Person Page 3,445

John Benjamin Reed was born in 1832 at unknown in Belfast. I could not find a baptism record. His age was recorded as 6 in 1836 by the Surgeon on the Earl Grey.^1,2,3

John Benjamin Reed and Eliza Jane Green were married in October 1857 in Sydney.^1,4

John Benjamin Reed emigrated with Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and Frances Heazle on 25 July 1836. "James Reed and his family embarked on the "Earl Grey" on 25th July, 1836. The military party consisted of 5 officers, a sergeant and 29 rank and file, 3 officers' wives, five women and seven children. There were 45 in the crew."
"According to Surgeon Evans, the ship was new and very damp, so several of the guard suffered 'catarrhal affliction'. To dry out the ship, fires were burnt between decks and the barracks and prison 'dry holy stoned with hot sand and lime' - this during the voyage from Deptford to Kingstown, Ireland, to embark the convicts." "During the passage to Ireland little John Reed took sick with croup. ... The little boy was bled and given aperient powders to make him vomit, to the extent that his 'countenance became pale and sunk' and 'symptoms of sinking of the powers of life were manifest - the powders were discontinued...' - all on the first day! It took him two weeks to recover from this treatment."¹ James traveled to on 27 August 1836. "The convicts were embarked in two groups - 91 at Kingstown and 192 at Cork, plus 'five free boys (the sons of convicts in the Colony)'. So the ship sailed on 27th August with 384 persons on board." "Sentry duty was carried out around the clock and the men on guard were regularly inspected by the officer in charge. Soldiers could be reported and punished for such offences as insolence, quarrelling, dirty weapons, sitting down while on guard, sleeping on guard or talking to the prisoners"¹ James traveled to in November 1836. "The voyage took 126 days from Cork to Sydney. The surgeon's account indicates that generally it was without incident. He complains of the heat and expresses concern for the health of the convicts in his charge. At his insistence the vessel called at Capetown in November to take on 'fresh beef, mutton and vegetables for the Guard and convicts'. Scurvy was affecting a number of the convicts by this time, but it cleared up very quickly afterwards. In all, three convicts died on the voyage"¹ John Benjamin Reed witnessed the immigration of Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and Frances Heazle on 31 December 1836 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. "The ship arrived in Sydney on 31st December 1836. 'The weather proved remarkably fine and unusually dry' wrote the surgeon. The next day the convicts were marched to the Barracks to be inspected by the Governor (Sir Richard Bourke). The safe arrival of the ship and its assorted company was briefly reported in the Sydney Gazette. The officers and their wives are mentioned by name. James Reed, his wife and children are not mentioned - just '29 rank and file of the 28th, 50th and 80th Regiments, 5 women and 7 children'."^1,2 John Benjamin Reed lived with Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, on 3 January 1837 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australian Colonies. "Until July, 1837 the Regiment was based at Sydney Barracks. It then moved its headquarters to Windsor. It supplied detachments to a variety of locations to act as guards for convict work gangs."¹ Frances, Alexander, and James traveled to on 10 September 1839. "On the 10th September a party consisting of 1 Sub 2 Serjts and 32 rank and file proceeded from Head Quarters at Windsor to Sydney for the purpose of taking a share in the duties of the latter station."⁵ John Benjamin Reed lived at 105 Princes Street in Sydney, New South Wales, Australian Colonies, in 1861, a house of stone and slate owned by Robert Watson and valued at 80 pounds. Can't find John Reed on the 1862 City of Sydney Assessment Books for Gipps Ward. But this Sands entry is probably for Rev John Reid who lived at this address in subsequent years.⁶ He lived in Forbes, NSW, Australia, on 5 June 1863, where he had four unclaimed letters addressed to him.⁷

John Benjamin Reed died on 15 September 1881 at age ~49 in Bourke.^10,11,12,3 He was buried on 16 September 1881 in Bourke.³