#12 ANCESTORS IN 12 MONTHS - 2022 - FEBRUARY - LANDED

LANDED - FEBRUARY

 

My ancestor Thomas Rowley after arriving in Port Jackson in February 1792 went on to become in my opinion one of the “Landed Gentry”. 

When Thomas arrived in the colony as a Lieutenant he obviously had plans of bettering himself. He was soon appointed to the role of Captain in June 1796.^⁠1 

From early on after arriving in the colony Thomas initially applied for a lease of 2 acres in May 1793. His thirst for acquiring land didn’t stop there.  

Over the next 11 years Thomas accumulated over 3000 acres of land through grants. Governors Grose, Hunter and King were instrumental in these grants^⁠2:

• 1793 - May 2 acres lease - between the Brickfields and corner of Church Street.
• 1793 - May 100 acres grant - Petersham Hill (Kingston Farm)
• 1794 - October 70 acres grant - Petersham Hill
• 1798 - August 85 acres grant - Banks Town
• 1799 - August 260 acres grant -Liberty Plains
• 1799 - October 150 acres grant - York Plains
• 1802 - March 190 acres grant - Liberty Plains
• 1803 - August 240 acres grant - Petersham
• 1803 - August 750 acres grant - Liberty Plains/Concord
• 1804 - July 700 acres grant - Banks Town

Thomas established his home on his initial couple of grants, which he named Kingston Farm, probably after his birthplace in Surrey, England.  It would have been here at Kingston Farm that his partner Elizabeth Selwyn raised their five children.  

Kingston Farm grew in size to over 700 acres with consecutive grants.  Much of the time Elizabeth would have been alone raising their children in a remote area in isolated bushland while Thomas attended to his Military duties.  Even with servants and convict labour to work the farm it would have been difficult without family support.

It is reported that soldiers were granted twenty-five acre lots and this indicates to me that Thomas Rowley’s standing in the Colony was of importance with the size of his landholdings over a relative short time.

I wonder how much he would have been capable of achieving had he lived longer.

_________________________

¹ B. H. Fletcher, 'Rowley, Thomas (1747–1806)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rowley-thomas-2614/text3605, published first in hardcopy 1967, accessed online 12 February 2022.

² Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,

2010.

Convict Ancestors Assignment

For the following essay for the Convict Ancestors Unit I chose to write about Elizabeth Selwyn. For this essay we were required to write and publish it on the Website "Our Family Past". It was quite a learning curve as I not only had to conquer writing an academic essay but also learn the technology of writing and posting on this site. I had to include links in my writings to other articles, which I wrote myself, from my research. So at the bottom of each part of the essay you will find in red the link to each article. For the ease of reading this essay, I have included the article directly after ( so the link doesn't work, it is just to show how clever I was!!)

My mark for this assignment was 70/100 with the Feedback as follows:
Dear Marcia, you have obviously put a lot of work into researching your story to try to piece together fragments of Elizabeth's life into a largely coherent narrative. A few relevant images and some additional information pertaining to general aspects of Elizabeth's life as a convict and settler would have helped contextualise her experience. I wish you well in any further work you do in answering the many remaining questions concerning her life.




HAA007 INTRO - Elizabeth Selwyn


This is the story of Elizabeth Selwyn, who is my Great Great Great Grandmother.

Elizabeth was just another of the many convict women who shaped the new colony of Australia, in it’s early days.

Elizabeth’s story looks like it may have been a “Rags to Riches” one!

Although it has been a challenge to find many records that actually tell her story, I have been able to piece together from persons around her, the path her life may have followed.

It is uncertain what she may have faced in her private life, as though she had five children, she never married their father, who was a Lieutenant on the vessel she came to Australia on, in 1792.

So what did she face bringing up her children? Did she love her partner and he her? What was life like after her partner’s death, bringing up 5 children as a single parent?


To read more of Elizabeth's Story please click here -
HAA007 MAIN - Elizabeth Selwyn "Rags to Riches".



HAA007 MAIN - Elizabeth Selwyn "Rags to Riches".


Elizabeth was tried at the Gloucester Assizes, Gloucestershire on 23 March 1791 for stealing clothing worth 34 shillings from her employer. She was convicted for 7 years transportation.[1]

Bath Newspaper- Report of Elizabeth Selwyn's Trial (1) 

In today’s currency this would be approximately AUD$310, and although a fairly major crime it does question whether this was a harsh sentence. But compared to other convict’s crimes and sentences this may have been just another way of solving Britain’s overcrowding Penal problem.

Elizabeth is listed on the Pitt’s indent in another two places.[2] There is not much information on these records, other than her name, where tried, date, sentence and ship.

Where she was sent to between being convicted in March 1791 and boarding the Pitt in July 1791 is still a mystery to be solved.

On arrival in Port Jackson, Elizabeth is listed as being assigned to Lieutenant Thomas Rowley as Housekeeper.[3]

Elizabeth received an Absolute Pardon in 1794.[4] This pardon came after 2 years in the new colony. Did she receive preferential treatment as the mother of Thomas’s children? There doesn't appear to be any evidence of her having re-offended after arriving in Australia.

What sort of life she had is pure speculation. There are no records of her having married Captain Rowley.

Leiutenant Rowley became a Captain in the NSW Corps in June 1796. He was assigned in November 1799 to Norfolk Island where he stayed until July 1800. He resigned in November 1801, due to ill health.

Thomas turned his hand to farming which he pursued through the acquisition of much land through Land Grants, during his lifetime.

The first was 2 acres in 1793 on the 4th May. It was a leasehold for 14 years in Sydney, requiring him to pay an annual rental of 2 shillings and 6 pence.[5]

The rest of the parcels of land that he received over the pursuing 11 years were all grants.

His second was on the 28th May 1793 of 100 acres at Petersham Hill.[6]

His third, was on the 3rd October 1794 of 70 acres again at Petersham Hill.[7]

The fourth, was on the 14th August 1798 of 85 acres, also at Petersham Hill.[8]

On the 3rd August 1799 he acquired his fifth grant of 260 acres at Liberty Plains.[9]

In 1799 he acquired his sixth parcel of land with a Grant of 160 acres in York on 8th October.[10]

On 31 March 1802 after he had retired from the NSW Corps, he was granted his seventh parcel of land of 190 acres at Liberty Plains.[11]

Two further grants followed on 9 August 1803, at Petersham and Liberty Plains/Concord, of 240 and 750 acres.[12]

The last grant being found was on 16 July 1804 at Bankstown of 700 acres.[13]

This may have made Elizabeth’s life in the colony bearable. At least it appears so, as she bore Captain Rowley five children between 1792 and 1804. Where she lived during this time is another mystery as there aren’t any records from Musters or Census’ until after his death in 1806.

The first of their children was Isabella, born 19 November 1792. Followed by Thomas on 12 August 1794. Then came John on 28 November 1797.

These 3 children were found on NSW State Records index under the name Selwin, with no mention of Captain Rowley.[14]

Screenshot from NSW-BDM, showing the first 3 children born to Thomas and Elizabeth.(2) 

Then Mary was born on the 18 March 1800, also found on NSW State Records index but under the surname of Rowley. [15] 

Screenshot from NSW BDM of Index for Mary Rowley, also showing another Mary born to Thomas and Jane Mickle.(3) 

I have also unearthed her Baptismal record, acknowledging both parents, but once again, the mother is listed as Elizabeth Selwin not Rowley.[16] This is inconclusive as to Elizabeth’s married status, as most Baptismal records today still ask for and record the mother’s maiden name.

Mary Rowley's Baptism Record(4) 

The next to be born is Eliza in 1803/1804. As yet I haven't been able to find her birth records in any name, but she is mentioned in Thomas’s Will, so she did exist! [17]

It must be mentioned now that there is a record of another Mary being born to Thomas Rowley and Jane Mickle in 1804. [18] There was another Thomas Rowley who was a convict, as was Jane Mickle, so I am inclined to think that this “Mary” is a red herring to confuse the matter, until confirmed one way or the other. This child was not acknowledge in Thomas’s Will.

If the other Mary(as mentioned above) was another of Thomas’s children, conceived and born to another women, how did Elizabeth feel about this other child? What had happened in her relationship with Thomas? Why did Thomas not provide for this child in his will?

Whatever the answer, Elizabeth was still with Thomas when he died in 1806.[19] Did this prove that she had deeper feelings for him? I feel that it would have been very hard to be a single woman bringing up 5 children on her own in that day and age(let alone an ex-convict)! Thomas left a will when he died naming Elizabeth as one of his beneficiaries.[20]

Elizabeth appears in 1814 on the Population Book 1811-1825 at Windsor listed as a Widow.[21]

I have found evidence of Elizabeth in the 1828 Census, living with Henry and Eliza Briggs(her daughter) in Petersham, aged 60 and listed as Betsey Rowley.[22]

Elizabeth died 22 June 1843 and from records found she remained in the same general area until her death.[23]

As she started calling herself Rowley and listing herself as a widow on documents after Thomas's death, it may be an indication that she felt her time spent with him entitled her to the security and respectability of calling herself Mrs, even if he hadn't done her the compliment of making it “legal”!

She probably was "well off" for the rest off her life, being provided for in the Will. Also in the 1806 Census there were listings of ten prisoners, one free by servitude prisoner and a free settler being assigned or employed by Captain Rowley and Elizabeth Selwyn(housekeeper), between the years 1801-1806.[24] So it looks like Elizabeth had help with household duties in her new life. She was able to see her children grow up free and become land owners themselves and marry other free settlers.

So her "Rags to Riches" story, may be true but I wouldn't say it was an easy life!



To view other articles, please click on a link below.


HAA007 INTRO - Elizabeth Selwyn
HAA007 - BREAKOUT 1 - The Pitt and The Voyage
HAA007 - BREAKOUT 2 - Thomas Rowley's Will 

HAAOO7 - REFFERENCES AND IMAGE CREDITS




HAA007 - BREAKOUT 1 - The Pitt and The Voyage


Elizabeth sailed on the Pitt, from Yarmouth Roads, Portsmouth on 17 July 1791. The ship’s Master was Captain Edward Manning.

Life on board the Pitt was fraught with danger. It sailed with 410 convicts, 352 being male and 58 female. Also on board was the Ship’s Surgeon Dr Jameson, and Assistant Surgeon Dr Edward Lang, a contingent from the NSW Corps, Seamen, Officer’s wives, Soldier’s wives, Free Passengers and children and Convict children.

There is no surviving ship’s log for the Pitt and so reports of the voyage depends on offical letters from officers and soldiers on the voyage.[25]

The vessel sailed with evidence of small pox on board and as well as being overcrowded. At the ports of call along the way, it was customary for the soldiers, officers and free passengers to go ashore, either for medical reasons, shopping for supplies etc.

It was usually on these excursion on shore that more medical problems were bought back on board. As convicts didn't get the chance to leave the boat they tended to escape the illnesses that were picked up in these ports.

The journey took 6 1/2 months from when they set sail from Portsmouth.

Their first stop was St Jago, at the port Praia, arriving on 16th August where they stay for a week. The island had been in drought for 3 years. The crew went onshore to collect fresh water, with the soldiers going onshore to sample the local rum and the soldiers wives also taking advantage of going onshore to do the washing!

The Pitt set sail again on 23rd August, heading towards Rio de Janeiro. The ship was soon becalmed in the waters off the tropics, where those onboard suffered with many illnesses of tropical ulcers and fevers. The convicts on board were the least affected by illness as they had not gone onshore back in Praia. There were quite a few deaths at this time, with 13 soldiers, 5 soldiers wives, 2 children and 7 crewmen.

It was after this that some of the convicts were release from their irons to help man the ship. With water in short supply and many suffering from scurvy due to their inadequate diet and lack of vitamin C, it was a relief when on 8th October Captain Manning decided to pull into Rio de Janeiro for supplies and to give the sick time to recover. After 3 weeks the ship set sail once again on the 31st October.

From here they sailed onto Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, arriving 25th November and set sail again 23rd December. It was after this that the convicts weren’t quite as lucky health wise with 40 convicts reported as sick with scurvy. It was during this part of the journey that they encountered very bad weather with a gale lasting 3 days. Again it was a relief when land was spotted and they landed at Van Diemen’s Land on the 6th February. From here they continued to sail up the eastern coast of Australia to Port Jackson, where they arrived on 14th February 1792.

HAA007 INTRO - Elizabeth Selwyn
HAA007 MAIN - Elizabeth Selwyn "Rags to Riches".
HAA007 - BREAKOUT 2 - Thomas Rowley's Will
HAAOO7 - REFFERENCES AND IMAGE CREDITS 

HAA007 - BREAKOUT 2 - Thomas Rowley's Will


The Will of Thomas Rowley can be viewed in full on Ancestry.[26] Although it is handwritten and the print is fairly faint, it is abled to be seen that Thomas provided for his descendants with good intentions.

He mentions his five "natural children" all by name, Isabella Rowley, Thomas Rowley, John Rowley, Mary Rowley and Eliza Rowley. He also mentions Elizabeth Selwyn as mother of these children.

He leaves his estate to be shared equally between the above six. He does stipulate that it is on the condition that Elizabeth does not marry or cohabitate with anyone else.

He appointed Major George Johnstone and John Harris Esq, a Surgeon, both from the NSW Corps as Executors. It stipulates in the Will that the Executors have the say on the spending of money from his estate on the education of his children and for Elizabeth's maintenance and support.

Probate was granted in 1828 in London. There was then only one surviving Executor of the Will, John Harris. How hard Elizabeth had to fight for money for herself and her children in the years from his death until Probate was granted, is open for conjecture.

But hopefully the Executors were just men and looked after the family. Below is an image of one of the pages of Thomas’ will.

Part of Thomas Rowley's Will listing his 5 "natural" children begotten on the Body of Elizabeth Selwyn.(6) 

HAA007 INTRO - Elizabeth Selwyn
HAA007 MAIN - Elizabeth Selwyn "Rags to Riches".
HAA007 - BREAKOUT 1 - The Pitt and The Voyage HAAOO7 - REFFERENCES AND IMAGE CREDITS


HAAOO7 - REFFERENCES AND IMAGE CREDITS

REFERENCES


[1] STARR, MARION, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016, p141.

[2] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.
Original data:

• New South Wales Government. Indents First Fleet, Second Fleet and Ships. NRS 1150, microfiche 620–624. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. List of Convicts: Minerva, Speedy, Royal Admiral, Minorca, Canada, Nile. NRW 1151, microfiche 625. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Bound manuscript indents, 1788–1842. NRS 12188, microfiche 614–619,626–657, 660–695. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Annotated printed indents (i.e., office copies). NRS 12189, microfiche 696–730, 732–744. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved May 20 2016. 

[3] 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

[4] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Original data:

• New South Wales Government. Copies of returns of Absolute and Conditional Pardons granted. Series 1165. State Records Reel 774, copy of 4/4492. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Registers of Conditional Pardons. Series 1170. State Records Reel 774. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Register of convicts recommended for Conditional Pardons. Series 1173. State Records Reel 797-798, copy of 4/4478-80. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Alphabetical registers of pardons. Series 1174. State Records Reel 798, copy of 6/884. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Registers of Absolute Pardons. Series 1177. State Records Reel 800, copy of 4/4486-88. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Registers of recommendations for Absolute Pardons. Series 1179. State Records Reel 800, copy of 4/4489-90. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. 
• New South Wales Government. Copies of Conditional Pardons Registered. Series 1172. Reels 775-796, 3037. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved May 26 2016 

[5] [6] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data: Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016.

[7] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data: Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[8] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data:Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[9] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data: Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[10] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data:Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[11] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data:Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[12] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data:Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[13] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010. Original data:Registers of Land Grants and Leases. Microfilm Publication 2560– 2561, 2846, 2548–2550, 2700–2702, 2704–2705, 11 rolls. Record Group NRS 13836. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 1 2016

[14] Ancestry.com. Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources. Retrieved April 15 2015.

[15] Ancestry.com. Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources. Retrieved April 15 2015.

[16] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Baptisms, 1790- 1916 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.Original data: Parish Baptism Registers. Textual records. St. John’s Anglican Church Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. St John's Anglican Church Parramatta. Retrieved June 21 2016

[17] 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.

[18] Ancestry.com. Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources. Retrieved May 18 2016.

[19] New South Wales BD&M, Reg#1/1806V18061349/4, Thomas Rowley. Retrieved April 15 2015.

[20] 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.

[21] Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Census and Population Books, 1811-1825 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data:New South Wales Government. Secretary to the Governor. Population musters, New South Wales mainland [1811–1819]. NRS 1260 [4/1224–25, 4/1227]. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved June 10 2016.

[22] 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.

[23] 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.

[24] Biographical Database of Australia, Biographical Report for Elizabeth Selwyn, Person ID: B#10011442901, General Muster of New South Wales 1806. Retrieved June 19 2016.

[25] STARR, MARION, Unhappy Exiles Convicts of the Pitt and Kitty 1792, Australia 1016

[26] 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.



IMAGE CREDITS

(1) The British Library Board, Bath Chronicle March 30 1791 (2) NSW BDM Birth Index Screenshot for 3 Rowley Children (3) NSW BDM Birth Index Screenshot for Mary Rowley
(4) Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Baptisms, 1790- 1916 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.Original data: Parish Baptism Registers. Textual records. St. John’s Anglican Church Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. St John's Anglican Church Parramatta
(5) 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.

Convicts and their Legacy Assignment

This essay was written for the "Convicts and their Legacy" Unit. I had to write about how my convicts life fitted into the broader Convict genre, based on a survey of convicts being researched by students in this course.  I had to argue  whether they were typical or atypical to convicts from the survey. This was my least favourite of all the Units but somehow I managed a good mark of 72/100 with the following Feedback:
Well done Marcia, this is great work. You've combined information from your convict research, the survey and wider research to build a story about Elizabeth.
Your structure is a little confused, there is fantastic information in there, but it jumps around a little. You also repeat some information, such as about the will. Structuring essays can be tricky, but if you set out your argument in your introduction it can help a great deal - I will discuss A, B and C, and it will lead me to this conclusion. This then also gives you a structure to follow.
Remember that your footnote references need to go at the end of sentences, after the punctuation.
Overall, great work!

 CONVICTS AND THEIR LEGACY - ELIZABETH SELWYN

My convict Elizabeth Selwyn looks typical of the majority of the female convicts, in the Convict Survey. I would like to ague that on paper she falls in the most common percentile of the results, but her life was far from typical. The records held from her early arrival in Sydney in 1792 were not as detailed as later records, especially those of Van Diemen’s Land, where records could list, ship of arrival, convicts Police Number and details of appearance. The information I have found on her from other articles leads me to think that she was atypical.

Elizabeth was 18-19 when she arrived in Sydney in February 1792. The Prison Calendar shows at the time of sentencing in March 1791 she was 18 and charged on suspicion of stealing clothing. After completing the Convict Survey I received a NSW Burial Transcription Record, showing that Elizabeth died in 1843 and was 78, putting her age at approximately 27 years old on arrival. As these two records are at variance with each other it could be argued that Elizabeth falsified her age at her trial in the hope of attaining a lighter sentence. But unfortunately this didn’t happen as she was sentenced, “to be transported beyond the seas for seven years”.

These records although giving conflicting information to the Family Historian, highlight the fact that Elizabeth was neither typical or atypical in regards age on arrival in Australia. She was in the 20% range for 18-19 and in the 15% range for 27. These ages were a long way from the most typical range of 20-24 which was in the 40% range of those surveyed. This discrepancy in the recorded age of Elizabeth may also be an indication of her illiteracy.

I filled in the survey with Elizabeth’s literacy level as unknown, which puts her into the largest percentile on the Survey graph. It is difficult not to make the assumption that her differing age records indicate that she actually fell into the third largest percentile of the Survey of being “Neither read nor write”. She may not have known her age at the time of her conviction or indeed in later life.

Many Historians have written about the illiteracy of convicts being transported to Australia, with the general consensus being around 75% literacy levels. This is maybe where Elizabeth differed from the majority on the Survey. On the graph approximately 14% showed as illiterate, with the rest having some literacy and the largest being unknown. It is possible that after living in the Colony for approximately 51 years, she acquired some education enabling her to state her age at a later date with some degree of certainty. In the 1828 NSW Census, she is listed as Betsey Rowley living with her son-in-law and daughter, Henry and Eliza Briggs with age as 60, which falls into the age range of plus or minus 3 years as shown on the Death Transcription. One could argue that she was in the habit of writing her age near the end of her life. Interestingly these literacy records tie back to the previous argument about Elizabeth’s age.

Elizabeth never married. She lived with Captain Thomas Rowley whom she was assigned to at the time of her arrival in the Colony in February 1792 as a Housekeeper. Approximately nine months later she gave birth to her and Thomas’s first child Isabella.

This was atypical compared to the other convicts in the Survey as most were married at least once. The fact that she also went on to have another four children to him before his death in 1806, could be argued to be atypical as she was considered to be in a Common Law Marriage. 

A lot of the female convicts that arrived in the early days of the Colony were forced into prostitution to survive, they were not transported for prostitution, which was not a crime . It was a crime to live with or have relationships with men at this time. Children were taken from their mothers once weaned. Research shows Elizabeth, was not convicted of any of theses crimes after transportation and her children were still with her at the time of Captain Rowley’s death in 1806. 

It is interesting to note that she was mention as joint beneficiary along with her five “Natural” children in Captain Rowley’s Will. This could be argued that there was mutual respect in her life with Captain Rowley, as he would not have been under any obligation to provide for her, even if he felt the need to provide for his children. At the time of his death, Elizabeth was an emancipist. She was free to marry, if she so desired. But the terms of Captain Rowley’s Will may have influenced her to remain single to provide for her future and to remain with her children. 

Elizabeth served approximately 3 years of her 7 year sentence. She was granted an Absolute Pardon in May 1794. This was typical of the survey results, as it was the second most common answer. But it could be argued that once again this was atypical to the survey results. Elizabeth was in a Common Law marriage, raising one child and pregnant with her second to Captain Rowley. Was her pardon granted on recommendation from him? She went on to have another three children, with Captain Rowley after her pardon, with the last being born in 1803/4. 

We know that Elizabeth had five “Natural” children to Captain Rowley, and raised them on her own after his death. She was named in his Will along with the children, Isabella, Thomas, John, Mary and Eliza. A condition of the Will being that she did not co-habitate with anyone else. She remained unmarried until her death in 1843. Her children in most instances, went on to being landholders and were all acknowledged as being ‘born free’ in the Colony.

In conclusion Elizabeth’s life as a convict has many similarities with others in the Survey. She was assigned to the father of her children and never legally married him, causing one to question the differences that her life must have been from others on the Survey. The fact that she raised five children on her own, after his death and was named in his Will indicates that he trusted her, with the care of his children. 

It also indicates that the underlying similarity of Elizabeth with other Convict women was that she was another strong woman in a long line of strong women in the founding of our country.

BIBLIOGRAHPY

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