Mrs Smith's Early Catholic Community 1788-1850

  • First Fleet arrives in New South Wales

    First Fleet arrives in New South Wales
    30% of the 756 convicts on the First Fleet were Catholic. They were not allowed to have a Catholic church. They were forced to go to the Anglican Church service on Sunday. Governor Phillip commanded that convicts would be flogged if they refused to attend church. Some convicts burnt down the very first Anglican church in the colony. https://mrswilliamspodroom.weebly.com/religion-early-church.html
  • Catholic settlers petition the Governor