Brig Fanny – Accounts Ledger

The account book of the American brig FANNY records the trading of its cargo on arrival in Sidney (sic) Australia, with the first sale entered on July 16th, 1802 to Captain Matthew Flinders. Flinders purchased three hogsheads of New England rum, a total of 317 gallons at 6 shillings a gallon on July 16, 1802. Only 6 days after the transaction, the INVESTIGATOR sailed to survey the Queensland coast.

Page 2 begins with the sale of books to “Governor King’s Lady”. The American books include Washington’s “Epistles”, Washington’s “Letters”, “Sailor Boy”, “Beggar Girl”, “Gypsy Countess”. On the same page is the first sale to Commodore Nicolas Baudin, purchasing a truly large amount of West Indian and New England rum, as well as barrels of beef, pork, Havana sugar and flour. Governor King’s despatch to Lord Hobart for Nov.9th, 1802 states; “Those Ships (Naturaliste & Geographe) wants of Salt Meat and Spirits were amply provided for by the Arrival of the American (brig Fanny)…”

There follows a veritable “Who’s Who” of the First Fleet and early settlers of Sydney. These other names include Simeon Lord, Lieutenant-Governor William Paterson, John Palmer, William Cox, John Harris, Michael Massey Robinson, David Dickerson Mann, Captain Thomas Rowley, Thomas Laycock, D’Arcy Wentworth, Rev. Samuel Marsden, J. Jamison, Anthony Fenn Kemp, Isaac Nichols, Judge Richard Atkins, and Sir Henry Hayes.