Vance Young Donaldson
Encyclopedia
Captain Vance Young Donaldson, soldier and penal administrator, was born at Tyrone
in 1791 and entered the army at the age of thirteen, serving in the 57th Regiment
under Wellington
.
He led his regiment to Norfolk Island
in March 1826 as the second commandant of the second convict settlement. His first act was to arrange for the thirty women on the island to be returned to Sydney as Governor Darling
disapproved of their presence at this “place of the extremest punishment short of death”.
In September 1826 an attempt was made by the convicts to escape from the island by boat, having been told that there was an island within a hundred miles where they could safely hide and never be found. While most of the soldiers were chasing two absconders, about thirty prisoners seized and bound their overseers, robbed the Stores for provisions and weapons, and put three boats to sea, killing a soldier. Donaldson and soldiers followed them to the nearby small and uninhabited Phillip Island, where they were captured. The ringleaders were sent to Sydney for trial, where they were sentenced to death.
Donaldson left Norfolk Island in August 1827.
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
in 1791 and entered the army at the age of thirteen, serving in the 57th Regiment
57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot
The 57th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of line infantry in the British Army.-History:The regiment started out as the 59th Regiment of Foot raised in Gloucester in 1755....
under Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
.
He led his regiment to Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
in March 1826 as the second commandant of the second convict settlement. His first act was to arrange for the thirty women on the island to be returned to Sydney as Governor Darling
Ralph Darling
General Sir Ralph Darling, GCH was a British colonial Governor and Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831.-Early career:...
disapproved of their presence at this “place of the extremest punishment short of death”.
In September 1826 an attempt was made by the convicts to escape from the island by boat, having been told that there was an island within a hundred miles where they could safely hide and never be found. While most of the soldiers were chasing two absconders, about thirty prisoners seized and bound their overseers, robbed the Stores for provisions and weapons, and put three boats to sea, killing a soldier. Donaldson and soldiers followed them to the nearby small and uninhabited Phillip Island, where they were captured. The ringleaders were sent to Sydney for trial, where they were sentenced to death.
Donaldson left Norfolk Island in August 1827.