James Hardy Vaux
Encyclopedia
James Hardy Vaux was an English-born convict
transported to Australia
on three separate occasions. He was the author of Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux including A Vocabulary of the Flash Language, first published in 1819, which is regarded as both the first full length autobiography and first dictionary written in Australia.
, England
, James Hardy Vaux was the son of Hardy Vaux, butler and house steward to George Holme Sumner MP, and his wife Sophia, the daughter of an attorney. Vaux spent much of his childhood living with his maternal grandparents in Shropshire
, England
.
At age 14, Vaux was apprenticed to a linen draper in Liverpool
. He was initially well behaved however soon developed rakish
habits, staying out late at night and disappearing to cock fights during the day. He began pilfering small amounts of money from the till of his employer to pay his gambling debts and maintain his lifestyle. Even though the thefts went undiscovered, Vaux's employer did not approve of his habits and dismissed him after only a few months' service.
Vaux next found employment as a clerk in London
, although he was far more interested in frequenting the red light
district of Covent Garden
and seedy alehouses than his work. Always restless, he changed jobs several times, including a stint in the Navy in 1798-99 on board HMS Astraea until he deserted and returned to London
.
Vaux was again arrested in August 1800, this time for pickpocketing a handkerchief in company with Alexander Bromley, a thief he met in Newgate Prison
. They were both tried at the Old Bailey
, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' transportation.
Transported to Australia
, Vaux arrived in Sydney
in the convict ship
Minorca in December 1801. He worked as a clerk to a storekeeper at Hawkesbury and then at the Colonial Secretary's Office in Sydney
. Vaux again betrayed the trust placed in him by forging the initials of Governor King
on commissariat orders for which he was punished with hard labour in a convict road-gang. He gradually redeemed himself and in1806 was appointed clerk to the magistrates at Parramatta
.
In 1807 Governor King
, then returning to England
, gave Vaux a passage home on the ship HMS Buffalo in return for him arranging the Governor's papers during the voyage. Vaux's sentence expired during the voyage and, although compelled to enlist as a seaman, deserted the ship on its arrival in England
.
, Vaux soon resumed his dishonest activities. Assuming the appearance of a gentleman, he stole chains, brooches and rings from jewellers' shops as well as the pocket books and snuffboxes of fellow theatre patrons. His activities continued undetected for some time until in December 1808 he was arrested and narrowly escaped conviction for the theft of a silver snuffbox.
His luck ran out in February 1809 when, under the alias James Lowe, he was convicted at the Old Bailey
of the felony of stealing three diamond rings and a brooch from a jeweller's shop in Piccadilly. As this was a capital offence, he was sentenced to death although this was subsequently commuted to transportation for life.
After months imprisoned in miserable conditions on the convict hulk Retribution, Vaux was transported on the convict ship
Indian and reached Sydney
for the second time in December 1810. He was assigned to a Hawkesbury settler and then later appointed overseer of a convict gang in Sydney
. However, in 1811 he was banished to the Newcastle
penal settlement for receiving stolen property and in 1814 he was caught attempting to escape the colony by ship for which he was flogged and returned to Newcastle
.
Vaux received a conditional pardon in 1820 which excused him from serving out his sentence on condition that he remained in the colony. For the next six years he was employed as a clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office until suddenly dismissed in 1826. His dismissal followed from concerns that his convict past meant it was discreditable to the office to retain him, even though there were no suggestion he had acted improperly. Vaux complained bitterly that his dismissal was unjust. He found work elsewhere but not with the same status or level of responsibility. After staying out of trouble for many years, in April 1829 Vaux absconded from the colony, breaching the terms of his conditional pardon.
He was transported for the third time on the convict ship
Waterloo. On reaching Sydney
in May 1831, he was recognised as an escaped convict, and his previous life sentence reinstated. He was sent to Port Macquarie penal settlement where he remained for the next six years.
Vaux returned to Sydney
in 1837 where he worked as clerk to a wine merchant. In May 1839 he was convicted of indecently assaulting an eight year old girl and sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was released from prison in 1841, then age 59. Nothing is known about the remainder of his life after 1841 or his death.
penal settlement for much of the period from 1811 to 1818, Vaux compiled two works. The first was a dictionary of 'flash' or cant
language originally written for use by the commandant of the penal settlement in performing his magisterial duties. He next compiled his memoirs, which he titled Memoirs of the First Thirty-Two Years of The Life of James Hardy Vaux, A Swindler and Pickpocket; Now Transported for the Second Time, and For Life, to New South Wales. On completing the manuscript, he dedicated his work to the commandant of the penal settlement, who had apparently encouraged Vaux to compile his memoirs.
In 1819 the manuscript of Vaux's memoirs, together with the dictionary of 'flash' language, were published in London
by John Murray as Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux, written by himself. The memoirs were republished by John Hunt in 1827 and reprinted in 1829 and 1830. Since Vaux's death, the memoirs were again republished in 1964 with an introduction and editorial notes by Noel McLachlan.
The first full length autobiography written in Australia
, Vaux's memoirs provide a unique insight into criminal life in London
and the convict
transported to Australia
penal system. In 1827 the London Magazine described Vaux's work as 'one of the most singular that ever issued from the press'.
Convicts in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
transported to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on three separate occasions. He was the author of Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux including A Vocabulary of the Flash Language, first published in 1819, which is regarded as both the first full length autobiography and first dictionary written in Australia.
Early life
Born in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, James Hardy Vaux was the son of Hardy Vaux, butler and house steward to George Holme Sumner MP, and his wife Sophia, the daughter of an attorney. Vaux spent much of his childhood living with his maternal grandparents in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
At age 14, Vaux was apprenticed to a linen draper in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He was initially well behaved however soon developed rakish
Rake (character)
A rake, short for rakehell, is a historic term applied to a man who is habituated to immoral conduct, frequently a heartless womanizer. Often a rake was a man who wasted his fortune on gambling, wine, women and song, incurring lavish debts in the process...
habits, staying out late at night and disappearing to cock fights during the day. He began pilfering small amounts of money from the till of his employer to pay his gambling debts and maintain his lifestyle. Even though the thefts went undiscovered, Vaux's employer did not approve of his habits and dismissed him after only a few months' service.
Vaux next found employment as a clerk in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, although he was far more interested in frequenting the red light
Red light
Red light may refer to:Films:* Red Light, a 1949 crime film starring George Raft* Redlight, a 2009 documentary of the Redlight Children Campaign* Red Lights , a 2004 French film, also known as Feux rouges...
district of Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
and seedy alehouses than his work. Always restless, he changed jobs several times, including a stint in the Navy in 1798-99 on board HMS Astraea until he deserted and returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
First transportation
By 1800 Vaux was a professional thief and swindler. He started out by ordering clothes and other goods from tradesmen on credit, never intending to pay for them, and then moving out of his lodgings late at night to avoid paying his debts and rent. He progressed to duping people into donating money to him and betrayed the trust of his employers by stealing from them. He was arrested in April 1800 after defrauding an employer although avoided conviction.Vaux was again arrested in August 1800, this time for pickpocketing a handkerchief in company with Alexander Bromley, a thief he met in Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
. They were both tried at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' transportation.
Transported to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Vaux arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in the convict ship
Convict ship
The term convict ship is a colloquial term used to describe any ship engaged on a voyage to carry convicted felons under sentence of penal transportation from their place of conviction to their place of exile.-Colonial practice:...
Minorca in December 1801. He worked as a clerk to a storekeeper at Hawkesbury and then at the Colonial Secretary's Office in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Vaux again betrayed the trust placed in him by forging the initials of Governor King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
on commissariat orders for which he was punished with hard labour in a convict road-gang. He gradually redeemed himself and in1806 was appointed clerk to the magistrates at Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
.
In 1807 Governor King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
, then returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, gave Vaux a passage home on the ship HMS Buffalo in return for him arranging the Governor's papers during the voyage. Vaux's sentence expired during the voyage and, although compelled to enlist as a seaman, deserted the ship on its arrival in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Second transportation
Back in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Vaux soon resumed his dishonest activities. Assuming the appearance of a gentleman, he stole chains, brooches and rings from jewellers' shops as well as the pocket books and snuffboxes of fellow theatre patrons. His activities continued undetected for some time until in December 1808 he was arrested and narrowly escaped conviction for the theft of a silver snuffbox.
His luck ran out in February 1809 when, under the alias James Lowe, he was convicted at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
of the felony of stealing three diamond rings and a brooch from a jeweller's shop in Piccadilly. As this was a capital offence, he was sentenced to death although this was subsequently commuted to transportation for life.
After months imprisoned in miserable conditions on the convict hulk Retribution, Vaux was transported on the convict ship
Convict ship
The term convict ship is a colloquial term used to describe any ship engaged on a voyage to carry convicted felons under sentence of penal transportation from their place of conviction to their place of exile.-Colonial practice:...
Indian and reached Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
for the second time in December 1810. He was assigned to a Hawkesbury settler and then later appointed overseer of a convict gang in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. However, in 1811 he was banished to the Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
penal settlement for receiving stolen property and in 1814 he was caught attempting to escape the colony by ship for which he was flogged and returned to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.
Vaux received a conditional pardon in 1820 which excused him from serving out his sentence on condition that he remained in the colony. For the next six years he was employed as a clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office until suddenly dismissed in 1826. His dismissal followed from concerns that his convict past meant it was discreditable to the office to retain him, even though there were no suggestion he had acted improperly. Vaux complained bitterly that his dismissal was unjust. He found work elsewhere but not with the same status or level of responsibility. After staying out of trouble for many years, in April 1829 Vaux absconded from the colony, breaching the terms of his conditional pardon.
Third transportation
Fleeing to Ireland, Vaux was soon in trouble again. In August 1830 he was convicted at Dublin, under the alias James Young, for using forged banknotes. He pleaded guilty and, was sentenced to transportation for seven years. While this offence usually attracted a more severe penalty, Vaux had written to the bank whose notes were forged and obtained their support for leniency.He was transported for the third time on the convict ship
Convict ship
The term convict ship is a colloquial term used to describe any ship engaged on a voyage to carry convicted felons under sentence of penal transportation from their place of conviction to their place of exile.-Colonial practice:...
Waterloo. On reaching Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in May 1831, he was recognised as an escaped convict, and his previous life sentence reinstated. He was sent to Port Macquarie penal settlement where he remained for the next six years.
Vaux returned to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1837 where he worked as clerk to a wine merchant. In May 1839 he was convicted of indecently assaulting an eight year old girl and sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was released from prison in 1841, then age 59. Nothing is known about the remainder of his life after 1841 or his death.
Literary works
Whilst banished to the NewcastleNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
penal settlement for much of the period from 1811 to 1818, Vaux compiled two works. The first was a dictionary of 'flash' or cant
Thieves' cant
Thieves' cant or Rogues' cant was a secret language which was formerly used by thieves, beggars and hustlers of various kinds in Great Britain and to a lesser extent in other English-speaking countries...
language originally written for use by the commandant of the penal settlement in performing his magisterial duties. He next compiled his memoirs, which he titled Memoirs of the First Thirty-Two Years of The Life of James Hardy Vaux, A Swindler and Pickpocket; Now Transported for the Second Time, and For Life, to New South Wales. On completing the manuscript, he dedicated his work to the commandant of the penal settlement, who had apparently encouraged Vaux to compile his memoirs.
In 1819 the manuscript of Vaux's memoirs, together with the dictionary of 'flash' language, were published in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by John Murray as Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux, written by himself. The memoirs were republished by John Hunt in 1827 and reprinted in 1829 and 1830. Since Vaux's death, the memoirs were again republished in 1964 with an introduction and editorial notes by Noel McLachlan.
The first full length autobiography written in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Vaux's memoirs provide a unique insight into criminal life in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the convict
Convicts in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
transported to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
penal system. In 1827 the London Magazine described Vaux's work as 'one of the most singular that ever issued from the press'.