Colonial Events
1820
Total population of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land 30,433 (Caledonian Mercury 31 July 1820)
Lancelot Iredale, convict blacksmith established his own business (Iredale and Co). Possibly No. 67 George Street Sydney
Lancer Military Barracks at Parramatta completed.
Newcastle in 1820
January 12
Expedition to Newcastle and Port Macquarie by Commissioner Bigge, Thomas Hobbes Scott, John Oxley, Lieut. Johnson and sugar planter Mr. Gyles (Friendship 1818) who was to assess the area of Port Macquarie as to suitability for growing sugar cane Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie ArchiveJanuary 20
Arrival of convict ship Lord Wellington with female Irish and English prisoners. Master Lew Hill. Surgeon Edward Foord BromleyConvicts and passengers of the Lord Wellington identified in the Hunter Valley.
January 21
Arrival of convict ship Eliza 1 from England. Master Francis Hunt. Surgeon James Marr Brydone.Convicts and pasengers of the Eliza identified in the Hunter Valley
January 27
Arrival of Prince Regent convict ship from England. Master William Anderson. Surgeon James Hunter.Convicts and passengers of the Prince Regent identified in the Hunter Valley
January 27
Arrival of the convict ship Castle Forbes from Ireland. Master Thomas Reid. Surgeon James ScottConvicts and passengers of the Castle Forbes identified in the Hunter Valley
January 27
Sydney Burial Ground consecratedJanuary 28
Arrival of convict ship Dromedary from England. Master Richard Skinner. Surgeon George Fairfowl.Convicts and passengers of the Dromedary identified in the Hunter Valley
February 29
Governor Macquarie requested permission to resignApril 1
William Minchin appointed Superintendent of PoliceApril 4
Arrival of the convict ship Coromandel from England. Captain James Downie. Surgeon Archibald Hume Convicts and passengers of the Coromandel identified in the Hunter ValleyApril 30
Arrival of the Seaflower from Calcutta with male convicts. Correspondence of convict Michael KeanMay
Australia's first officially appointed Catholic priests John Therry and Phillip Connolly arrive from Ireland.May 3
Arrival of convict ship Janus. Captain Thomas Mowatt. Surgeon James Creagh died on the passage out. Convicts and passengers of the Coromandel identified in the Hunter Valley.May 15
John Howe, Benjamin Singleton and others on an expedition to Hunter River. This discovery opened up the vast plains of upper Hunter for selection and settlementJune 6
First pharmaceutical shop opened by John Tawell in Sydney- No. 6 Hunter Street, SydneyJune 19
Death of Sir Joseph BanksJune 21
Philip Parker King began preparing for his third expedition on H.M.C Mermaid. Among those accompanying him were botanist Allan Cunningham, surgeon James Hunter and John Septimus Roe. Note - In 1829 the Mermaid was converted into an armed, two-masted schooner. Under Captain Samuel Nolbrow, she was wrecked en route to Port Raffles on the northern coast in Western Australia. Find out more about Captain Nolbrow and the wreck of the Mermaid hereThe wreck was re-discovered by an underwater archaeology team led by the Australian National Maritime Museum in early 2009 - A model tale by Stephen Gaps A.N.M.M
July 16
Arrival of convict ship Neptune. Captain William McKissock. Surgeon James Mitchell.Convicts and passengers of the Neptune identified in the Hunter Valley
August
Severe catarrh suffered by many in the colony.August 5
Arrival of convict ship Hadlow. Captain John Craigie. Surgeon William PriceConvicts and passengers of the Hadlow identified in the Hunter Valley
August 7
Arrival of convict ship Mangles. Captain John Coghill. Surgeon Matthew Anderson.Convicts and passengers of the Mangles identified in the Hunter Valley
August 16
Arrival of the convict ship Earl St. Vincent. Captain Samuel Simpson. Surgeon Patrick Hill.Convicts and passengers of the Earl St. Vincent identified in the Hunter Valley
September 19
Arrival of convict ship Dorothy. Master John Hargraves. Surgeon Robert Espie.Convicts and passengers of the Dorothy identified in the Hunter Valley
September 22
Arrival of the convict ship Agamemnon. Captain Robert Surtees. Surgeon James Hall.Convicts and passengers of the Agamemnon identified in the Hunter Valley
September 26
Arrival of convict ship Shipley. Master Lewis Williams Moncrief. Surgeon Henry Ryan.Convicts and passengers of the Shipley identified in the Hunter Valley
September 30
Arrival of convict ship Guildford. Captain Magnus Johnson. Surgeon Hugh WalkerConvicts and passengers of the Guildford identified in the Hunter Valley
September 30
Arrival of the convict ship Morley. Master Robert Railston Brown. Surgeon Thomas ReidConvicts and passengers of the Morley identified in the Hunter Valley
October 27
Aboriginal native Burragong (King Jack) murdered by convict John Kirby near Newcastle Capture of runaway convict John Kirby by Aborigines; and stabbing of Jack, Chief of the Newcastle tribe.Capture of runaway convict John Kirby by Aborigines; and stabbing of Jack, Chief of the Newcastle tribe, 1820 [4-1807 pp.135-137]
Abraham Fenton of the 48th regt. was employed as Assistant-Surgeon at Newcastle in 1820. He attended Burragong in his own quarters at Newcastle
November 21
Death of Judge-advocate Richard AtkinsNovember 22
Arrival of the convict ship Almorah. Captain Thomas Winter. Surgeon Samuel AlexanderConvicts and passengers of the Almorah identified in the Hunter Valley
December 28
Arrival of the convict ship Asia. Master James Morice. Surgeon William Bell CarlyleConvicts and passengers of the Almorah identified in the Hunter Valley
December 31
Arrival of the convict ship Elizabeth. Master William Ostler. Surgeon Andrew Montgomery.Convicts and passengers of the Elizabeth identified in the Hunter Valley
December 31
Arrival of the convict ship Hebe. Captain Thackeray Wetherall. Surgeon Charles Carter.Convicts and passengers of the Hebe identified in the Hunter Valley