By Anne Gibson. The need for a female orphanage and education of the children of the colony had become apparent in Sydney. When Philip Gidley King returned to New South Wales as Governor, he and Mrs. King perceived the need to establish a class for girls similar to the one he had founded on Norfolk Island. After discussion with the Reverend Richard Johnson, King wrote to the Duke of Portland setting out his plans for an Orphan School. A committee was formed consisting of Rev. Johnson, Continue Reading »
Thomas Tilley
Stafford Labourer Thomas Tilley was aged 39 when he was delivered aboard the Censor Hulk on 19 January 1786. Sentenced with Edward Parry and Thomas Wood for the theft at Kinfare of six pieces of Fusian called Queen’s Cord of the value of ten pounds and one Flaxen Bag of the value of one shilling of the goods and chattels of John Harrison, James Harrison and William Topping, feloniously and did steal take and carry away. Tried at Staffordshire Summer Assizes on 27 July 1785 Thomas Continue Reading »
Colonial Fashion
By Anne Gibson and Pat Crothers. From the beginning, due to the climate, the general roughness of life and the lack of material goods led to a determination of the inhabitants of the colony of New South Wales to make do, as was very apparent from their clothing. Clothing was in short supply right from the start, the First Fleet set a precedent by not carrying sufficient supplies of cloth or clothing for the convicts on board. The situation as more joined the colony. Those Continue Reading »
Rebecca Boulton
Mother and child were buried within a week of each other at Sydney Cove in April 1788. The child Rebecca Bolton/Boulton was born in Lincoln Gaol around April 1786 as her mother Rebecca awaited embarkation on the Prince of Wales. It was stated at her trial, that as Rebecca Gibson, she had married Thomas Bolton at Panton Lincolnshire in 1778. Rebecca, was aged 23 when tried at Lindsey Quarter Session at Spilsby Lincolnshire on 16 July 1784. She gave a voluntary confession on 8 May Continue Reading »
Ann Mather
Was a young offender, possibly no more than 14 years old at the time of her trial at the Old Bailey on 18 April 1787, for feloniously stealing, on 10 April, one pair of velvet breeches value 4s, two cloth waist-coats value 1s, being the property of John Carter. At the trial, John Carter swore, I lodged, the 10th instant at No.11 in Fleet-lane; I lost a pair of velveret breeches, and two cloth waistcoats; they were taken out of the room where I lodge; I saw them there on the 9th at night; in Continue Reading »
John Hudson
At nine years old, John Hudson a sometimes chimney sweeper, and the youngest First Fleet convict at the time of sentencing, was tried at the Old Bailey London on 10 December 1783, to seven years transportation for felony, but not for burglary. John’s crime was breaking and entering the dwelling house of William Holdsworth in East Smithfield, and stealing one linen shirt, value 10 shillings, five silk stockings, value 5 shillings, one pistol, value 5 shillings, and two aprons, value 2 Continue Reading »
Elizabeth Hayward
was the youngest female convict, at 13, on the First Fleet. She received seven years transportation at the Old Bailey in January 1787, for being accused of stealing clothes from the clog maker she was working for. Elizabeth was on board the Lady Penrhyn for about three and a half months before the Fleet set sail. Read more on Elizabeth’s life story under Stories Honouring her WW1 Descendants 5133 Ronald Davie Private 12th Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements, 13th Rifts Continue Reading »
Elizabeth Hayward
Our story begins with the birth of a daughter to Samuel and Elizabeth Haywood, on 20 July 1773 in Stepney, of the Parish of St Mary White Chapel, whom they named Elizabeth. On Wednesday 10 January 1787, Elizabeth Haywood/Heywood/Hayward, aged 13 years, was tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr Recorder at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey. Her occupation at the time was a clog maker, and she was apprenticed to a Mr Thomas Cross. A month previous, on 19 December 1786, Elizabeth Continue Reading »