Captain John Hunter

Scottish, 1737 - 1821

BiographyJohn Hunter, born in Leith, briefly pursued a university education before becoming a captain's servant aboard HMS GRAMPUS at 17. As midshipmen, he served on various vessels before becoming a lieutenant in 1760. Over the next two decades, Hunter served as midshipman and master on a number of ships on voyages to the North America Station, Jamaica Station and the East Indies. His expertise as a navigator was well noted and in 1780, he received his first commission as lieutenant aboard the BERWICK. A number of distinguished postings followed, mostly due to the influence of First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Howe.

By 1786 when the First Fleet was being assembled for its journey to Australia, Hunter was appointed second captain of HMS SIRIUS under Governor Arthur Phillip. Notably he was also commissioned as Phillips successor in case of 'death or absence'. After departing the Cape of Good Hope, Hunter was given command of the SIRIUS and the convoy of 11 vessels. In October 1788, Hunter was despatched in SIRIUS back to the Cape of Good Hope for urgent supplies for the flailing colony at Port Jackson. On his return the following year in May, Hunter undertook significant survey work in the region and acted as magistrate for the colony.

On the 19 March 1790, Hunter was again in charge of the SIRIUS when it was lost off Norfolk Island. It was a significant loss and a precarious time in both the physical and administrative wellbeing of the new colony. Hunter returned to England in April 1792 having being absolved of wrongdoing in the loss of the SIRIUS. However, his time in Australia was not over and in September 1795, Hunter returned to Sydney as governor-in-general and captain-general. During his absence, the colony had been in transition with various governmental, military and private sectors vying for influence. What had begun, and was still primarily a penal colony, now had vested business interests and a small yet growing population requiring infrastructure, labour, trade and all the facilities of settlement. Hunter also faced the force of the New South Wales Corp whose officers had enormous influence over most goings on and showed little support for the fledging government. This power struggle would become one of Hunter's biggest challenges as governor of New South Wales.

Hunter would last only four years as governor and was recalled in November 1799 to be replaced by Lieutenant - Governor King. Although administratively Hunter's term as governor was not as strong as Britain had hoped or the colony needed, Hunter did contribute to British exploration in the area and his work as a navigator and naturalist is highly regarded. On his return to Britain, Hunter published 'Governor Hunter's Remarks on the Causes of the Colonial Expense of the Establishment of New South Wales. Hints for the Reduction of Such Expenses and for the Reforming of Prevailing Abuses'. The book went some way in laying out the problems that he and other colonial governors endured and reflected that not all issues had been either of his own making or within his control.

Hunter died in London in 1821 after achieving the rank of vice-admiral in 1810.

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