People Australia

John Jepp (c.1759- ), a master butcher, was found guilty on 8 December 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing half a yard of brown linen from a messenger boy. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, he was sent to the Ceres hulk on 5 April 1785 and was discharged to the Alexander in January 1787. He arrived at Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.

Jepp (as Gepp) was ordered 25 lashes for insolence to a sentry (no date is given). Sent to Norfolk Island in August 1791 as one of a group of troublesome people, he was ordered 800 lashes on 14 January 1792 for stealing flour from the store where he had been serving provisions. He was to receive 25 lashes every consecutive Saturday — he received 150, was dismissed from the store, and was required to work in double irons.

In May 1792 Jepp received all 400 lashes for seditious behaviour tending to inflame the people and disturb the peace. He was also ordered to be imprisoned for twelve months and pay a fine of £10. He was partially freed on 30 September and fully freed on 11 December.

Jepp left Norfolk Island in early January 1794 on the Philadelphia for China.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), p 193