Ann Harper – Second Fleet 1790

gnarlytree Ann Harper, Convicts, First Fleet, Jacob Bellett


Photo: Robert Dodd / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Bellett, Ann (c. 1772–1842)

Ann Harper, a grape seller, was found guilty, on 18 February 1788 at the Bristol Quarter Sessions of stealing a silver cream jug and 11 silver spoons. Sentenced to 7 years transportation she arrived in Sydney in June 1790 aboard the Lady Juliana as part of the Second Fleet. In August she was sent to Norfolk Island on the Surprize. In February 1791 she and Jacob Bellett were jointly issued with a sow; they were living together on a small farm near Sydney Town by July, and were married during the island mass wedding ceremony in November 1791. By December 1792 the couple had moved to a hilly 12 acre farm at First Settlers Vale overlooking the sea. By 1796 Ann held 39 acres in her name and Jacob held 12 acres in his name.

The couple, with their eight children, left the island for Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) on the City of Edinburgh in 1808. Ann died at Sorell on 10 September 1842 and was buried in the Anglican Cemetery there. She was known (and was buried as) Ann Harrison. It is not known if she remarried following her husband’s death in 1813.

* information from Michael Flynn, The Second Fleet: Britain’s Grim Convict Armada of 1790 (1993), pp 317-18

 

 

First Fleeters – Edward Garth, Susannah Gough/Garth & Jacob Bellett

gnarlytree Convicts, Edward Garth, First Fleet, Jacob Bellett, Susannah Gough Garth

By Thomas Gilbert From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales [DSM/Q981/26A1] (Detail from Plate VI, 'Chatham Islands' facing page 48, in 'Voyage from New South Wales to Canton, in the year 1788 : with views of the islands discovered' by Thomas Gilbert, London 1789) (Mitchell Library)

The Scarborough passing through the Chatham Islands 1788
By Thomas Gilbert  From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales [DSM/Q981/26A1]
(Detail from Plate VI, ‘Chatham Islands’ facing page 48, in ‘Voyage from New South Wales to Canton, in the year 1788 : with views of the islands discovered’ by Thomas Gilbert, London 1789) (Mitchell Library)

Garth, Edward (c. 1763–1823)

Edward Garth was found guilty on 8 December 1784 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing two cows. His death sentence was commuted to seven years transportation. He served time on the Ceres hulk before arriving in Sydney in January 1788 aboard the Scarborough as part of the First Fleet. Immediately on arrival Garth was among those chosen to settle at Norfolk Island. They left on the Supply on 14 February 1788. By July 1791 Garth was supporting three people (Susannah Gough and their daughter Mary Anne) on two acres of land; the couple married in November 1791.

On 6 July 1789 Garth had been ordered 100 lashes for the theft of thee quarts of wheat out of a bag. By 1805 he had become a second class settler and had 6 children; 14 of his 30 acres were cultivated and he had 31 swine. Garth left Norfolk Island with his family for Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) on the Porpoise in late December 1807. He later had extensive holdings at Clarence Plains, Queenborough and Brown’s River. He died at his farm at Sandy Bay on 13 December 1823. His burial was registered at St David’s, Hobart; his age was given as 55.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 139-40

Bellett, Jacob (c. 1766–1813)

Jacob Bellett, a silk weaver, was found guilty on 12 January 1785 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing 51 ells of half-ell lining, one pound of unwound black silk and 32 ounces of double black silk wound. Sentenced to 7 years transportation he was sent to the Ceres hulk before arriving in Sydney in January 1788 aboard the Scarborough as part of the First Fleet.

On 4 March 1790 Bellett was sent to Norfolk Island on the Supply. By July 1791 he was supporting two people on a Sydney Town lot. In December he was living on 12 acres. By mid June 1794 he was living with Ann Harper and two children.

In 1805 Bellett was listed as a constable and had 26 acres cultivated, with 22 waste acres and held 16 swine. He and his wife had 7 children. On 3 September 1808, Bellett, his wife and 8 children were evacuated to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) on the City of Edinburgh where he took up 45 acres at Queenborough and 40 acres at Gloucester. His burial was registered at St David’s Hobart on 2 December 1813; his age given as 47.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 32-33

Friendship Convict transport ship (Marine artist Frank Allen)

Garth, Susannah (Susan) (c. 1763–1841)

Susannah Gough/Garth/Grates (c.1763-1841) and Elizabeth Dudgeon were found guilty on 10 September 1783 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing money from a man with whom they had been drinking. Garth was sentenced to seven years transportation to America and embarked on the Mercury in March 1784 but, following a convict rebellion on board the ship, she was recaptured and spent several years on the Dunkirk hulk before embarking in March 1787 on the Friendship for New South Wales. She was transferred to the Charlotte at Rio de Janeiro on 11 August.

Susannah was one of six women selected to go to Norfolk Island in February 1788. By 1791 she was living with Edward Garth; her first daughter Mary Ann was born in 1789; Garth was probably the farther. The couple were married in a mass wedding ceremony on the island in November 1791.

Susannah left Norfolk Island with her husband and six children on the Porpoise in December 1807 for Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). She died on 24 June 1841 at Hobart; her age was given as 78.

* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), pp 140-41