James Davis (known for a period as Duramboi) (1808 – 7 May 1889) was a Scottish-born convict, notable for escaping custody in Australia and living with aboriginals. He subsequently rejoined European society and became a shopkeeper.

Biography

Davis was born in

Broomielaw Broomielaw is a major thoroughfare in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It runs adjacent to the River Clyde, on its north bank and forms the southern, waterside boundary of the city's International Financial Services District. History Named after ...

, Scotland and was apprenticed for a period at Old Wynd,

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. In 1824, he was sentenced to transportation to Australia for seven years for stealing 2 shillings 6 pence from a church box in Surrey, arriving in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

in August 1825. In 1828 he was tried for robbery at Patrick's Plains and was sentenced to three years imprisonment at the

Moreton Bay penal settlement The Moreton Bay Penal Settlement operated from 1825 to 1842. It became the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. History The Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was established on the Redcliffe Peninsula on Moreton Bay in 1824, under the instruc ...

(now

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

). Six weeks after his arrival in February 1829, he escaped with a companion and they soon joined a group of Aboriginals led by Pamby-Pamby. While his companion eventually broke tribal law and was killed, Davis was accepted into the tribe and was known as "Duramboi". He travelled hundreds of miles from Brisbane and learned the languages and customs of many tribes. In 1842 he met

Andrew Petrie Andrew Petrie (1798 - 20 February 1872) was a pioneer, architect and builder in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Early life Andrew Petrie was born in Fife, Scotland. He trained as a builder in Edinburgh. He married Mary Cuthbertson in 1821. ...

in Wide Bay, who persuaded him to accept that it was safe to return to Brisbane with the cessation of transportation. He relearned English and gradually fitted back into European society. He became a blacksmith at Kangaroo Point and in 1846 he married Annie Shea. In 1864 he established a crockery shop in

George Street, Brisbane George Street is a major street located in the Brisbane CBD in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Geography George Street extends from the Queensland University of Technology's Garden Point campus and City Botanic Gardens at its south-east en ...

. In 1883, soon after his first wife's death, he married one Bridget Hayes. He occasionally worked as an interpreter for Aboriginals in court and gave some descriptions of Aboriginal rites. Under his will, he donated £750 in 1889 and £1100 in 1911 to the

Brisbane General Hospital The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is a tertiary public hospital located in Herston, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is operated by Metro North Health, part of the Queensland Health network. The hospital has 929 be ...

References

External links

James Davis - Convict Queenslander
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, James 1808 births 1889 deaths Convicts transported to Australia People from Brisbane Criminals from Glasgow Scottish emigrants to colonial Australia