Billy Blue

:"For the Australian tree commonly known as "Billy Blue", see Acacia sclerosperma."Billy Blue or William Blue (c.1767 - 1834) is believed to have been born in Jamaica and arrived in Sydney as a convict in 1801. He had been transported from England to Botany Bay on a seven-year sentence for stealing 20 pounds of raw sugar.

The enterprising Billy Blue soon became good friends with Governor Macquarie and began ferry services across Sydney Harbour and up Parramatta River to Parramatta. He famously wore an old top hat and discarded military uniform and was also known as Old Commodore. He was eventually granted 80 acres of land at what is now called Blues Point in North Sydney and is an early example of a North Sydney success story. Obituaries in newspapers variously reported his age at death as 95, 97 and 98. Billy Blue himself had at times exaggerated his age, in 1823 claiming to be 89 and in 1828 claiming to be 80. Records of his sentencing in 1796 gave his age as 29 and thus his estimated age at the time of his death is 76.

As well as being commemorated in the name of Blues Point, William Blue is remembered in the names of streets in North Sydney.Australian Dictionary of Biography |last= Park |first= Margaret |year= 2005 |id= AS10045b |title= Blue, William (Billy) (1767? - 1834) |accessdate= 2008-10-03]

References

* [http://www.geocities.com/erica_and_tom/carr/blue.html Further Billy Blue history]