Let’s time travel to Sydney, 15 years after it was established in 1788. Sydney was a British settlement in Australia on land owned by the Aboriginal people of Warrang of the Eora nation. The invading British took the best land for themselves. Our story starts in 1803, on the first Saturday in March : March 5 1803. The Governor, who first came to Sydney in the First Fleet, was an old hand at colonial administration, although his patience was severely tested by the obstreperous nature of some of the population. Alcohol in the form of spirits was the colony's nemesis, with barter conducted using spirits as pay for work performed. A licence to import spirits was valuable. Robert Campbell, owner of a large shop at the port was permitted to bring in 4,000 gallons (10,000 litres) of rum from Africa and sell it - potentially at a considerable profit.