Author Topic: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+  (Read 7635 times)

Offline VDLstories

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Hello,

I am seeking the origins of an ancestor GEORGE BRIGGS.

I hope to visit where he came from, understand his origins, meet any distant relatives - descended from siblings, etc.

What I have is below.

Thanks for any advice, including who to contact, and where to look.
I am in Ireland and UK  now = Aug-Sept-bit of Oct 2010, and can visit archives etc - but where and which ?!

Julie

George Briggs from Dunstable Bedfordshire? arrived  NSW 1792 on “Pitt”?

Said to have been born in Dunstable Bedfordshire (how do we know this?) possibly born  c.1775 to be aged 16 if/when charged c.1791 and arrived on Pitt in 1792?

Arrival in Australia unknown. He probably arrived 1788 to 1806 as a convict.
Possibly first known as  William Briggs arrived on “Pitt” 1792 into Sydney, NSW.

Children in Van Diemen’s Land to Woretemoetereynner, a Tasmanian Aboriginal women, eldest daughter of Mannalargenna, leader of the east coast:
Dalrymple [b.c.1810-1864], Elizabeth [1817-1839],  Mary or Margaret [c 1819 - 1839],   John  [1820- 1878].  For information on Dalrymple see: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10118b.htm
For information on John and wife Louisa see: http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10057b.htm

Early August 1806 NSW muster: George Briggs     How Employed:  Sealing. Kable's employ
Condition:  EC ( emancipated convict).

1810: George Briggs partnered to Tasmanian Aboriginal woman, Woretemoeteyenner by. c.1810

13 Jan 1816: James Kelly with George Briggs & 4 others in a whaleboat circumnavigating Tasmania

July 1819: George Briggs left Port Dalrymple for Sydney in the “Sinbad”

October 1819: Briggs on the “Glory”

1823-24: Briggs made several voyages on the “Nereus” trading between Port Jackson & Port Dalrymple

June 1823: he was described as 32 years old (b.1791), [51911] high forehead, hazel eyes, light red hair, fair ruddy complexion and freckles (where would this description be from?)

June 1831: seaman on Griffith’s Schooner

1837: George Briggs listed as living alone on Clarks Island (where listed?)

May 1848 George Briggs said to have come into George Town, north Tasmania with a man named Vickery, having been held up by bushrangers who made Briggs sail them from Hunter Island across to Waterhouse Island, where they got on a “Yankee Whaler” bound for Kangaroo Island.  Vickery said “the whole of them got slight flesh wounds in the encounter with the Messrs. Thomas at Port Sorell”. . See: Colonial Times. 2 June 1848.

Died: when and where?

Offline Paco

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 25 August 10 15:22 BST (UK) »
There are some George Briggs in Dunstable on IGI, but not for the year you are looking for, nearest is about 1787. If you type in Matriarchs of survival into Google there is a photo and info about George and his family.
regards.
Essex/Dorset/Berks

Offline bedfordshire boy

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 25 August 10 17:08 BST (UK) »
Do you have any details of his trial and sentence? What are the details of his voyage on the Pitt in 1792

There's a huge discrepancy in ages between his arrival in 1792 and being aged 32 in 1823. He obviously wasn't transported aged 1, so I wonder if there were two George Briggs

David
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Beds:   Cople: Luke/Spencer
            Everton: Hale
            Henlow: Cooper/Watts/Sabey/Rook
            Potton:  Merrill
            Southill: Faulkner/Litchfield/Sabey/Rook
            Woburn/Husborne Crawley: Surkitt
Hunts:   Gt Gransden: Merrill/Chandler/Medlock
            Toseland: Surkitt/Hedge/Corn         
Cambs: Bourn: Bowd
            Eltisley: Medlock
            Graveley: Ford/Revell

Offline VDLstories

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 25 August 10 18:54 BST (UK) »
Thanks David and Paco,

Well spotted re: dates and age problems for George Briggs.

I  don't have his arrival into Australia, the closest name seems to be  a William Briggs on the PITT in 1792. I will check William's  age and movements after 1792, and report back. Perhaps George   was William's son?

 But that 1792 arrival seems very early to me now. There are discrepancies in the first decade, first-fourth fleet times, in Australia re: musters and numbers and names. Some arrived and weren't recorded properly. But still, he is more likely to be born around 1790, than arrived around 1790.

Also,  boys worked on ships in those days, and it seems Briggs would have arrived nearer to 1806, when he is first mentioned as George Briggs in the colony, than 1792.

Perhaps he was mid teens in 1806, therefore  if 16 then born in 1790, partnering by c1810 with Woretemoeteyenner said to be born c1795, and becoming  parents by c1810. Which is closest to the 1787 birth year on the IGI, nb: there is a lot of wrong information on IGI about this family.

What I have is:

George BRIGGS   listed as EC in 1806 muster, that I have been told means "Emancipated Convict". 

He definitely was in Bass Strait by 1810 and self employed sealers were generally ex convicts, they were termed  'banditti of the straits' - few were not ex convicts or non seamen. 

So, if George was not William Briggs, or his son [to check],
then perhaps also he wasn't a convict, but a seaman.
He was a very able sailor to circumnavigate Tasmania in a whaleboat, as crew, in 1816.

I wish I knew who   first came up with the "Dunstable, Bedfordshire" birthplace...

There is no known marriage for him, and he has not been found, to my knowledge, after 1848. There is no   death record in Tasmania found yet, nor have I found any account of his life from the times when he lived.

ok, back to double checking refs and some records
thanks all
Julie


Offline VDLstories

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 15 September 10 23:03 BST (UK) »
hi

just an update that WILLIAM BRIGGS on the 1791 PITT to Norfolk Island was an Irishman, not from Bedfordshire. William was one of many Irishmen sent onward from NSW to Norfolk Island apparently because they were seen as agitators. I would like to learn more about William.

but am now still a bit stuck about who was my ggg grandfather  GEORGE BRIGGS ... who if was a seaman aged 32 in 1823 - which sounds reasonable and is in newspapers,  was born in 1791, and if EC means Emancipated convict, he was transported under another name aged 16+ = arrived 1807+, and perhaps reverted to Briggs once free. He was in Bass Strait Tasmania by 1810 fathering children.

So  I just need to find a magic list of all male convicts and seaman/free men, born c1790-1 from Bedfordshire arriving before 1809 into Australia!
phew.
Julie

Offline C.J Duggan

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 10 January 12 13:08 GMT (UK) »
Hi Julie,

I see your post was some time ago and hopefully you have found what you are looking for in relation to George Briggs, heck you may even be able to tell me a thing or two? :)

I have only just discovered that George Briggs is my Great, great, great, great Grandfather, my GGGG Grandmother is Woretermoeteyenner Palawa. We are apart of the Australian connection.

I have found a few articles in regards to their history which is quite fascinating. I have just started on this part of my family tree and expect and hope to find out a whole lot more.

Hope you are still active on this? and hope to hear from you?

C.J

Offline BKAnderson

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 03 April 12 10:27 BST (UK) »
Hello all. I too am related to this fellow. He is my great great great great great Grandfather. If I find any info, I'll post it here but it's proving to be a bit tricky. Can't seem to find records of his parentage anywhere although some notes made by one of my relatives seem to suggest his parents names were William and Mary. I have no idea where that info comes from.
Also, am happy to chat with distant relations. :) Send me a message.
-Bronte.

Offline bedfordshire boy

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 03 April 12 13:01 BST (UK) »
Julie hasn't logged in for over a year, so unless she's receiving notifications that there have been replies she won't have seen the January message, nor possibly todays either. As you can't send personal messages until you've made three posts, I'll send her a message telling her that distant relatives would like to contact her!

David
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Beds:   Cople: Luke/Spencer
            Everton: Hale
            Henlow: Cooper/Watts/Sabey/Rook
            Potton:  Merrill
            Southill: Faulkner/Litchfield/Sabey/Rook
            Woburn/Husborne Crawley: Surkitt
Hunts:   Gt Gransden: Merrill/Chandler/Medlock
            Toseland: Surkitt/Hedge/Corn         
Cambs: Bourn: Bowd
            Eltisley: Medlock
            Graveley: Ford/Revell

Offline BKAnderson

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Re: Seeking origins of George BRIGGS born c.1770-1775, Dunstable[?].Australia c1792+
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 03 April 12 14:13 BST (UK) »
Thanks David. :) Any assistance is great.