Family History
Below is a list of some of my forebears. Ten of them were convicts transported from Britain. Two arrived on the 'First Fleet' in 1788 and several arrived on the 'Second Fleet' in 1790. Click on their names to learn more!
William Watson and Elizabeth Hill
William and Elizabeth lived in Yorkshire and were married in 1811. William whose family originally came to Yorkshire from Bishop Briggs near Glasgow, had family who settled in Bradford. William and Elizabeth had four children, two sons and two daughters, John, Martha, Hannah and Thomas. They were steerage passengers on the ship Harvey which arrived in Hobart Town in May 1825.
Jacob Bellette and Ann Harper
Jacob Bellette, a silkweaver, was tried at the Old Bailey in 1785 for stealing material. Sentenced to seven years' transportation, he sailed with the First Fleet on the Scarborough. From 1790 he worked at Norfolk Island and was allowed to settle in 1791. He lived with Ann Harper who had been convicted of stealing a silver cream jug and 11 silver spoons, and sentenced to 7 years transportation. She arrived in the Second Fleet in 1790 on the Lady Juliana. During the next ten years, Jacob and Ann had four daughters and three sons. On the evacuation of the island, the family was re-settled in Van Diemen's Land. Jacob Bellette died in Hobart in 1813.
Robert Alomes and Elizabeth Bellette
Robert Alomes arrived in Hobart in 1804 on the Ocean with Colonel David Collins. He was the first man as sergeant of marines to plant the Union Jack at the site of Hobart Town. Elizabeth Bellette was the first daughter of Jacob and Ann Bellette.
John Watson and Amelia Alomes
John Watson was the eldest son of William and Elizabeth Watson. Amelia Alomes was the tenth child and fourth daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Alomes.
Edward (aka Edwin) Goodwin and Mary Anne Jones
Edward was a convict and arrived on the ship Aurora (1) following departure from Downs on 27 Jun 1835.
Mary Anne Jones was also a convict and arrived in Hobart Town aboard the convict ship Hector in 1836. It is understood she was convicted for a number of petty crimes. Mary Anne and Edward met in Hobart Town. Edward applied for permission to marry Mary Anne on the 10th July 1837. Permission was granted, Edward was 24 years and Mary Anne was 22 years.
Edward Chaplin and Margaret Mackintosh
Edward (aka Edwin) Chaplin was convicted as a 16 year old of stealing lead from a roof on a house in London. He was sentenced to 7 years transportation. Prior to his conviction, he was an apprentice bootmaker in Chelsea, London.
Edward arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1818. He was of very good behaviour and had a ticket of leave by 1822. He received his Freedom Certificate in 1824. Edward first married Sarah Campbell and later Margaret Mackintosh. Margaret was a convict from Scotland. Edward had a total of 16 children. He received a land grant from Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur in 1831. He was very successful as a farmer at Black Brush, Broadmarsh near Brighton. He died in October 1874 at the age of 73.
Edwin Walter Goodwin and Margaret Chaplin
Edwin was the eldest son of Edward (aka Edwin) Goodwin and Mary Anne Jones. Margaret was the third child of Edward Chaplin and Margaret Mackintosh.
James Henry Shaw and Sophia Neate
James Henry Shaw arrived in Australia as a convict in 1844 on the ship Lord Auckland .
Sophia Neate’s father Thomas Neate (aka John Robinson) was also a convict and the family of wife Ann, daughters Sophia and Frances immigrated to join him in 1851 on the barque Ann Thomson.
Thomas Hilton Tennant aka Philip Devine and Ann Doyle
Thomas Tennant aka Philip Devine was a convict and First Fleeter . A currier aged 25, he was tried at Chelmsford, Essex in 1786 for burglary. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, he arrived on the Alexander . From 1790 to 1794 he worked at Norfolk Island, and by 1814 held a grant of land in the Windsor - Richmond area. He died on 9 February 1821.
Ann Doyle was convicted at Kent, aged 18, of burglary. She was originally sentenced to death but this was commuted to 7 years transportation. Ann arrived on the Lady Juliana (Second Fleet). She was sent to Norfolk Island where she lived with Thomas Tennant aka Philip Devine. Their children were Sarah Devine, Rebecca Devine, Edward Devine and Thomas Devine.
Ann married William Parsons in Hobart Town in 1812 and died there in 1822.
Edward Verrell and Eliza Catherine Fauscett
Edward and Eliza were free settlers. Edward Verrell arrived in Hobart from Ireland.
Eliza Catherine Fausett (sometimes spelt Fawcett or Fauscett) arrived in Hobart on 25 December 1854 on the ship William Hammond via Plymouth from Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
George Topfer and Jane Chilcott
George Topfer was born in Essen, Germany on 2nd February 1832. Migrated to Australia with his father George and sister Anna as assisted immigrants on the German ship Johann Caesar which arrived in Moreton Bay (Queensland) on 8th February 1856. George, aged 40 years old, was naturalised on 8th July 1873.