Below I have transcribed a list of all people in the colony of New South Wales in possession of 'arms' in the year 1802. I cannot find any correspondence or information relating to how the information was collected - for example as part of a general muster conducted that year. As the Sydney Gazette was not published until the following year, I also do not have the option of looking for information in the newspaper.
The first mention of 'firearms' in the Sydney Gazette appeared on Sunday, August 21, 1803 (Vol 1, Number 25), forbidding the discharge of firearms in the town:
General Orders.
FIRE-ARMS are on no account to be discharged by any Inhabitant of the Towns of Sydney or Parramatta between Sun-set and Sun-Rise, on pain of being punished for a Breach of Public Orders, and making False Alarms.
By Command of His EXCELLENCY W. N. CHAPMAN, Sec
Government-House, Sydney, August 19, 1803.
I came across the list of those owning firearmsin the NSW Colonial Secretary's Correspondence, as my ancestor Rowland Edwards appears among that number. There are actually two lists - one for 'Officers' in the colony, and one for 'individuals'. While several soldiers appear among those on the list, it is assumed that the firearms possessed by the New South Wales Corps (and other arms such as small cannon, etc.) were not counted. This also makes sense if the information on firearms was collected as part of a general muster, as members of regiments were not included in general musters.
For individuals, the owners of firearms are listed by geographical region. Four types of arms are generally counted: guns, pistols, swords and bayonets. Guns are presumed to comprise muskets (fired from the shoulder), as opposed to pistols (held in the hand). Bayonets can be fixed to guns for military charges, but most people in possession of a gun were not in possession of a bayonet. There was also one 'blunderbus' - a short musket with a flared barrel, that operates similarly to a shogun.
The breakdown of arms in the colony is as follows.
Total: 663
Guns: 457
Pistols: 116
Swords: 75
Bayonets: 14
Blunderbuss: 1
The district with the most arms was the Hawkesbury (147, perhaps unsurprising given the nature of relationships with the local indigenous population who were in the process of being dispossessed of their land). Arms held by officers (190) were not listed by district. The individual in possession of the greatest number of firearms was John Palmer (10 guns, 6 pistols, 2 swords), the commissary for NSW and responsible for supplies - as such it is possible these were in his possession as supplies, rather than personal arms.
The population of general inhabitants in New South Wales in 1802 was 5,866 (ref: General report on the eleventh census of New South Wales, T.A. Coghlan, 1894). As such, the rate of ownership of arms in NSW in 1802 was 11.3 per 100. It is interesting to compare this to recent numbers (http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/australia) - today there are approximately 15 firearms per 100. This is at first surprising given the relatively violent environment of colonial NSW in 1802. However, a significant portion of population were convicts, and as such not in a legal position to own or be in possession of firearms.
In transcribing the original document, I have retained spelling of surnames as written, even when I was aware that a spelling error had probably occurred.
Please email me if you find any errors or have further information, and I'll update this post.
| Register of Arms belonging to Officers of the Establishment taken 1802 |
| Name | Guns left | Pistols left | Swords left | Guns taken | Pistols taken | Swords taken | Blunderbus | Bayonets |
| Philip Gidley King | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| William Paterson | 2 | 4 | 3 | |||||
| Richard Atkins | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| John Palmer | 10 | 6 | 2 | |||||
| Samuel Marsden | 2 | |||||||
| ? Thomson | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Thomas Rowley | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| John Piper | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| John Harris | 8 | 6 | 4 | |||||
| William Minchin | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||
| Francis Barrallier | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Thomas Laycock | 9 | 2 | 3 | |||||
| William Moore | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||||
| Nicholas Divine | 2 | |||||||
| McArthur | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Nicholas Bayly | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| William Cox | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Martin Mason | 1 | |||||||
| Thomas Hobby | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| ? Campbell | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| John Brabyn | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| William Neate Chapman | 2 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| Thomas Davis | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| George Bridges Bellasis | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Sutton | ||||||||
| Charles Grimes | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| Thomas Arndell | 3 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| Baker | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| William Wentworth | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Thomas Smyth | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Register of Arms taken April 1802 belonging to Individuals in His Majesty's Colony of NSW
FARM COVE DISTRICT
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Mr Llewin | 2 | 1 | ||
| Jno Archer | 1 | 1 | ||
| Thos Alford | 1 |
PETERSHAM DISTRICT
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Mr Palmer | 1 | |||
| Mr Cox | 2 | 1 | ||
| Mr Alt | 2 | 1 | ||
| Mr Bloodsworth | 1 | |||
| Jno Leadbetter | 1 | |||
| Heny Kable | 1 | |||
| Major Johnstone | 7 | 1 | ||
| Thos Biggers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Joshua Palmer | 1 |
BRICKFIELD DISTRICT
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Jno Davis S | 1 | |||
| Jno Smith | 1 | |||
| Saml Hockley | 1 | |||
| Jno Williams | 1 | |||
| Jno Cooper | 1 | |||
| Patk McDonald | 1 | |||
| Wm Boggis | 1 | |||
| Wm Jones | 1 | |||
| Jno King | 1 | |||
| Robt Fennell | 1 | |||
| ? Kelly S | 1 | |||
| Thos Dikens | 1 | |||
| Jno Guyott | 1 | |||
| Edw Palmer | 1 | |||
| Jno Mullins | 1 | |||
| Rd Fry S | 1 | |||
| Jno Hazard S | 1 |
| BULLANAMING DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Mr Moor | 1 | |||
| Mr Smith | 2 | |||
| Cropper | 1 | |||
| Palmer | 1 | |||
| Simn Lord | 1 |
| MASKELINE AND BANKS DISTRICT | ||||
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Capt Prentice | 1 | |||
| Rieby | 2 | |||
| Morris S | 1 | |||
| Connor S | 1 | |||
| Iken | 1 | 1 | ||
| Dukes | 1 | |||
| Eaton | 1 | |||
| Geo Legg | 1 | |||
| Patk Shannon | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jno Waldron | 1 | 1 | ||
| Lancashire | 1 | |||
| Owen Connor | 1 | |||
| Brookes | 3 | |||
| Sergt Palmer | 1 | |||
| Fielder | 2 | |||
| Batty | 2 | |||
| Ruby | 2 | 2 | ||
| Tunks | 1 | |||
| Thos Prior | 1 | 1 | ||
| James Underwood | 2 | |||
| Geo Crossley | 3 | 2 | ||
| Jno Miller | 2 | |||
| McKoy | 1 | |||
| Jno Wills | 2 | |||
| Jno Thomson | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jno Jones | 2 | |||
| Ward | 1 | |||
| Heny Kable | 1 | 1 | ||
| Morris | 1 | |||
SYDNEY EAST SIDE DISTRICT
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| James Hill | 2 | |||
| Charles Williams | 1 | |||
| Jno Burk | 1 | |||
| Shoeby | 1 | |||
| Mary Ellis | 1 | |||
| Robt Poplin | 1 | |||
| Hugh Foley | 1 | |||
| Thos Massey | 1 | |||
| James Gibbons | 1 | |||
| Geo Wilson | 1 | |||
| Jno Wilshire | 1 | |||
| Isaac Nichols | 1 |
| PARRAMATTA DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Joseph Ward | 1 | 1 | ||
| William Hobart | 1 | |||
| Richard Mortimer | 1 | |||
| William Sherwin | 3 | |||
| Robert Wells | 1 | |||
| James Larra | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Richard Rice | 1 | 1 | ||
| Benjamin Cowen | 1 | |||
| Jno Hillis | 1 | |||
| James Flemming | 1 | |||
| Thomas Eccles | 1 | |||
| George Caley | 2 | |||
| Francis Duriveaux | 1 | |||
| James Wright | 1 | |||
| William Abbott | 1 | |||
| Daniel McCullum | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jno Groves | 1 | |||
| Thomas Jackson | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Thomas Cozier | 3 | |||
| Mrs Smith | 1 | |||
| Richard Dowling | 2 | |||
| William Evans | 1 | |||
| Mr Sutton | 2 | 1 | ||
| Anthony Landren | 1 | |||
| Mr Barrington | 1 | |||
| William Telfour | 1 | |||
| William Bateman | 1 | 1 | ||
| Edward Piper | 1 | |||
| William Cole | 1 | |||
| William Harvey | 1 | |||
| Samuel Phillips | 1 | |||
| Jno Thorogood | 1 | |||
| James Becket | 1 |
| KISSING POINT DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Jno Reeds | 1 | |||
| Mrs Hughes | 1 | |||
| Jno Currants | 1 | |||
| Joseph Francis | 1 |
| TOONGABBEE DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Michael Smith | 1 | |||
| Jno Leadbeater | 1 | |||
| Bryan Spalding | 1 | |||
| Samuel Smith | 1 | |||
| Thomas Williams | 1 | |||
| Dairy | 3 | |||
| Mrs Deveney | 1 | |||
| Thomas Needham | 1 | |||
| William Hill | 1 | |||
| William Dawson | 2 | |||
| Matthew Gibbons | 1 | |||
| Mr Kennedy | 1 | |||
| Richard Nichols | 1 | 1 | ||
| Mr Cummings | 2 | |||
| Samuel Griffiths | 1 | |||
| Jno Herbert | 1 | 1 | ||
| Joseph Morley | 1 | |||
| Jno Teace | 1 | |||
| Jno Warby | 1 | |||
| James Cleaver | 1 | |||
| Michael Donovan | 1 | |||
| James Dunlap | 1 | |||
| Jno Tarlington | 1 | |||
| Cornelius Teague | 1 |
| BAUKHAM HILLS DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Samuel Allen | 1 | |||
| James Benson | 1 | |||
| Abraham Kemp | 1 | |||
| Jno Page | 1 | |||
| George Best | 1 | |||
| Israel Rayner | 1 | |||
| Mr Smith | 4 | 1 | ||
| Mr McDougal | 2 | 2 | ||
| Mr Bain | 3 | 1 | ||
| Mr Anson | 1 | |||
| Mr Beadley | 1 | 1 |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Edward Pooding | 1 | |||
| Jno Shepherd | 1 | |||
| James Stewart | 1 | |||
| James Weavers | 1 | |||
| James Squires | 1 | |||
| Joseph Hatton | 1 | |||
| James Louther | 1 | |||
| David Brown | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ambrose Payne | 1 | |||
| Charles Berwick | 1 | |||
| Richard Hawkes | 1 | |||
| James Wood | 1 | |||
| Pheeber | 1 | |||
| Richard Porter | 1 | |||
| George Patfield | 2 | |||
| Michael Connor | 1 | |||
| Jno Tyrol | 1 |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| William Kentwell | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jno Jones | 1 | 3 | ||
| Jno Davis | 1 | |||
| The Watch | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
| Thomas Moxham | 1 | |||
| William Yarley | 1 | |||
| William Joyce | 1 | |||
| Mr Pierce | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| George Griffiths | 1 | 1 | ||
| William Goodhall | 1 | |||
| Bartholomew Riely | 1 | |||
| Thomas Jones | 2 | |||
| Owen Martin | 1 | |||
| Jno OHarra | 1 | |||
| Jas Lowry | 1 | |||
| Wm Browning | 1 | |||
| Captn McArthur farm at Seven Hills | 5 | 1 |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Mr Arndell | 1 | |||
| Eckford | 1 | |||
| Elliot | 1 | |||
| Holt | 1 | 1 | ||
| Martin | 1 | |||
| Whiting | 1 | |||
| Larra | 1 | |||
| Allister | 1 | |||
| Mr Sutton | 1 | |||
| Captn McArthur | 3 | |||
| Mr Oakes | 1 | |||
| Mr Hassal | 1 | |||
| Summers | 1 | |||
| Higgins | 1 | 1 | ||
| Freed | 1 | |||
| Leverett | 1 | |||
| Bishop | 1 | |||
| Mr Cox | 2 | |||
| Everingham | 1 | 1 | ||
| Butterly | 1 | |||
| Ramsay | 1 | 1 | ||
| Shaffy | 1 | |||
| Bennet | 1 | |||
| Torr | 1 | |||
| Alexander McDonald | 1 | |||
| Eggleton | 1 | 1 | ||
| Isaac Archer | 1 | 1 | ||
| The Limeburners | 1 | |||
| Ward | 1 | |||
| Mr Balmain | 1 | |||
| Day | 1 | |||
| Captain Kent | 1 | 1 |
| HAWKESBURY DISTRICT |
| Name | Guns | Pistols | Swords | Bayonets |
| Jno Benn | 1 | |||
| James Wilbro | 1 | |||
| Henry Kable | 1 | |||
| Thomas Lewis | 1 | |||
| Samuel May | 1 | |||
| Thomas Gilberthorp | 1 | |||
| Jno Brennan | 1 | |||
| Thomas Abbot | 1 | |||
| Chapman Morris | 1 | |||
| Thomas Saunders | 1 | |||
| Daniel Smallwood | 1 | |||
| Joseph Smith | 1 | |||
| Thomas Buck | 1 | |||
| Benjamin Jones | 1 | |||
| Cavanagh | 3 | |||
| Jno Wilkinson | 1 | |||
| James Fletcher | 1 | |||
| Wheeler & Pulpit | 2 | |||
| Samuel Pickett | 1 | |||
| David Horton | 1 | |||
| James Mollee | 1 | |||
| William McDonald | 1 | |||
| William Masson | 1 | |||
| Matthew Lock | 1 | 1 | ||
| John Rose | 1 | |||
| Jno Cobcroft | 1 | |||
| Jno Howarth | 1 | |||
| Job More | 1 | |||
| William Burgess | 1 | |||
| Anthony Richardson | 3 | |||
| Henry Hale | 1 | |||
| William Skinner | 1 | |||
| Samuel Patehouse | 1 | |||
| James McGlade | 1 | |||
| Jno Anderson | 1 | |||
| Grono | 1 | |||
| Thomas Bates | 1 | |||
| Thomas Phillips | 1 | |||
| GW Moore | 1 | |||
| Alexander Seaton | 1 | |||
| David Brown | 1 | |||
| Widow Whitter | 1 | |||
| Edward Robinson | 2 | |||
| James Sherrard | 2 | |||
| Thomas Leason | 1 | |||
| Edward Reynolds | 1 | |||
| Henry Baldwin | 1 | |||
| Patrick Hynes | 1 | |||
| William Gregory | 1 | |||
| Jno Ruslen | 1 | |||
| Jno McIntosh | 1 | |||
| James Cunningham | 1 | |||
| Richard Burman | 1 | |||
| Richard Ridge | 1 | |||
| Joseph Jenks | 1 | |||
| Jno Lewis | 1 | |||
| Jno Austin | 1 | |||
| Richard Tuckwell | 1 | |||
| Andrew Thompson | 3 | |||
| James McCarty | 1 | |||
| William Bladay | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jane Pool | 1 | |||
| Roger Twifield | 1 | |||
| William Easey | 1 | |||
| Thomas Heather | 1 | |||
| Robert Forrester | 1 | |||
| Captain McKellar | 2 | |||
| C W Place | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| William Baker | 3 | |||
| William Roberts | 1 | |||
| Jno Prosser | 1 | |||
| Jonas Archer | 1 | |||
| Rowland Edwards | 1 | |||
| Charles Thomas | 1 | |||
| Henry Lamb | 2 | |||
| William Beadle | 1 | |||
| Henry Rochester | 1 | |||
| Thomas Rickaby | 2 | 3 | ||
| Edward Field | 1 | |||
| Jno Emby | 1 | |||
| Wm Chapman | 1 | |||
| Jno Butcher | 1 | |||
| David Phillips | 1 | |||
| Thomas Pitt | 2 | |||
| Elias Bishop | 1 | |||
| Thomas Spencer | 1 | |||
| James Thomas | 1 | |||
| Jno Wood | 1 | |||
| Robert Weathers | 1 | |||
| Robert Smith | 2 | |||
| William Noel | 1 | |||
| William Bowman | 2 | 1 | ||
| James Nugen | ||||
| Thomas Neal | 2 | |||
| Jno Stephenson | 1 | |||
| Benjamin South | 1 | |||
| Thomas Coolen | 1 | |||
| William Giles | 2 | |||
| Jno Griffiths | 1 | |||
| Edward Powell | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Jno Bowman | 2 | 3 | ||
| George Crossley | 2 | |||
| Thomas Wood | 1 | |||
| James Merchant | 1 | |||
| William Alsop | 1 | |||
| Edward Merrick | 2 | |||
| Patrick Murphy | 1 | |||
| Jno Dight | 2 | |||
| Henry York | 1 |
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