Cyprus mutiny Cyprus mutiny The "Cyprus" mutiny took place in 1829 off the British penal settlement of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania, Australia). Convicts seized the brig and sailed her to Canton, China, where they scuttled her and claimed to be castaways from another vessel. On the way, "Cyprus" visited Japan during the height of the period of severe Japanese restrictions on the entry of foreigners, the first Australian ship to do so. The mutineers were eventually captured. Two of them, George James Davis and William Watts, were hanged at Execution Dock, London on 16 December 1830, the last men hanged for
William Walter Davis William Walter Davis William Walter Davis (5 July 1840 – 14 September 1923) was an Australian politician. He was born at Bathurst to plasterer Ebeneezer Davis and Louisa Whittaker. He was educated locally and left school aged thirteen to drove near Hay, where he quickly rose to become head stockman. Around 1858 he went to Bourke as a cattle dealer, and established a butchery. He acquired a large cattle station near Bourke and converted it into a sheep station. On 30 August 1861 he married Anne Heaer at Rutherglen; they were childless, but he would marry twice more: on 14