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Regent’s University London

2016-05-13T14:41:52Z

Extramural: /* Strategy */ "extent" more appropriate than "degree" in this context

{{For|the college in New York previously named Regents College|Excelsior College}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Regent's University London
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image =Regent's University London logo.jpg
| caption =
| latin_name =
| former_name = Regent's College
| motto =
| motto_lang =
| mottoeng =
| established = {{start date|1984}}
| type = [[Private university|Private]] ([[Charitable organization#United Kingdom|Registered charity]])
| endowment =
| chancellor = [[John Drew (chancellor)|John Drew]]
| vice_chancellor= [[Aldwyn Cooper]]
| academic_staff = 257
| administrative_staff = 304
| students = 3,418 [[Full time equivalent|FT]]
| undergrad =
| postgrad =
| doctoral =
| other =
| city = [[Regent's Park]], [[London]]
| postcode = NW1 4NS
| country = [[United Kingdom]]
| coor =
| affiliations = [[Universities UK]], [[Erasmus+]], Independent Universities Group
| campus = Urban
| website = {{URL|http://www.regents.ac.uk}}
| logo =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Regent's University London''' is a [[Private university|private]] non-profit university located in [[London]], [[United Kingdom]], created in 1984, and granted taught-degree conferring status from 2012-2013. It is one of four private universities (and one of two non-profit) in the country, and is one of six private institutions in the United Kingdom to have been granted taught degree awarding powers.<ref name=bbc27712>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18996223|title=Private college to award its own degrees|accessdate=27 July 2012|publisher=BBC News| date=27 July 2012}}</ref> The university is the most international of all universities in the UK {{Citation needed|date = August 2015}}with 15 per cent of applicants from within the UK, 10 per cent from the United States and the rest from all over the world.

The university has its campus in [[Regent's Park]], [[central London]]. It is one of the two largest groups of buildings in the park, along with the [[London Zoo]], and was built on the site of South Villa, one of the original eight Regent's Park villas.

RUL is one of eight members of the newly formed [[Independent Universities Group]], whose objective is to differentiate their academic credentials from the more commercial elements of the alternative sector.{{Citation needed|date = August 2015}}

== History ==
[[Image:Regent's college 03.jpg|right|thumb|The main entrance of Regent's University London]]
In 1984 the lease on the South Villa Estate in Regent's Park was taken by the Illinois-based [[liberal arts college]] [[Rockford College]], as the campus for the newly established Regent's College, a higher education college intended to primarily provide American students with a study abroad programme.<ref name=indep15611>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/student/into-university/az-uni-colleges/regents-college-2297780.html|title=Regent's College |accessdate=27 July 2012|publisher=The Independent|date=15 June 2011}}</ref>

In 1985, Regent's College acquired the former campus of the [[University of London]]'s [[Bedford College (London)|Bedford College]] in Regent's Park. The site was leased by Bedford College in 1908, and a new set of buildings designed by the architect [[Basil Champneys]] was opened by [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]] in 1913. The buildings were modified and added to over the years, especially after bomb damage during the [[Second World War]]. Bedford College merged with [[Royal Holloway, University of London|Royal Holloway College]] (another college of the University of London) in 1985 and moved to Royal Holloway's campus at [[Egham]] in [[Surrey]], vacating the premises in Regent's Park. Regent's College gradually expanded and the European Business School London moved to the College campus in 1987.<ref name="indep15611" />

In July 2012 it was announced that Regent's College had been awarded taught degree-awarding powers (TDAP) from 1 September 2012.<ref name="the27712">{{cite news|url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=420708&c=1|title=Degree powers for Regent's College welcomed by Willetts|accessdate=27 July 2012|publisher=Times Higher Education| date=27 July 2012}}</ref> Institutions that have degree-awarding powers in the UK are known as "recognized bodies" of which there are over 150. In February 2013 Regent's College agreed to acquire American InterContinental University London from Career Education Corporation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=422840&c=1|title=Regent's College snaps up for-profit provider|accessdate=3 March 2012|publisher=Times Higher Education| date=27 February 2013}}</ref> In March 2013 the UK's Department for Business Innovation and Skills announced that Regent's College had met the criteria to become a university.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/regents-college-given-green-light-on-university-title/2002743.article|title=Regent’s College given green light on university title|accessdate=29 March 2012|publisher=Times Higher Education| date=25 March 2013}}</ref>

==Organisation and administration==

===Governance===
Regent's University London is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital.<ref name=2011rep>{{cite web|url=http://www.regents.ac.uk/media/32916/regents-financial-statements_31july_2011.pdf|title=Report and consolidated financial statements - 31 July 2011|accessdate=27 July 2012|publisher=Regent's College London}}</ref> It is a registered charity, registered at the Charity Commission under charity number 291583. The company's directors are also the Trustees and members of the charity.<ref name=2011rep/>

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the stewardship of the charity's assets, strategic decision-making and ensuring compliance with charitable objectives.<ref name=2011rep/> The newly appointed chair is Dr. [[Diana Walford]] CBE, formerly Principal of [[Mansfield College, Oxford]]. Day-to-day operational management is delegated to the Vice-Chancellor and other senior management employees.<ref name=2011rep/>

===Finances===
In the financial year ended 31 July 2014, Regent's University London had a total income of £53.17 million (2012/13 – £48.196 million) and total expenditure of £55.659 million (2012/13 – £46.466 million).<ref name=2013rep>{{cite web|url=http://www.regents.ac.uk/media/715395/Report-Consolidated-Financial-Statements-31st-July-2013.pdf|title=Report and Consolidated Financial Statements|date=31 July 2013|accessdate=25 July 2014|publisher=Regent's University London}}</ref> 85% of the total income generated was from tuition fees, and 50% and 45% of total expenditure were for operational costs and staff costs respectively.

At year end Regent's University London had total net assets of £21.115 million (31 July 2013 – £24.628 million).<ref name=2013rep/> Cash surplus for the period was £17.776 million vs. £20.189 million in the previous year.

The university offers means-tested bursaries, merit awards and awards from the Kevin Spacey Foundation Scholarships {{Citation needed|date = August 2015}}. In 2012/13 over 150 students received bursaries and scholarships ranging from a 25% discount in tuition fees to full fee waivers. Scholarship awards at Regent's University London are based on merit, for which anyone can apply. The accounts ending 31 July 2014 show that £1.459 million were paid out versus £0.85 million the previous year.

===Strategy===

Regent's University London will tackle growth through four core elements: organic growth, growth by acquisition, development of an internationalisation strategy, and to a lesser extent development of a federal model. Student number is anticipated to reach 6,000 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) by 2020 by which time it hopes to be the leading private 'not for profit' university in Europe. As of 13 October 2014 Regent's University London appears in a list of higher education institutions maintained by the Chinese Education Department, which makes recruitment of mainland Chinese students easier.

It is quoted in [[The New York Times]] (20th Jan 2013) that the University has ambitions to open campuses in [[Hong Kong]], Eastern Europe and South America, and to acquire a design school as well as a law school as well as to gain American degree awarding powers. It is also working towards gaining research-degree awarding powers {{Citation needed|date = August 2015}}

===Staff===
Regent's University London had an average of 561 full-time equivalent staff during the year ended 31 July 2014 (509 in 2013), of whom 257 were academic staff and 304 were management and administration staff.<ref name=2013rep/>

==Academic profile==

===Schools===
Regent's University London is composed of seven specialist schools.

*[[European Business School London]]
*[[Regent's American College London]]
*[[Regent's Business School London]]
*Regent's Institute of Languages & Culture
*Regent's School of Psychotherapy & Psychology
*Regent's School of Drama, Film & Media
*Regent's School of Fashion & Design

===Courses===
Regent's University London offers a wide range of courses in Business and Management & the Arts and Humanities, including American and British degree programmes.<ref name=nyt20113>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/world/europe/21iht-educlede21.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&|title=London College Steps Up to University Level|accessdate=2 February 2013|publisher=The New York Times| date=20 January 2013}}</ref> Undergraduate fees are currently about £15,000 per annum.<ref name=nyt20113/> The University has a student-faculty ratio of 13 to 1,<ref name=nyt20113/> and it is therefore able to provide small tutorial style classes in which students have at least twenty hours of contact a week with academic staff.

Applications can be made either on-line direct to the University or through UCAS, and from 2015 also via the [[Common Application]]. For some programmes there is a September and a January in-take every year.

==Library Services==
The libraries at Regent’s support teaching and learning

===Park Campus Library===
The library at Park Campus offers a range of space for study. The Tate library reading room, an open study area on the ground floor and a first floor are flexible study spaces. Bookable study rooms let students work together on projects and presentations. There are PCs and networked full-colour printer-copiers for producing works. A resource room with adjustable working space and a computer fitted with assistive software is available for students needing greater accessibility.

===Marylebone Campus Library===
The library based at Marylebone Campus offers a large space for study over two floors. The Library has both PCs and Macs available to use, all with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite. The Library also has a dedicated PC with AutoCAD, and scanning and full-colour printing and photocopying facilities.

==Student life==
Regent's University London currently has around 3,500 full-time students.<ref name=nyt20113/>

===Student Union===
The Regent's University Student Union organises a range of clubs and societies, including Film Production, Finance and Investment, Model United Nations and Scandinavian.<ref name=tele5811>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/universities-and-colleges/8521952/Regents-Business-School-London-guide.html|title=Regent's Business School London guide|accessdate=28 July 2012|publisher=The Telegraph| date=5 August 2011}}</ref> The Union also organises the Students in Free Enterprise initiative.<ref name=tele5811/>

===Sports===
Sports facilities at the Regent's University London campus include a gym and fitness studio and basketball, tennis and volleyball courts.<ref name=tele5811/> In 2014, the Gym on campus was closed down, students now use off campus gyms for student fee

==Notable alumni==
Notable alumni of Regent's University London include:
*[[Anjum Anand]] (food writer and television chef)<ref name=indep15611/>
*[[Camila Batmanghelidjh]] (businesswoman and charity leader)
*[[Francis Boulle]] (reality television participant)<ref name=indep15611/>
*[[Jetsun Pema]] (Queen consort of [[Bhutan]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-22/india/29571021_1_bhutan-king-royal-wedding-lawrence-school-sanawar|title=Bhutan king to wed Sanawar girl|accessdate=27 July 2012|work=Times of India |date=22 May 2011}}</ref>
*[[Karl-Johan Persson]] (President & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of [[H&M]])
*[[Lady Kitty Spencer]], (Princess Diana's niece)
*[[Lucy Beresford]] (writer, psychotherapist and broadcaster)
*[[Max Marshall (singer)|Max Marshall]] (singer)
*[[Michael Green (television magnate)|Michael Green]] (businessman, chairman of [[Tangent Industries]])
*[[Noelle Reno]] (fashion entrepreneur, television presenter and former model)
*[[Philip Ozouf Jr]] (Treasury and Resources Minister in the Council of Ministers, [[Jersey]])
*[[Pontine Paus]] (fashion designer and businesswoman)
*[[Ruby Wax]] (comedian and television presenter)<ref name=indep15611/>
*[[Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi]] (Arab affairs)
*[[Vanisha Mittal]] (businesswoman)
*[[Elizabeth Yake]] (Canadian film-maker)
*[[Domingo Zapata]] (artist)

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.regents.ac.uk Regent's University London website]

{{Universities and colleges in London}}
{{Universities in the United Kingdom}}
{{City of Westminster}}

[[Category:Regent's University London| ]]
[[Category:Private universities in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Education in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1984]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Regent's Park]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in London]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Regent's Park]]

Arthur Askey

2010-08-25T21:53:47Z

Extramural: /* External links */ removed dead links

{{Infobox performer
| bgcolour =
| name = Arthur Askey
| image = Arthur Askey.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birthname = Arthur Bowden Askey
| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|6|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Liverpool]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|11|16|1900|6|6|df=y}}
| death_place = [[London]], [[England]]
| othername =
| parents = Samuel & Betsy Askey, nee Bowden
| children = [[Anthea Askey|Anthea]]
| homepage =
| genre = [[Comedian]]
| spouse = Elizabeth May Swash (m.1925–1974)
}}

'''Arthur Bowden Askey''' [[CBE]] (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was a prominent [[England|English]] [[comedian]].

== Life and career ==

Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, [[Liverpool]], [[Lancashire]], the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey (d.1958), secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden (d.1949), of [[Knutsford]], [[Cheshire]]. Six months after his birth the family moved to 90 Rosslyn Street, Liverpool. Askey was educated at St. Michael's Council School (1905–11) and the [[Liverpool Institute High School for Boys|Liverpool Institute for Boys]] (1911–16), where he was known for winning an [[egg and spoon race]] at a school sports day. He was very small at 5' 2" (1.6m), with a breezy, smiling personality, and wore distinctive horn-rimmed glasses.

He served in the armed forces in [[World War I]] and performed in army entertainments. After working as a clerk for [[Liverpool Corporation]], Education Department, he was in a touring concert party and the [[music hall]]s, but he rose to stardom in 1938 through his role in the first regular radio comedy series, ''[[Band Waggon]]'' on the [[BBC]], prior to which radio comedy had consisted of broadcast [[stand-up comedy|stand-up]] routines. Band Waggon began as a variety show, but had been unsuccessful until Askey and his partner, [[Richard Murdoch]], took on a larger role in the writing. Askey's humour owed much to the playfulness of the characters he portrayed, his improvising, and his use of [[catchphrases]], as parodied by the [[Arthur Atkinson]] character in ''[[The Fast Show]]''. His catchphrases included "Hello playmates!", "I thank you all" (pronounced "Ay-Thang-Yaw'll"), and "Before your very eyes".

In the early 1930s, Askey appeared on an early form of BBC [[television]] — the spinning disc invented by [[John Logie Baird]] that scanned vertically and had only thirty lines. Askey had to be heavily made up for his face to be recognisable at such low resolution. When television became electronic, with 405 horizontal lines, Askey was a regular performer in [[Variety show|variety]] shows.

During [[World War II]], Askey starred in several [[Gainsborough Pictures]] comedy films, including ''[[Band Waggon]]'' (1940), based on the radio show; ''[[Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt]]'' (1940); ''[[The Ghost Train (1941 film)|The Ghost Train]]'' (1941); ''[[I Thank You (film)|I Thank You]]'' (1941); ''[[Back Room Boy]]'' (1942); ''[[King Arthur Was a Gentleman]]'' (1942); ''[[Miss London Ltd.]]'' (1943); and ''[[Bees in Paradise]]'' (1944); as well as the popular [[West End theatre|West End]] [[musical theatre|musical]] ''[[Follow the Girls]]''. When television arrived, he made the transition well. His first TV series was ''Before Your Very Eyes!'' (1952), named after his catchphrase. In 1957 writers [[Sid Colin]] and [[Talbot Rothwell]] revived the ''[[Band Waggon]]'' format for ''[[Living It Up (TV series)|Living It Up]]'', a series that reunited Askey and Murdoch after 18 years. He also made many stage appearances as a [[pantomime dame]].

His recording career included "The Bee Song", [[The Thing-Ummy Bob]]<ref>{{citation |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b6m-fTEGuW8C |title=The Foreign Office and Finland, 1938-1940 |author=Craig Gerrard}}</ref> and his theme tune, "Big-Hearted Arthur", (which was also his nickname). During the 1950s and 1960s he appeared in many sitcoms, including ''[[Love and Kisses (TV series)|Love and Kisses]]'', ''[[Arthur's Treasured Volumes]]'' and ''[[The Arthur Askey Show]]''. However, in 1940 a song he intended to record, "It's Really Nice to See you Mr Hess" (after Hitler's deputy fled to Scotland), was banned by the [[War Office]].

He continued to appear frequently on television in the 1970s, notably as a panellist on the [[ITV]] talent show ''[[New Faces]]'', where his usually sympathetic comments would offset the harsher judgments of fellow judges [[Tony Hatch]] and [[Mickie Most]]. He also appeared on the comedy panel game ''[[Joker's Wild (TV series)|Joker's Wild]]''.

His last film was ''Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse'' (1978), starring Debbie Ash. Soon afterwards, he was forced to give up performing, and had both legs amputated owing to circulatory problems. [[Anthea Askey|Anthea]], his daughter by his marriage to Elizabeth May Swash (m. 1925, d. 1974), was also an actress and often starred with him. For many years, he was an active member of the [[Savage Club]] (a London [[gentlemen's club]]).

''[[Private Eye]]'' magazine in the 1970s regularly made the comment that he and the [[Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon|Queen Mother]] had "never been seen in the same room together" - referring to the fact that they were both of about the same height, and suggesting that he was the Queen Mother in drag.

Askey is buried in [[Putney Vale Cemetery]].

==Selected filmography==
* ''[[Calling All Stars]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Band Waggon]]'' (1940)
* ''[[The Ghost Train]]'' (1941)
* ''[[I Thank You (film)|I Thank You]]'' (1941)
* ''[[Back-Room Boy]]'' (1942)
* ''[[Miss London Ltd.]]'' (1942)
* ''[[King Arthur Was a Gentleman]]'' (1942)
* ''[[Bees in Paradise]]'' (1944)
* ''[[The Love Match]]'' (1955)
* ''[[Ramsbottom Rides Again]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Make Mine a Million]]'' (1959)
* ''[[Friends and Neighbours]]'' (1959)
* ''[[Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse]]'' (1978)

==Biographies==
*Arthur Askey (autobiography). ''Before Your Very Eyes'' (London: Woburn Press, 1975) ISBN 0713001348
*Kurt Ganzl. ''The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (New York: Shirmer Books, 2001) pp. 75 ISBN 0028649702

*[[Radio comedy]]
*[[Cinema of the United Kingdom]]
*[[List of British actors and actresses]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.britmovie.net/Actor-A-Z/arthur-askey.html Arthur Askey] Britmovie British movie community
* [http://www.radioacademy.org/halloffame/askey_a/ The Radio Academy — Hall of Fame: Arthur Askey]
* [http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/hisaskey.htm TV Greats: Arthur Askey]
* [http://www.britishpictures.com/stars/Askey.htm Star Archive: Arthur Askey (1900–1982)]
* {{imdb name|id=0039450|name=Arthur Askey}}


{{Persondata
|NAME= Askey, Arthur
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Askey, Arthur Bowden
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= Comedian
|DATE OF BIRTH= 1900 June 6
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Liverpool]], [[Merseyside]], [[England]]
|DATE OF DEATH= 1982 November 16
|PLACE OF DEATH= [[London]], [[England]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Askey, Arthur}}
[[Category:Actors from Liverpool]]
[[Category:Burials at Putney Vale Cemetery]]
[[Category:Comedians from Liverpool]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English comedy musicians]]
[[Category:English radio personalities]]
[[Category:English film actors]]
[[Category:Music hall performers]]
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Liverpool Institute alumni]]

[[es:Arthur Askey]]
[[fr:Arthur Askey]]
[[fi:Arthur Askey]]

Rum Rebellion

2006-11-02T22:52:45Z

Extramural: /* Lead up */

[[Image:The arrest of Bligh propaganda cartoon from around 1810.jpg|thumb|A contemporary [[propaganda]] cartoon of Bligh's arrest produced to show Bligh as being a coward]]
The '''Rum Rebellion''', also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion, of [[1808]] was the only successful armed takeover of government in [[Australia|Australia's]] recorded history. The [[Governors of New South Wales|Governor]] of [[New South Wales]], [[William Bligh]], was deposed by the [[New South Wales Corps]] under the command of Major [[George Johnston (mutineer)|George Johnston]], working closely with [[John Macarthur (wool pioneer)|John Macarthur]], on [[26 January]] [[1808]]. Afterwards, acting governors took over until the arrival from Britain of [[Lachlan Macquarie]] at the beginning of 1810.

==Events==

=== Bligh arrives===

Bligh was the fourth [[Governor of New South Wales]]. He succeeded Governor [[Philip Gidley King]] in 1805, having been offered the position by Sir [[Joseph Banks]]. Bligh was a naval officer, well-known for his overthrow in the [[Mutiny on the Bounty]]. It is likely that he was selected by the British Government as Governor because of his reputation as a hard man to rein in the New South Wales Corps, something which his predecessors had not been able to do.<ref>Duffy, pp. 248-9</ref>

===Enmity between Bligh and Macarthur===

John Macarthur had arrived with the New South Wales Corps in 1790 as a lieutenant, and by 1805 he had substantial farming and commercial interests in the colony although he was still nominally an officer with the Corps. He had quarrelled with Bligh's predecessors as Governor and had fought three duels: Duffy, in his biography of Macarthur, sees the key to his character and actions in his acute sense of the code of honour.<ref>Duffy, pp. 4-7</ref>

Bligh and MacArthur's interests clashed in a number of ways. Bligh stopped Macarthur from cheaply distributing large quantities of wine to the Corps. He also halted Macarthur's allegedly illegal importation of brewing stills. Macarthur's interest in an area of land granted him by Governor King conflicted with Bligh's town planning interests. Macarthur and Bligh were also engaged in other disagreements, including a conflict over landing regulations. In June 1807, a convict had stowed away and escaped Sydney via one of Macarthur's vessels, and in December 1807, when that vessel returned to Sydney, the bond held to ensure compliance by shipping was deemed to be forfeited. <ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks">{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year =
| url = http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/banks/series_40/40_view.cfm
| title = Series 40: Correspondence, being mainly letters received by Banks from William Bligh, 1805-1811
| format =
| work = Papers of Sir Joseph Banks: Section 7 - Governors of New South Wales
| publisher = State Library of New South Wales
| accessdate = 2006-03-26
| accessyear =
}}</ref>

Bligh had the Judge-Advocate, Richard Atkins, issue an order for John Macarthur to appear on the matter of the bond on the 15th of December 1807. Macarthur disobeyed the order and was arrested and bailed to appear for trial at the next sitting of the Sydney Criminal Court on the 25th January 1808. The court was constituted of Atkins and six officers of the NSW Corps. <ref name="AustEncI"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 171-2 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1927}} </ref>
Macarthur objected to Atkins being fit to sit in judgement of him because he was his debtor and inveterate enemy <ref name="AustEncII"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol. II | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 3-4 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1926}} </ref>. Atkins rejected this, but "Macarthur's protest had the support of the other six members of the court, all officers of the Corps. Without the Judge-Advocate the trial could not take place and the court dissolved"<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>.

Bligh accused the six officers of what amounted to mutiny and summoned Major George Johnston to come and deal with the matter. Johnston replied that he was ill<ref name="AustEncI"/>, as he had wrecked his gig on the evening of the 24th on his way home to his home Annandale, after dining with officers of the Corps<ref name = "DuffySMH">[http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/proof-of-historys-rum-deal/2006/01/27/1138319443948.html "Proof of history's rum deal"] - article by Michael Duffy, ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'', January 28, 2006</ref> </blockquote>.

===The overthrow of Governor Bligh===

On the morning of 26 January 1808, Bligh again ordered that Macarthur be arrested and also ordered the return of court papers, which were now in the hands of officers of the Corps. The Corps responded with a request for a new Judge-Advocate and the release of Macarthur on bail. Bligh summoned the officers to Government House to answer charges made by the judge and he informed Major Johnston that he considered the action of the officers of the Corps to be treasonable.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Johnston, instead, had gone to the gaol and issued an order releasing Macarthur, who then drafted a petition calling for Johnston to arrest Bligh and take charge of the colony. This petition was signed by the officers of the Corps and other prominent citizens but most signatures were probably added only after Bligh was safely under house arrest. Johnston then consulted with the officers and issued and an order stating that Bligh was "charged by the respectable inhabitants of crimes that render you unfit to exercise the supreme authority another moment in this colony; and in that charge all officers under my command have joined." Johnston went on to call for Bligh to resign and submit to arrest. <ref name="AustEncI"/>

At 6pm the Corps, with full band and colours, marched to Government House to arrest Bligh<ref name="AustEncI"/>. They were hindered by Bligh's daughter and her parasol<ref name="DuffySMH"/> but finally found Bligh, in full dress uniform, behind his bed where he claimed he was hiding papers <ref name="AustEncI"/>. Bligh was painted as a coward for this but Duffy argues that if Bligh was hiding it would have been to escape and thwart the coup <ref name="DuffySMH"/>. During 1808, Bligh was confined to Government House. He refused to leave for England until lawfully relieved of his duty. <ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Johnston appointed Charles Grimes, the Surveyor-General, as Judge-Advocate and ordered Macarthur and the six officers tried; they were found not guilty <ref name="AustEncI"/>. Macarthur was then appointed as Colonial Secretary and effectively ran the business affairs of the colony <ref name="AustEncII"/>.

===A new governor is appointed===

Johnston notified his superior officer, Colonel Paterson, who was in Tasmania establishing a settlement at Port Dalrymple (now Launceston), of events. Paterson was reluctant to get involved until clear orders arrived from England and in March when he learnt that Lieutenant-Colonel Foveaux was returning to Sydney with orders as acting Lieutenant-Governor, Paterson left Foveaux to deal with things. <ref name="AustEncIIp"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 278-279 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1926}} </ref>
Foveaux arrived in July and took over the colony, which annoyed Macarthur. Since a decision was expected from England, and feeling that Bligh's behaviour had been insufferable, he left Bligh under house arrest and turned his attention to improving the roads, bridges and building of the colony which he felt had been badly neglected. When there was still no word had arrived from England, he summoned Paterson to Sydney in January 1809 to sort things out. <ref name="AustEncIf"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 485-486 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1927}} </ref>.

Paterson sent Johnston and Macarthur to England for trial, and confined Bligh to the barracks until he signed a contract agreeing to return to England. Paterson, whose health was failing, then retired to Government House at Parramatta and left Foveaux to run the colony. <ref name="AustEncIIp"/>

In January 1809, Bligh was given the control of HMS ''Porpoise'' on condition that he return to England. However, Bligh sailed to [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], seeking the support of the Tasmanian Lieutenant-Governor [[David Collins (governor)|David Collins]] to retake control of the colony. Collins did not support him.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/> And on Paterson's orders Bligh remained cut off on board the ''Porpoise'' moored in Hobart until January 1810 <ref name=" AustEncII"/>.

The Colonial Office finally decided that sending Naval governors to rule the colony and the NSW Corps was untenable. The [[NSW Corps]], now known as the 102nd Regiment of Foot, was to be recalled to England and replaced with the [[73rd Regiment of Foot]], with their commanding officer taking over as Governor. Bligh was to be instated for 24 hours, then recalled to England, Johnston sent to England for court martial and Macarthur was to be tried in Sydney. [[Lachlan Macquarie]] took over the mission after Colonel Nightingall fell ill before departure and took over as Governor with an elaborate ceremony on 1 January 1810. <ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II'', p. 15</ref>

===Aftermath===

Governor Macquarie reinstated all the officials who had been sacked by Johnston and Macarthur and cancelled all land and stock grants that had been made since Bligh's deposing, though to calm things down he made grants that he thought appropriate and prevented any revenge.<ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II'', p. 196</ref>
When Bligh received the news of Macquarie's arrival, he sailed from Hobart to Sydney, arriving on 17 January 1810 to collect evidence for the upcoming court-martial of Major George Johnston. He departed for the trial in England on 12 May and arrived in England on 25 October 1810 on board the ''Hindostan''.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Having informally heard the arguments from both sides the authorities in England were not impressed with either Macarthur and Johnston's accusations against Bligh, or Bligh's bad tempered letters accusing everyone. Johnston was court-martialled and cashiered, the lowest penalty possible and he returned as a free citizen to his property, Annandale, in Sydney. Macarthur was not tried but was refused permission to return to NSW till 1817 since he would not admit his wrongdoing. <ref name="AustEncII"/>

Bligh's promotion to rear admiral was held up till the end of Johnston's trial. Afterward it was backdated to 31 July 1810 and Bligh took up a position had been kept for him and continued his naval career in the admiralty <ref name ="AustEncI"/>.

Macquarie was impressed with Foveaux's administration and put him forward as Collin's successor as Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania as he could think of no one more fitting and considered that he could not have acted otherwise with regard to Bligh. However, when Foveaux returned to England in 1810 he found himself court-martialled for assenting to Bligh being deposed and imprisoned and Macquarie's recommendation was put aside. Foveaux was taken back into active service in 1811 and given command of a light regiment; he pursued an uneventful military career after that, rising to the rank of Lieutenant General.<ref name="AustEncIf"/>

{{cleanup-remainder|September 2006}}

==Reasons for the rebellion==

===Lead up===
Bligh sailed for Sydney with his daughter, Mary Putland, and her husband (who died soon after arrival), while his wife remained in England <ref>Ritchie, p. 102</ref>.

Complaints about Bligh's style of governance were numerous and started before he even arrived. The Admiralty gave command of the ''Porpoise'' and the convoy to the lower ranked Captain Joseph Short and Bligh took command of a transport ship. This led to quarrels which eventually resulted in Captain Short firing across Bligh's bow in order to force Bligh to obey his signals.<ref name="AustEncI"/>
When this failed Short tried to give an order to stand by to fire on Bligh's ship <ref name="AustHer1"> {{cite book | title=Australia's Heritage Vol.1 | editor=Rex Rienits | pages = 254-7 | publisher=Paul Hamlyn | location=Sydney | year=1970}} </ref>.
Bligh boarded the ''Porpoise'' and seized control of the convoy. When they arrived in Sydney Bligh, backed up by statements from two of Short's officers, had Short stripped of the captaincy the ''Porpoise'' (which he gave to his son-in-law), cancelled the 600 acre land grant Short had been promised as payment for the voyage and shipped him back to England for court martial, at which Short was acquitted. <ref name="AustEncI"/>
The president of the court, Sir Isaac Coffin, wrote to the Admiralty making several serious accusations against Bligh, including that he had influenced the officers to testify against Short. Bligh's wife obtained a statement from one of the officers denying this and Banks and other supporters of Bligh lobbied successfully against his recall as Governor. <ref name="AustHer1"/>

Soon after his arrival at Sydney, in August 1806, Bligh was given an address of welcome, signed by Major Johnston for the military, [[Richard Atkins]] for the civilian officers and Macarthur for the free settlers. However, not long after, he also received addresses from the free and freed settlers of Sydney and the Hawkesbury, with a total of 369 signatures, many made only with a cross, complaining that Macarthur did not represent them, as they blamed him for withholding sheep so as to raise the price of mutton.<ref>Ritchie, p. 102</ref>

One of Bligh's actions was to use the colony's stores and herds to provide relief to farmers who had been severely affected by flooding on the Hawkesbury River, a situation which had disrupted the barter economy in the colony. Supplies were divided up according to those most in need and provision made for loans to be drawn from the store based on capacity to repay. This earned Bligh the gratitude of the farmers but the enmity of traders in the Corps who were profiting greatly from the situation. <ref name="AustEncI"/>

Bligh, under instructions from the [[Secretary of State for War and the Colonies|Colonial Office]], attempted to normalise trading conditions in the colony by prohibiting the use of spirits as payment for commodities. Bligh communicated his policy to the Colonial Office in 1807, with the advice that his policy would be met with resistance. [[Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh]], [[Secretary of State for War and the Colonies]] wrote back to Bligh, his instructions being received on 31 December 1807. The instructions were to stop the barter of spirits and [[H.V. Evatt]] concludes in his history of the Rebellion that ... "Bligh was authorised to prevent free importation, to preserve the trade under his entire control, to enforce all penalties against illegal import, and to establish regulations at his discretion for the sale of spirits"<ref>Evatt, pp. 88-9</ref>. Evatt argues that the enmity of the monopolists within the colony stemmed from this and other policies which counteracted the power of the rich and promoted the welfare of the poor settlers.

Bligh ceased the practice of handing out large land grants to the powerful in the colony; during his term he granted just over 1600 hectares of land, half of it to his daughter and himself <ref name = "DuffySMH"/>.

Bligh also upset some by allowing a group of Irish convicts to be tried for revolt, by a court that included their accusers, and then when six out of the eight were acquitted, he kept them under arrest anyway <ref name="AustEncI"/>. He dismissed [[D'Arcy Wentworth]] from his position of Assistant Surgeon without explanation, sentenced three merchants to a month's imprisonment and a fine for writing a letter which he considered offensive <ref>Ritchie, pp. 106-110</ref> and also dismissed as magistrate Jamieson, a friend of Macarthur<ref name="BiogEA"> {{cite web | url=http://bendigolive.com/australia/m/default.htm | title=John Macarthur (1767-1834), pioneer and founder of the wool industry | work=The Biography of Early Australia | publisher=bendigolive.com | accessdate=2006-08-06 }}</ref>. In October 1807 Major George Johnson wrote a formal letter of complaint to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army stating that Bligh was abusive and interfering with the troops of the NSW Corps <ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I'', p 686 </ref>.

It is clear that Bligh made enemies of within some of the most influential people in the colony and also antagonised some of the less wealthy, when he ordered those who had leases on government land within Sydney to remove their houses. <ref>Ritchie, pp. 106-110</ref>

===Causes===

[[Michael Duffy]], a journalist writing in 2006, says <blockquote>"The Rum Rebellion has slipped into historical oblivion because it is widely misunderstood. Most people believe the autocratic Bligh was removed because he threatened the huge profits that were being made from trading in spirits by the officers of the NSW Corps and by businessmen such as John Macarthur. This view suggests it was nothing more than a squabble between equally unsavoury parties. So what was the cause of Bligh's removal, and why should we commemorate it today? Essentially it was the culmination of a long-running tussle for power between government and entrepreneurs, a fight over the future and the nature of the colony. The early governors wanted to keep NSW as a large-scale open prison, with a primitive economy based on yeomen ex-convicts and run by government fiat. "<ref name="DuffySMH"/> </blockquote>

Duffy goes on to say that the Rebellion was not thought of at the time as being about Rum:<blockquote>"... almost no one at the time of the rebellion thought it was about rum. Bligh tried briefly to give it that spin, to smear his opponents, but there was no evidence for it and he moved on.

Many years later, in 1855, an English Quaker named [[William Howitt]] published a popular history of Australia. Like many teetotallers, he was keen to blame alcohol for all the problems in the world. Howitt took Bligh's side and invented the phrase Rum Rebellion, and it has stuck ever since."<ref name="DuffySMH"/> </blockquote>

The Biography of Early Australia dismisses Macarthur's complaints as ridiculous and quotes Evatt as saying that legally Macarthur was guilty of two out of the three charges brought against him including sedition<ref name="BiogEA"/>. Both of those believe that Bligh was wholely justified in his actions just because he was the legitmate authority, but in the absence of any functioning democractic or social institutions that can be hard to justify and locking up people up and threatening to do the same to the court when you don't get your way would seem to be legally problematical. Duffy says that had Johnston arrived when summoned on the 25th the Rum Rebellion probably would never have happened<ref name="DuffySMH"/>.

==References==
*Duffy, Michael, ''Man of Honour: John Macarthur'', Sydney, Macmillan Australia, 2003.
*Evatt, H.V., ''Rum Rebellion: A Study Of The Overthrow Of Governor Bligh By John Macarthur And The New South Wales'', 1943.
*Fitzgerald, Ross and Hearn, Mark, ''Bligh, Macarthur and the Rum Rebellion'', Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press, 1988.
*Ritchie, John, ''The Wentworths: Father and Son'', Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 1997.

[[Category:Rebellions in Australasia]][[Category:History of New South Wales]][[Category:1808]][[fr:Rébellion du rhum]]
[[Category:19th century in Australia]]

Rum Rebellion

2006-11-02T22:46:28Z

Extramural: /* Aftermath */

[[Image:The arrest of Bligh propaganda cartoon from around 1810.jpg|thumb|A contemporary [[propaganda]] cartoon of Bligh's arrest produced to show Bligh as being a coward]]
The '''Rum Rebellion''', also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion, of [[1808]] was the only successful armed takeover of government in [[Australia|Australia's]] recorded history. The [[Governors of New South Wales|Governor]] of [[New South Wales]], [[William Bligh]], was deposed by the [[New South Wales Corps]] under the command of Major [[George Johnston (mutineer)|George Johnston]], working closely with [[John Macarthur (wool pioneer)|John Macarthur]], on [[26 January]] [[1808]]. Afterwards, acting governors took over until the arrival from Britain of [[Lachlan Macquarie]] at the beginning of 1810.

==Events==

=== Bligh arrives===

Bligh was the fourth [[Governor of New South Wales]]. He succeeded Governor [[Philip Gidley King]] in 1805, having been offered the position by Sir [[Joseph Banks]]. Bligh was a naval officer, well-known for his overthrow in the [[Mutiny on the Bounty]]. It is likely that he was selected by the British Government as Governor because of his reputation as a hard man to rein in the New South Wales Corps, something which his predecessors had not been able to do.<ref>Duffy, pp. 248-9</ref>

===Enmity between Bligh and Macarthur===

John Macarthur had arrived with the New South Wales Corps in 1790 as a lieutenant, and by 1805 he had substantial farming and commercial interests in the colony although he was still nominally an officer with the Corps. He had quarrelled with Bligh's predecessors as Governor and had fought three duels: Duffy, in his biography of Macarthur, sees the key to his character and actions in his acute sense of the code of honour.<ref>Duffy, pp. 4-7</ref>

Bligh and MacArthur's interests clashed in a number of ways. Bligh stopped Macarthur from cheaply distributing large quantities of wine to the Corps. He also halted Macarthur's allegedly illegal importation of brewing stills. Macarthur's interest in an area of land granted him by Governor King conflicted with Bligh's town planning interests. Macarthur and Bligh were also engaged in other disagreements, including a conflict over landing regulations. In June 1807, a convict had stowed away and escaped Sydney via one of Macarthur's vessels, and in December 1807, when that vessel returned to Sydney, the bond held to ensure compliance by shipping was deemed to be forfeited. <ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks">{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year =
| url = http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/banks/series_40/40_view.cfm
| title = Series 40: Correspondence, being mainly letters received by Banks from William Bligh, 1805-1811
| format =
| work = Papers of Sir Joseph Banks: Section 7 - Governors of New South Wales
| publisher = State Library of New South Wales
| accessdate = 2006-03-26
| accessyear =
}}</ref>

Bligh had the Judge-Advocate, Richard Atkins, issue an order for John Macarthur to appear on the matter of the bond on the 15th of December 1807. Macarthur disobeyed the order and was arrested and bailed to appear for trial at the next sitting of the Sydney Criminal Court on the 25th January 1808. The court was constituted of Atkins and six officers of the NSW Corps. <ref name="AustEncI"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 171-2 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1927}} </ref>
Macarthur objected to Atkins being fit to sit in judgement of him because he was his debtor and inveterate enemy <ref name="AustEncII"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol. II | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 3-4 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1926}} </ref>. Atkins rejected this, but "Macarthur's protest had the support of the other six members of the court, all officers of the Corps. Without the Judge-Advocate the trial could not take place and the court dissolved"<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>.

Bligh accused the six officers of what amounted to mutiny and summoned Major George Johnston to come and deal with the matter. Johnston replied that he was ill<ref name="AustEncI"/>, as he had wrecked his gig on the evening of the 24th on his way home to his home Annandale, after dining with officers of the Corps<ref name = "DuffySMH">[http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/proof-of-historys-rum-deal/2006/01/27/1138319443948.html "Proof of history's rum deal"] - article by Michael Duffy, ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'', January 28, 2006</ref> </blockquote>.

===The overthrow of Governor Bligh===

On the morning of 26 January 1808, Bligh again ordered that Macarthur be arrested and also ordered the return of court papers, which were now in the hands of officers of the Corps. The Corps responded with a request for a new Judge-Advocate and the release of Macarthur on bail. Bligh summoned the officers to Government House to answer charges made by the judge and he informed Major Johnston that he considered the action of the officers of the Corps to be treasonable.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Johnston, instead, had gone to the gaol and issued an order releasing Macarthur, who then drafted a petition calling for Johnston to arrest Bligh and take charge of the colony. This petition was signed by the officers of the Corps and other prominent citizens but most signatures were probably added only after Bligh was safely under house arrest. Johnston then consulted with the officers and issued and an order stating that Bligh was "charged by the respectable inhabitants of crimes that render you unfit to exercise the supreme authority another moment in this colony; and in that charge all officers under my command have joined." Johnston went on to call for Bligh to resign and submit to arrest. <ref name="AustEncI"/>

At 6pm the Corps, with full band and colours, marched to Government House to arrest Bligh<ref name="AustEncI"/>. They were hindered by Bligh's daughter and her parasol<ref name="DuffySMH"/> but finally found Bligh, in full dress uniform, behind his bed where he claimed he was hiding papers <ref name="AustEncI"/>. Bligh was painted as a coward for this but Duffy argues that if Bligh was hiding it would have been to escape and thwart the coup <ref name="DuffySMH"/>. During 1808, Bligh was confined to Government House. He refused to leave for England until lawfully relieved of his duty. <ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Johnston appointed Charles Grimes, the Surveyor-General, as Judge-Advocate and ordered Macarthur and the six officers tried; they were found not guilty <ref name="AustEncI"/>. Macarthur was then appointed as Colonial Secretary and effectively ran the business affairs of the colony <ref name="AustEncII"/>.

===A new governor is appointed===

Johnston notified his superior officer, Colonel Paterson, who was in Tasmania establishing a settlement at Port Dalrymple (now Launceston), of events. Paterson was reluctant to get involved until clear orders arrived from England and in March when he learnt that Lieutenant-Colonel Foveaux was returning to Sydney with orders as acting Lieutenant-Governor, Paterson left Foveaux to deal with things. <ref name="AustEncIIp"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 278-279 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1926}} </ref>
Foveaux arrived in July and took over the colony, which annoyed Macarthur. Since a decision was expected from England, and feeling that Bligh's behaviour had been insufferable, he left Bligh under house arrest and turned his attention to improving the roads, bridges and building of the colony which he felt had been badly neglected. When there was still no word had arrived from England, he summoned Paterson to Sydney in January 1809 to sort things out. <ref name="AustEncIf"> {{cite book | title=The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I | editor=A.W. Jose et al. | pages = 485-486 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | location=Sydney | year=1927}} </ref>.

Paterson sent Johnston and Macarthur to England for trial, and confined Bligh to the barracks until he signed a contract agreeing to return to England. Paterson, whose health was failing, then retired to Government House at Parramatta and left Foveaux to run the colony. <ref name="AustEncIIp"/>

In January 1809, Bligh was given the control of HMS ''Porpoise'' on condition that he return to England. However, Bligh sailed to [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], seeking the support of the Tasmanian Lieutenant-Governor [[David Collins (governor)|David Collins]] to retake control of the colony. Collins did not support him.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/> And on Paterson's orders Bligh remained cut off on board the ''Porpoise'' moored in Hobart until January 1810 <ref name=" AustEncII"/>.

The Colonial Office finally decided that sending Naval governors to rule the colony and the NSW Corps was untenable. The [[NSW Corps]], now known as the 102nd Regiment of Foot, was to be recalled to England and replaced with the [[73rd Regiment of Foot]], with their commanding officer taking over as Governor. Bligh was to be instated for 24 hours, then recalled to England, Johnston sent to England for court martial and Macarthur was to be tried in Sydney. [[Lachlan Macquarie]] took over the mission after Colonel Nightingall fell ill before departure and took over as Governor with an elaborate ceremony on 1 January 1810. <ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II'', p. 15</ref>

===Aftermath===

Governor Macquarie reinstated all the officials who had been sacked by Johnston and Macarthur and cancelled all land and stock grants that had been made since Bligh's deposing, though to calm things down he made grants that he thought appropriate and prevented any revenge.<ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.II'', p. 196</ref>
When Bligh received the news of Macquarie's arrival, he sailed from Hobart to Sydney, arriving on 17 January 1810 to collect evidence for the upcoming court-martial of Major George Johnston. He departed for the trial in England on 12 May and arrived in England on 25 October 1810 on board the ''Hindostan''.<ref name="SLNSWBlighBanks"/>

Having informally heard the arguments from both sides the authorities in England were not impressed with either Macarthur and Johnston's accusations against Bligh, or Bligh's bad tempered letters accusing everyone. Johnston was court-martialled and cashiered, the lowest penalty possible and he returned as a free citizen to his property, Annandale, in Sydney. Macarthur was not tried but was refused permission to return to NSW till 1817 since he would not admit his wrongdoing. <ref name="AustEncII"/>

Bligh's promotion to rear admiral was held up till the end of Johnston's trial. Afterward it was backdated to 31 July 1810 and Bligh took up a position had been kept for him and continued his naval career in the admiralty <ref name ="AustEncI"/>.

Macquarie was impressed with Foveaux's administration and put him forward as Collin's successor as Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania as he could think of no one more fitting and considered that he could not have acted otherwise with regard to Bligh. However, when Foveaux returned to England in 1810 he found himself court-martialled for assenting to Bligh being deposed and imprisoned and Macquarie's recommendation was put aside. Foveaux was taken back into active service in 1811 and given command of a light regiment; he pursued an uneventful military career after that, rising to the rank of Lieutenant General.<ref name="AustEncIf"/>

{{cleanup-remainder|September 2006}}

==Reasons for the rebellion==

===Lead up===
Bligh sailed for Sydney with his daughter, Mary Putland, and her husband (who died soon after arrival), while his wife remained in England <ref>Ritchie, p. 102</ref>.

Complaints about Bligh's style of governance were numerous and started before he even arrived. The Admiralty gave command of the ''Porpoise'' and the convoy to the lower ranked Captain Joseph Short and Bligh took command of a transport ship. This led to quarrels which eventually resulted in Captain Short firing across Bligh's bow in order to force Bligh to obey his signals.<ref name="AustEncI"/>
When this failed Short tried to give an order to stand by to fire on Bligh's ship <ref name="AustHer1"> {{cite book | title=Australia's Heritage Vol.1 | editor=Rex Rienits | pages = 254-7 | publisher=Paul Hamlyn | location=Sydney | year=1970}} </ref>.
Bligh boarded the ''Porpoise'' and seized control of the convoy. When they arrived in Sydney Bligh, backed up by statements from two of Short's officers, had Short stripped of the captaincy the ''Porpoise'' (which he gave to his son-in-law), cancelled the 600 acre land grant Short had been promised as payment for the voyage and shipped him back to England for court martial, at which Short was acquitted. <ref name="AustEncI"/>
The president of the court, Sir Isaac Coffin, wrote to the Admiralty making several serious accusations against Bligh, including that he had influenced the officers to testify against Short. Bligh's wife obtained a statement from one of the officers denying this and Banks and other supporters of Bligh lobbied successfully against his recall as Governor. <ref name="AustHer1"/>

Soon after his arrival at Sydney, in August 1806, Bligh was given an address of welcome, signed by Major Johnston for the military, [[Richard Atkins]] for the civilian officers and Macarthur for the free settlers. However, not long after, he also received addresses from the free and freed settlers of Sydney and the Hawkesbury, with a total of 369 signatures, many made only with a cross, complaining that Macarthur did not represent them, as they blamed him for withholding sheep so as to raise the price of mutton.<ref>Ritchie, p. 102</ref>

One of Bligh's actions was to use the colony's stores and herds to provide relief to farmers who had been severely affected by flooding on the Hawkesbury River, a situation which had disrupted the barter economy in the colony. Supplies were divided up according to those most in need and provision made for loans to be drawn from the store based on capacity to repay. This earned Bligh the gratitude of the farmers but the enmity of traders in the Corps who were profiting greatly from the situation. <ref name="AustEncI"/>

Bligh, under instructions from the [[Secretary of State for War and the Colonies|Colonial Office]], attempted to normalise trading conditions in the colony by prohibiting the use of spirits as payment for commodities. Bligh communicated his policy to the Colonial Office in 1807, with the advice that his policy would be met with resistance. [[Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh]], [[Secretary of State for War and the Colonies]] wrote back to Bligh, his instructions being received on 31 December 1807. The instructions were to stop the barter of spirits and [[H.V. Evatt]] concludes in his history of the Rebellion that ... "Bligh was authorised to prevent free importation, to preserve the trade under his entire control, to enforce all penalties against illegal import, and to establish regulations at his discretion for the sale of spirits"<ref>Evatt, pp. 88-9</ref>. Evatt argues that the enmity of the monopolists within the colony stemmed from this and other policies which counteracted the power of the rich and promoted the welfare of the poor settlers.

Bligh ceased the practice of handing out large land grants to the powerful in the colony; during his term he granted just over 1600 hectares of land, half of it to his daughter and himself <ref name = "DuffySMH"/>.

Bligh also upset people by allowing a group of Irish convicts to be tried for revolt, by a court that included their accusers, and then when six out of the eight were acquitted he kept them under arrest anyway <ref name="AustEncI"/>. He dismissed [[D'Arcy Wentworth]] from his position of Assistant Surgeon without an explanation, he sentenced three merchants to a month's imprisonment and a fine for writing a letter which he considered offensive <ref>Ritchie, pp. 106-110</ref> and also dismissed a magistrate Jamieson, a friend of Macarthur's<ref name="BiogEA"> {{cite web | url=http://bendigolive.com/australia/m/default.htm | title=John Macarthur (1767-1834), pioneer and founder of the wool industry | work=The Biography of Early Australia | publisher=bendigolive.com | accessdate=2006-08-06 }}</ref>. In October 1807 Major George Johnson wrote a formal letter of complaint to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army stating that Bligh was abusive and was interfering with the troops of the NSW Corps <ref>''The Australian Encyclopaedia Vol.I'', p 686 </ref>.

It is clear that Bligh did make enemies of many of the most influential people in the colony. But Bligh also antagonised some of the less wealthy, when he ordered those who had leases on government land within Sydney to remove their houses. <ref>Ritchie, pp. 106-110</ref>

===Causes===

[[Michael Duffy]], a journalist writing in 2006, says <blockquote>"The Rum Rebellion has slipped into historical oblivion because it is widely misunderstood. Most people believe the autocratic Bligh was removed because he threatened the huge profits that were being made from trading in spirits by the officers of the NSW Corps and by businessmen such as John Macarthur. This view suggests it was nothing more than a squabble between equally unsavoury parties. So what was the cause of Bligh's removal, and why should we commemorate it today? Essentially it was the culmination of a long-running tussle for power between government and entrepreneurs, a fight over the future and the nature of the colony. The early governors wanted to keep NSW as a large-scale open prison, with a primitive economy based on yeomen ex-convicts and run by government fiat. "<ref name="DuffySMH"/> </blockquote>

Duffy goes on to say that the Rebellion was not thought of at the time as being about Rum:<blockquote>"... almost no one at the time of the rebellion thought it was about rum. Bligh tried briefly to give it that spin, to smear his opponents, but there was no evidence for it and he moved on.

Many years later, in 1855, an English Quaker named [[William Howitt]] published a popular history of Australia. Like many teetotallers, he was keen to blame alcohol for all the problems in the world. Howitt took Bligh's side and invented the phrase Rum Rebellion, and it has stuck ever since."<ref name="DuffySMH"/> </blockquote>

The Biography of Early Australia dismisses Macarthur's complaints as ridiculous and quotes Evatt as saying that legally Macarthur was guilty of two out of the three charges brought against him including sedition<ref name="BiogEA"/>. Both of those believe that Bligh was wholely justified in his actions just because he was the legitmate authority, but in the absence of any functioning democractic or social institutions that can be hard to justify and locking up people up and threatening to do the same to the court when you don't get your way would seem to be legally problematical. Duffy says that had Johnston arrived when summoned on the 25th the Rum Rebellion probably would never have happened<ref name="DuffySMH"/>.

==References==
*Duffy, Michael, ''Man of Honour: John Macarthur'', Sydney, Macmillan Australia, 2003.
*Evatt, H.V., ''Rum Rebellion: A Study Of The Overthrow Of Governor Bligh By John Macarthur And The New South Wales'', 1943.
*Fitzgerald, Ross and Hearn, Mark, ''Bligh, Macarthur and the Rum Rebellion'', Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press, 1988.
*Ritchie, John, ''The Wentworths: Father and Son'', Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 1997.

[[Category:Rebellions in Australasia]][[Category:History of New South Wales]][[Category:1808]][[fr:Rébellion du rhum]]
[[Category:19th century in Australia]]