VALENTINE
Two hundred and twenty six years ago on 14 February 1792 a Valentine’s Day story of a unique kind was ignited.
I like to imagine that it went something like this….
Shading her eyes at the brilliant sunshine Elizabeth wondered how she would ever get use to this incessant heat. Her clothes stuck to her as sweat trickled down her back.
Remembering her time on the Pitt, she was thankful that Lieutenant Rowley had taken her under his protection and away from the rest of the convicts. Her duties had been simple and keeping the Lieutenant company, as he liked to call it wasn’t a hardship to be endured.
After six and a half months that time was now at an end. We will be docking shortly and I will be going with the rest of the convicts to wherever they are taking us. Oh, I wish I could stay on this stinking ship with Thomas.
Back in her irons, she was herded up to the top deck with the surviving convicts. Shuffling slowly as the irons now chafed her, she made her way to the marshalling area. At least the last 6 months with Thomas has kept me out of these dam irons.
Thomas hadn’t even said goodbye this morning. I guess for him it is just another day. But today will be the day that I return to the life of a convict. Today I will be locked up again. No more freedom of being Lieutenant Rowley’s servant. No more protection.
The soldier directing 'the who went where' was reading from his book. I better listen now and stop wool gathering. Could she have heard right?
"Elizabeth Selwyn, sentenced for 7 years, assigned as housekeeper to Lieutenant Thomas Rowley."
Snapping her head up in surprise she saw him. Waiting. Watching. He motioned for her to come.
Hurrying as best she could, she was soon at his side getting her irons off.
So, he hadn’t said goodbye, because she wasn’t going anywhere but with him. Housekeeper, yes sir, I can do this!
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"Elizabeth Selwyn, sentenced for 7 years, assigned as housekeeper to Lieutenant Thomas Rowley."
Snapping her head up in surprise she saw him. Waiting. Watching. He motioned for her to come.
Hurrying as best she could, she was soon at his side getting her irons off.
So, he hadn’t said goodbye, because she wasn’t going anywhere but with him. Housekeeper, yes sir, I can do this!
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Backstory
Elizabeth Selwyn a convict committed to seven years transportation for stealing clothes, stepped foot on Australian soil, on 14 February 1792.[1]
She had been on board the Pitt for 6 and 1/2 months.[2] It is unknown what her experiences of that trip were. She didn’t keep a diary, she didn’t get into trouble so no records of misconduct were kept and no log books of the voyage survived.
Lieutenant Thomas Rowley was also on the Pitt for the voyage and was to take up duties with the NSW Corps.[3]
Thomas died in 1806 leaving her joint beneficary in his will along with his five children to her.[4]
Elizabeth Selwyn a convict committed to seven years transportation for stealing clothes, stepped foot on Australian soil, on 14 February 1792.[1]
She had been on board the Pitt for 6 and 1/2 months.[2] It is unknown what her experiences of that trip were. She didn’t keep a diary, she didn’t get into trouble so no records of misconduct were kept and no log books of the voyage survived.
Lieutenant Thomas Rowley was also on the Pitt for the voyage and was to take up duties with the NSW Corps.[3]
Thomas died in 1806 leaving her joint beneficary in his will along with his five children to her.[4]
Elizabeth died in 1843 after seeing her children go onto being free settlers of some note.[5]
Records over the years show Elizabeth as being a partner to Thomas Rowley who she was assigned to as housekeeper when she arrived.[6]
Thomas’ will also shows her having five children to him from 1792 to 1803.[7]
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1 Ancestry.com. New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806- 1849 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 5, 19-20, 32-51); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Retrieved May 20 2016
2 MARION STARR,, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016
3 MARION STARR,, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016
4 Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: London, England, Wills and Probate. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts. Images produced by permission of the City of London Corporation Libraries, Archives. Retrieved June 10 2016.
5 Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources. Retrieved June 1 2016.
6 Ancestry.com. 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (Australian Copy) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: New South Wales Government. 1828 Census: Householders’ returns [Population and Statistics, Musters and Census Records, Census, Colonial Secretary] . Series 1273, Reels 2551-2552, 2506-2507. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 10 2016.
7 Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: London, England, Wills and Probate. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts. Images produced by permission of the City of London Corporation Libraries, Archives. Retrieved June 10 2016.
2 MARION STARR,, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016
3 MARION STARR,, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016
4 Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: London, England, Wills and Probate. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts. Images produced by permission of the City of London Corporation Libraries, Archives. Retrieved June 10 2016.
5 Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources. Retrieved June 1 2016.
6 Ancestry.com. 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (Australian Copy) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: New South Wales Government. 1828 Census: Householders’ returns [Population and Statistics, Musters and Census Records, Census, Colonial Secretary] . Series 1273, Reels 2551-2552, 2506-2507. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 10 2016.
7 Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: London, England, Wills and Probate. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts. Images produced by permission of the City of London Corporation Libraries, Archives. Retrieved June 10 2016.
A wonderful blend of creative story and fact. I particularly like how you finished with the backstory. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Sandra.It is always a challenge knowing “how far is to far” in the creative part of writing, when writing about ancestors so long ago, I find.
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