John Piper

Who was John Piper?

John Piper was a military officer, public servant and landowner in the colony of New South Wales.

Piper was born in Maybole, Ayrshire Scotland, son of Hugh Piper, a doctor; his family came from Cornwall. He was commissioned as an ensign in the New South Wales Corps in 1791, and sailed on the convict ship Pitt, arriving in Sydney in February 1792. In 1793 he was sent, at his own request, to the convict settlement of Norfolk Island, perhaps because of a scandalous love affair. There was certainly an illegitimate daughter born around this time.

Piper was promoted lieutenant and returned to Sydney in 1795; from 1797 to 1799 he was on leave. In 1800 Piper was promoted to captain. Piper supported John Macarthur in the struggle between the New South Wales Corps and Governor King, and acted as his second in a duel with Colonel Paterson, his commanding officer. Piper was arrested and court-martialled in 1802, but apologised and was acquitted, to King's disgust.

Piper returned to Norfolk Island in 1804 and, when Lieutenant-Governor Joseph Foveaux left on prolonged sick leave, became acting commandant. His rule was mild, one of the convicts later writing that he "had the good will and respect of everyone, for he had always conducted himself as a Christian and a gentleman." He was promoted to captain in 1806. During Piper's period of leadership on Norfolk Island the British government decided it was too costly to maintain, and planned to close the settlement and transfer the inhabitants to Sydney or Van Diemen's Land. Piper showed both tact and organising ability in arranging for the transfers, especially of those settlers who had built up farms and families on the island.