Search:

Edward ROBINSON arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Admiral Barrington'on 16 Oct 1791

Possibly Edward was baptised 11 Nov 1754 to parents Edward and Mary ROBINSON. Edward was a servant to Tate WILKINSON who operated the Theatre Royal in York and Edward lived in lodgings at the rear of the theatre in what was called Mint Yard.

Edward was a habitual thief and in 1789 was charged with 14 counts of stealing. Edward would visit various taverns in and around York, and make off with the silverware, or in one incident, books. He was apphrehended, and several of the stolen items were found hidden in a box in his lodgings. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but was convicted of all, except one.

On 25 July 1789 at York Assizes Edward was sentenced "to be hanged" but the sentence was changed to Transportation for Life. In January 1790 he was received on the prison hulk, 'The Lion' at Portsmouth Harbour. At the age of 29 on 27 Mar 1791 he sailed aboard ship 'Admiral Barrington' which arrived in Sydney on 16 October 1791 possibly as part of the 3rd Fleet. Edward received a pardon on 12 December 1794 (AO Reel 2910xxxv11). He was granted 30 acres of land on the river at Hawkesbury in the District of Mulgrave Place on 9 December 1794 rent being 1/- per annum, commencing after 10 years. On 15 September 1802 Edward was granted a further 100 acres at a lagoon nearby, renting at 2/- per annum, commencing after 5 years, which was called Robinson's Lagoon. The name later changed to Bushell's Lagoon, as it is still called, just of Putty Road between Freemans Reach and Wilberforce. By 1805, he had a flock of around "200 big framed mutton producers", and told Governor KING he would like to experiment with merino sheep. On 28 September 1809 he received a further grant to lease 1 & 3/4 acres 25 rods in Sydney Town at 1 pound per annum for 21 years, commencing on that date. Edward also owned a tavern, 'Sign of the York Roses' for which he was granted beer and spirits licences from 1809 through to 1815. On 18 October 1809 Edward was also granted 80 acres at Upper Nelson. This grant was also in the name of Elizabeth ROBINSON. Edward was known in the Hawkesbury Settlement as a successful farmer and was a first Trustee of Phillip Common and in 1806 was made a Special Constable for flood relief following the Hawkesbury flood of March 1806. In 1820 Edward was issued a hotel licence for premises on the Parramatta Road, unfortunately at this time he was in poor health. He was buried in Devonshire St. Cemetery, Sydney. The vault was later moved to Botany.

Mary and Edward were apparently not married. They had seven children and all birth records indicate the father as "unknown", and each child bore the surname of HARRISON, after their mother, however, all records after this indicate the surname as being ROBINSON, after their father. I have recorded the children's surnames as ROBINSON, and they are
Elizabeth (1795 at Toongabbie), my direct ancestor who married (1) convict George SMITH (2) (2) John Woodness SMITH, Harriet (1797) married Abraham ELIAS, Ann (1798) married (1) Ezekiel WOOD (2) Henry Edward MARR,, Mary (1800) married Edward POWELL, Maria (1803) married James POWELL, Robert (1804 died in infancy) and Edward William Alexander (1805) married Jane BEASLEY.

Mary HARRISON died on 24 Feb 1810 and three years later Edward married his second wife Ann SHORTER on 1 Mar 1813 in St. Matthew's Church of England Windsor. Ann was also a former convict, who had been sentenced to 7 years transportation at Sessions of the Peace, Middlesex on 8 December 1809 and had arrived in Australia on 10 October 1811 aboard the ship 'Friends'. Ann had been assigned as a servant to Ellis BENT in Newcastle. On 12 November 1812 she was returned to Sydney, her sentence having expired early. She was granted permission to marry Edward ROBINSON on 8 February 1813 and they married two weeks later on 1 March at the Parish of Hawkesbury Chapel, Windsor.

There were no children were born to his second marriage with Ann SHORTER. She died on 25 August, 1835, and was buried at St. Matthews Church of England, Windsor.

He made his Will on 11 May, 1820, including the words, "being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, but considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof........". He died shortly after, on 6 June, 1820, at the Halfway House, Parramatta Road. He was buried 5 days later in the Devonshire Street Cemetery, Sydney, which was contrary to his Will, which indicated, "I direct my body may be decently interred in the burial ground of Windsor....".

The vault was later moved to Botany when the cemetery was closed to make way for the construction of Central Railway in 1901. It was at Botany that Edward's daughter, Ann, erected a family headstone. Unfortunatley, while a record of the inscription still remains, the original headstone no longer exists. It reads;

"Sacred to the Memory of Edward ROBINSON, died June 5, 1820, aged 65 years. also Ezekiel WOOD, son-in-law, died November 23, 1826, aged 34, leaving a widow and an infant daughter. Mrs Mary ROBINSON, died February 24, 1810, aged 37. Also in memory of Henry MARR Esq, died August 31, 1835, aged 65, leaving a wife and a large family".
Ezekiel WOOD and Henry MARR were Ann ROBINSON's 1st and 2nd husbands.

The following references to Edward ROBINSON are found in the "Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers 1788 to 1825";
1794 Dec 9: List of grants and leases of land registered.
1802 Sep 15: Office.
1802 Apr 10: Arms in possession (2 guns, 0 pistols, 0 swords, 0 bayonets).
1809 Mar - Sep: Produce received from the Hawksbury stores.
1809 Sep 28: On list of all grants and leases of town allotments registered in the Colonial Secretary's Office.
1810 Jan: Memorial.
1810 Jul 21: Of, near Burial Ground. Licence to retail beer, ale and porter.
1811 Mar 6: Received spirit licence in February at Windsor.
1812 Aug 26: Juror at Inquest of John Culverson, held at Sydney.
1812 Sep 12: Permitted to draw cattle from the Government herds on credit.

Article Source: http://www.familyhistoryarticles.com

1. Taylor & Ashdown Family Genealogy. 2. Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers 1788 to 1825. 3. NSW BDM Marriage Certificate No. V18131462 3A/1813.

Please Rate this Article

# of Ratings = 1 | Rating = 5/5