People Australia

Thomas Wright, a soldier, was found guilty of “grand larceny in company” for “feloniously cutting and ripping, with intent to steal, twenty pounds weight of copper". He was sentenced to seven years transportation and arrived in Sydney in 1792 aboard the Pitt. In 1794 he was given the opportunity to have his sentence “absolutely remitted” provided he serve with the New South Wales Corps until he was “regularly discharged". He was promoted to corporal in 1795. By that year he was also in a de facto relationship with Elizabeth Fitzgerald. They had a child in 1798.

In 1808 Wright was assigned to Launceston, Tasmania. Fitzgerald joined him there a month later with one of her daughters by a previous relationship. In 1814 Wright went with his regiment to Ceylon but is believed to have returned to Sydney when the 73rd Regiment of Foot was disbanded in 1821 and died in 1827.