Chinese identured labourers employed by TLM-P

Source: Maxine Darnell, indentured.pdf) Note that I have edited this list slightly from the original to make it consistent with the other pages and added other comments in square brackets.

1. 11-12-1848 Tinko Bugrooperia
[Tinko and Eunti were hired from the ship Nimrod which suggests that they were among one of the early large groups of Chinese migrants who came from Amoy (Xiamen), docking in Sydney in October 1848, where about half of the 121 Chinese passengers disembarked. The intention was that they would work as indentured labourers on rural holdings for five years. Some remained in Sydney and others escaped the isolation of the bush and returned to town. A five-year indenture meant very little once gold was discovered, and the Chinese, like everyone else who caught gold fever, deserted their posts for the diggings.¹⁾ TLM-P paid a £1.12.0 advance to the Nimrod presumably as part payment of Tinko's passage to Australia. Tinko was employed for 5 years at the extraordinary low wage of £6 pa]

footnote: Tinko is also to be found interpreting in a court case (see 15-11-1851) and on a charge of assault (see below), and remained with TLM-P at Hawkwood station until at least January 1856 even though his contract would have expired in December 1853.(see April 1854). TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248.) 17-6-1852 Tinko Logan River Assault £20 sureties to keep peace for 12 months. April 1854 Tinko Hawkwood Footnote: It is not mentioned in what capacity Tinko was employed by TLM-P, nor the wages he was receiving although most of the other labourers duties and wage rate are listed. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x.

2. 11-12-48 Eunti Bugrooperia Footnote: Eunti and Tinko were “purchased” by TLM-P from the Nimrod for £21.4.0. [there is no use of 'purchased' in the ledger entry nor can I find the reference to a payment of £21.4.0. The entry is 'pr. Nimrod' and there was a payment of £1.12.0 for each man recorded as an advance to the Nimrod presumably as part payment of their passage to Australia. perhaps pr is an abbreviation of purchased but equally likely it is 'per Nimrod' “Bugrooperia Station, Logan River Queensland 1848-49, TLM-P ML MSS3117/6, Item 5. More information on Tinko and a number of other Chinese labourers is available in Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Hawkwood, 1854-58, TLM-P ML MSS 3117/7x).

3. 5-11-1851 Isim Logan River Interpreter (employer given as T S.M. Prior, presumably mistake for TLM-P).

4. 15-4-1852 Kang Logan River Absconded 3 months hard labour Footnote: Within the evidence it was stated that Kang had contracted with TLM-P on the 5th November 1851 to serve for a period of 3 years and 6 months at a rate of 12s. per month. During his period of service Kang had acquired goods to the cost of £2 18s. 2d. and it was on the basis of absconding in debt that he received the sentence of hard labour on the Newcastle breakwater.

5. 17-6-1852 Teeam Logan River Assault As above Footnote: A third unnamed Chinese labourer had been charged with assault but did not appear at the Court due to illness. TLM-P declined to prosecute this third employee and paid the sureties for the other two Chinese).

6. 15-7-1852 Chiop Logan River Absconded Dismissed Footnote: Chiop had originally been brought to the court on a charge of being an '… idle and disorderly person …' which charge was dismissed. TLM-P then claimed that Chiop had previously absented himself from his employment, to which the defendant agreed. The case was dismissed however due to the lack of an interpreter. The report on this case also states that Ganson (Gan Som) who had been employed as an interpreter at the court '… now declines to do so, being deterred, as is supposed, by the threats of his countrymen'.

7. 4-1-1853 Anon Logan River Drowned

8. 10-2-1856 Lye Hawkwood Shepherd Footnote: From this total [missing?] Lye's store account for the period of £5.4.8 was deducted, as was a cash payment of £9 on the Bank of NSW and a credit to Gim of £2, leaving Lye with £3.2.4 paid to him per Bank of NSW cheque on 14 August 1856. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No.46.

9. 1-2-1856 Boom Hawkwood Hutkeeper-Shepherd Footnote: Boon re-hired with TLM-P in September 1856 as a shepherd for £35 per annum, however it is noted that “Boon went to Gayndah as he said to the Doctor having been laid up some time with Rhuematism but I heard of him washing sheep a few days after he left, he did not return”- he left behind a stores account of £3.4.2½. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x).

10. 26-5-1856 Gim Hawkwood Cook Footnote: Gim was employed for one year at £35 per annum. Gim's account is interesting as he appears to have acted as a money lender - at the end of his term he was also paid £2 by Boon, 4s by Dagan, 50s by Yung, 20s by Yagar, 40s by Kimbracken, 20s by Shibgleton and 3s to his benefit was deducted from Dagan account giving him a total of £46 17 0 from which his store account of £19.2.3 and a cheque on P.J. Piggott of £3.3.8 was deducted leaving him with a cheque on the Bank of NSW for £24.10.10 1/2. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No.87.

11. 25-7-1856 Dampé Hawkwood Hutkeeper Footnote: Dampé had been employed by TLM-P in 1855 and then worked for another 9 months shepherding and hutkeeping for which he received £18.15.0. Once his store account was settled Dampé received on 8th August cheques totalling £39 and 2s5 1/2p in cash. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No.98.

12. 13-8-1856 Tam Ha Hawkwood Hired for Lambing Footnote: Tam Ha was hired at a rate of 25s per week (the same as a European's wages) on 15 August until 8 October. When his store account of 14s 7p was deducted Tam Ha was paid by cheque on the Bank of NSW £9.5.5. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No.84154.

13. 15-9-1855 Ubi(?) Hawkwood Angela Woollacott calls him 'Ubi Chinaman' which reflects her assumption that ethnic descriptions were surnames. Footnote: Ubi is noted as working for TLM-P from 25 May to 25 August at 12s per week- total wage was £7.16.0, cash and stores account was £5.5.4, leaving Ubi with £2.10.8 for which he was paid £2.10.6 by cheque on the Bank of NSW, with a note that the cheque was two pence too little. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No.14. Ubi re-hired with TLM-P from 25 August 1855 to 16 December 1855: for the 7 weeks from 25 August to 12 October he was employed as a shepherd at a rate of £1.0.3 per week, a total of £8.9.0 and then as a hutkeeper from the 15 October to 16 December at 15s per week, totalling £7. When Ubi's store account of £5.6.5 was deducted from his total wage of £15.9.0 he received a cheque on the Bank of NSW for £10.2.7. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio ?[missing].

14. 3-11-1856 Yung Hawkwood Washer & Shearer (footnote:160 missing).

15. 4-2-1857 Hock Hawkwood Cook and Hutkeeper (footnote:161 missing). [Described as a 'Chinaman', he 'ran away' from Achows ²⁾]

16. 28-2-18 57 Achow [or Achen?] Hawkwood Shepherd and Watchman (footnote:162 missing). [paid 15/- per week as a hutkeeper for 7 weeks.

17. 20-5-1857 Tam Sing Hawkwood Shepherd (Footnote: partly missing) Tam Sing was employed as a shepherd at the rate of £25 p.a. TLM-P, Ledger for Bromelton Station, Logan River, 1850-51 and Hawkwood Station, Station, 1854-58, ML MSS 3117/7x CY Reel 1248; Folio No 96. [An earlier entry for May-August 1855 indicates that Tan Sing was employed for two short periods first at £1 per week then later at 15/- per week. It is possible that they were the same man. (ff196,15]