Interesting situation for Portland residents -
South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal 10th March 1849Portland Bay. Convicts at Portland. - Sixty Pentonville, Parkhurst, and other prisoners arrived yesterday morning per Sophia, and were landed within an hour of the vessel dropping her anchor. A report soon became current in town that they were a band of desperadoes, and would require severe police supervision to keep them in order. A requistion was instantly drawn up by the inhabitants, and addressed to the Police Magistrate and the other Justice of the Peace associated with him, which being numerously signed was presented, in the course of the forenoon, to the Bench, sitting at the time, by a deputation of the inhabitants. In answer thereto, Mr Blair stated, that from his own observation, the opinion of his brother Justices (Messrs. S.C. Henty and H. Flower), confirmed by the apprehensions of the inhabitants, he should appoint, if possible, six night watchmen, as a temporary preventive against the commission of crime. With this assurance the deputation was perfectly satisfied, and the inhabitants relieved of the apprehension which had at first been created on learning their character. The whole were, for sometime, assembled in the police yard, and open to the inspection of any who might wish to see them. The majority are youths, under twenty years of age, and a few not more, perhaps, than fifteen years old. The greater part of them are respectable looking lads, and despite the unfavorable circumstances in which they appear, we sincerely hope many of them will prove valuable servants and good subjects. - Guardian , 23rd February.
A month later Mr Blair wrote to La Trobe on the 21st March 1849
'I have the honor to acquaint you that, having required the Exiles to pull down the fence of the Survey paddock, they all, with the exception of four boys and one man, refused, after they had thrown down a few panels, to perform any more work. I therefore discharged them from Barracks, warning them at the same time to find immediate employment, or to leave the town. The four boys are employed for the present in assisting three men whom I have hired, to remove the fence, and the man, who was formerly an overseer, acts as cook and wardsman. When this work is done, which will probably be in two or three days, I intend to employ them under the superintendence of a Constable, in clearing some of the new roads in the paddock'.
Perhaps you can contact the Portland Family History Group to see if they can do further research for you. -
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