A Colonial Story About a Convict Rebellion

By the time high school was coming to an end my dream of being a writer was being marred by way too many ideas. Despite having a heavy workload at school I always managed to find some time now and then to write a few words. However, my biggest problem was I had too many ideas and couldn't focus on one of them. I would start one idea and in the midst of writing the first few pages something would inspire me and I would drift off and leave that project. This was happening time and time again. I just couldn't focus.

Until one day I found an idea for a movie that stuck. It was the nineties and I had taken a particular interest in all the historical movies that had been released; Braveheart, First Knight, Gettysburg and Saving Private Ryan, were all films that took its audiences to a new visual experience. So I wanted to find a historical event that I could write about. Something no one had ever heard of before. I scoured libraries and encyclopedia's and read tons of accounts of great historical moments. Until I finally came across something in the Australian edition of the World Book Encyclopedia. The article was about convicts, within that article were maybe two lines of an account of a convict uprising on March 4th, 1804, called 'The Castle Hill Rebellion'.

I was shocked and enthralled to be reading this information. Unfortunately, there wasn't really much to go on. I thought about inventing the names of the characters, but realised that I needed to do some hard research in order to piece together the story.

I scoured libraries and the internet (which was at its infancy in those days) and did not find much. Until one day, I found a small pamphlet book that detailed all of the people involved, why they had been sent to Australia as convicts and all the events of the 2 day rebellion. This was perfect I could finally write my script. I had everything I needed.

So today, here is a very brief synopsis of the movie that was never made. Of course, I used a bit of "poetic licensing" and weaved a romantic love story in there as well. 

Castle Hill Rising - In Search of Freedom

1798 - Ireland

Phillip Cunningham sneaks through an Irish town to a secret meeting in the basement of a tavern. Joseph Holt, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion stand in front of an assembly of men and preach about the atrocities conducted by the English. The meeting is soon broke up as a watchmen runs and warns of a British garrison that has been tipped off about the meeting. All attendees scramble out of the tavern and begin escaping. Phillip Cunningham escapes to the rooftop of a building and watches in dismay as two of his countrymen are shot in cold blood.


Phillip Cunningham rides into a farm and meets with his fianceé, Mable, a tough hard-working young lady. Phillip tells her of his plans to join the rebellion and Mable is not happy. Phillip leaves the next morning.

A few months later and Phillip is now on top of Vinegar Hill, with 20,000 other Irish rebels. Armed with pikes they engage in a battle with the British army and lose, due to the superior weaponry of the British Army. 

Phillip survives the battle, but is captured and taken to court along with several other rebels, which includes Joseph Holt. He is found guilty and is sentenced to the penal colony of Botany Bay.

5 years later - Castle Hill Penal Farm Australia

Phillip Cunningham is now working on a farm and befriends a fellow inmate, William Johnston. Life on the farm is cruel and harsh and regular lashings are used to keep the prisoners in check.

One day a young Irish lady and her new husband come to the farm to look for a convict to come and help them on their new property. Phillip feels like he recognizes the Irish lady, but cannot make her out from a distance. The Irish lady is Mable, Phillip's once Fianceè, who has immigrated to Australia with her new husband. Mable and her husband choose a young convict, known as Thomas, whom Phillip had befriended.

The convicts continue to live through the hardships of the new colony. Their treatment is getting to boiling point and Phillip and William devise a plan to rise up. On the 4th of March, 1804, the convicts rise up and take down the penal farm and steal all of the weapons. That night they march towards Parramatta and raid properties on their way, freeing enslaved convicts. 

Phillip personally rides down to a property and knocks on the door asking for all convicts to be set free. When the door opens, Phillip sees Mable. Shocked at the appearance of his beloved, he shuns away seeing Mable is now married. He takes Thomas with him and they rejoin the rebels.

Phillip sits with the rebels in the bush and is in a deep depression. His fellow leaders are worried that Phillip has lost the will and are annoyed with him for not making a decision. He then stands and declares that they will meet the colony's army in open battle as they have now learned that troops are on their way to put down the rebellion. His fellow rebels advise against open battle and try to persuade Phillip to use more guerilla tactics. However, Phillip declares "Death or Liberty".

The rebels fight the British soldiers led by Major Johnston and are defeated. Phillip is captured and along with his fellow leaders are sentenced to be hung.

Mable turns and cries as she watches Phillip being hung as he says his final words "Death or Liberty". 

The final scene is Thomas sneaking aboard a French vessel and leaving Botany Bay.

THE END

Hope you enjoyed reading my brief synopsis of my script that I never sent to any producers. It is all part of the story of how I became a writer and what stories influenced me to write.

#Writing #Australia #history

Alex C. McDonald is the author of the urban fantasy novel, 'Jasmine Evans and the Master of the Lamp'.

Follow me on Twitter @AlexMcDauthor