George Edwards

Who is George Edwards?

George Edwards was a Lieutenant with the 57th Regiment, assigned to the Brisbane Convict settlement in the 1830s. Edwards was born in Hastings, Sussex, England, on 2 February 1795. He joined the British Army, at the age of 24, as an Ensign. In January 1827, Edwards sailed on the convict ship Asia, from Deptford to Sydney, commanding a detachment of 1 sergeant, I corporal and 16 soldiers as guards of the convicts. In October of the same year, Edwards was promoted to Lieutenant, before the ship docked in Sydney in March 1828.

In October 1828, Edwards was posted to the Moreton Bay penal settlement. Following the death of Captain Patrick Logan Edwards took over the responsibility of the Department of Works at Moreton Bay from the in-coming Commandant James Clunie. It was Edwards who made the official report of Logan's death to his Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Allan in Sydney. The manuscript copy of this letter is contained in Patrick Logan's letterbook, and is held at the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.