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George Barrington before the King's bench...



Item # 600183

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November 27, 1788

THE LONDON CHRONICLE, November 27, 1788 The third column on page 515 contains the report of George Barrington (of eventual Botany Bay fame) being before the King's Bench. The 3rd column on page 519 also has a follow-up mention of Barrington.

Additional news of the day and period advertising are found throughout. Complete in 8 pages, some light rubbing, nice condition.

Background (source - Wikipedia): George Barrington (14 May 1755 – 27 December 1804), an Irish-born pickpocket, popular London socialite, Australian pioneer (following his transportation to Botany Bay), and author. His escapades, arrests, and trials, were widely chronicled in the London press of his day. For over a century following his death, and still perhaps today, he was most celebrated for the line "We left our country for our country's good." The attribution of the line to Barrington is considered apocryphal since the 1911 discovery by Sydney book collector Alfred Lee of the 1802 book in which the line first appeared. At Botany Bay - One account states that on the voyage out to Botany Bay a conspiracy was hatched by the convicts on board to seize the ship. Barrington disclosed the plot to the captain, and the latter, on reaching New South Wales, reported him favourably to the authorities, with the result that in 1792 Barrington obtained a warrant of emancipation (the first issued), becoming subsequently superintendent of convicts and later high constable of Parramatta.

Category: The 1600's and 1700's