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What was John Caesar known for?
John Caesar (1764 – 15 February 1796), known as Black Caesar, was the first Australian bushranger. He was also the first black person with an African background to come to Australia. He was the first bushranger to have a reward offered for his capture.
What did Black Caesar steal?
He declared while in confinement, that if he should be hanged, he would create a laugh before he was turned off, by playing off some trick upon the executioner. Later allowed to work without chains, on 22 December Caesar escaped in a stolen canoe, again taking a gun.
Who was the first Bush Ranger?
John Caesar
From 1789, when John Caesar (called “Black Caesar”) took to the bush and probably became the first bushranger, until the 1850s, the bushrangers were almost exclusively escaped convicts.
Why are bushrangers important to Australia?
Bushrangers were originally escaped convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who used the bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities. Bushranging exerted a powerful influence in Australia, lasting for over a century and predominating in the eastern colonies.
What was John Caesar’s crime?
John Caesar (1764 – 15 February 1796), nicknamed “Black Caesar”, was the first Australian bushranger and one of the first people of African descent to arrive in Australia….
| John Caesar | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Servant |
| Conviction(s) | Theft (1786) Theft (1789) |
| Criminal penalty | Transportation – 7 years Transportation – life |
Who were John Caesar’s parents?
| John Black Caesar | |
|---|---|
| Also Known As: | “Black Caesar” |
| Immediate Family: | Husband of Ann (Power) Caesar, Convict “Lady Juliana” 1790 Father of Mary Ann Fisher Power |
| Occupation: | Bushranger |
| Managed by: | Leanne M (Volunteer Curator – Au… |
Why was John Caesar transported to New South Wales?
Transportation to Australia. On 17 March 1786, he was tried at Maidstone, Kent for stealing 240 shillings. His sentence was transportation to the penal colony of New South Wales for seven years. He was imprisoned on Alexander, a convict transport ship that left England in May 1787 as part of the First Fleet.
What was John Caesar’s occupation on the Alexander?
He was imprisoned on Alexander, a convict transport ship that left England in May 1787 as part of the First Fleet. His occupation was listed as servant or labourer.
What was John Caesar’s occupation in Botany Bay?
His occupation was listed as servant or labourer. Alexander arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Caesar gained a reputation in the colony as a conscientious and hard worker. On 29 April 1789 he was tried for theft and sentenced to a second term of transportation, this time to life.
Why did John Caesar flee the West Indies?
A hungry man Born in the West Indies, John Caesar fled to England to escape plantation slavery. Ironically, he soon found himself transported to Australia on the first fleet where he once more faced a life of slavery. A huge man, the small rations of the colony compelled him to steal in order to sustain himself.