John Stephen Hampton wielded power as Comptroller-General of Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land between 1846 and 1855.
Although his controversial exit from the role was followed by accusations of corruption, he went on to become the Governor of Western Australia.
Early Life
It is not known what year Hampton was born in. His death certificate says it is 1810, but other information suggests he might have been born in 1806 or 1807. We will only get an answer if it is somehow confirmed in the future.
Hampton studied medicine in Edinburgh and became a surgeon in the Royal Navy after gaining a medical qualification in 1828. He served on several ships before being promoted to surgeon-superintendent in March 1843. In this new role, he worked on ships transporting convicts to Van Diemen’s Land.
Comptroller-General of Convicts
Three years after his promotion, Hampton was appointed as Comptroller-General of Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land, which was a very prominent position within the local government. His job was to oversee the management, discipline, and allocation of convicts transported to the colony.
Hampton became known for his strong and forward-thinking management style, but when a government committee began investigating the management and treatment of convicts in July 1855, he refused to testify.
This author could not find any information that states why Hampton refused to testify, but there are several common reasons why people may refuse to testify in court, including the right to avoid self-incrimination, fear of retaliation, and conflicts of interest. Each case is unique, and people’s reasons can be complex, but they contribute to their decisions to withhold testimony.
(If there are any historians reading this article who know why Hampton refused to testify, please leave a comment below.)
The Legislative Council demanded that Hampton be arrested for contempt of court, but legal experts questioned the validity of the warrant that was issued, so he was not arrested.
Sir Henry Young, the lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen’s Land at the time, temporarily stopped the Legislative Council’s activities on 20 October 1855 until he received a legal opinion on the warrant from a judicial tribunal.
Before the tribunal could make a ruling on the warrant, however, Hampton got permission to leave Van Diemen’s Land – and promptly did so.
The Legislative Council took the case to the Privy Council, which agreed that the validity of the warrant was questionable; however, the investigation into the management and treatment of convicts continued. The final report alleged that Hampton had engaged in corrupt activities, such as utilising of convict labour for personal benefit.
He was subsequently put on half-pay and spent two years sorting out ‘urgent’ private matters in Canada.
Later Life
Despite the allegations of corruption, Hampton was appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1862.
Although Western Australia experienced economic gains and saw the initiation of public works projects during his six-year term, Hampton had disagreements with the colony’s citizens and press about his handling of convicts.
He passed away in 1869, one year after leaving the governorship of Western Australia.
Bibliography
- ‘Hampton, John Stephen (1810–1869)’ (Australian Dictionary of Biography).
- ‘John Stephen Hampton Esq’ (Government House Western Australia).
- ‘John Stephen Hampton 1862-1868’ (Government of Western Australia).
- Boyce, P. J. (1979), ‘J. S. Hampton: The Governor’, in Lyall Hunt (ed.), Westralian Portraits.
- de Garis, B. K. (1981), ‘Political tutelage 1829–1890’, in C. T. Stannage (ed.), A New History of Western Australia.
Callum J. Jones studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania. He has written fiction and non-fiction for Tasmanian Times since 2018, and can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.
Follow him on Twitter (@Callum_Jones_10) and Facebook (@callum.j.jones.creative).
