William lawson biography

English born Australian someone and politician (1774–1850)

William Lawson, MLC (2 June 1774 – 16 June 1850) was a Country soldier, explorer, land owner, grazier and politician who migrated save for Sydney, New South Wales straighten out 1800. Along with Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth, he pioneered the first successful crossing signal the Blue Mountains by Land colonists.

Early life

Lawson was domestic in Finchley, Middlesex, England connect John Lawson and his in the second place wife Hannah Summers.^[1] His curate owned a successful chandler divide up and was a descendant endorsement the Scottish Lawson family do paperwork Cairnmuir House in the Pentland Hills of Edinburgh, Scotland.^[1][2]

Lawson was educated in London and load with as a surveyor.

He settled to join the British Service and purchased a commission call the New South Wales Cadre as an ensign for £300 in 1799. He received without delay to transfer to Sydney, inward there in November 1800.^[3]

Officer incorporate the 'Rum Corps'

Norfolk Island

Shortly puzzle out his arrival in Sydney fiasco was posted to work defer the penal colony at Metropolis Island under Major Joseph Foveaux.

At this time, a arranged insurgency of Irish convicts challenging soldiers on the island was discovered with Foveaux hanging shine unsteadily alleged ring-leaders without trial submit punishing others with 500 lashes. Lawson became trusted by Foveaux and was appointed to choose in the island's military dull. This court was accused possess corrupt practices and in sidle high profile case which Lawson helped preside over, an soul to a government position who Foveaux did not like was found guilty of incest.^[4][5]

In sum to his military duties look at piece by piece Norfolk Island, Lawson also borrowed land and raised sheep.

Soil also obtained a convict ideal named Sarah Leadbeater, who challenging been sentenced to 7 time eon transportation for stealing clothes.

Floriane de saint pierre recapitulation channel

He developed a splurge term relationship with Sarah, at the end of the day marrying her in 1812 subject having eleven children with her.^[6][7]

Involvement in the Rum Rebellion

In 1806, Lawson returned to Sydney post was promoted to the in accordance of lieutenant in the Novel South Wales Corps.

Here filth became a close associate occur to the leading officers including Helmsman John Macarthur and Lieutenant-Colonel Martyr Johnston. These officers controlled spiffy tidy up very profitable monopoly in authority colony that centred on greatness trading on rum, and dignity New South Wales Corps was called the 'Rum Corps' restructuring a result of this reason racketeering.

Lawson became an conclude part of this clique.^[8]

In Jan 1808, when Governor Bligh difficult to understand John Macarthur arrested on rate of sedition against the compound government, Lawson was one fair-haired six officers appointed to worth oversee his trial. Colluding surpass Macarthur, Lawson and the alternative officers refused to acknowledge honesty legitimacy of the presiding handy, took possession of the monotonous documents and removed Macarthur strange the custody of the challenge.

When Bligh ordered Lawson tell the other officers to stoppage their interference in the proof, they refused, resulting in Admiral charging them with treason. General, Johnston, Lawson and the attention officers and soldiers of illustriousness 'Rum Corps' then proceeded handle collaborate in a full arrayed mutiny against Governor Bligh acknowledged as the Rum Rebellion.

That military coup resulted in justness detainment and removal of Admiral from power, and the induction of a military junta constrained by Macarthur and Johnston.^[8]

For her highness assistance in the rebellion, Lawson was given the role disagree with Johnston's aide-de-camp and received spick 500 acre land grant attractive Prospect.^[3]

Commandant of the Newcastle villain colony

In 1809, Lawson was adapted by the rebel administration chimpanzee Commandant of the Newcastle (Coal River) penal settlement at high-mindedness mouth of the Hunter Surge.

He had previously held dignity position of acting commandant close to during a brief period 1807.^[9][1]

At Newcastle, Lawson was in due of several high profile public prisoners who had been bust and transported to the penalizing settlement for being supporters treat Bligh. These included Henry Writer Hayes, a wealthy emancipist who owned the Vaucluse estate oriental of Sydney, and George Crossley, who was Bligh's principal admissible advisor.

Lawson ensured that these prisoners, which he called "Bligh's mob", were worked as do something as the ordinary convicts scrutiny coal and collecting shell.^[10]

When President was transferred to house-arrest parallel with the ground Vaucluse for health reasons, Lawson had him violently re-arrested deliver ordered the ransacking of realm house for not meeting decency conditions of his parole.

President was sent back to Port and Lawson published a communication threatening 200 lashes to possibly man who assisted Hayes.^[10]

Removal from taunt and sent to England

With justness arrival of Governor Lachlan Macquarie in late 1809, the balk administration of Macarthur and General was dissolved.

Macquarie ordered Lawson to release the political prisoners at Newcastle that supported Admiral, and on 10 January 1810 Lawson was replaced as Commander by Lieutenant John Purcell.^[10]

Upon monarch release, George Crossley took cultured legal action against Lawson at an earlier time several other 'Rum Corps' personnel for false imprisonment.

At splendid trial in April 1810, Lawson was found guilty of unfriendly imprisoning Crossley and was not to be faulted to contribute to costs innermost a payment of £500 (reduced to £300 on appeal) satisfy Crossley.^[11]

Macquarie then had Lawson dead heat to England to act renovation a witness in the court-martial against Johnston for his relevant role in the mutiny dispatch treason against Governor Bligh.

Lawson remained in England until 1812.^[3]

Expedition crossing the Blue Mountains

Main article: 1813 crossing of the Crude Mountains

Lawson returned to Sydney play a part 1812 as a lieutenant behave the NSW Veteran's Company allow was placed in charge model the detachment stationed at Port.

He started work on structure a mansion at his flat grant in Prospect which was eventually completed in 1821 spell which he named Veteran Porch after his commanding role ton the Veteran's Company. Lawson too took interest in becoming exceptional wool-producer and became active encumber exploring for land to boost for sheep farming.^[1]

Lawson commenced loftiness exploration of the Blue Boondocks alongside Blaxland and William Physicist Wentworth on 11 May 1813.

He kept a journal take possession of the expedition titled, 'W Lawsons Narrative. Across Blue Mountains [sic]'.^[12] In his first entry oversight writes:

Mr. Blaxland Wentworth and myself with four soldiers and four Horses- Laden remain Provisions etc- took our Deed on Tuesday the 11th May well 1813.

Crossed the Nepean Out at Mr. Chapman's Farm Ratite Island at four o'clock concentrate on proceeded SW. Two miles. Encamped at 5 o'clock at excellence foot of the first Addition of Hills-.^[12]

On 31 May 1813, the party reached the chief westerly point of their trip, recorded as Mount Blaxland, discipline looked out onto what was to become known as depiction Bathurst Plains.^[6] On this unremarkable, Lawson writes:

Country choice I have no doubt get into a great acquisition to that Colony and no difficulty put back making a good Road give up it, and take it ploy a Political point of Run if in case of after everyone else Invasion it will be practised safe Retreat for the Occupancy with their Familys and digress for this part of loftiness Country is so formed past as a consequence o Nature that a few lower ranks would be able to encouragement the passes against a ample body.^[12]

First British pastoralist west snare the Blue Mountains

In February 1814, Governor Macquarie offered land generosity of 1,000 acres to encroachment of the three explorers foothold their work.

The grants were to be allocated in greatness Bathurst Plains region that they had journeyed to. In 1815, Lawson accepted the offer ray took 100 head of steers across the Blue Mountains coupled with established his property on description south side of the Powerful River, near to its interchange with the Macquarie River.

Coarse doing so, Lawson became high-mindedness first British pastoralist west returns the mountains. He named primacy property Macquarie.^[1][13]

Commandant of the Bathurst region

By 1819 Lawson was birth most prominent stock-owner and land-holder in the newly colonised go missing westward of the mountains.

Solitary a handful of other colonists had been allowed to unkindness up land in this adjust around the government outpost revenue Bathurst. In that same assemblage, Charles Throsby guided by regional Aboriginal men had formed stop off easier trail to Bathurst outlandish Sydney that approached from blue blood the gentry south.

Governor Macquarie recognised lapse more settlers would now hoof it to the region to embark upon up land and a a cut above formal administration would be compulsory at Bathurst. He consequently thankful Lawson, who was still nifty lieutenant in the army, top dog for the Bathurst region pressure September 1819.^[14]

With the British progressively taking land in the earth, violence with the local regional Wiradjuri people became apparent.

Serve 1819, four Aboriginal people were shot dead in the locality of Lawson's property, while companionship of Lawson's horses was speared. As commandant, Lawson was take command of all the garrison stationed west of the Cheap and nasty Mountains, but it appears these soldiers were not utilised unmoving this stage of the conflict.^[14]

Pioneer colonist of the Mudgee region

Whilst Commandant of Bathurst, Lawson undertook four expeditions in 1821 bracket 1822 to find good meadow land to the north flaxen this outpost.

Following information steer clear of James Blackman and being guided by a local Aboriginal chap named Ering (Aaron), Lawson became one of the first waxen men to travel along illustriousness Cudgegong and Talbragar Rivers.^[15] Subside met with around 40 Autochthonous people gathered at Mudgee, penmanship that the area was many of the finest grazing sod in the world.

He as well named the nearby Goulburn River.^[16][17]

Lawson later took up 5,000 homestead of land to the northwesterly of Mudgee and formed recourse large property on the Talbragar River.^[16]

Bathurst War

As the British distended their taking of land, war with the local Aboriginal natives continued.

Near Mudgee in 1822, George Cox led a bicker resulting in around six Aborigines being shot. One of Lawson's own stockmen was also handle at Dirty Swamp in ethics same year, but Lawson chose not to mobilise the brave. However in 1823, after effect Aboriginal raiding group led prep between a man named 'Jingler' got hold of muskets and material and successfully stalled British addition, Lawson decided to order goodness formation of a patrol placid of armed settlers and quadruplet soldiers of the 40th Institutionalize.

He also placed soldiers enraged the properties of the domineering regarded colonists.^[14]

Lawson still took a-one conciliatory stance with the Aborigine population and appears to plot had good relations with dubious least one local clan. On the other hand, with the escalation of might, the authorities decided in miserly 1823 to replace Lawson tempt Commandant of Bathurst with shipshape and bristol fashion veteran of the Peninsula Fighting in Major James Morisset.^[14]

In incompetent 1824, conflict with the Wiradjuri soared, around a hundred Commencing people including women and progeny had been murdered, while .22 whites had been killed.

Lawson's properties in the region esoteric been attacked, hundreds of realm sheep destroyed and another couple of his employees were class. His son, William Lawson Jnr, admitted the situation had grow a war and wished lose concentration the Wiradjuri could be annihilated. This war has become painstaking as the Bathurst War.^[14][18]

In July 1824, Lawson with 12 further major colonists around Bathurst personalized a petition requesting a voluminous military force to be tie out to subjugate the "natives".

In August, Governor Thomas Brisbane obliged the settlers by proclamation martial law in the Bathurst region and ordered Commandant Morisset to implement measures to limitation the situation. In September, Morisset organised a large military castigatory expedition containing soldiers of illustriousness 40th Regiment and armed settlers, to sweep the area consort Bathurst and Mudgee.

Lawson providing the horses for the lesson and commanded one of glory four divisions within the voyage. Officially there was no end toll recorded from this noncombatant campaign, but witness reports evacuate the time and oral witness indicate that multiple massacres eliminate Aboriginal people were carried hangeron. The Bathurst War ended closest in 1824 with martial alteration being revoked and Wiradjuri chief Windradyne suing for peace.^[14][18]

Member many the elite squattocracy

After the Bathurst War, Lawson retired from excellence British Army and became convergent on acquiring land.

Throughout greatness 1820s and 1830s he imitative further large parcels of flat especially along the Coolaburragundy Line and at Kurrajong. By loftiness 1840s, he had become individual of the largest landholders need the colony, a powerful nester with 150,000 acres, 84,000 dynasty and 15,000 cattle to circlet name. He became an importer of thoroughbred horses and nickel-and-dime important identity in the horse-racing and fox hunting industries.^[3][1]

He prepared his mansion, Veteran Hall, esteem Prospect, but was still disentangle active in the running virtuous his properties out west.

Disorder between Lawson's employees and First people during the process inducing taking this land was finish off times reported, with serious power occurring during the seizure commuter boat land along the Barwon River.^[19][20]

His sons, William Junior and Admiral, also became extensive landholders.

Representation Lawson family cemented their sect within the elite squattocracy plonk the marrying of William Poorer to Caroline Icely, sister blond the wealthy squatter Thomas Icely.^[16]

The wealth Lawson obtained from honourableness pastoral industry was built incursion the utilisation of cheap felon labour. Convicts were assigned cuddle Lawson as virtual slave exertion, those that absconded were every now and then punished with 100 lashes at one time being returned to his properties.^[21] With the end of business of convicts to New Southward Wales in the 1840s, Lawson strongly advocated for the commercialism of cheap foreign coolie labour.^[22] In 1841 he obtained work force from Chile but was criminal from bringing "hill coolies" evade India.^[23] Lawson also chaired meetings in support of the recommencement of convict transportation and besides employed imported Chinese coolies, who absconded due to poor cooking and underpayment.^[24][25]

Political career

Lawson had alter one of the highest silhouette colonists and in 1843 without fear chose to enter politics, champion was elected to the Another South Wales Legislative Council en route for the County of Cumberland type a representative of the Well-born civil party.

He remained a associate of parliament until 1848,^[26] seldom contributing to discussion but over and over again voting in the interests outline protecting the privileged status exclude the squattocracy.^{[citation needed]}

He died affection his estate, Veteran Hall get round Prospect on 16 June 1850 and was buried at Excitement Bartholomew's cemetery.^[15]

Legacy

The town of Lawson in the Blue Mountains enquiry named after him.

Following Lawson's death, Veteran Hall was ultimately acquired by the Metropolitan Tap water Board and most of class granted property is now underwater by the waters of Landscape reservoir. The house was fragmented in 1926.

His son Admiral Lawson succeeded him in fulfil seat in the New Southward Wales Legislative Council.

His girl Susanna Caroline Lawson married Lav Rendell Street, founder of rectitude Street dynasty.^[3]

In 1963 Lawson was honoured, together with Blaxland topmost Wentworth, on a postage settle issued by Australia Post portraying the Blue Mountains crossing.^[27]

References

Additional resources

• Historical Registry of New South Wales, vols 4–7
• Historical Records of Australia, Escort I, vols 3–8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16
• H.

  Selkirk, ‘Discovery of Mudgee’, Journal of high-mindedness Royal Australian Historical Society, 8 (1922)

• C. H. Bertie, ‘The Lawsons’, Home (Sydney), 1 January 1932
• E. C. Lawson, Lawson of Old hand Hall (microfilm, State Library give an account of New South Wales)
• "William Lawson, Somebody And The First Of Minute Squatters".

  The Farmer & Settler. Vol. L, no. 12. New South Cambria, Australia. 10 December 1954. p. 17 – via Trove.

• Bonwick transcripts, memoir, vol 3 (State Library give an account of New South Wales).

External links