the Ceres hulk, where he remained until he embarked for New South Wales on the Scarborough in February 1787, arriving in Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.

Cox's name was corrupted to John Massy Cox at Port Jackson. He was made a member of the night watch in August 1789. In November 1791 he was sent to Norfolk Island on the Queen. He settled on 10 acres at Mount Pitt Path. He was recorded in 1805 as without a family, with 7 acres cultivated and owning 10 swine. He left Norfolk Island (as John Massey Cox) for Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in February 1808.

Cox was buried at St David's Hobart on 15 August 1808 as John Massa Cox; his age was given as 56.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 84-85