Henry Kable
| Henry Kable | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1763 Laxfield, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 16 March 1846 Pitt Town, Sydney, Australia |
| Residence | Pitt Town |
| Other names | Henry Cable |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Spouse(s) | Susannah Holmes |
| Children | Henry, Dianna, Enoch, James, Susannah, George Esto (farmer), Eunice, William Nathaniel (publican), John, known as 'Young Kable', Charles Dickenson, Edgar James |
| Parent(s) | Henry Keable and Dianna Fuller |
Henry Kable (1763–1846), a businessman, born in Laxfield, Suffolk, England, was one of the first convicts transported to Australia.
On 1 February 1783, Kable was convicted of burglary at Thetford, Norfolk, England and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to transportation for fourteen years to the United States, however, the American Revolution made transportation to America impossible and Henry was returned to the Norwich Castle gaol.[2]
At Norwich Castle gaol, Henry met and began a relationship with Susannah Holmes, who gave birth in prison to a son Henry. Holmes had been sentenced to death after being found guilty of theft. Her sentence was also commuted and she was sentenced to transportation to the United States colonies for a term of 14 years.
When Susannah was chosen as one of the first convicts to be transported to Botany Bay, the child was ordered to be left behind and Henry and Susannah separated. Moved by their plight, a prison guard petitioned the Colonial Secretary to make an exception attracting considerable media attention.
Lady Cadogan, wife of Charles Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan, organised a public subscription which yielded the substantial sum of £20 to buy Henry and Susannah a parcel of goods on their arrival in the new colony.
Henry and Susannah were transported on the ship the Friendship, sailing in the First Fleet to New South Wales.
The £20 that had been raised was entrusted to Rev. Richard Johnson, who was charged with giving it to them on their arrival in the penal colony. The gift, however, was plundered on the voyage. In the first civil suit heard in New South Wales, Kable won damages of £15 against the captain (Duncan Sinclair) of the Alexander, who had stolen the cash, this despite the rule that prisoners who had been sentenced to death were unable to sue.
On 10 February 1788, Henry and Susannah Kable married in Sydney in a group wedding (the first European wedding ceremony in the new colony).
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