Both Stephen and
George signed agreements to work for the
Macarthur family for three
years. The document read:
Memorandum of agreement between the undersigned Emigrants,
H.M.S. 'Brothers', and Messrs James, William and Edward Macarthur 11 April 1837
I agree for myself, and brother James Macarthur to fulfil the agreement made by Major Edward Macarthur in England with the undersigned parties and which is as follows:
That we will give you during good behaviour for three years, that you may be in our
service, Fifteen Pounds (£15.00s.00d) per annum, a cottage rent free, a plot of ground for a garden, 7 lbs of meat and 11 lbs of flour per week, also the privilege of keeping a cow, with pigs and poultry, on condition of their getting into no mischief and being solely for your own use, and after five years, should you continue in our service, we will establish you as a tenant on fertile land, taking the rent either in labour or in produce and during the first six months in our service, to give your wives one half of the above allowance of provisions. The service to commence from April 11, 1837, which is the day you left the ship.
Camden
14.4.1837
W Macarthur
And we the undersigned, on our parts overall agree to the above mentioned conditions and in consideration of the above mentioned advantages to serve our employers the above mentioned Edward, James and William Macarthur in the capacity of farm servants, or in such other occupation that we may be directed either by them, or by their agents or overseers, faithfully and diligently to the best of our ability for the space of three years from the 11th day of April 1837.
Witness our hands at Camden this 14th day of April 1837.
Stephen Butt [his mark] George Butt [his mark]
Witnessed: Edward Kinghorn, Joseph Gatscombe
Memo
Any of the above signed individuals may consider themselves at liberty to leave our employment at any time upon condition of paying Fifteen Pounds (£15.00s.00d) if within the first year, Ten Pounds (£10.00s.00d) if after the completion of the first, and between the first and second, and Five Pounds (£5.00s.00d) if after the completion of the first two years and between the completion of the second and third.
George and Charlotte took up a
land grant in
Albury
on the New South Wales / Victorian border in 1847.
Stephen took up a lease of the property known as
'Buttsfield' at Camden in 1851 from the Macarthurs, but it would be another 14 years before he and Martha left Camden, to take up land at
Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands area of New
South Wales.
Legend has it that the brothers did not meet again 1.
