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Mary HARRISON arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Mary Ann' on 9 Jul 1791.

Mary HARRISON was born in England in 1774. In 1790 she was performing live-in servant duties for the family of Thomas and Catherine WEST at 26 Lower Sloan Street, Chelsea, being employed there for about five months.

Whilst working at the house certain items of haberdashery (silk, thread, cotton, tape, teaspoons, pepperbox, gauze) went missing. Mrs WEST accused Mary, but nothing was found in her room. Mary then left, and went to live with her sister. Mrs WEST was still suspicious of Mary, and arranged for a search warrant to be obtained for the sister's house. Constable Thomas HAYLEY executed the search warrant, and the property was located in a box. When the property was found, young Mary did not say anything but fell down crying.

On 27/10/1790, Mary appeared before Justice HEATH at the Old Bailey, Middlesex. She called upon one character witness. Mary was found guilty of the offence, and at 16 years of age, she was sentenced to 7 years transportation. (Possibly the innocent victim of her sister's crime? See Trial Proceedings).

Mary HARRISON was transported from England on 16 Feb 1791, aboard the "Mary Ann", mastered by Mark MUNROE. This was a 298 ton vessel which was built in France in 1772. It arrived in Sydney on 9 Jul 1791, a voyage of 143 days which was a record at that time for a trip from England to Australia. This included a 10 day stopover at St. Jago for supplies. Of a total 150 female convicts to leave England, Mary HARRISON, was one of 141 that survived the voyage. Once again there is conjecture as to which Fleet the "Mary Ann" was part of. Some books have it sailing from England with another ship independently from the 2nd and 3rd Fleets, while other books have it as the first vessel of the 3rd Fleet, although the majority of the 3rd Fleet proper sailed from England some time after the "Mary Ann". There is no record of any period of indenture or assignment upon her arrival in Sydney.

During Mary's first years in the Colony she met up with another convict, Edward ROBINSON, and it appears that they were together in the new convict settlement at Toongabbie (see Edward's history for those details). If it is accepted that Mary's ship was the first of the 3rd Fleet, and Edward's was the last ship of the 3rd fleet (most historical books agree with this), it is of some interest that of 2047 convicts of this Fleet, 554 were dead by the end of 1792, which just shows how harsh the conditions were for our convict ancestors.

In the 1806 Muster Mary was listed as Mary ROBINSON (XA3840) per "Mary Ann", Free by Servitude, Housekeeper to Edward ROBINSON. Edward ROBINSON, "Admiral Barrington" was listed as Free by Pardon, Settler. This was the only Edward ROBINSON listed in the 1806 Muster. In Marsden's Femal Muster of that year, she was listed as Mary ROBINSON (C1069), "Mary Ann", Concubine with 2 male 7 5 female Natural children (illegitimate children living with the mother). The indent of the "Mary Ann" lists her as Mary HARRISON. The only time her name is officially listed as Mary Ann is on her Burial Certificate. Mary's Death Notice in the Sydney Gazette on 3 Mar 1810 incorrectly stated " On Sunday morning last, Mrs. Marion ROBINSON,wife of Edward ROBINSON, after an illness of several months, much lamented by her large and promising family".

Mary HARRISON and Edward ROBINSON (born 1754 in Hudswell, Yorkshire, England) had the following childrenL
Elizabeth ROBINSON b: 10 MAY 1795 in Sydney Cove, Sydney NSW Australia (my direct ancestor, who married George SMITH born 1777 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, Convict who arrived on the 'Fortune').

Harriett ROBINSON b: 5 MAR 1797 in Wilberforce NSW Australia
Ann WOOD nee ROBINSON b: 4 JUN 1798 in Wilberforce NSW Australia
Mary ROBINSON b: 1800 in Wilberforce NSW Australia
Maria ROBINSON b: 1803 in Wilberforce NSW Australia
Robert ROBINSON b: 1804 in Wilberforce NSW Australia
Edward William Alexander ROBINSON b: 25 DEC 1805 in Wilberforce NSW

Mary HARRISON died at the age of 36, on 24 Feb 1810. she was buried two days later in the Old Burial Ground, George Street Sydney, but was later moved to the ROBINSON vault at the Devonshire Street Cemetery. This cemetery was later moved to Botany when Central Railway was built in 1901.

Tthe Old Bailey Records :
MARY HARRISON, theft: simple grand larceny, 27 Oct 1790.
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17901027-40
Trial Summary:
Crime(s): theft : simple grand larceny,
Punishment Type: transportation, (Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.)
Verdict: Guilty: with recommendation,
Original Text:
728. MARY HARRISON was indicted for stealing, on the 30th of June last, three
yards of Persian silk, value 12 s. one muslin handkerchief, value 6 d. three ounces of thread, value 12 d. three ounces of cotton, value 18 d. twelve yards of tape, value 6 d. three tea-spoons, value 3 s. a glass pepper-box, value 6 d. a gauze cap border, value 8 d. and two yards of tape, value 2 d. the property of Thomas West.

CATHERINE WEST sworn.
I am wife to Thomas West, of Chelsea. The latter end of June last, I lost the things in the indictment, from No. 26, Lower Sloane-street; I missed the Persian about a week before; the prisoner lived with me as a servant, five months and a fortnight; I discovered I had been robbed, and suspected another person who was in the house; and I took her up by what the prisoner told me, and found nothing; the prisoner left me, and went to her sister's; and I got a search warrant, and in her box I found all the things in the indictment; her box was at her sister's house; the prisoner said nothing about the box or things.

THOMAS HAYLEY sworn.
I am a constable. I found these things in the box; the prisoner was below stairs; she saw the things; we found nothing upon her, nor in her box; but we found the things in her sister's box, in the prisoner's apartment; her sister had been at my house.

Court to Hayley. When these things were found, did the prisoner say any thing? - No; she fell a crying directly.

THOMAS LINDSEY sworn.
I was at the prosecutor's house all the time, and I was present at the search; I saw every thing taken out of the box, except the handkerchief, which was found round the sister's neck; the girl was brought up, and cried very much; the sister took a key out of her pocket, and unlocked the box; she afterwards
declared it was the prisoner's box, and she had lent it to her; the prisoner was by at the time of the declaration: she said nothing before Justice Gordon; the girl declared she had taken the things from her mistress.

Was that reduced into writing? - I cannot tell.

(The Persian and the pin deposed to.)

The prisoner called one witness who gave her a very good character.

GUILTY.
Recommended by the jury and prosecutrix.
Transported for seven years.
Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron HOTHAM.

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

1. Taylor & Ashdown Family Genealogy. 2.The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17901027-40. Trial Summary. 3. NSW Birth Death & Marriage Death Regn V1810 2473 2A & V1810 525 .

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