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Thomas Griffiths (c. 1759–?)

Thomas Griffiths (c.1759- ) was found guilty on 15 September 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing 140 yards of black gauze. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, he was sent to the Ceres hulk on 5 April 1785 and was discharged to the Scarborough in February 1787 where he was involved in an attempted mutiny with Philip Farrell on 30 May 1787. The men were transferred to the Sirius for punishment; Griffiths received 24 lashes and was sent to the Prince of Wales for the remainder of the voyage. He arrived at Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.

Griffiths had left the colony before the end of 1791, his sentence having expired. John Easty had written that he had been master of a French privateer; if so he would have had no difficulty working his passage home to England.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), p 151

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Citation details

'Griffiths, Thomas (c. 1759–?)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/griffiths-thomas-31206/text38595, accessed 29 March 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

c. 1759

Passenger Ship
Occupation
Key Events
Key Places
Social Issues
Convict Record

Crime: theft
Sentence: 7 years