If you want a peep into the real history of early colonial
Australia, you might enjoy this book. A rare book: 448 pages,
part history, part family saga, compiled from a mass of
previously unanalysed records. An intimate and documented
exploration of another time. The first 260 pages tell, for the
first time the true adventures of the remarkable life of Thomas
Massey, who came to Australia as a convict in 1791 at the age
of 32. The remaining 188 pages allow a leisurely exploration
of interesting and informative additional documentation
detail. All pages tell, first hand, of the times he witnessed and
the people he met, as he and his family played their small
part in the birth of Australia as we know it today.
The book is liberally illustrated with over 85 maps,
document copies, portraits and lifestyle illustrations. In 1804
Thomas Massey was appointed Chief Constable of the new
settlement established at Port Dalrymple, on the Tamar
Estuary, Van Diemen's Land. An area now dominated by the
city of Launceston in North East Tasmania. The book tells a
detailed story of the first 50 years of settlement. I have tried to
let the documents tell their own story and give the reader an
insight into the push and pull of personalities that coloured
the early development of Tasmania. Daily colonial
administration involved correspondence on paper.
The document flow between Sydney and the Southern
Settlements was prolific. Thomas was “Middle Management”
and active at the very core of daily life, yet important enough
to feature widely in the written record. The reader can observe
through his eyes: early colonial Sydney; the conflict between
civil and military rule; the ‘Rum Rebellion’; the war between
white and black; the bushranger epidemic and John
Batman’s purchase, from the native residents, of the rights to
graze livestock in the Port Phillip District of Victoria. You will
meet adventurers, soldier-merchants, dedicated
administrators; the arrogant, the ignorant, some nice people,
some nasty ones and all the women in Thomas Massey’s life.
You will meet and follow the life of his only son, among the
first born white children in the new colony.
This book may well change its readers understanding of
convict life in early colonial Australia. For most convict
arrivals, there were no barred prisons and chain-gangs. There
was freedom of movement and a developing independence of
spirit. The land and the mutual struggle for survival changed
the relative value of capital and labour. The fathers of
Australian democracy emerged from the many political
convicts, carefully rounded-up and deported for their
advanced social ideals. From ordinary people emerged the
principles on which a nation would be built.
Over Thomas Massey’s life story you will observe the
country change and mature as the population changes and
free settlers start to arrive. The reader will begin to
understand why Australia developed the lifestyle culture and
freedoms it has today.
This book will appeal to: - those related to the players in
the book - a family history bonanza; - the history buff who
wishes to explore the lives of real people and how
personalities direct history. - the history student who wants
an adventure read that will introduce many aspects of
Australian Colonial history in a living and understandable
context. There is a bonus in observing how this project was
researched, written and referenced. Thomas Massey died in
1858 at 99 (or perhaps 100) years of age - just 81 years before
I (the author) was born. Three lifetimes that cover the full
span of the white settlement of Australia. A story that needed
to be told before the records were forgotten or lost.
A good read and great value for those who want to imbibe
real Australian heritage.
From Convict to Chief Constable
The story of Thomas Massey
and the first 50 years of
Launceston Tasmania
Biography
This
website
is
an
introduction
to
a
recently
published
book
that
covers
the
amazing
story
of
Thomas
Massey
who
came
to
Australia
as
a
convict
in
1791
and
was
appointed
the
first
Chief
Constable
of
a
new
settlement
that
was
to
become
the
city
of
Launceston Tasmania
© Rutherford J Browne 2018
This site and book are protected by copyright. All or parts of it may not be copied or disseminated in any way
without the permission of the copyright owner. You may copy, reference or quote small sections of the work as long
as due acknowledgement is made.