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Small, John (1761–1850)

John Small (1761-1850), a former marine, and John Herbert were found guilty on 14 March 1785 at Exeter, England, of highway robbery. Their death sentences were commuted to 7 years transportation on 5 April 1785. Sent to the Dunkirk hulk in January 1786, they arrived in Sydney in January 1788 aboard the Charlotte as part of the First Fleet.

Small worked in the laboratory tent at Port Jackson. He married Mary Parker on 12 October 1788; they had seven surviving children. In February 1794 Small received a 30 acre grant of land at Eastern Farms. From 1809 to 1825 he worked as a district constable at Kissing Point. He died on 2 October 1850 at Ryde.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 331-332

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Citation details

'Small, John (1761–1850)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/small-john-18833/text36725, accessed 2 June 2023.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

30 November, 1761
Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

Death

2 October, 1850 (aged 88)
Ryde, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

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Convict Record

Crime: theft
Sentence: 7 years