GEORGE

See also:

• BARRINGTON, DAINES (1727-1800)
• GEORGE BARRINGTON (b. 1755)
• BARRINGTON, JOHN SHUTE, 1ST V1SCOUNT (1678-1734)
• BARRINGTON, SAMUEL (1729-1800)
• BARRINGTON, SHUTE (1734-1826)
• BARRINGTON, WILLIAM WILDMAN SHUTE, 2ND VISCOUNT (1717-1793)

BARRINGTON (b. 1755)  , an Irishman with a curious history, was born at Maynooth on the 14th of May 1755, the son of a working silversmith named Waldron . In 1771 he robbed his schoolmaster at Dublin and ran away from school, becoming a member of a touring theatrical company under the assumed name of Barrington . At Limerick races he joined the manager of the company in pocket-picking . The manager was detected and sentenced to transportation, and Barrington fled to London, where he assumed clerical dress and continued his pocket-picking . At Covent Garden theatre he robbed the Russian prince Orlov of a snuff-box, said to be worth £30,000 . He was detected and arrested, but as Prince Orlov declined to prosecute, was discharged, though subsequently he was sentenced to three years' hard labour for pocket-picking at Drury Lane theatre . On his release he was again caught at his old practices and sentenced to five years' hard labour, but influence secured his release on the condition that he left England . He accordingly went for a short time to Dublin, and then returned to London, where he was once more detected pocket-picking, and, in 1790, sentenced to seven years' transportation . On the voyage out to Botany Bay a conspiracy was hatched by the convicts on board to seize the ship . Barrington disclosed the plot to the captain, and the latter, on reaching New South Wales, reported him favourably to the authorities, with the result that in 1792 Barrington obtained a warrant of emancipation (the first issued), becoming subsequently superintendent of convicts and later high constable of Paramatta . In 1796 a theatre was opened at Sydney, the principal actors being convicts, and Barrington wrote the prologue to the first production . This prologue has obtained a wide publicity .

It begins: " From distant climes, o'er widespread seas, we come, Though not with much eclat or

beat of drum; True patriots we, for, be it understood, We left our country for our country's good." Barrington died at a ripe old age at Paramatta, but the exact date is not on record . He was the author of A Voyage to Botany Bay (London, 18o1); The History of New South Wales (London, 1802); The History of New Holland (London, 18o8) .