Sydney, New South Wales Sep 23, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - From a damp, cold, dark and crowded jail in Norwich, England - all the way to Sydney Australia - the kind act of a jailer to save a baby in 1786, gave rise to events that were unheard of for their time.
A must-read "SAVING BABY HENRY"
By Dr Charles Margerison
History blended with a storytelling approach to how these dramatic circumstances unfolded has resulted in the publication of this engaging and exciting novel. The story unfolds as follows..........
Three Female Convicts Sent To Board The First Fleet To Australia
In 1786, the British Government decided that eleven ships would set sail to establish a British penal colony over 10,000 miles away in the Great Southern Land. In September 1786, Lord Sydney, after whom the city of Sydney in Australia, was named, sent a document to the Governor of Norwich Castle Prison. It instructed the Governor to send three female convicts to Plymouth, where they would await transportation on one of these ships as part of what was called the First Fleet.
Susannah Holmes Sentenced To 14 Years For Simple Theft
Susannah Holmes was one of the women on the list. She was about 21 years of age and had been sentenced to 14 years for simple theft in 1784. While in prison she had a baby, fathered by Henry Kable. They named the baby Henry, and he was about eight months old when Susannah was selected for transportation to Australia. John Simpson, a young, humble jailer, was instructed to transport Susannah, her baby, and the two other women over 300 miles via horse and cart to Plymouth – a difficult and arduous journey back in those days. When they arrived, on a cold wintry day in 1786, Captain Bradley of HMS Dunkirk cruelly refused to allow Susannah Holmes to take young baby Henry on board the prison ship on which she was to be imprisoned. The captain said that the baby was not a convict, and he had no responsibility for infants.
The Jailer Is Left Holding Susannah’s Baby
After the captain’s refusal to let the baby on board, Simpson was literally left holding baby Henry. What should he do? So begins an intriguing story. Should John Simpson also say he is not responsible for the baby? Should he leave the child at a church? Should he try to find a family that will adopt the child? To keep his job as a turnkey at Norwich Castle Jail, he knows that he must make the return journey by horse and cart in wet and cold weather. Taking an eight-month-old baby that has not been weaned off his mother’s milk will probably mean the child will die on the journey. As he holds the baby, John Simpson has to make a life-or-death decision. As a relatively young man, he has no experience of caring for a baby. However, he feels a moral obligation to save the child’s life.
Jailer John Simpson Changes The Course Of History For England & Australia
John Simpson decides to fight for the child to be reunited with his mother. But, how will a little educated poor prison jailer reach those in the highest ranks of the British Government to overturn the decision? How will he gain the support of people on the journey from Plymouth to London? How will he look after the baby while he knocks on doors trying to gain support?
This is the story, based on known facts, of a hero who changed the course of history both in England and New South Wales, in what became the new country of Australia. It is a book that will appeal to anyone interested in history. As well as being a fascinating story, this novel realistically allows readers to envisage how convicts from Britain made the perilous voyage to Australia on The First Fleet.
You will not be able to put down 'Saving Baby Henry' once you start reading it! Available on Amazon HERE.
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About the Author
Dr Charles Margerison, President and founder of Amazing People Worldwide, is a Psychologist. He is also President of Amazing People Schools. Dr Margerison has consulted widely for major organizations in the fields of organizational and educational psychology. He was previously a Professor of Management at Cranfield University, UK, and the University of Queensland, Australia. He founded Amazing People Worldwide in 2006 and is supported by a dedicated global team. He previously co-founded Emerald Publications, and Team Management Systems and has authored more than 30 books. Dr. Charles is also the creator of ‘Can Do Kids Worldwide’, a virtual music group that helps students to learn about countries and cultures through music. He has also developed Imagineland, for early learners. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
Contact: Marion Andersson
marion@amazingpeopleworldwide.com
+61 405 829199
September 2024
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