Puckle/Holland Family Tree

George Smith joined the 62nd Company of Marines, Portsmouth Division, when he was 22 years old. He had been born in Solihull, Warwickshire and his occupation was given as a butcher by trade.

In 1803 Lieutenant Colonal David Collins was in charge of a voyage by the 'Ocean' and the 'Calcutta', the aim of which was to establish a settlement at Port Philip (Melbourne), with Collins as the Lieutenent General. George was one of the marines selected to accompany Collins aboard the 'Ocean', with convicts being transported on the 'Calcutta'. However, the settlement was abandoned in 1804 and many of the marines and convicts were re-located to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) on the 'Ocean' - others were sent to Port Jackson on the 'Calcutta'.

Shorty after arriving in Van Diemens Land he was arrested for behaving with disrespect and contempt to his superior officer and sent to Port Jackson for a General Court Martial. It appears that Govenor King at Port Jackson questioned his authority to court martial a marine, so it did not end up taking place. George was eventually returned to Hobart Town in 1807. After being discharged from the marines he was granted 120 acres of land at Herdsmans Cove, upstream from Hobart on the River Derwent, near Bridgewater. He seems not to have farmed this land, instead working land he also owned in the Clarence Plains area.

George married Grace Morrisby at Hobart on 19 Nov 1810, Grace having been born on 28 Jan 1797 on Norfolk Island. She was the eldest daughter of James Morrisby and Ann Brooks and came to Van Diemens Land with her family on the 'Porpoise' in 1807.

George and Grace had seven children and their sons William and James became well known seafaring whaling captains. George James and Richard went on the land - the marriage between George James and Ann Kidner linked the two convict branches of our family.