Arriving in
Hobart,
Van Diemen's Land, at the end of 1825, Savery was retained in government service and worked for the Colonial Treasurer, an appointment which caused controversy among other colonists. In 1828 his wife and son came to the colony, and arguments between them culminated in his attempted suicide. There had been rumours about Eliza's conduct with the colony's Attorney General, her chaperone, during the journey from England. She may have also been angered that Savery's letters to her had exaggerated his position in the colony. Soon after, he was imprisoned for debt and Eliza took their son back to England within three months. They never saw each other again. In prison, Savery wrote a series of sketches of activities and personages in the colony. These were published in the
Colonial Times and, after settling a libel suit, collected in the book ''The Hermit of Van Diemen's Land'' (1829). This occurred under the pseudonym 'Simon Stukeley' as a convict could be sent to the far harsher
Macquarie Harbour Penal Station for being published. It is only through a note in his publisher Henry Melville's own copy of the book that we know of Savery's authorship. Savery wrote his novel during his assignment to the household of Major Hugh Macintosh, one of the two founders of Cascade Brewery. He was given permission to reside at Major Macintosh's Lawn Farm on the banks of the Derwent River, about six kilometers down stream from New Norfolk, on the condition that he not carry on his own business. Macintosh and Savery appeared to have established a friendship prior to his assignment and Savery was soon managing Lawn Farm for Macintosh, whilst also being given time to write
Quintus Servinton. After Macintosh's death in December 1834, Savery remained at Lawn Farm as manager for at least another four years.
Quintus Servinton: A Tale founded upon Incidents of Real Occurrence was published anonymously in 1831 to reasonably good reviews from the colonial press. Savery's authorship became a public secret and was even mentioned in a reference for his
ticket of leave which was granted in 1832. Unfortunately his relative freedom was quickly revoked because of his writing, in this case for the paper
The Tasmanian. The suspension was itself suspended when it turned out the charge was a pretext for tarring the reputation of
Governor Arthur. Savery's illegal authorship was thereafter quietly ignored. Less is known about Savery's final years, though he gained a provisional pardon. He fell into debt again and possibly alcoholism. By 1839 he was refused a convict servant. Towards the end of 1840 he was again charged with forging bills. Brought before the magistrate who had chaperoned his wife, he was again sentenced to transportation to
Port Arthur where, early in 1842, he died possibly after slitting his own throat. He was buried on the
Isle of the Dead just off the coast of the prison. ==See also==