Francis Fowkes

Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland

This map is a rare early engraving of the settlement at Sydney Cove, April 1788. The eleven ships of the First Fleet are depicted anchored in the Harbour along with 'References' listing buildings, tents, men’s and women’s camps, sawpits, workshops, storehouses and gardens.

The map returned to England with the First Fleet in 1789. The creator of it remained unknown as the map only has the initials, ‘F.F. delineavit’ appearing in the lower left-hand corner. By a process of elimination, it was deduced that only one person travelled with the First Fleet had those initials: Francis Fowkes.

Formerly a navy midshipman, he had been convicted in London and sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing a cloth great coat valued at 20s and a pair of leather boots valued at 18s.

The map was published in London in July 1789 by R. Cribb and sold for 1 shilling plain, or 2 shillings coloured. However, it is not an accurate cartographical representation but it does provide much detail about the settlement just 3 months after arrival. The Governor’s Mansion stands tall over the settlement and the farm appears to be neatly laid out and flourishing. The ships anchored in the Harbour are named along with 24 other locations in the settlement.

Sketch and description of the settlement at Sydney Cove Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland taken by a transported convict on the 16th of April, 1788, which was not quite 3 months after Commodore Phillip's landing there, 1789, by Francis Fowkes

Hand-coloured map MB2 811.17/1788/1