George Barrington, also known by his real name Walden, was an Irish individual who gained notoriety as a pickpocket in London. He later became a prominent figure in London's social scene, ventured as a pioneer in Australia following his transportation to Botany Bay, and also pursued a career as an author. His various exploits, arrests, and legal proceedings were extensively documented in the newspapers of London during his lifetime.
Barrington was born in Maynooth, County Kildare, as the son of either a working silversmith named Waldron or Captain Barrington, an English troop commander. Between 1785 and 1787, he entered into marriage and had a child, although details regarding the identities of his wife and child, as well as their outcomes, remain undisclosed.
In 1771, he committed theft against his schoolmaster in Dublin and absconded from school. He then joined a travelling theatrical troupe in Drogheda, assuming the alias Barrington. During the Limerick races, he engaged in pickpocketing alongside the company's manager, who was apprehended and sentenced to transportation. Subsequently, Barrington fled to London, where he disguised himself in clerical attire and continued his illicit activities. At Covent Garden theatre, he stole a valuable snuffbox from the Russian Count Orlov, reportedly worth £30,000. Although he was apprehended and taken into custody, the Count opted not to press charges, resulting in Barrington's release. Nevertheless, he later received a three-year hard labour sentence for pickpocketing at Drury Lane theatre.
Upon his release, he resumed his previous unlawful activities and was subsequently sentenced to five years of hard labor. However, due to influential connections, he was granted release on the condition of departing England. Following this, he briefly resided in Dublin before returning to London, where he was apprehended again for theft. Consequently, in 1790, he received a sentence of seven years of transportation.
While en route to Botany Bay, an incident occurred involving a group of convicts on board who conspired to seize control of the ship. Barrington, one of the convicts, disclosed the plan to the captain, who commended his actions upon their arrival in New South Wales. Consequently, in 1792, Barrington was granted a warrant of emancipation, marking him as the first individual to be bestowed with such a document. Following this, he assumed the role of convict superintendent and eventually became the chief constable of Parramatta. During his initial rise to prominence in Australia, Barrington formed a relationship with a local woman named Yeariana, who later decided to depart and reunite with her family. Barrington passed away in Parramatta in 1804.
As a writer, Barrington authored 'A Voyage to New South Wales' in two volumes in London between 1795 and 1801. 'The History of New South Wales' was initially released in London in 1802. Barrington engaged the services of the artist and engraver Vincent Woodthorpe to provide illustrations for these publications. The depiction of Sydney, New South Wales, on Christmas Eve in 1802 is sourced from 'The History of New South Wales'.
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