Our first Christmas, when roast beef

Tasmania’s early Christmases were bare, but had meaning, writes Reg A. Watson

MODERN Christmas has lost its meaning and more than ever has become just a commercial opportunity with retailers now marketing their Christmas goods as early as October.

For many, it is not “Merry Christmas”, but “Happy Holiday Season” or similar. Indeed past president of the United States, Barack Obama, has sent greeting cards without mentioning the word Christmas.

Be that as it may, it still survives and it is perhaps now the time to recall when the first Christmas was held in Tasmania. It was on December 25, 1803, 215 years ago. It was held at Risdon Cove with the service conducted by Lieutenant John Bowen, the commander of the first British settlement in Tasmania.

There is no documentation about the event, but there is no doubt it would have occurred, because previously Governor Philip King in Sydney had instructed Bowen that “You are to cause the prayers of the Church of England to be read with all due solemnity every Sunday”.

The first Christmas was on a Sunday, so there would have been an observance.

Christmas dinner would have been pretty sparse as it was only little more than two months since settlement, (September 12, 1803).

Settlers would still be busy clearing, building huts and there was no stock, such as sheep or cattle. By December there were nearly 100 people at Risdon Cove.

The place of observance I suspect would be at the top where Bowen’s hut was. This he shared with his mistress Martha Hayes Quinn. Perhaps Christmas dinner would have consisted primarily of wallaby and opossum.

Then in February 1804, the new Lieutenant-Governor David Collins arrived and moved the settlement to Sullivan’s Cove, now Hobart.

By the time of December 25, the first Christmas in Hobart, Lieutenant John Bowen had left the colony, leaving Martha Hayes Quinn his lady companion behind.

With Collins came the first Church of England minister, Reverend Robert (Bobby) Knopwood, who kept an invaluable diary. As a consequence there is documentation of the first Hobart Christmas.

Because 1804 was a leap year, the day fell on a Tuesday and divine service was held outdoor at 11am.

Christmas fare would have been lean.

David Collins had previously settled at Port Phillip (1803) in Victoria prior to coming to the River Derwent. Knopwood was with him and it is noted that on Christmas Day at Port Phillip the first white child was born in the colony of Victoria and given the name of Hobert Thorn.

I wonder whether Hobert was a corruption of the spelling for the name Hobart, after all is was Lord Buckingham (Robert Hobart) who was the Secretary of Colonies.

In November in the north of Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), Colonel William Paterson had arrived, so he and his 181 settlers had been there just for a month before

Christmas was held. I cannot find any documentation regarding the first northern Christmas, but there is no doubt it would have been held.

The first-ever Christmas held in Australia was at Sydney Cove, on December 25, 1788, now 230 years ago.

It was a very low-key beginning as the settlement had only been in existence for 11 months.

Records state that it took place in Governor Phillip’s modest residence at Sydney Cove. Phillip was not a religious man, but he saw value in promoting morals by having with the First Fleet the Rev Richard Johnson, who conducted the first Christmas in Australia.

David Collins, who was then Captain of Marines and Judge Advocate, wrote of the affair: “Christmas Day was observed with proper ceremony.

Mr Johnson preached a sermon adopted to the occasion and the major part of the officers of the settlement were afterwards entertained at dinner by the Governor”.

The majority of the white settlers, the convicts, did not enjoy it so much. There was, however, some goodwill shown.

Convict Michael Dennison, who stole 1 pound of flour from Martha Pugh, was sentenced to 200 lashes, but because it was Christmas the punishment was reduced to a mere 150 lashes.

The first roast beef for Christmas enjoyed in Tasmania is recorded by Knopwood, when he wrote for 1806, “Roast beef was had for Christmas.”

I personally like Governor Arthur Philip’s comment in his log for December 23, 1788, when he wrote: “Yuletide is almost upon us and my hope is by no means exhausted despite the difficulties met with, given time and additional force together with proper people for cultivation the land — I KNOW I CAN MAKE A NATION.”

Christmas then is to celebrate the birth of Christ, even though it would most certainly seem He was not born in December, more likely about April.

However, it is a time to remember this most significant event and perhaps it is also time to ponder on its meaning, and rather than cursing his name, we should hold it in reverence.