Published: 12 May 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
ABOUT 70,000 BRITISH CONVICTS were transported to Tasmania, then labelled on maps as Van Diemen's Land, between 1804 and 1850 — of those, 218 males and 15 females were Jewish.
Of the many Jewish people who made their mark on the town's early colonial-era history, including the founder of the Mercury newspaper, two stand out as leading lives of particular interest to others.
Both shared the common Jewish name of Solomon — and both found themselves in Van Diemen's Land as convicts.
It is widely believed the life of Jewish convict Isaac Solomon, who was born in England but found his final home in Tasmania, inspired the character of Fagin in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.
The extraordinary story of Isaac 'Ikey' Solomon had far more layers to it than the character of Fagin might suggest.
Dickens relegated him to the role of master pickpocket, exploiter of wayward children and in the end, murderer. But Ikey's real life adventures spanned three continents.
Following in his father's footsteps, Ikey was a known receiver and seller of stolen goods in London who bolted from police custody in 1827, fleeing overseas.
FULL STORY Banished to Van Diemen's Land, two convicts named Solomon shaped Hobart's Jewish history (ABC)
Photo: A portrait of infamous criminal Isaac 'Ikey' Solomon; unfortunately, no such image of Judah Solomon is thought to exist (Public Domain)
