Charles Anderson
Tattooed seaman
Arrived 1834
Some hapless individuals experienced the full horrors of convict transportation. It was no wonder that some, like Anderson, endured periods of mental instability.
Navy seaman and thief Charles ‘Bony’ Anderson arrived in Sydney from Devonshire in 1834, aged 24. He was heavily tattooed, with designs of a mermaid, anchor, buoy, cottage, flag, heart, crucifix, sun, moon and seven stars, Adam and Eve, serpent and tree.
In the next few years he was frequently flogged, for mutinous conduct, striking fellow prisoners, assaulting an overseer and neglect of work. After one offence he was apparently cruelly chained to a rock on Goat Island, in public view and fed with a long pole.
In 1838 the Barracks’ court sentenced him to the horrific punishment of life in ‘double irons’ on Norfolk Island, but he was later returned to Cockatoo Island, where he was considered a lunatic and kept in a straightjacket. Following his transfer to the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, Anderson was pronounced sane. He received his freedom in 1854.
Other convicts might have described Anderson as: bug, lagger, cracksman, sevener, cockatoo, pebble, rump’d, darbie’d, slang’d, rock’d, shook. See our glossary of Flash language (convict slang words) to find out what these words mean.
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Dr Fiona Starr
Former curator
Fiona claims her love of history is hereditary – passed on by her mother and grandmother, each interested in Australian history, genealogy and world history, with a passion for visiting and learning about heritage sites around the world. Her interest took root with degrees in historical archaeology and museum studies, and through internships at the Museum of London and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Paris. Work on archaeological digs, with museum collections and on numerous exhibition and site interpretation projects inspired her PhD research into encouraging the private sector to help conserve cultural heritage sites. As curator of the Hyde Park Barracks Museum and The Mint (Macquarie Street Portfolio), Fiona combines her curiosity for colonial and convict history with expertise in managing and interpreting archaeology to help bring the fascinating stories of these sites to life for visitors.
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