Historical Records of Australia.

Series 1. VoL 8, P. 323.

Sydney. September 9th 18 14. The memorial of the Superintendents, Overseers. Head Constables. Jailers. serving under the Government of New South Wales. to His Excellency Governor Macquarie;

Dutifully Sheweth.

That your Memorialists observe a Government and General Order issued under your Excellency’s Authority in the last weeks Gazette, importing that their families together with their Government servants hitherto allowed them, are to be struck off the Government Victualling list from after the 30th instant.

That, your Memorialists have been several years in the service of Government with the allowance of said rations and men, as a compensation for the smallness of their salary, and now to be deprived of such compensation would subject them to the greatest inconvenience.

And your Memorialists presume your Excellency is aware that the salary attached to their respective situations is altogether insufficient to clothe their families, so that the carrying said order into effect will necessarily withhold from them the means of support.

Your Memorialists therefore humbly trust that the said order will not apply to them, as Subordinate Civil Servants of the Crown in this Colony, and that your Excellency will be pleased to represent their situation to his Majesty's Ministers, and continue their rations and servants as hitherto, until further instructions shall arrive, respecting them.

And your Memorialists as in duty bound will every pray, etc.

William Hutchinson. PrincI Sup’t.

William Cosar. Master Builder.

Nathaniel Lucas. Sup't of Carpenters.

Thomas Legg. Sup't of Bricklayers.

David Langley. Sup't of Smiths.

John O'Hearen. Sup't of Stone Masons

Robert Jones. Assist. Sup't of Police.

John Redman. Chief Constable.

Daniel Cubbitt. Jailor.

Nathaniel's wife. Olivia, was also a convict. She had been tried and sentenced at the Worcester Lent Assizes on the 5th of March 1785. Her sentence was that of transportation for seven years, although there is a mystery surrounding this, it appears she had stolen money to the value of approximately £35, from a gentleman named Edward Griffith. by 'force or arms'. This would mean a death sentence, and, she was sentenced to hang, however, by means and reasons that are not apparent, her sentence was commuted. Her occupation was that of a servant and her age reputed to be 24 years, in 1787.

Olivia was transported with the First Fleet, on the ship 'Lady Penrhyn'. and after landing at New South Wales, she was selected to form part of the convict contingent that settled Norfolk Island, where she met, lived with, and presumably married, Nathaniel Lucas. (there being no definite documentation suggesting marriage).

As Olivia Lucas, little is known about her, other than the facts that she became a house-wife, mother, and pioneer, all of which form a picture of their own.

After her husbands death in 1818, her son Nathaniel jnr. took Olivia and her younger children to Van Diemen's Land, per ship 'John Palmer', in September of that year. She lived at Port Dalrymple, and in December 1824 petitioned the Lieutenant Governor for land., and received 100 acres.

She died in 1830 and was buried in the Cypress Street Cemetery. Launceston. on 12/611830. She had lived 69 years