John White (c. 1746–1820)
John White (c.1746-1820) was found guilty on 3 July 1792 of stealing a linen frock, towel and horse roller from a stable. Sentenced to 7 years transportation to America, he was among the prisoners who mutinied on the convict transport Mercury in April 1784. Recaptured in London in July, he was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey on 7 July 1784 for returning from transportation. His sentence was again commuted to life transportation and he was afterwards sent to the Fortunee hulk where he spent over four years before embarking for New South Wales on the Scarborough in November 1789, arriving in the colony in June 1790 as part of the Second Fleet.
In 1806 White was recorded as a shipwright, working for James Underwood, and holding a conditional pardon. By 1820 he was living at Colo. He died on 17 September 1820.
* information from Michael Flynn, The Second Fleet: Britain’s Grim Convict Armada of 1790 (1993), p 607
Additional Resources and Scholarship
- proceedings of trial, Old Bailey, London, 3 July 1782 (pdf)
- proceedings of trial, Old Bailey, London, 7 July 1784 (pdf)
Related Thematic Essay
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Underwood, James (employer)
Citation details
'White, John (c. 1746–1820)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/white-john-30865/text38221, accessed 14 April 2025.
Life Summary [details]
Birth
c. 1746
Death
17 September,
1820
(aged ~ 74)
Colo,
New South Wales,
Australia