 Ill health incapacitated him early on and he had asked to be relieved in 1791, although he did not retire from active duty until 1797.He was officially relieved on half-pay in 1802 and succeeded by his deputy, surveyor Charles Grimes.At first, in his official capacity as he lived in the town of Sydney, then for many years afterwards on a large land grant, 'Hermitage Farm', at Ashfield about seven miles west (and now an inner western suburb).