John Pawson

John Pawson was a former British soldier who served in Australia before being transferred to India.

The Sydney Herald reported on Thursday 3 August 1837 on the ship 'Charles Dumarque' stating that "eight convicts transmitted on board that vessel, by the Madras government, where, it seems, soldiers in regiment stationed here not very long ago." We speak advisedly, when we say that, from information upon which we can rely, those men were not treated on the passage after a proper manner. But from what has transpired of the proceedings of the enquiry, it appears evident they committed the offences for which they were sentenced to transportation, for the exclusive purpose of returning to New South Wales. What a reprehensible state of things it must be, which leads to results like this? when British soldiers commit crime in order to be reduced to the situation of Convicts!"

John absconded from Limestone on 2nd October 1839. He had arrived at the settlement in July 1839, (most convicted criminals had been evacuated by then).  He would have been part of the batch sent to tend the agricultural station and pastoral holdings and would not have been still serving his Great Britain sentence.

John Pawson appeared in a list of runaways in the New South Wales Government Gazette on Friday 17 June 1842. It was noted that he had been missing from Government, Moreton Bay, since 21st ultimo

He absconded again from Moreton Bay on 22 March 1844.