People Australia

Robert Nunn (c.1758-1846) was found guilty on 7 July 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing, with a companion, two greatcoats, 13 pieces of silver and two hat loops, the property of the Right Honourable Charles Lord Southampton. 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. He arrived at Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.

Nunn was ordered to receive 100 lashes on 3 December 1789 for disobeying orders and neglecting his work. He was sent to Norfolk Island on the Supply in March 1790. By May 1791 he was settled on a 12 acre lot at Mount Pitt Path, Queenborough, with ten rods cleared. He shared a sow with Thomas Kidner and Mary Carter. In May 1794 he was employed on jobbing work and gave up his land to return to Port Jackson later in the year; Mary Carter remained on Norfolk Island.

Nunn was living alone in 1800 on a rented farm at Mulgrave Place with five acres sown in wheat and five ready for planting maize. Two years later he was renting 30 acres at Mulgrave Place in partnership with Thomas Morrison. By 1806 he had purchased almost 7½ acres at Richmond. In 1828, aged 67, he still held his seven plus acres.

Nunn died at Richmond on 20 November 1846; his occupation was given as servant and his age as 86.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), p 266