William REDFERN (1774

William REDFERN (1774 - 1833)

Children	Self + Spouses	Parents	Grandparents	Greatgrandparents
William Lachlan Macquarie REDFERN (1819 - 1904) Joseph Foveaux REDFERN (1823 - 1830)	William REDFERN (1774 - 1833) + Sarah WILLS (1796 - 1876)

Pic P1. copied from Australian Dictionary of Biography

Pic S1. copied from Plante Family tree - ancestry

Pic 1. copied from Australian Dictionary of Biography

b. 1774 at Canada

m. 04 Mar 1811 Sarah WILLS (1796 - 1876) at Sydney, NSW, Australia

d. 17 Jul 1833 at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland aged 59

Near Relatives of William REDFERN (1774 - 1833)
Relationship	Person	Born	Birth Place	Died	Death Place	Age
Father in Law	Edward Spencer WILLS	13 Aug 1778	London, Middlesex, England	14 May 1811	Sydney, NSW, Australia	32
Mother in Law	Sarah HARDING	Aug 1776	London, Middlesex, England	08 Jul 1823	Sydney, NSW, Australia	46

Self	William REDFERN	1774	Canada	17 Jul 1833	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland	59

Wife	Sarah WILLS	23 Apr 1796	England	Dec 1876	St Giles, London, England	80

Son	William Lachlan Macquarie REDFERN	1819	Australia	1904	Westminster, London, England	85
Son	Joseph Foveaux REDFERN	1823		1830	Sydney, NSW, Australia	7

Daughter in Law	Jane Bastable WALKER	1823	Margate, Kent, England	1883	Fulham, London, England	60

Grandson	William REDFERN	1844	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Granddaughter	Jessie Louisa REDFERN	1847	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland	1907	Tonbridge, Kent, England	60
Granddaughter	Mary Josephine REDFERN	1849	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland	1914	Tonbridge Wells, Kent, England	65
Granddaughter	Georgina Sarah REDFERN	1850	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland	1936	Tonbridge Wells, Kent, England	86
Grandson	James A REDFERN	1853	Scotland
Grandson	Arthur George REDFERN	1856	Scotland	1903	Tonbridge Wells, Kent, England	47

Niece	Alice WILLS	06 May 1823	Camden, NSW, Australia	14 Apr 1824	NSW, Australia	0
Nephew	William Henry WILLS	01 Dec 1827		abt 1828		1
Niece	Catherine Spencer WILLS	24 Nov 1831	Ci, Sydney, NSW	27 Aug 1884	Geelong, Victoria, Australia	52
Niece	Amelia WILLS	1854	Kensington, London, Middlesex, England
Nephew	Arthur WILLS	18 Feb 1857	Hammersmith, Middlesex, England	14 Oct 1932	Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	75
Nephew	Harry Spencer WILLS	13 Sep 1858	Brighton, Sussex, England	1914	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	56
Nephew	Frederick WILLS	19 Jul 1860	St John's Wood, Middlesex, London, England
Nephew	Charles Ernest WILLS	15 Nov 1861	St John's Wood, Middlesex, London, England
Niece	Margaret Campbell ANTILL	27 Jun 1820	Sydney, NSW, Australia	22 Jul 1849	Camden, Oaks, Picton, Stonequarry, NSW	29
Nephew	John Macquarie ANTILL	30 May 1822	Liverpool, NSW, Australia	1900	Picton, NSW, Australia	78
Nephew	Henry Colden ANTILL	07 Apr 1826	Camden, NSW, Australia	1913	Parramatta, Sydney, NSW, Australia	87
Niece	Alice Sophia ANTILL	1827	Liverpool, NSW, Australia	1920	London, Middlesex, England	93
Nephew	William Redfern ANTILL	1828	Campbelltown, NSW, Australia	1905	Picton, NSW, Australia	77
Nephew	Thomas Wills ANTILL	1829	Campbelltown, NSW, Australia	18 May 1865	Nelson, New Zealand	36
Nephew	Edward Spencer ANTILL	20 Jul 1832	Picton, NSW, Australia	1917	Parramatta, Sydney, NSW, Australia	85
Nephew	James Alexander ANTILL	1834	Cobbitty, Narellan, NSW, Australia	1920	Rockdale, Sydney, NSW, Australia	86
Niece	Selina Elizabeth ANTILL	1837	Cobbitty, Narellan, NSW, Australia	1924	Chatswood, NSW, Australia	87
Nephew	Loftus Cliff ANTILL	06 Dec 1839	Stonequarry, Picton, NSW, Australia	1840	Stonequarry, Picton, NSW, Australia	1
Nephew	Thomas Wentworth WILLS	1836	Molongolo Plains, NSW, Australia	02 May 1880	Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia	44
Niece	Emily Spencer WILLS	25 Dec 1842	'Lexington', Ararat, Victoria, Australia	06 Dec 1925	"Molongolo", Kew, Victoria, Australia	82
Nephew	Cedric Spencer WILLS	01 Dec 1844	'Lexington', Ararat, Victoria, Australia	23 Jan 1914	Springsure, Queensland, Australia	69
Nephew	Horace Spencer WILLS	16 Jun 1847	Lexington, Victoria, Australia	08 Oct 1928	Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	81
Nephew	Egbert Spencer WILLS	11 Nov 1849	Lexington, Victoria, Australia	11 Sep 1931	Kew, Victoria, Australia	81
Niece	Elizabeth Spencer WILLS	07 Jan 1852	'Lexington', Ararat, Victoria, Australia	21 Nov 1930	Prahran, Victoria, Australia	78
Niece	Eugenie (Duckey) Spencer WILLS	28 Jan 1854	Lexington, Victoria, Australia	08 Jul 1937	Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	83
Niece	Minna Spencer WILLS	01 Mar 1856	"Bellevue", Geelong, Victoria, Australia	14 Feb 1943	Toorak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	86
Niece	Hortense Sarah Spencer WILLS	16 Aug 1861	Geelong, Victoria, Australia	02 Jul 1907	Maidenhead, Berkshire, England	45
Nephew	Robert Charles HOWE	27 Feb 1820	St Phillips Church of England, Sydney, NSW	14 Jul 1875	Rylstone, NSW, Australia	55
Nephew	Robertus Mansfield HOWE	12 Nov 1822	Sydney, NSW, Australia	26 Feb 1824	Sydney, NSW, Australia	1
Niece	Annie Wesley HOWE	1824	Sydney, NSW, Australia
Nephew	Alfred Australia HOWE	1825		17 Jan 1837	Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia	12
Niece	Mary McLeay HOWE	21 Apr 1827		20 May 1827		0
Niece	Sarah Eclipse HOWE	1824	At sea	1905	Callan Park, New South Wales, Australia	81
Nephew	George Risden HOWE	1825		01 Jul 1889	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia	64
Niece	Mary Ann Cowell HOWE	17 Jun 1827	Sydney, NSW, Australia	20 Feb 1905	NSW, Australia	77
Niece	Marion HOWE	1829
Nephew	John Kiwi HOWE	1830		1860	Kawhia, Auckland, New Zealand	30
Niece	Ann Risden HOWE	1832
Niece	Eliza Frances HOWE	1834		13 Oct 1914		80
Niece	Elizabeth Jane HOWE	1836		15 Dec 1916		80
Niece	Emily HOWE	1840		1880	Sydney, NSW, Australia	40
Niece	Maria Elizabeth LEE			09 Nov 1891
Nephew	John Arthur HARRISON			1897
Niece	Adela Ann HARRISON	11 Sep 1834		23 Jul 1910	Victoria, Australia	75
Nephew	Henry Colden Antill HARRISON	16 Oct 1836	Cj, NSW, Australia	02 Sep 1929	Kew, Victoria, Australia	92
Nephew	George Alfred HARRISON	1838
Niece	Kate HARRISON	1840		1914	Minto, NSW, Australia	74
Niece	Alice HARRISON	1842
Nephew	Ernest HARRISON	1845
Nephew	Horace Washington HARRISON	1848	Avon, Victoria, Australia	09 Feb 1869	Ballarat, Victoria, Australia	21

Brother in Law	Thomas WILLS	05 Aug 1800	Sydney, NSW, Australia	29 Jul 1872	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	71
Sister in Law	Eliza WILLS	10 Sep 1802	Sydney, NSW, Australia	30 Sep 1858	St Leonards, North Sydney, NSW, Australia	56
Brother in Law	Edward Spencer WILLS	16 Feb 1805	Sydney, NSW, Australia	1830	London, Middlesex, England	25
Sister in Law	Elizabeth Selina WILLS	30 Nov 1807	Sydney, NSW, Australia	18 Jan 1811	Sydney, NSW, Australia	3
Brother in Law	Horatio Spencer Howe WILLS	05 Oct 1811	Sydney, NSW, Australia	17 Oct 1861	'Cullin-la-ringo', Springsure, Queensland, Australia	50
Brother in Law	Robert HOWE	30 Jun 1795	London, Middlesex, England	29 Jan 1829	Sydney, NSW, Australia	33
Brother in Law	Thomas Terry HOWE	02 Apr 1803	Sydney, NSW, Australia
Sister in Law	Mary Ann Risdon HOWE	01 May 1805	Sydney, NSW, Australia	1832	Kawhia, Auckland, New Zealand	27
Brother in Law	George Terry HOWE	18 Dec 1806	Sydney, NSW, Australia	06 Apr 1863	Chippendale, NSW, Australia	56
Sister in Law	Ann HOWE	06 Feb 1809	Sydney, NSW, Australia	10 May 1811		2
Sister in Law	Sarah Risdon HOWE	27 Sep 1810	Sydney, NSW, Australia	1879	Redfern, Sydney, NSW, Australia	69
Sister in Law	Jane HOWE	09 Nov 1816	Sydney, NSW, Australia	23 Nov 1880	Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia	64

Events in William REDFERN (1774 - 1833)'s life
Date	Age	Event	Place	Notes	Src
1774		William REDFERN was born	Canada		52, 55
27 Aug 1797	23	Convicted	on board the Neptune	convicted for life
1801	27	Arrived	"Minorca Canada and NIle" to Sydney
04 Mar 1811	37	Married Sarah WILLS (aged 14)	Sydney, NSW, Australia	Note 1	55
1819	45	Birth of son William Lachlan Macquarie REDFERN	Australia
1823	49	Birth of son Joseph Foveaux REDFERN
1830	56	Death of son Joseph Foveaux REDFERN (aged 7)	Sydney, NSW, Australia	Note 2	60
17 Jul 1833	59	William REDFERN died	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland		55

Note 1: 4 March, 1811 at St Phillips Church of England, Sarah Wills, spinster, was married by the Rev William Cowper, in the presence of Edward Wills and Henry Colden Antill, to William Redfern, Gentleman of this parish, batchelor.

Note 2: The Sydney Monitor 10 April 1830
DEATH.-Yesterday, at the residence of Mrs REDFERN in Pitt-street, JOSEPH FOVEAUX, aged 7 years, the second son of W. REDFERN, Esq.

Personal Notes:

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http://tww.id.au/fam/celene-edward/pafg02.htm
Sarah married (1) William Dr Redfern on 4 Mar 1811 in ,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia. William was born in 1774/1775 in Canada. He died on 17 Jul 1833 in ,,Edinburgh,Scotland. He was buried in ,Edinburgh,,Scotland.

from the Scretary of Public Record Office, london
Muster of Logs of H.M.S. "Standard", 1797
Name William Redfern
Quality Surgeon's 1st Mate
Date of Joining 23rd January, 1797
Age on joining 22 years
Place of birth Canada
Date of discharge 14th June 1797 at Gravesend. Wages to be forfeited for mutiny and rebellion."

Transported on "Minorca" which left England 21 Jun 1801 and arrived 14 Dec 1801 and sent to Norfolk Island arriving there in Jan 1802.
Free pardon granted in 1803.
returned to Sydney 1808 on "Estramina" with "wife" and servant. [ "wife" never heard of again.]
Appointed Assistant surgeon in Sydney on 1 Jan 1812 recommended by Joseph Foveaux.

In May 1811, the colony's best known physician, Dr William Redfern, was granted 800 acres (320ha) covering much of the modern-day Minto suburb. Like Campbelltown his property of Campbellfield was named after the Governor's wife, Elizabeth Campbell.
Dr Redfern, a man of great compassion and integrity, is believed to have been born in Canada about 1774, and qualified as a doctor in Britain in 1797. A closer examination of his late life will be undertaken later in this chapter.
By 1820, Redfern's Campbellfield property had greatly developed and expanded under the guidance of the aging doctor and his able young wife, Sarah. Their splendid homestead was built on a high hill overlooking the farm paddocks and Bow Bowing Creek valley. (Parts of this historic house still survive behind Minto Mall shopping centre).
Campbellfield, often called "Campbellfields", became one of the finest vineyards and sheep farms in NSW, and at its peak would stretch from the modern Ingleburn to Leumeah railway station.
But the property lost much of its impetus and prestige after the much mourned death of Redfern in 1833, and Sarah's subsequent departure.
Redfern Road was named after the good doctor, while Minto Road was created parallel to the railway and ran north to Ingleburn.

5 December, 1816 formation of the Bank of New South Wales and shares for fifty pounds each were issued
Dr Redfern 2 shares

1822 census at Liverpool grant not residing there had 64 acres of wheat,10 acres of pease, 2 acres of potatoes and 5 acres of garden/orchard had 400 acres cleared total 5,850 acres, 16 horses, 985 cattles, 3210 sheep, 210 hogs, 900 bushels of wheat in hand

Returned to Sydney in July 1824 on the "Alfred" with 9 rams and 5 ewes as well as various kinds of grapes and fruit trees from Madeire.. Accompanied by Emily and Selina Willey (her cousins)
July 1825 went to London and returned in June 1825
He died in Edinburgh (1833) where he was supervising his son's education.
His executors were H.C. Antill and Thomas Wills (his brothers-in-law) and Messrs. Gilchrist and Alexander, Merchants of George St, Sydney were Agents. [the original firm, Redfern and Alexander was founded in 1838 and in 1852 became Gilchrist Watt and &Co and later Gilchrist, Watt and Sanderson.
Redfern estates were sold 12 Sept 1842.
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The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 19 June 1803
N O T I C E.
WHEREAS His Excellency was pleased to Grant Free Pardons and Conditional Emancipations to the Following Persons on His Majesty's late Birth -Day, some of whom have not yet received them ; Notice is hereby given, that such as are Included in the following List may have their respective Deeds, on Application at the Secretary's Office.
D. D. MANN, Clerk
(in the list are to be found - )
Free pardon - William Redfearn
Conditional Emancipations - George Howe and Edward Wills
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AUSTRALIAN DICTIONARY OF BIOGRAPHY
Redfern, William (1774 - 1833)
Birth: 1774, Canada
Death: July 1833, Edinburgh, Mid-Lothian, Scotland
Cultural Heritage:* Canadian * English
Occupation:
* convict
* emancipist
* grazier (cattle)
* grazier (sheep)
* health reformer
* magistrate
* penal reformer
* public servant
* surgeon

Portrait of William Redfern (1774 - 1833)
William Redfern (1774 - 1833), by unknown artist, courtesy of State Library of New South Wales. GPO 1 - 13434. .
Image Details

REDFERN, WILLIAM (1774?-1833), surgeon, was born probably in Canada, and bought up at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, where his brother lived later. His letters show a command of English and acquaintance with the classics which suggest that he was well educated. In June 1797 after passing the examination of the London Company of Surgeons, the predecessor of the Royal College of Surgeons, he was commissioned surgeon's mate in the navy. He joined H.M.S. Standard, whose crew a few months later took part in the mutiny of the fleet at the Nore, which followed the success of the mutiny of the Channel Fleet at Spithead. In the course of the trouble Redfern advised the men 'to be more united among themselves', so he was included among the leaders to be tried by court martial. On 27 August a scrupulously fair court sentenced him to death, but because of his youth he was reprieved. He was kept in prison for four years until sent to New South Wales in the Minorca, on whose indent his name is bracketed with thirteen others as 'Mutineers'. On board he helped the surgeon and reached Sydney on 14 December 1801.

In May 1802 he commenced duty as assistant surgeon at Norfolk Island. He attracted the attention of Lieutenant-Governor Joseph Foveaux and soon received a conditional pardon; on 19 June 1803 he was given a free pardon by Governor Philip Gidley King. For five years he worked hard there and gained a good medical reputation; when he returned to Sydney in 1808, Foveaux, then in command at headquarters, appointed him assistant surgeon, owing to 'the distress'd State of the Colony for medical aid' since 'his skill and ability in his profession are unquestionable, and his conduct has been such as to deserve particular approbation'. As he had no documentary evidence of his professional qualifications Surgeons Thomas Jamison, John Harris and William Bohan examined him in 'Medicine, Surgery and other necessary collateral Branches of Medical Literature'. They found him 'qualified to exercise the Profession of a Surgeon etc.'; the examination set a precedent followed for many years for testing anyone who wished to practise medicine in the colony. During 1809 Redfern attended John Macarthur's daughter and earned her father's deep gratitude for 'the skill he … manifested in discovering and applying an efficacious remedy to her extraordinary disease'. Macarthur promised to use his influence in Redfern's favour 'whenever Mr. Bligh's affair is settled', but by that time Governor Lachlan Macquarie had recommended the confirmation of Redfern's appointment, and to this the secretary of state agreed.

Since 1808 Redfern had been working in the old and dilapidated hospital at Dawes Point. The building of an urgently needed replacement was one of the first tasks Macquarie put in hand. When it was completed in 1816 Redfern took charge of it, and D'Arcy Wentworth, the principal surgeon, only occasionally visited the wards as a consultant. Redfern was assisted by his apprentice, Henry, son of Rev. William Cowper, who after three years training was appointed assistant at the hospital. After two years in this post Redfern regarded him as a particularly well-trained practitioner. Cowper, as Redfern's apprentice, had succeeded James Shears who, commencing in 1813, was the first Australian medical student, but had died a year later. Occupation of the new hospital did not end the appalling conditions which had existed in the old place; there remained inadequacies of diet and sanitation, and the nursing care provided by the unreliable and often disorderly staff of convict attendants and nurses was very rough. Stealing was so rife that Redfern, having no trustworthy person on his staff—even Cowper was in trouble for supplying medicines, stockings and other items from the store to his friends—had perforce to issue all stores and supervise the making of medicines to check the theft of drugs.

In addition to his work in the hospital wards, Redfern conducted a daily out-patient clinic for men from the convict gangs. He also had the most extensive private practice in the colony, for he was the most popular doctor in the settlement and his services were widely sought. He was the family doctor to the Macarthurs and the Macquaries and attended the birth of Governor Macquarie's son. His professional skill was highly regarded by his colleagues and he had the reputation of being the best obstetrician in the colony.

Since Redfern was concerned with convict health it was natural that he should have been asked to investigate the heavy mortality suffered on the calamitous voyages of the convict transports Surry, General Hewitt and Three Bees in 1814. His report is one of the major Australian contributions to public health. His recommendations on the ventilation, cleanliness and fumigation of the ships, on the diet and clothing of the prisoners and the need for permitting them on deck were all important, but even more noteworthy was his insistence on the need for 'approved and skilful' surgeons in each ship and for defining clearly their powers vis-à-vis the ships' masters. To provide men for this service he recommended naval surgeons, 'Men of Abilities, who have been Accustomed to Sea practice, who know what is due to themselves as Men, and as Officers with full power to exercise their Judgment, without being liable to the Controul of the Masters of the Transports'. This advice was followed, and the appointment of surgeon-superintendents of convict, and later emigrant, ships put an end to most of the abuses of the past.

When D'Arcy Wentworth resigned as principal surgeon in 1818 Redfern expected to succeed him; but despite his previous promises to Redfern and a very strong recommendation from Macquarie, Bathurst appointed a naval surgeon, James Bowman, probably because of his dislike of employing former convicts. Redfern thereupon resigned as assistant surgeon. On 14 October 1819 he left the government medical service, to which, declared Macquarie in a General Order, he had been 'so great and valuable an acquisition' thanks to 'his superior professional skill, steady attention and active zealous performance of the numerous important duties entrusted to him'. As a solace next month Macquarie appointed Redfern a magistrate, despite the warnings of Commissioner John Thomas Bigge against doing so; next year Bathurst, expressing his disapproval of 'nominations of Convicts to the Magistracy', ordered his removal from the bench. Unfortunately Redfern had become a provocative symbol of the governor's emancipist policy.

Redfern always took an active part in the life of New South Wales. He was an honorary medical officer of the Benevolent Society, a member of its committee and that of the Aborigines' Institution. He was one of the first directors of the Bank of New South Wales. He and his wife had an estate of 100 acres (40 ha) which gave the name of Redfern to the Sydney suburb which later developed about it. In 1818 he was granted 1300 acres (526 ha) in the Airds district. This he called Campbell Fields in honour of Mrs Macquarie, and it was praised by Bigge as one of the best developed properties in the colony.

In 1817 the status of emancipists was shaken by a ruling of the King's Bench that persons freed by the governor's pardon, unlike those under pardons issued under the Great Seal in London, could not maintain personal action at law or acquire, retain or transmit property, and Judge Barron Field followed this in a decision in Sydney in 1820. At a meeting held in January 1821 it was decided to send Redfern and Edward Eagar to present a petition appealing against this to the King. Redfern sailed for England on 27 October. The delegation was successful and the position was rectified by the New South Wales Act of 1823. While in England Redfern prepared an indictment against Bigge and a book criticizing his methods of inquiry, but did not publish it. After a sojourn in Madeira for his health he returned to New South Wales in the Alfred in July 1824, received a further grant at Campbell Fields and acquired land near Bathurst and Cowra. He lived at Campbell Fields and devoted more time to his farming activities, which included cultivating the vine as well as fine wool and cattle; he gradually withdrew from his medical practice, which he entirely gave up in September 1826. Two years later he took his son William to Edinburgh to be educated. Though he intended to return, he died there in July 1833. He left 23,190 acres (9385 ha) in New South Wales, including 6296 (2548 ha) at Airds and 11,362 (4598 ha) at Bathurst.

When Redfern came from England in 1801 he was single. When he returned from Norfolk Island in 1808 in the schooner Estramina, according to the passenger list he was accompanied by his wife, but no other record of his marriage is known. On 4 April 1811 he married Sarah Wills of Sydney, and had two sons, William Lachlan Macquarie (b.1819), who later lived in Edinburgh, and Joseph Foveaux (1823-30). In June 1834 Sarah married James Alexander of Glasgow and later returned with him to Sydney.

Redfern had great forcefulness and independence of character; Bigge, who found in him a proud and inflexible opponent, said he was the only person in the colony to resist his authority. He had kindliness and integrity, attributes that gained for him the support and enduring friendship of Macquarie, which was steadfastly maintained in the face of often bitter opposition from those who detested the rise of ex-convicts. He lacked a gracious bedside manner, but on his retirement the Sydney Gazette, 6 September 1826, commented, 'his experience and skill made ample amends for any apparent absence of over-flowing politeness'. Disdained by many as an emancipist, Redfern was always ready to reply brusquely to men like Bigge and Bowman who were offensive to him. In 1827 he horsewhipped Robert Howe for attacking him in the Gazette, and was fined 30s. He was one of the greatest of the early medical practitioners of the colony, the first to receive an Australian qualification, the first teacher of Australian medical students, and the author of important reforms in the convict transports. Nevertheless, as a result of his youthful actions at the Nore, which, however justified, were naturally resented by the government, his later important services in New South Wales were ill requited.
Select Bibliography

Historical Records of Australia, series 1, vols 6-10; E. Ford, The Life and Work of William Redfern (Syd, 1953); N. J. Dunlop, ‘William Redfern, the First Australian Medical Graduate, and His Times’, Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society), vol 14, part 2, 1928, pp 57-105; E. Ford, ‘Medical Practice in Early Sydney: With Special Reference to the Work and Influence of John White, William Redfern and William Bland’, Medical Journal of Australia, 9 July 1955, pp 41-54; Australian, 23 Jan 1828; Bigge Report, evidence, Bonwick transcripts (State Library of New South Wales). More on the resources
Author: Edward Ford
Print Publication Details: Edward Ford, 'Redfern, William (1774 - 1833)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2, Melbourne University Press, 1967, pp 368-371.
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Sydney Morning Herald 31 July 1926 - William Redfern - The Story of his Life
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16310054?searchTerm=William%20Redfern&searchLimits=
WILLIAM REDFERN.
The Story of His Life.
(BY S. ELLIOTT NAPIER.)
About the beginning of the year 1797 a youth of nineteen donned the uniform of a surgeon first mate, and entered upon his duties as a member of'the company of H.M.S.Standard, stationed at the Nore. This was William Redfern, destined in after life to play a very conspicuous part In the early history of the colony of New South Wales. In May of the year mentioned certain members of the Standard's crew complained of the food supplied to them, and asked the young surgeon's mate to support their protest. He agreed to do so, and advised the men to "make a united appeal." Unfortunately for him - and for them instead of petitioning In the proper way, the crews mutinied. This was In May, 1797, and the event 1s known In history as the "Mutiny of the Nore." The result of it 1s well known to everybody. The leaders were overpowered and hanged out of hand; and the others punished with varying dogrees of severity. Redfern was charged with complicity in the mutiny, found guilty - and sentenced to death! He had expressed his sympathy with the undoubted wrongs of the sailors, and urged them to be united; the head and front of his offending had that extent, no more. So the authorities did not hang him. His Majesty was graciously pleased to commute his sentence to one of "transportation for life" to the convict settlement at Sydney. And thus it was that William Redfern, in the clos- ing years of the eighteenth century, came to the country he was afterwards to serve so well.

On his arrival in Sydney he was sent to Norfolk Island, but his profession, his natural abilities, and attractive personality saved him from personal experience of the tormonts of that home of horror. Ho was instructed to act as assistant to the "civil" Surgoon there, and In 1802 he was appointed by Lieutenant-Colonel Foveaux, who was then in charge of the station, to the post of surgeon to thoeestablishment. In that year, also, he was granted by Governor King, on the recommendation of Foveaux, an absolute pardon. In 1808, under a local commission conferred upon him by Foveaux, he was appointed to the post of assistant surgeon at Sydney, and from thnt time almost until his death his life was centred here.

REDFERN AND MACQUARIE.

On the first of January, 1810, Lachlan Mac- quarie entered upon his historic governorship of the colony, and from the very first the two mon were attracted to one another. Their friendship created much heart-burning, nnd in the end was greatly to harass tho Govornor through the active hostility it created among the "free" settlers and the military officers stationed in the colony. Macquarie was con- vinced that by encouragement of those par- doned convicts who showed enterprise and ability, and of whose general reformation he was satisfied, he would advance the interests of the settlement. But the majority of the "free" settlers objected to being called upon to meet socially men upon whose past lives there rested the stain of the "con- vict," and this, perhaps, was natural enough. In the case of such a man as Redfern, however, of good birth, of an honourable profession, and of proven character and ability, the ob- jection was ridiculous. Brigade Major An- till, of the 73rd Highland Regiment, then stationed here, thought so, anyway, and a lifelong friendship was horn between them as a result. For a long time things went swimmingly Rod fern received a grant of seventy acres near Sydney, acted as assistant surgeon at the general hospital, and maintained a lucrative practice of his own. He became one of the leading men of the settlement, and gradually one of the most affluent. He was "in" everything, and walked his way hand in glove with Macquarie and Antill. When the 73rd left, and was succeeded by the 48th, and though Lieutenant-Colonel Erskine, its C O., and Majors Druitt and Morissett, issued mess Invitations to Redfern, and were glad to be friendly with him, the subalterns were most unhappy about it. Eventually they deliber- ately insulted the young medico, when, as Erskine's guest, he sat one night at the mess, by rising in a body and leaving the room. This action brought upon them the wrath of Macquarie, and the trouble thus started grew into a conflict so serious that In 1819 (by which time the 48th had been succeedod by the 46th.) Mr. Commissioner John Thomas Bigge was sent out by Earl Bathurst to inquire into the administration of the col- ony generally and into the action of Macquarie with regard to "freed convicts" in particular.

BIGGE'S REPORT

Whatever Mr. Bigge might 'have been in- clined to do - and from certain expressions In his report it can be implied that he would have been fair if he could - his instructions from Bathurst left him no option. To any- one reading those instructions it must be evident that he was expected to censure Mac- quarie for his "Ill-considered compassion' - the words are Bathurst's own - towards the convicts, ex and otherwise. In tho mean- time Principal Surgeon D'Arcy Wentworth had retired, and Macquarie had strongly re- commended that Redfern should bo appointed In his place. But Earl Bathurst turned the recommendation down, and sent out Mr. James Bowman instead. This so annoyed Redfern that he resigned his assistant surgeonship; and this in turn caused Macquarie to make his friend a magistrate of the colony as a set off to the disappointment inflicted upon him. This appointment made things a thousand times worse, and the wrath of Macquarie's opponents grew louder-voiced than ever. This, then, was the state of affairs when Commissioner Bigge came out; and his re- port, which is voluminous, conscientious, and immensely interesting to the modern reader, naturally has a lot to say about it. It is impossible to review that report here, it I\is sufficient to say that it was highly antagonis- tic to Macquarie, and condemned bis "ill-con- sidered companion" in terms which must, surely, hare satisfied Bathurst in every par-

ticular. The document took a. deal of com- piling, and in 1822, before it was sent in, Macquarie retired to England, where subse- quently he had a good deal to say about Mr. Blgge's reflections upon him. As for Redfern, the report made no difference at all to him, apparently. His activities continued un- abated until the early thirties when, upon his third visit to tho old country, he died In Edinburgh in July, 1833, at the age of 67.

AN ACTIVE LIFE.

In March, 1811, Redfern was married by Dean Cowper to Miss Sarah Wills, the daugh- ter of Edward Spencer Wills, of Gee- long and Sydney, whose older daughter. Eliza, subsequently became the wife of that Major Antill, whose friendship with Redfern has been mentioned, and whose name is even more closely associated with the history of New South Wales than that of Redfern himself. Of that marriage two sons were born, of whom the elder, William Lachlan Macquarie Redfern, born in 1810, grew to manhood and married in 1842, while tho younger, Joseph Foveaux Redfern, died in 1830, in his seventh year. It is of interest to note that whon Sarah Wills became Mrs. Redfern, her mother gave her as a wedding gift the deeds of thirty acres of land ad- joining the seventy acres granted to Redfern himself by Maoquarie. The two grants were afterwards merged into one, and it is their

(PICTURE)
DR. WILLIAM REDFERN.
From a miniature painted In Edinburgh shortly before his death, and believed to be the only portrait of him in existence.

combined area of 100 acres that still preserves the name of Redfern is a suburb of Sydney. Dr. Redfern died a wealthy man; apart from the Redfern acres, he owned land all over the then known part of the State - at Bathurst, at Cowra, and even at Geelong. But the place which be loved best and which is most closely associated with his name is the home he built upon the George's River, and which he named Campbell Fields.

During his career in this city Dr. Redfern was, as has been said, "In" everything". How great and various were his activities may be gathered from even the hastiest perusal of the records. Apart altogether from his profes- sional duties and the improvements he was constantly carrying out upon his various pro- perties, we find him engaged in a prominent capacity in nearly all the social, philan- thropic, and business matters of his day. In 1815 he accompanied Macquarie on his trip across the Blue Mountains, and in Fobruary, 1817, ho was elected one of the first directors of the newly-established Bank of New South Wales, a position to which he was re-elected next year and again In 1827 He paid visits to England In 1821, in 1825, and a third shortly before his death. He supplied wool for the Parramatta factory in 1821, and chartered a vessel to import sugar from Mauri- tius in 1827. In 1811 he assisted Macquarie, Blaxland, Riley, and Wentworth in their con- tract for the erection of the General Hos- pital. All his life he had been the doer, rather than a thinker and with this highly glorious example of his activity the record appropriately ends.

Sydney Morning Herald 9 Oct 1926 - continuing discussion of William Redfern - The Story of his Life
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16322374?searchTerm=William%20Redfern&searchLimits=

Source References:

52. Type: Australia Birth Marriage Death Index 1787 - 1985 Record

- Reference = (Birth)

55. Type: Book, Abbr: Edward Wills Family and Descendants, Title: Ancestor Treasure Hunt; The Edward Wills Family and Descendants in Australia 1797 - 1976, Auth: R.V. Pockley, Publ: Wentworth Books - Sydney, Date: 1976

- Reference = (Birth)

- Reference = (Death)

- Reference = (Marriage)

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