Oliver D’s Learning World

My name is John. I am a chimney sweep from London. I am 9 years old and have been an orphan ever since I could remember.

Being a chimney sweep is rough work and can be very dangerous sometimes. Take last week for example: It was a Monday and I was cleaning Mr. Jones’ chimney when I slipped and almost fell six feet to my death. But luckily I landed on a small ledge and lived to see another day. But on the bright side I do get paid pretty well. I get heaps more than a lot of orphans my age. Any way back to reality. Two weeks ago, I had no work for a whole week and I was running low on money (I only had a few pennies left). I was walking around knocking on doors asking people if their chimney needed to be cleaned;

when I saw an elderly man selling pistols by the road. I thought to myself that if I could get one of those pistols I could potentially sell it for a whole pound! Just as I was thinking of it,  the old man turned away to count the money that he was just given.

I saw my chance and darted for the table.

I swiped a pistol off the stand and then two aprons from the next stall (you never know when you might need them), and ran for my life. I looked at the pistol, it was a 17^th century model quite old but still in pretty good condition. A police man chased after me, I shot him in the leg and he fell down, bleeding.

I was surprised that the old gun actually had bullets in it. But before long, I was caught…

Between then and my trial I was pretty much blanked out from the rest of the world. Where I was awaiting trial in Newgate Prison.

My trial was to be on Friday.

Eventually Friday came along.

I was sentenced to 7 years as a convict in Van Diemen’s Land or as some people call it:                                                    Australia.

I am writing this journal entry on the convict ship Prince of Wales.

Who knows, maybe, I’ll make a better life for myself in New South Wales.

Only time can tell.

The link to our class blog is here Continue reading “John the convict child” →

Just  after supper yesterday, I was grabbed by two soldiers and had gotten  marched off to

Lieutenant Robert’s tent. I was charged with theft

and desertion.

I tried to explain that I didn’t steal the dog, I was returning it to Warawi.

It was no use, Robert’s told me to get a good nights sleep as in the morning I was to

be flogged.

Later that day we went into the forest to build the triangle in which I would be flogged.

Goodwin and I were instructed to build it. I could sense the fear in his voice, Goodwin was one of

my mates and I knew he did not want me to be flogged.

Right at that moment Warawi approached us holding a kangaroo skin.

She gestured for me to come over and see what she was holding.

Goodwin warned me not to as he thought I was in enough trouble already.

I peeked into her kangaroo skin basket and inside there was a tiny blonde puppy.

I told Goodwin to come over as well. He looked inside and his face suddenly melted.

A few minutes later, I took the puppy over to we’re Robert’s was.

Goodwin and I told Robert’s the values of having a puppy instead of a fully grown dog.

He agreed and got rid of my sentence. He told me that I was going to have to look after this dog

as well. With one exception, I obey his orders from now on. I nodded my head and took the puppy.

The link to our class blog is here