 |
|
|
|
An early Tasmanian silver cup and its historical significance
by:
John Hawkins
Van Diemen's Land, settled in 1803 as a penal colony, had by the 1830s a thriving community with Hobart as its centre, whose population at that time was 6,000. Although initially regarded as the ideal location for intractable convicts, the island began to attract many free settlers looking to establish themselves in a new land.
One such migrant was Scottish-born David Barclay from Montrose who arrived aboard the Resource in 1830. A watchmaker and silversmith by trade, he set up a workshop in Elizabeth Street, Hobart Town. Hobart, Australia's second oldest city, was at that time experiencing expansion and development at a rate that has never been repeated in its history.
A year earlier, convicted felon Joseph Forrester arrived at the colony on board the transport ship Thames. Very little is known about Forrester except that he had been transported for life. He was described as aged 24, a jeweller and silversmith from Perth, Scotland. Together with another fifteen or so male convicts, he was assigned to Barclay to work in the side of his business which involved the manufacture of silverware.
The history of the cup relates to a now infamous chapter in Tasmanian history - the Black Line. It was commissioned by the inhabitants of Bothwell as a gift to George Augustus Robinson (c. 1788-1866), in recognition of services to that community. In October 1821 the 'Castle Forbes' sailed from the Edinburgh port of Leith for Hobart. It was recorded that the ship was crowded with enterprising and intelligent Scotchmen. These Scots with their families settled on the Fat Doe River, which they renamed the Clyde in honour of the country of their birth.
Bothwell, a small settlement on the Clyde River, was a meeting point of the Big River tribe of Aborigines, said to have numbered around 500 prior to the predominantly Scottish settlement of the area in the early 1820s.
The settlement, like others in the district, suffered attacks.Between 1822 and 1831 the Big River People in defence of their traditional lands are believed to have killed at least 60 white settlers, who in return killed approximately 240 Tribal Aborigines.
In response to these attacks the Lieutenant Governor, George Arthur (1784-1854) established the Black Line, the aim of which was to remove troublesome tribes to uninhabited country where they could no longer attack white households. The operation was a dismal faulure.
Robinson who had a history of successful contact with the Aborigines was appointed Conciliator with instructions to bring about a peaceful resolution of the fighting. His biggest success was persuading the remnants of the Big River and Oyster Bay Tribes whom he met west of Lake Echo on 31 December 1831 to accompany him back to Bothwell and thence to Hobart.
Writing to the Colonial Secretary, Robinson describes his entry into Bothwell. 'I arrived at this station yesterday afternoon. This is all that remains of both tribes. Tranquility is therefore (through the blessing of the Almighty) restored to the colony and the people are treated as human beings ought to be treated. No restraint in any way has been placed upon them since they have met with me ... [The chief of the Big River Tribe] surrendered to me six stand of firearms loaded viz three muskets and three fowling pieces... They have placed themselves under my protection and are desirous for peace.'1
The Hobart Town Courier of 14 January 1832 reported the arrival into Hobart as follows: 'On Saturday Mr Robinson made his triumphant entry into town with his party of blacks amounting in all to 40 including 14 of his domesticated companions... They walked leisurely along the road followed by a large pack of dogs.'
In February 1832 Robinson inspected Flinders Island, which he recommended as a suitable place to relocate the Aborigines. During the next two years he managed to make contact with most of the tribes and by 1835 many had been relocated to the Wybalenna settlement on the island. Away from their regular hunting grounds, these Aboriginal people gradually died out.
As a result of Robinson's success, the principal inhabitants of Bothwell, mainly of Scottish descent, commissioned Barclay, a fellow Scot, to make this presentation cup. It is inscribed 'Presented/to/Mr G A Robinson/by the Inhabitants of the District of Bothwell/Van Diemen's Land/ in testimony of their acknowledgement of the benefit this Colony has derived from the successful/conciliation of the Aborigines of this Island/effected by him/1835.'
At the request of the owners, I valued this cup for presentation to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery under the Taxation Incentives to the Arts Scheme in 1987. It is a key part of the history of Scottish settlement in Tasmania and of Arthur's somewhat belated efforts after the failure of the Black Line to use conciliation through Robinson, rather than force, to promote peace within the colony.
For this reason, it would be good for it to be accessible to the public in the Museum in an appropriate manner, so that its place in Tasmania's history is evident. It is not included in the recent publication of its most outstanding objects.2 Past senior members of staff of museums in Tasmania have been interested in the history of this period. For example, the late N J B Plomley, AM, Director of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston from 1946 to 1950, in his monumental works 'Friendly Mission' and 'Weep in Silence' records and interprets from his contemporary diaries the activities of G A Robinson.3 It would be a good idea if they were drawn to the attention of Tasmanian school students, so as to increase their understanding of the history of this fascinating state.
Notes
1 N J B Plomley (ed.), Friendly mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829-1834 (Hobart: Tasmanian Historical Research Association, 1966), p. 572.
2 M Baker et al.; copy editor: C Mordaunt; photographer: S Cuthbert, Collection: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (Hobart: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 2007)
3 See note 1; N J B Plomley, Weep in silence: a history of the Flinders Island Aboriginal settlement; with the Flinders Island journal of George Augustus Robinson, 1835-1839 (Sandy Bay: Tasmania: Blubberhead Press, 1987) |
|
