Due to the huge success of our initial First Fleeters Series, we have decided to continue with this series convicted by law. As always take extra care when geocaching and even though these roads are quiet they are still thoroughfares for many vehicles each day. We have combined our love of geocaching with our love of Australian history and found some very inetresting stories for you. Information gained from the Collection and reserach webpage NSW State archives under convict index, for this series further information has been collected from the Ausatralian Biographies webpage.
It is a simple park and grab power trail series which can include tree fishing (please be very careful gaining the log out and returning), suitable for beginners and for those that wish to boost the old Smilies tally for others. Please read each caches attributes. Please be very mindful of how busy this country road can be at times. All care has been taken to only place these caches were safe parking is available.
In regards to the tree fishing caches, IT IS YOUR CHOICE IF YOU UTILISE A TOTT, OR YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT, OR JUST SIMPLY CLIMB THE TREE, IT IS YOUR DECISION. THE TERRAIN RATING IS A GUIDE ONLY.
Please note: These caches have been placed in a rural or country area and as such the road verges may not be manicured and may have thorns, thistles, burrs and most probably overgrown grass. If in summer there is a high chance for reptiles including snakes, lizards and monitors to be active and there will be lots of spiders.
Since this is a power trail containing a lot of caches we DO NOT expect a hundred find blurbs, a simple TYFTC or F (ound) is accepted and preferred. There is no need to send us a big blurb for each one that contains the same message. However if there is a genuine story to tell please share.
The devices we use to determine the GPS Co ords are a garmin Quintrex (which uses 1 satellite) and a mobile device with a an app that uses up to 40 satellites. But we are human and mistakes can be made, and we always provide a hint. This is geocaching and you are looking for a cache so at some point you just have to trust your geosenses.
GEOCACHING IS A FAMILY OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT FOR US, SO PLEASE KIND AND CONSIDERATE WITH YOUR COMMENTS IN YOUR LOG. HAPPY CACHING!
Richard Partridge
Richard Partridge (1559-1831) was found guilty on 30 April 1783 at the Old Bailey, London, of the theft of a linen shirt, an apron, cotton stockings, and some linen greased rags used for candles from a house. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, he was among the prisoners who mutinied on the convict transport Swift, bound for America, in August 1783. Recaptured, Partridge was tried again at the Old Bailey on 10 September 1783, was sentenced to death, and later had his sentence commuted to life transportation. He was sent to the Censor hulk in October 1783, was discharged to the Scarborough in February 1787, and arrived in Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.
Partridge formed a relationship with Mary Greenwood soon after landing. Their son, Richard, was born on 3 November 1793, and a daughter Mary on 15 September 1797. The couple were married on 5 November 1810 at St John's Parramatta.
Partridge received a conditional pardon on 30 September 1794. By October 1795 he was working as a nightwatchman and was a constable in 1796. He was granted 60 acres of land at the Northern Boundary Farms in September 1796. As Richard Rice he also worked as a gaoler and overseer of ironed prisoners. Joseph Holt described his brutal flogging of some Irish prisoners in 1800, 'I never saw two trashers in a barn moove there stroakes more handeyer than those two man killers did'.
By mid 1800 Partridge had 21 acres sown in wheat. By August 1804 he had received another 80 acres. He held 140 acres in 1806; 40 acres were in grain, the rest were pasture, vegetables and garden. In 1815 Partridge had a contract for the carriage of bricks and materials for government buildings at Parramatta and supplied provisions for the working party under William Cox, building the new road across the Blue Mountains. He was still operating as a carter in 1828.
Richard Patridge died suddenly at Parramatta on 22 May 1831; his age was given as 72. He was buried at St John's cemetery, Parramatta. Savings of several hundred pounds were found in an old tea pot.