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”Black birds tend to like Shiny Things.” ~ The Bloody Raven

May I present a very lovely silver coin I’ve just added to my Silver fleet of ships, a coin I believe @dfinney should be very familiar with this epic piece from the Royal Australian Mint! No it's not the Vergulde Draeck ship.

First the Card...

The Industrial Revolution was an economic boon that kept England the most productive countries in Europe as machines now efficiently produced the goods that fueled the English economy. Left In the wake of this developmental leap was the social aftermath, many of the English citizenry became unemployed and destitute, a wave of crime perpetuated by the desperate just to survive.

There was also a general reform of the Penal system as judges began to defer the death penalty in favor of prison time for what were deemed to be petty crimes without diluting the object of deterrence. The courts system became overwhelmed. The prison system overcrowded resorting to improvised housing conditions that were quite unsuitable to humans even to convicts.

The 1988 Australia Proof $10 First Fleet Bicentenary
Reverse: Anniversary of the First Fleet, 10 DOLLARSSterling silver 0.926, 20g 34mm diameter, 2.55 mm Thick Prominent; HMS Supply on the Left, HMS Sirius Right,

At the same time there was a concern over control of the newly discovered lands claimed by the English crown and urgency to have a presence to defend against the treat of foreign encroachment of these far off lands.

In August of 1786 the government decided take the advice from the Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks of Captain James Cook’s 1770 expedition to resolve these issues by Transporting out a large excess of the convict population to establish a colony(s) abroad at Botany Bay of New South Wales (Australia).

The job of commanding this fleet fell upon a retired naval officer by the name of Captain Arthur Phillip and the ‘to be appointed’ Governor of Australia. Not an outstanding naval officer but Phillips was quite reliable, obedient and somewhat altruistic an officer with experience in transporting prisoners in the Portuguese navy with familiarity of farming and agriculture he may have just the right qualifications.

The 1988 Australia $10 First Fleet Bicentenary
Obverse: ELIZABETH II, AUSRALIA 1988, 3rd Portrait facing rightThe Royal Australian Mint, Canberra Proof 50,099, UNC 111,497 KM# 103

Under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, Eleven ships departed Portsmouth England in May of 1787. Phillip was granted authority to establish a penal colony on the lands of New South Wales discovered and claimed for the crown by Captain Cook in 1770.

Naval Escorts;

• HMS Sirius
• HMS Supply

Supply Transports;

• Golden Grove
• Fishburn
• Borrowdale

Convict Transports;

• Alexander
• Charlotte
• Friendship
• Lady Penrhyn
• Prince of Wales
• Scarborough

Conditions were harsh on the eight month journey in cramp conditions with only exercise time on the top decks weather permitting. On June 3rd, the fleet replenished supplies at Tenerife at Santa Cruz, in August the fleet arrived at Rio de Janeiro for a month for repairs, cleanup, and resupply, then proceeded to Cape Town in October to stock up in livestock before proceeding to their destination.


Enduring the hot tropical weather, stormy seas, pest infestations, water rationing, cramp and unsanitary conditions with a terrible stench as described in most of the accounts of crew and convicts so it was somewhat a miracle than deaths were not as in greater numbers than they were.
There was even an account of an attempted mutiny on one of the ships but that was stopped before it got underway.

Bonus Silver Coin

1966 Australia 50 Cents - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait
Reverse: Australian coat of arms, 50, SD0.800 Silver, 13.28g 31.5mm Diameter , 2.55mm Thick

The HMS Supply with Captain Phillip sailed first into Botany Bay on January 18th 1788. But after a few days determined that the location was not suitable for the colony and was not as described in glowing terms provided by Captain Cook. Captain Philip sailed into a place named Port Jackson located further North and found it much more suitable a location with fertile soil, fresh water and a deeper sheltered anchorage to which Philip named Sydney Cove.

1966 Australia 50 Cents - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait
Obverse; Elizabeth II facing right, ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA 1966 , Mintage of 36M, Reference KM#67 Edge; Reeded

On January 26th of 1788 Phillip returned with the fleet and raised the British flag on the location known now as the City of Sidney, a date that is celebrated today as Australia Day.

On January 27th the 1,420 people that started the 24,000 km journey from Portsmouth England, 1,373 finally landed on the shore of Sidney Cove and things haven’t been any easier as the settlers struggle with new hardships to become a self-sustaining colony.

The First Fleet entering Port Jackson on January 26 1788
Drawn in 1888 by E. Le Bihan, State Library of New South Wales under CC 3.0

Well my take away from this that these Australians are a tough and resourceful lot so I may include a few in the crew in future chapters in the Chronicles of the Bloody Raven.

I hope you enjoyed this coin feature, thank you for stopping by my Blog.

The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers and #sgs-community pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. All Landlubbers arrrh... welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!

References

1. My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W P. Image under PixabayR. Clip art from 123RF W. Wiki Commons

Sources;

Numista: First Fleet History Australia Sydney Living Museums

Banner by @thekittygirl

“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”