Peter Dargin First Fleet Marine
First Fleet marine private Peter Dargin was born 1759, Leasinsthill County Dublin in Ireland. He enlisted into the Marines 13 Mar 1780 at Portsmouth, arriving in NSW as Private, 14th (Portsmouth) Company per Alexander 1788. Some secondary writings claim that Dargin left England aboard Prince of Wales and transferred enroute due to conditions on Alexander. An in-depth study of the First Fleet Marines and Jan 1788 arrival vessels by Glen Lambert (2019); demonstrated there is no historical evidence to support this concept. The Fellowship of First Fleeters have also incorrectly listed Peter Dargin’s arrival as Prince of Wales. All colonial records that include original shipping lists Alexander as his ship of arrival.[1]
On 12 Mar 1788 Dargin was tried for breach of trust and received 100 lashes. Dargin was assigned to Captain Campbell’s Company as part of the Port Jackson Garrison and discharged from the Marines in Sydney 6 Apr 1792. He immediately enlisted into Capt Johnston’s Company of NSW Corps on the same day as a private, along with a group of other ex-Marines in Sydney. [2]
He had a daughter Mary Ann Dargin b. 18 Jul 1792, bap: 28 Aug 1792 St Phillip’s Sydney with Mary Warren (convict Lady Juliana 1790). They did not continue their relationship. Dargin was granted 25 acres at Hunters Hill on 3 Dec 1794, located close to the present day location of Crows Nest. In Oct 1823 as a former private he was entitled to an additional grant of 100 acres.[3]
As Peter Dargon (sic) he arrived at Norfolk Island and was recorded in the Norfolk Island Victualling Book on 21 May 1796 with no status, victualling or departure noted. It is presumed to be the ship Marquis Cornwallis he arrived on, and that the stay was brief. Norfolk Island Commandant Philip Gidley King was informed that soldier Peter Dargon was sent in exchange for Isaac (sic) Clements. Hence Dargon was intended to replace Pte Henry Clements (arrived on Norfolk Island per HMS Reliance in Feb 1796 and returned to Port Jackson per Supply II Apr 1796). Dargin was discharged on 6 Apr 1797 in Sydney. This discharge was in line with a five year service term along with a group of other former Marines. He re-enlisted into Johnston’s Company NSW corps on 24 Jun 1797.[4]
From 25 Mar 1805 he was on duty aboard the Colonial Schooner Resource. In the Description Book of NSW Corps of Sep 1808 Dargin is described as arrived in the colony per Alexander 1788, aged 49 years, 5’ 5.5” height, and native of Leasinsthill Dublin. He was transferred to the Invalid Company (later renamed NSW Veteran Company) in Apr 1810 as Pte aged 50 years with 30 years of service. He remained with the Veteran company as Pte until it was disbanded in Sep 1823. In Sep 1825 Peter Dargon (sic) was recording residing in Sydney on a pension. Other writings state that there are no known records for Peter Dargin after 1825; but still Peter Dargin is clearly listed in many of the WO pension records after this date. He is retrospectively noted as deceased in Corps Pension Records as of 13 Jun 1832.[5]
In the 1920s, it was claimed that First Fleet marine Peter Dargin induced brother, Thomas Dargin to come to Australia (the latter by occupation was a man-o-wars seaman). A Thomas Dargin did arrive in Royal Admiral in 1792 as a seaman however, this is an example of incorrectly connecting people with the same surname. Thomas Dargin seaman Royal Admiral 1792 has to date, no known connection found in any archival investigation to First Fleet Marine Peter Dargin.
© Cathy Dunn and Glen Lambert Jan 2025
[1] Marines, CO201/2: 327.
[2] Marines, ADM1/3824: 3; 1788 Victualling Book, T1-668: 289; WO25/1070: 3; NSW Corps, WO12/11028: 24.
[3] NSWSA, 7/444: 37; 4/7015: 483 – 486.
[4] Norfolk Island Victualling Book (NIVB), ML, A1958: 10b; Philip Gidley King letter book, Norfolk Island, ML C187: 334; WO12/11028: 60; WO25/1070: 3.
[5] WO12/9903, 98; WO17/2295: 14; WO12/11229: 165; WO23/148; 72.
