According to his indent papers, filled out at the time of his transportation, John ONIONS was born in Shropshire around 1768. He was probably a cousin of the ONIONS family who were Iron masters living in Madeley. If John hails from Madeley, he may well have heard the preacher John WESLEY who often visited his friend John FLETCHER of Madeley and preached in the old church at Madeley Wood. When John was aged about 20 years, he became an Evangelical Christian and became interested in the singing of Sacred Music. WESLEY advised his followers… … ‘to sing lustily and with good courage, be no more afraid of your voice now, than when you sang the songs of Satan’.(1) John ONIONS and his family moved from Shropshire into the neighbouring county of Derbyshire around 1800. The move probably coincided with the opening of the Butterley Forge and Wagon Works on the Cromford Canal, near Pentrich. A blast furnace had been opened in 1797, at nearby at Codnor Park; the company specialized in manufacturing high quality non-corrosive iron chiefly used for making anchor chains, floating harbours, lightships, bridges and railways. The wrought iron was obtained from pig iron whose impurities were removed by the puddling process. There were 80 small puddling furnaces in use and the iron puddlers worked a 12-hour day. The blast furnace produced nearly a thousand tons of pig iron a year and operated even on a Sunday, never stopping an instant for months or perhaps years together. It was always early full of fiercely burning materials, and was replenished from the mines nearby as fast as the molten metal was drawn from the bottom. In 1815 the Napoleonic Wars ended at the Battle of Waterloo. The end of a long period of war brought recession in the iron and textile industries (in England) as armaments and uniforms were no longer required. Soldiers returned home to their families but were unable to find employment. There was a system of parish relief but as more people claimed relief the small farmers who supported it became bankrupted. Also in April 1815 the Tambora volcano (in Indonesia) erupted sending 19 cubic miles of ash into the air; this was the largest explosion to have occurred since the ice age. Following this catastrophic eruption many European countries experienced severe weather changes, which resulted in massive crop failures. 1816 subsequently became known as the ‘year without a Summer’ and the price of wheat more than doubled. There were consequent food shortages and although parishioners prayed for the Lord to ... ‘give us this day our daily bread’ ... but the commodity was unaffordable for most parishioners. With the French Revolution fresh in their minds, the British Government feared widespread revolt and adopted harsh repressive measures to prevent a similar occurrence in England. Trade Unions and Friendly Societies were prohibited under the Combination Act of 1799 and a series of Gagging Acts banned the meetings of over 50 people and magistrates were ordered to arrest anyone suspected of spreading vicious libel. The years 1815-1820 were the years of popular radicalism with widespread agitation for parliamentary reform. Jeremiah BRANDRETH was born sometime between 1786 & 1790; by 1811 he was suspected in taking part in Luddite activities. On a visit to London in May 1817, he met William OLIVER who claimed that a large group of radicals were planning an uprising in London on 9th June to overthrow the government by revolution. OLIVER asked BRANDRETH to persuade local workers to join the rebellion ... but he was lying. OLIVER was a building surveyor, he had been sent to the Fleet Prison for an unpaid debt. There he was recruited as a Home Office spy. He travelled north to the Midlands to meet leading reformers in the industrial districts. However on the 4th June 1817, OLIVER was seen by a reformer conversing with a man who worked for Major General John BYNG, who was the army commander in the northern districts. Word was sent out that he was setting a trap but some of the radicals did not receive the information. On 9th June 1817 (Whitmonday) Jeremiah BRANDRETH led some 300 men on a march from Pentrich towards Nottingham. He told his men that hundreds of thousands of men all over England were rising on that day. Armed with a few pistols and pikes, BRANDRETH expected others to join him on a march to the capital but this did not happen. The march commenced at HUNT’s Barn in South Wingfield and headed south towards Pentrich. When they arrived at Butterley Iron Works, around three o’clock in the morning, BRANDRETH demanded arms and cannon shot but the men stood their ground and the marchers turned away empty handed. However men from the ONIONS family joined them ... they marched on through the pouring rain, visiting three public houses along the way, promising the landlords they would pay for their drinks once the government had fallen. Many of the men defected at this point but a band of revolutionaries crossed into Nottinghamshire at dawn ... before long most of the remaining rebels were apprehended by a detachment of the Kings Hussars; the men were rounded up and imprisoned at Derby Gaol, awaiting trial. Jeremiah BRANDRETH & Isaac LUDLAM the Elder, both managed to escape capture by the King Hussars, they attempted to evade capture but they were both caught within a week and imprisoned. John ONIONS had been present at the fifth planning meeting held in Asherfield Barn and joined the march for Codnor and Kimberley, carrying a blanket over his back. He appeared to be anxious for the success of the enterprise and said... ... ‘I will go forward to Nottingham and see it out, and bid the mob stick together or we will do no good’(2) During the march, John ONION appeared at the door of Thomas CLARK’s, with a bundle containing a blanket which he said was to lie in at night and wrapping a piece of music up said ... ‘he was to be a musician’’(3) When he was received into prison a rug was recorded as being amongst his possessions. Other members of the ONIONS family were also involved in the rebellion but were not transported. They were Benjamin, John’s nephew, John Jnr. and Michael who also worked at Butterley as iron moulders. Joseph ONION was pressed into the gang but escaped. Benjamin ONION had arrived at Pentrich two days before the rebellion and stayed with his uncle while he looked for work. He later told how the mob came at three in the morning and forced him and his uncle to join them. His aunt, he said, gave him a rug to cover himself as it was raining so hard. Regarding his wife’s thoughtfulness, John ONIONS expanded on his statement and said ... ... ‘She took a coverlet off the bed and cut it into two so that the two men should not get too wet. One of the mob said, “Come on ONION, let’s have your clarionet. I suppose this was because I was known for my musical ability and was in the habit of playing at club feasts’.(4) At the trial at Derby Assizes on 25th September 1817 some 35 men were charged with High Treason; in his defense ONIONS said ... ... I have borne a good character before, and I beg pardon for my offence.(5) The three leaders of the rebellion; Jeremiah BRANDRETH, Isaac LUDLAM the Elder and William TURNER were sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. Clemency was extended to them by the Prince Regent at the last minute and they were hung and decapitated. Some fourteen men were sentenced to life transportation in Australia. They were sent south in a waggon and placed on board the Retribution hulk at Sheerness awaiting transportation. Samuel HUNT, Edward TURNER and John ONIONS were embarked on the Isabella while the others were put on board the Tottenham. The Tottenham sailed from Spithead on 27th March 1818 and arrived in Sydney Cove on 14th October. The convicts on board the Isabella I had a faster voyage. She sailed from Spithead on 3rd April and arrived on 14th September. John ONIONS, who was on the Isabella with Edward TURNER, was aged 49 at the time of his transportation and described as an iron-worker. He was 5 ft 2 ½ high, with a pale complexion, grey hair and grey eyes. The Isabella arrived in Sydney Cove on the afternoon of 14th Sept 1818. Three days later the Governor attended by his secretary John CAMPBELL and the Principal Superintendent of Convicts William HUTCHINSON. The convicts were mustered on deck in the presence of the captain, ship’s surgeon and ship’s crew. Each convict was asked his name, time and place of trial, sentence, native place, age, trade and occupation and these answers were compared with the convict indent.(6) Each convict was asked about his treatment during the voyage out and if he had any complaints. He was asked if he had any bodily ailments or infirmities that would prevent him being actively employed. When the muster was complete the Governor appointed a day for disembarkation.(7) Meanwhile the Superintendent of Convicts selected convicts from the list whose skills were most needed by Government. The rest were distributed to the various Benches of Magistrates in the settled districts. The newly arrived convicts received new slops: 1 coarse woollen jacket, 1 waistcoat of yellow or grey cloth, 1 pair of duck trousers, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of worsted stockings, 2 cotton or linen shirts, 1 neck handkerchief and 1 woollen hat or cap. The convicts were rowed ashore from the vessel and marched to the yard of Sydney Gaol in George Street where the Governor inspected them. The Superintendent of Convicts read aloud from the distribution list the destination given to each convict(8) ONIONS learned he was being sent up the harbour to a town called Parramatta together with 58 other Isabella men. The men were marched to the Government Wharf at sunrise for embarkation. The convicts luggage was taken to Parramatta by contracted carters. The boat rounded Millers Point and headed westward. The voyage was quite picturesque with bushland on the right hand side that came steeply down to the water. On the other side an occasional farm could be seen. The convict settlements at Iron Cove and Longbottom were passed. Towards the afternoon the flats (Homebush Bay) was reached and the river narrowed. It was bounded by mangroves with an occasional wharf jutting into the river. The Pennant Hills wharf was passed with its stack of timber waiting to be taken down to Sydney. The land grew flatter and the sun began to sink. Up ahead the Parramatta Wharf was lit by a few lanterns and the boat tied up. A space was cleared in the crowd of onlookers looking for old acquaintances and masters looking for likely servants. The convicts were marched through the town and across the wooden bridge to the gaol to be mustered again(9). The Magistracy had first pick(10). John ONIONS name wasn’t called so he waited for the general distribution. He would have been an ideal assignee to the Parramatta Lumber Yard which already had a gang of blacksmiths working under an overseer. However, ONIONS was assigned to Robert COOPER a specialist whitesmith who was a private in the Royal Veteran Company. He was the same age as ONIONS and hailed from Newbold about ten miles to the north of Pentrich. COOPER belonged to a group who probably worked around the forge and worked with the local parson Samuel MARSDEN ... who was a specialist edge tool maker from Yorkshire and was the only man in the district who was able to sharpen sheep shears correctly. At about this time MARSDEN applied for a blacksmith and was assigned William LANCASTER who had arrived on the Tottenham about a month later with some of the other Pentrich rebels. MARSDEN and COOPER were Evangelical Christians influenced by the preaching of the WESLEY Brothers (Charles WESLEY & John WESLEY). ONIONS remained on stores being fed and clothed at government expense. He was employed as sexton at St John’s church.(11) Here he witnessed a number of weddings and received remuneration similar to the members of the church choir.(12) When Thomas HASSALL commenced a Sunday School in Parramatta in 1816, MARSDEN allowed St John’s Church to be used. COOPER and two of his daughters taught in the Sunday School. John ONIONS went regularly to the Sunday School to teach the children singing.(13) In January 1822 Robert COOPER was transferred to Windsor with the Royal Veterans, he commenced duties as the first sexton at the new St Matthew’s Church. ONIONS remained in Parramatta for another eight months before he was re-assigned on 29th August 1823 to Ann LANCASTER, Robert COOPER’s daughter, and the wife of William LANCASTER, MARSDEN’s blacksmith who was now Overseer of Blacksmiths in Sydney. The LANCASTERS were by now living in Kent Street in Sydney, overlooking Cockle Bay (14). ONIONS was employed at St Phillip’s Church conducting psalmody on Sundays and Thursdays between 17th March and 7th September 1824 for which he was paid £19 (15). During this time ONIONS worked for James BLANCH a Sydney brassfounder(16). After leaving LANCASTER’s employ he was assigned to William HUTCHINSON who had been the Principal Superintendent of Convicts in MACQUARIE’s time but was now working as a wharfinger. On the 19th June 1823 ONIONS was assigned to Edward Smith HALL(17) who was a devout evangelical and had arrived in the colony with recommendations from William WILBERFORCE. In 1813 he founded the NSW Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge ... and he was the first cashier of the Bank of New South Wales. After Governor MACQUARIE had returned to England and J.T. BIGGE’s Inquiry into the Colony of NSW was published in 1823 a number of changes occurred tightening up the convict system. Governor DARLING was appointed to carry out a policy of putting some fear back into the system. The number of Road Gangs and Iron Gangs were expanded to create three great roads out of the town of Sydney. ONIONS may well have influenced HALL with his revolutionary ideas. In May 1826 HALL published the first edition of the Sydney Monitor newspaper in which he criticized government policy. He took up the cause of the poor whose plight he had seen as a member of the Benevolent Society and he... ... Espoused the cause of any convict, who should he be ever so vile, was punished contrary to the law ... He advocated assembly and trial by common jury and condemned Governor DARLING’s oppressive rule. He was prosecuted seven times for libel and finally imprisoned in 1829. He was released in November 1830 in honour of the accession of William IV. DARLING who had described HALL as an apostate missionary was relieved of his command in October 1831. ONIONS left HALL’s employ and was returned to Hyde Park Barracks in mid December 1824 for not sleeping under his master’s roof. HALL wrote to the Colonial Secretary concerning his former employee... ... He was a deluded man in 1817. He is ruptured and is over 50 years old and incapable of labour since his arrival in the colony. Although he was assigned to various individuals he earned his living by teaching and performing sacred music. Whilst in memorialists service he was in the choir of St Phillip’s Church on Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings. He was in the choir of the Wesleyan Chapel on Sabbath evenings. He taught music at the schools of Henry RAINSFORD, Daniel BURTON and others (18) ... HALL requested a ticket of leave for his former employee or a permit to allow him to sleep out of barracks. It was agreed that this was to be done but during the intervening time ONIONS was assigned to Henry HUNGERFORD on Christmas Eve, 1824.(19) When he obtained his ticket of leave for the Sydney Police District on 15th Dec 1825, twelve months after the request, ONIONS worked as a labourer and resided with Thomas EVANS and his wife in Elizabeth Street, Sydney(20). He was still there in September 1829 when he witnessed the marriage of Robert ROCKWELL a sawyer of Sussex Street and Catherine SMITH. In his dispatch number twenty of August 1834 the Secretary of State announced that his Majesty had been graciously pleased to grants pardons to the Pentrich transportees. The notice was published in the NSW Government Gazette on 6th January 1835(21). ONIONS received his Conditional Pardon three days later. He was now free of the convict system and was permitted to reside and work anywhere in the colony but he could not return to England, so he chose to remain in Sydney. In October 1837 he broke his thigh and dislocated his hip in an excavation in Pitt Street and advertised for relief as he was no longer able to do manual work. He was able to teach Sacred Music and write it out for private use, having been well acquainted with it for over 50 years. It is unlikely that anyone took him up on his offer and ONIONS found lodgings in the Sydney Benevolent Asylum on the southern end of the town of Sydney. He died in the Asylum on 25th August 1840 aged 72 but left no will. He was buried two days later in the Sydney Burial Ground after a service in Christ Church St Lawrence. If a headstone had been erected on his grave by his friends, it was missing when they were photographed and transcribed prior to their removal in 1900. Researched & Written by Ralph Hawkins © 2007 .... of the Society of Australia Genealogists |
