BUILDER OF THE FLEET.
TALES OF TWO FAMILIES #6
“To ignore one’s ancestry is as a tree without roots or future.” (Ancient Chinese Wisdom ?)
Aunt Alice was our Family Historian, the source of much of my inspiration to dig & write. Her younger son, Francis, also picked up the baton. He, like me, was something of an outsider. Francis was an aerospace engineering draughtsman employed by a company contracted to the Ministry of Defense, Sikorsky Helicopters and the Blackburn Aircraft Co **. His speciality related to the design of Heliblade rotation. When I was a little kid he showed me the principle of rotational lift by chucking a few sycamore seeds in the breeze. They descended slowly …. spinning…. WOW ! Got it !!
Over the ensuing years we would stroll the park, whilst he spoke of our long, intriguing ancestry to this avid listener. When Alice and Josh passed away, Francis emigrated to marry in New Zealand, leaving me a gift of two five pound notes wrapped in a lengthy sheet of foolscap paper, inscribed with a centuries long list of Bisbys, with as much detail as he could muster. I take here the period from 1768 to 1890, Starting with John Bisby. John had a sister Angela, seemingly with a bawdy connection to the Mutiny on the Bounty. I shall return to her story another day… Researching those tempestuous times for additional background material has proved to be as enjoyable as it was enlightening.
** =…
From another source entirely, I discovered that Blackburn Aircraft have an equally fascinating back story which originates with England’s exports of wool during the rise of the Hanseatic League, including Bisbys in sheep’s clothing. Heigh Ho ! More research yet to do !!
Whitby, Yorkshire, 1768. Neighbours of Captain James Cook, produced a son, John Bisby, two years before that worthy explorer discovered Australia. As the boy grew he devoured the adventures of Cook who had claimed the new continent’s East Coast for the English Crown. Longing to emulate his local hero, John gained boat building skills by working for an uncle. In his late teens he struck out for London hoping for employment constructing larger vessels. The Capital Cities were overflowing with petty criminals, for which the chosen solution was deportation to Australia. A fleet consisting of six prison ships, three supply vessels, plus five passenger ships to carry soldiers, settlers and administrators, accompanied by their families, were to be sent to populate and develop the colony. John joined the throng as a ships carpenter.
Botany Bay, 1788. Under the command of Royal Navy Captain Arthur Phillips the fleet arrives, but dismayed at the the prospect of settling the swampy shore, Phillips sends a survey vessel to Fort Jackson. Much happier with this alternative, superior environment the fleet moves on and disembarcation begins. John is to head a team of convicts, including one female to cook and wash for the men who are tasked with constructing jetties and cabins at the site now renamed as Sydney Cove. Phillips takes office as the Governor of New South Wales. The woman asks John for protection against some of the rougher men. He is vigilant on her behalf, but is eventually foiled, the woman is raped, the culprit is lashed almost to death, then further deported. Sent to off with the ill fated reconnaisance party to Van Diemen’s Land. John pleads with the authorities to have the distraught, shamed woman pardoned for her crime - the theft of a rabbit. The pardon is granted on the condition that they marry, to which they reluctantly agree. With help from a clergyman they are presently allotted a piece of land to build a boatyard and dwelling. There they remained for life, somehow avoiding the ravenous diseases and brutal labour to raise a family, the youngest being Frederick, inventor of a hoist that could lift a boat onto land.
The Governor, in 1811, brings a visiting dignitary to view said hoist, this gentleman is much impressed with the device’s efficiency. A free passage, courtesy of the Royal Navy, is offered for Frederick to meet wealthy aristocrats who finance the boom in England’s Canal Construction. The dignitary is of the opinion that the hoist would be of great interest to these backers of England’s Industrial Future. John’s friends scrape together a purse of coins to help him pay his way in England.
As the ship passes Gibraltar, it is hailed by another of it’s Admiralty Sisters, who order it to set course for battle, to take Malta back from Bonaparte’s Occupation of the island. Frederick has no option but to sail into the affray. For some eighteen months he is kept busy repairing cannon and fire damage to the English vessels. Then, seriously wounded in both legs he arrives in England to recover, finding lodgings at an Inn by a canal lock. He can hardly stand or walk for almost a year, during which time his money steadily diminishes. The inn is kept by a widow who takes a shine to our naval valiant, giving him some simple chores in lieu of board. Her husband, an ostler, had built a large boat repair shed with extensive stabling for passing canal horses, but had been murdered by robbers. As Frederick’s health partially returns he takes over some of these facilities, eventually wedding the widow. His Uncle and cousins from Whitby attend, two of them stay to assist the construction of their first canal boat. the sale of which provides the money to send for his siblings. Throughout the following two years they all arrive with spouses and children. Under Fredericks direction, they build a number of canal boats. Some they sell, some they rent out. Soon, distant Flemish and Walloons relatives swell the workforce. As the family and businesses increase, their own young sons walk the towing horses for boats they operate themselves, although some with hired captains.
Even during the steady loss of canal trade, throughout the1830’s - to the rapidly expanding and vastly more profitable railways, the Bisbys managed to keep afloat. This, in part, by specializing in boats constructed with somewhat improved on board family accommodation, saving them the ever sharply climbing rents of housing. In the mid 1840’s, once again succumbing to his injuries, Frederick, Builder of the Fleet, hands over a boat to each sibling and their sons, with control and remaining assets to his son Samuel John. Ironically not a single hoist had been built after that original in far penal Australia. Some months later he passed away whilst cradling his newborn grandson Samuel Frederick. The ensuing decades saw the industry loosing out to the age of rail and steam. Some of the family sold up and emigrated to the Americas, others took work in the Mills or at the Steel Shipyards. The naming tradition outlived the metamorphosis, with Samfred (as he became known) passing the final build, the Skelder, down to Samuel Joshua, who raised six children onboard, including my Dad Samuel “Savorie” and my Uncle Josh.
“I stand under the shades of Giants” (borrowed from) Eric Overby.
I reclaimed our tradition by naming my first child Samantha.
Thankyou for taking the time to read my stories. Maurice.
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Fantastic story and what a brilliant piece of historical research. Your excellent writing brings it to life, especially as it resonates with the history we learned in school. This piece deserves a wider Australian audience, as many, like me, would appreciate this snippet of our fascinating early colonial history.
If you've not visited Sydney, you should, if possible. Fascinating history, a wonderful city.
Cheers
Douglas