Background
His father had been a corporal in the army. Daniel worked as a stonemason and signboard writer
His father had been a corporal in the army. Daniel worked as a stonemason and signboard writer
Sentenced to death for highway robbery in 1827, his sentence was commuted to transportation for life. He worked on government projects for the Engineer"s Department for seven years. By 1835 he was employed as overseer of stonemasons on the construction of the new customs house, a service for which he was paid one shilling a day, and was then one of two stonemasons assigned to oversee the completion of a replacement bridge across the Macquarie river at Ross.
The bridge was designed by John Lee Archer, while Herbert oversaw construction with James Colbeck, the other convict stonemason chosen for the job.
The bridge was completed in July 1836. lieutenant contained 186 keystones or voussoirs carved by Herbert, or completed under his supervision, in fifty-six weeks between May 1835 and July 1836.
Despite being promised a conditional pardon for successfully completing the task, Herbert asked to be allowed to remain three weeks longer in Hobart to marry Mary Witherington, which he did on 1 July 1835. Herbert was granted a free pardon in February 1842 and continued to live at Ross, where he worked as an ornamental stonemason.
Reputedly, he designed and carved his own tomb in the old burial ground at Ross.