Chris Maxworthy’s presentation will expand on his research in Spanish language archives of the Americas and Spain. Chris reveals the convicts, soldiers, mariners and stowaways who exited Sydney illicitly. In this rich tale are former soldiers of the Sydney garrison escaping debts, time-expired convicts joining up in visiting Cape Town privateers, and shipwrecked crews that all variously trans-shipped across the Americas (Mexico, Panama, Peru and Chile) as part of their long way home.

Chris’ discussion will feature particular ships and individuals of the period and the examples of those who chose to convert to Catholicism and integrate into Spanish colonial society in the Americas.

About the speaker:

Chris Maxworthy is an engineering officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He is a graduate of the RAN College at Jervis Bay and also of the University of NSW where he graduated in both Electrical Engineering and a BA in History. Chris served as a RAHS Councillor during the last decade.

Chris Maxworthy’s historical research has been the early colonial maritime history of Australia and the Spanish rivalry that occurred once an English colony at ‘Botany Bay’ was announced in 1786. This led to imperial rivalries across the Pacific and was escalated during the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleonic ambitions. Maxworthy’s special interest has been the privateering, smuggling, whaling and sealing in the Pacific Ocean region from 1788 to the advent of Spanish American emancipation in 1820.

Maxworthy is a Winston Churchill Fellow, awarded in 2011 to advance his research across Spanish language archives for the early history of Australia. This research turned up valuable Prize Court records dealing with both British and Spanish privateers and the Spanish plan of 1796 to attack Sydney and patriate the personnel to South America.