Some of the African convicts appear to have been sailors who came from the Caribbean or the west coast of Africa. When Thomas Orford, described as 'a negro' who spoke 'broken English', was tried in London, he gave evidence that he had come off a ship. ${ }^{7}$ John Martin, who was also sentenced for stealing clothing in London, appears to have been a seaman from the Caribbean, just off a ship. ${ }^{8}$ Sixteen-year-old James Williams, known as 'Black Jemmy' was a serving seaman who was sentenced in 1785 at the Old Bailey to seven years' transportation for theft of clothing. ${ }^{9}$ The youngest African transported was John Williams, who was also a seaman. He was fourteen when he was indicted at Maidstone as 'Black Jack', for breaking into a house and stealing alcohol, clothing and money. ${ }^{10}$  
The most notable of the African convicts was John Caesar, sometimes called Black Caesar, who has a claim to being a historical figure of major importance. He was Australia's first bushranger. ${ }^{11}$ Caesar was six feet tall and was aged about twenty-two when he was convicted of theft at the Maidstone court in 1786 and sentenced to seven years' transportation. ${ }^{12} \mathrm{He}$ was believed to have come from Madagascar and the name Caesar suggests that he was originally enslaved. Since people from Madagascar were not sold in Britain or the Caribbean in the eighteenth century, this suggests he came to Britain from the American slave colonies (Duffield, 1998, p. 57-93). Malagasy captives were highly prized as slaves in America, and both New York and Virginia had several shipments from Madagascar (Platt, 1969, pp. 548-577).  
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[^0]:    4 George Francisco: OBSP, 1784-85, https://www.oldbaileyonline.org
5 Samuel Chinery: ASSI 23/8, 24/26, NAUK
6 Exeter Flying Post 1784-86, vol. xxiii, no. 1141, 12 January 1786
7 Thomas Orford: OBSP - 1783-84 https://www.oldbaileyonline.org
8 John Martin: OBSP 1781-82 https://www.oldbaileyonline.org
9 John Williams: ASSI, 13/13; NA ASSI, 35/225, NAUK
10 James Williams: OBSP 178485 https://www.oldbaileyonline.org