ISAAC ARCHER

Marine Private Alexander c1754 - 1836

- this story is under review by Membership Team

Died 4 June 1836, aged 82.

Isaac Archer, Marine Private enlisted in the 20th Portsmouth Company, travelled on the Transport Ship Alexander. Following his arrival to Port Jackson, he was assigned to Captain James Campbell's Company. Isaac was among a group of Marines who signed a protest letter on 7 April 1787, complaining of the cut to the liquor allowance.

At the end of his term of service at Port Jackson, Archer established a farm of 80 acres at Field of Mars on 3 February 1792.  In June 1794 he married Sarah Burdo, also known as Bordeaux, in Sydney.

In the early 1800s, Archer had purchased additional land and had 15 acres sown in wheat and ten ready for planting maize. Owning two horses, 50 goats, 38 cattle and 29 hogs, he and his wife were self-supporting with no children. Two years later he was recorded as holding 240 acres of which 60 were cleared, 20 sown in wheat and 14 ready for maize. The household, at this time comprising Archer, his wife, one child, one convict and three free men, was self-supporting.

In 1828 Archer listed as a householder in Clarence Street, Sydney. He died on 4 June 1836, aged 82, two years after his wife Sarah.

Archer signed his last will and testament on 22 August 1834, leaving his Clarence Street premises and £100 to Edward Aiken, a sawyer in Sydney.  He also left £300 to Aiken’s three children and £100 to the Asylum for the poor.  His personal estate (excluding realty) was valued at under £1,500.  Edward Aiken’s relationship to Archer and his wife is unclear, but in 1839 Edward was buried in their grave at the old Sydney Burial Ground, age given as 45.

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