Bloodworth and his bricks

Bloodworth and his bricks

From Urban Ambling by Mercator

January 23, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 18

About this episode

The episode discusses the life and achievements of James Bloodworth, a convict who became a key figure in the early settlement of Sydney.

James Bloodworth, like James Smith, was an early arrival in Sydney Town. The similarity ends there, however, as Smith's time was not successful, but Bloodworth was a stunning success. In many ways, he was critical to the survival of the infant settlement. Born on 7-3-1759, he was convicted in October 1785 of the dreadful crime of stealing a game cock and two hens! He left England on the “ Charlotte “ on 13-5-1787. Such was his worth to the colony that by 1-9-179,1 he was appointed Superintendent of Brick Makers and Layers. He died at the age of 45 on 21-3-1804 . Governor Philip Gidley King accorded him an early form of a State Funeral. Not a bad effort. Arrives as a convict and 16 years later has a State Funeral.

Topics covered

  • history
  • convict life
  • colonial Australia
  • brick making
  • settlement survival

Keywords

  • James Bloodworth
  • Sydney Town
  • convict
  • brick makers
  • colonial history
  • State Funeral

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Sydney Town

More episodes of Urban Ambling

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Urban Ambling podcast page.