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Convict Ancestry - Shame or Pride? By : With the arrival of the 'First Fleet' on 20 January 1788, Australia became the dumping ground for British convicts. Edward ROBINSON arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Admiral Barrington'on 16 Oct 1791 By : Amanda Taylor 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 Elizabeth CHAMBERS arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Kitty' on 18 Novemember 1792 By : Amanda Taylor Many researchers have recorded Elizabeth as being born in Holborn, London in 1762 or 1763. However the Society of Australian Genealogists states Elizabeth was 23 years of age at the time of her trial on 26 Oct 1791. Therefore, she would have supposedly been born in 1768? Though, her age at time of death is 78 years (therefore born about 1760). Elizabeth was sentenced to 7 yrs transportation for stealing property belonging to her employer & pawning it, then possibly setting fire to the premise George SMITH arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Fortune' on 12 July 1806 By : Amanda Taylor George SMITH was a Bookeeper in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. On 10 Aug 1805 at Warwick Assizes England, George was sentenced to seven years transportation and he left England on on 28 January 1806 aboard the ship "Fortune" arriving in Australia on 12 July 1806. Although a convict, he was a clerk to the Bench Of Magistrates in Windsor at the time of his marriage by special licence at the Hawkesbury Chapel. He was a resident of the Windsor district since 1808 until his death. Mary HARRISON arrived in Sydney as a Convict on the ship 'Mary Ann' on 9 Jul 1791. By : Amanda Taylor 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). Samuel Lyon ASHER arrived in Sydney on the ship 'James Pattison'on 25th October 1837 By : Amanda Taylor Samuel's parents were William and Elizabeth ASHER. Samuel was a Lacemaker in Nottingham until arrested at 19 years of age on 17 Mar 1837 and transported for 14 years at Nottingham Quarter Sessions. He was tried and charged with four other men and found guilty of stealing a coat valued at 2 shillings, a pair of gloves, a gimblet and a ball of twine from the Fishpond Gardens of Nottingham Castle. On a second indictment they were also found guilty of stealing a coat, a pair of gloves, a pair of shoes and a cap from a private garden. Evidence was provided by the Innkeeper of the 'Sign of the Huntsman', a Nightwatchman and owners of the stolen property. Although character references were accepted by the court, the Jury was advised that each defendant had a record of previous convictions. Samuel departed from Sheerness, at the mouth of the Thames River on 16th July 1837 on the ship "James Pattison". He arrived in Sydney on 25th October 1837. Trial Place was Surrey. William EZZY (also HIZZY & William HYSSIE) arrived in the Colony on 7 Oct 1792 on 'Royal Admiral' By : Amanda Taylor William was born at Beenham in Berkshire England, late in 1767. He was a Brewers Servant in London. He was arrested and indicted as William IZZY and sentenced to 7 years transportation to NSW. William, his wife 'free wife' Jane and their daughter Louisa sailed on the ship 'Royal Admiral' and arrived in Sydney Cove on Sunday 7th Oct 1792. He was sent to Parramatta Town and would have most likely been put to work with other convicts, clearing the country and cultivating the land. No records remain of who William EZZY was assigned to during this period and likewise no records remain of when he received his pardon. William was granted 130 acres of land at Clarendon on 11 August 1804 by Governor King, the greater part of which became the original portion of the Richmond RAAF Base in NSW. He applied himself to his farming with evident success, for it was no time at all before he and Jane were entirely off Government Stores and were supplying themselves and their growing family with their daily food requirement and for the next six years the family settled down to farming and raising their children.

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