The convict Thomas Tasker was given a great nickname. It’s incredibly rare for nicknames to be fully documented, so I told this story live on West Bremer Radio.

In 1839, Thomas Tasker was convicted at Warwick in Coventry, England, of an unrecorded charge, and sentenced to ten years transportation to the colonies. He set foot ashore in Sydney the following year, having sailed here aboard the square-rigged ship Woodbridge under the command of Captain William Dobson. In the Woodbridge’s next voyage here, the same Captain Dobson and the ship’s surgeon would be rumoured to have committed homicide.

By 1847, Tasker was in and around Ipswich, Queensland, in the Moreton Bay district which back then was still part of New South Wales. That’s when he obtained his ticket-of-leave. This was a sort of convict parole that meant Tasker had some freedoms but still had to remain in the district and report regularly.

Tasker was also supposed to behave. He did, but only sort of, and in 1850 is when he earned his nickname.

In May 1850 a case went to court regards goods stolen in Ipswich. A man named William Butler, from the descriptively named “Cockfighter’s Creek” down in the Hunter region, was charged with stealing in Ipswich a box of tools. However, Butler claimed he bought the tools from the convict Tasker who of course denied everything. And so on the non-evidence of Tasker, the case was thought to be so clearly proven that the jury – without even retiring – returned a verdict of guilty.

Then in July 1850, Tasker was again back in court. His mate Arnold had spent too long in the pub when Arnold sold his filly horse at the very cheap price of five shillings to a woman with a dubious record. Her name was Deborah Grocott, alias Howell, alias Howard. She was probably the same person who a couple of years later was found kneeling and screeching in the middle of the street and locked up for being of unsound mind.

In any case, on the morning after the horse sale, Arnold, having slept it off, forgot about the sale and took his horse back. An almighty fight ensued (depiction top of page) and Tasker watched the whole thing. The combatants Arnold and the fair damsel Grocott of course ended up in court.

Meanwhile, on the night of the horse transaction, Tasker was also with another one of his mates Henry Martin. Martin quietly stole some women’s clothing, put them on, and went on a moonlight flit. This is the same Martin who later was the victim of stolen cheques, but remarkably wasn’t allowed to testify in his own case because he was considered not in his right senses.

The Ipswich magistrate for this whole sordid affair was Doctor William Dorsey. Just two months later, Dr Dorsey and his stolen ducks would be responsible for a very public wrestle which was the biggest stack in Ipswich history.

Tasker gave evidence for both his mate in the horse transaction, and his other mate on the moonlight transvestite run. Dr Dorsey thought the whole affair was so ridiculous that he refused to swear in a jury. He instead dismissed both cases with a salutary caution against inebriety and bad company.

Thomas Tasker was then given a nickname that stuck with him for life. Instead of being referred to as Thomas Tasker, in every newspaper report he was from then on commonly referred to as “Gooseberry”.

Back then, the name “Gooseberry” was someone who was an unwelcome presence or a third wheel in a social or romantic situation. For Ipswich’s Gooseberry this was definitely the case.

Gooseberry was unwanted when it was claimed he sold stolen goods, and his mate was summarily convicted. Gooseberry was unwelcome when a mate inadvertently sold a horse at a knock-down price. He was again of no help when another mate went on a midnight flaunt in women’s clothing.

Despite all that, you’ve got to love characters like the convict Gooseberry in Ipswich’s and Australia’s colourful history.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A VERSION POF THIS STORY TOLD ON WEST BREMER RADIO.

Photo credits:
Depiction of the Inebriated horse dispute, Ipswich, 1850 – Copilot_20250621_213814.
Depiction of the tools case, Ipswich, 1850 – Copilot_20250621_222907.
Depiction of Gooseberry giving evidence, Ipswich, 1850 – Copilot_20250621_214335.
William McTaggart Dorsey – Nuneaton and Bedworth Local and Family History Forum.