Mary Smiles · Bond of Friendship Mary Smiles - Northumberland - 2 - Longbenton, now part of the Newcastle conurbation was a village situated about three miles north-east by north

Bond of Friendship Mary Smiles - Northumberland

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Mary Smiles

Date of Trial: 16 April 1817

Where Tried: Northumberland Quarter Session

Crime: Larceny

Sentence: 7 years

Est YOB: 1794

Stated Age on Arrival: 24

Native Place: Newcastle

Occupation: Country Servant

Alias/AKA: Mary Errington/Harrington/Arlington/Hanington

Marital Status (UK): Married – James Smiles

Children on Board:

Surgeon’s Remarks: Inoffensive and industrious

Assigned NSW or VDL NSW

In February 1817 Mary Smiles was committed for trial at the next session, charged with stealing from a shop in

Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne. At the trial held on 16 April Mary Smiles of Byker Hill was indicted for having

stolen four yards of printed cotton in the Dean Street shop of one Miss Verty. At the time Byker was a densely

populated industrialised subdistrict of Newcastle, lying on the River Tyne, about 1¼ miles from the city centre.

Map showing Byker and Byker Hill1

Found guilty, Mary was sentenced to seven years’ transportation.2 Just over a month later she, together with fellow

inmates and future shipboard companions Elizabeth Burrell and Jane Granger, were sent off from Newcastle Gaol

on the journey to Deptford where they would embark on the awaiting convict transport.3 On board the Friendship

Mary was almost a model prisoner – inoffensive and industrious according to Surgeon Superintendent Peter

Cosgreave. The bound indentures describe Mary as a 24 year old country servant and ‘ux James Smiles’.4 No

doubt Mary was determined not to cause trouble – after all, at the conclusion of the voyage she anticipated a

reunion with her husband who had been in the colony since September 1815.

Mary Errington had become Mary Smiles when, on 10 April 1813 at St Bartholomew’s Church, Longbenton,

Northumberland, she and James Smiles, both of them ‘of the parish’ were married by banns and with consent of

parents [the bride’s?]. James Smiles was the only member of the wedding party who was able to sign the register.


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Longbenton, now part of the Newcastle conurbation was a village situated about three miles north-east by north

from Newcastle. The inhabitants were employed mainly in the extensive collieries, quarries and foundries. The

Church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, was situated in a secluded valley, a little distant from the village, and was

almost entirely rebuilt in 1791.

St. Bartholomew Church, Longbenton5

The Smiles, who very soon after their marriage had welcomed son William Edward, baptised at Longbenton on

25 July 1813, had been married for only eight months when husband and father James was arrested.6 The

Caledonian Mercury of 27 December 1813 published a detailed and graphic account of the crime for which James

Smiles was charged and detained at the Tynemouth House of Correction.

In the night of Saturday se’ennight, a most daring burglary was committed in the house of Mr Cuthbert Pye of

Scaffold Hill, between Newcastle and North Shields, farmer. About 12 o’clock, the family, which consisted of Mr

Pye, his brother, and two sisters, was alarmed by the driving in of the window of the room wherein Mr Pye slept,

which was done with great violence, both glass and frame, with a pitman’s mallet; and the two men entered at

the breach. Mr Pye jumped out of bed, and seized one of them by the collar; but being only a feeble old man,

the ruffian soon forced him into the room where his brother, still more feeble, slept, and fastened the door upon

them both. In the meantime the sisters had rushed down stairs at the alarm, and one of them was brutally

knocked down by the other ruffian, who threatened to murder her instantly if she did not cease her outcries, and

finally muffled up her head in an old great coat, leaving her lying terribly bruised on the floor. During this scuffle

the other sister escaped through the broken window, and ran to alarm the nearest neighbours at Scaffold Hill

Mill, across the field. On her way thither, nearly naked of course, she was much cut and bruised by falling over

stones and bushes in the dark. The persons at the mill instantly obeyed the summons, but before they could

reach the scene of outrage, the robbers had got off with the sole object of their attack, the money chest, which


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stood near Mr Pye’s bed, and contained upwards of L.1200, in gold, silver, and bank notes. Several people were

soon collected, and ran in different directions in pursuit of the robbers; but no trace of them was discovered till

day-light on Sunday morning, when the chest was found in a field behind the house, robbed of its contents,

except about 400 guineas in gold, which were in one of the lockers withinside, and which the thieves either had

not discovered, or had not time to force open. Among the property stolen, was L.60 in silver, and a cocoa nut

sugar basin containing some gold. The bank notes were in two pocket-books. The iron mallet, with which the

window was driven in, was found upon the premises, and by the initials R.P. upon it, was known to belong to a

neighbouring colliery. As it was well known in the vicinity that large sums were hoarded in the house, and the

proceedings of the robbers clearly proved that they were well acquainted with the premises, suspicion fell upon

Mr Pye’s hind, named James Smiles, a suspicious character, and on a pitman belonging to Long Benton colliery,

named Edward Robson, whose mallet was wanting. They were both apprehended, and on searching their

houses, circumstances appeared sufficiently strong to warrant their commitment for further examination. They

are now in the house of correction at Tynemouth. The hind’s house appeared to be a repository for stolen goods;

corn and sacks, a sheep’s skin, and with part of the head left on, and mutton stowed here and there indicated

night butchering in the fields. In an oven, on the outside of the house, a pound of tea was found concealed

among some bricks; but the searchers not being then aware that such an article was in Mr Pye’s chest, left it

behind them, and on their return, after having learned that circumstance, they found it had been taken away,

and thus the evidence this would have afforded is lost.7

The trial did not take place until 11 August 1814. James Smiles was found guilty and sentenced to death. His

accomplice Edward Robson turned King’s evidence and was let off.8 Following the trial James was held at the

County Gaol to await execution.9 However, the death sentence was commuted to transportation for life and, on

17 December, 26 year old James Smiles was received on board the prison hulk Justitia.10 As an aside, the

Lancaster Gazette, made specific mention of Edward Robson in its report of an accident at the mine at Heaton in

June 1815. It was, commented the reporter, ‘somewhat remarkable’ that Robson, accomplice in the Scaffold Hill

burglary, but who was admitted evidence, was one of those killed in the accident.11

Map showing Longbenton, Scaffold Hill and Heaton12

Prisoners on the Justitia were transferred to the convict ship Baring in February 1815. James was one of 300

convicts on board who left England in April 1815 and one of the 298 who survived the voyage and arrived at New

South Wales on 7 September 1815. He was described in the indents as being quite tall, at 5’ 9”, with a ruddy

complexion, light brown hair and hazel eyes. All were disembarked on 15 September and distributed to settlers

and government service.13 James was not included in the list of those sent out to Windsor, Parramatta and

Liverpool so he was most likely reserved for government service, and was listed as such for the 1820 Settler and

Convict list.14


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James Smiles was not a ‘regular’ in the listing of those who corresponded with the Colonial Secretary’s office, but

one item is of particular interest. Why was James Smiles seeking permission to marry in March 1818, two months

after his wife Mary had arrived in the colony? It is only on inspecting the relevant document that the mystery is

solved. The request, dated 17 March 1818, was submitted on James’ behalf by the Assistant Chaplain, John Youl

who, ‘having enquired into the characters and circumstances of the above named persons, found no cause or just

impediment whey they may not be satisfactorily joined in matrimony’.15

The surname of the prospective ‘bride’ was incorrectly recorded and, for whatever reason James Smiles and Mary

Arlington (actually Errington) sought to renew their vows. They were [re]married, as bachelor and spinster

respectively, on 20 April 1818 at Liverpool, John Youl officiating. Again, James, if a little shakily, was able to sign

his name; Mary made the customary mark X.16

By 1821 James had been granted a ticket of leave and, for the 1822 muster, James, Mary and 3 year old daughter

Elizabeth were at Liverpool, where James was listed as a landholder.17 He leased 100 acres, of which 60 had

been cleared, and under cultivation were 20 to wheat, 1 to peas and beans, and 2 to garden and orchard. He also

ran 4 horses, 6 horned cattle and 23 hogs.18 James’ small-holding endeavours were paying off. In 1821 he

received £8 3 4 for supplying fresh pork, and £51 7 6 for wheat supplied to the Government stores.19 The family,

with the addition of baby James was ‘captured’ in the 1823 Liverpool Population Book with James Smiles now

listed as a Constable.20 However, he did not hold this position for long. As proclaimed by Government & General

Order of 15 January 1823, James Smiles was appointed as Constable at Liverpool, vice the dismissed Dudley

Hartigan. James resigned in October 1823, to be replaced by one John Dee.21


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A notice in the 22 April 1824 issue of the Sydney Gazette informed readers of the names of those persons who

had obtained Certificates, Free Pardon, or Tickets of Leave during the previous week. Mary Smiles per Friendship

was one of those who had gained Certificate of Freedom 110/2119. From this we can form a picture of her. She

was, by 1824, stated to be 29 years of age. She was on the shortish side, standing at 4’ 11½”, had a ruddy and

pock marked complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes.22

The 1825 muster incorrectly records James as still holding the position of Constable. However it is useful in

confirming Mary’s status as free by servitude and recording another addition to the family – Mary Ann.23

The Smiles family was enumerated at Mores Farm Cabramatta for the 1828 census – James aged 40, and a

tenant; Mary aged 30 (questionable); and children Elizabeth, 9, James 6, Mary Ann 4, and Margaret, 2. The family

worked 100 acres, 40 of which were cleared and 30 cultivated. They ran 2 horses and 13 horned cattle.

Included in the household return were two servants who had served their sentences - Thomas Gough, who had

also arrived on the Baring in 1815, and Stephen Edwards, per Tottenham in 1818. 24

James Smiles was issued with a replacement ticket of leave on 20 July 1833, endorsed with the condition ‘Allowed


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to remain in the District of Liverpool’. He was in his mid-40s when in the following year on 11 August he was

granted a conditional pardon.25

As long as they stayed within the colony holders of a conditional pardon were free to move around. In the early

1840s James took the opportunity to establish himself on land in the Murrumbidgee district, classified as outside

the ‘limits of location’. He named his property “Jeremiah Station”. He was one of those listed as being issued with

a License to Depasture on 11 October 1843.26

Interviewed in connection with the Centenary of Liverpool celebrations, the Smiles’ daughter Margaret recalled

that, when she was 18, she had spent nine months at the Station before returning to Liverpool to get married.27

Only one more reference to James and the “Jeremiah Station” has been located.28


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But was the signatory ‘James Smiles’ the father or the son of that name? No record has been found to establish

when and where James Smiles senior died. It has been suggested that he died at Liverpool in 1851, but no source

is cited to support this.29 If he was the signatory of the above notice, he would have been alive in 1856. On the

other hand, could James has been a victim of the severe flooding experienced in the Murrumbidgee and Tumut

districts and reported in the newspapers in August 1851?30

I suggest that Mary Smiles did not accompany her husband to the ‘Jeremiah Station’ but remained at home at

Liverpool. It is likely that daughter Margaret was sent in her place to be housekeeper for the menfolk on the

property. It was at her home in Macquarie Street, Liverpool that Mary died on 19 February 1879, age 89, having

outlived two of her children.31

The scrawled entry in St Luke’s Parish Register confirms that she was a widow. Her funeral was held on 20

February and she was buried at the Liverpool Cemetery, now the Pioneers Memorial Park, commemorated by a

sadly damaged headstone, the inscription of which includes her great-grandson John Thomas Steel.32


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William Smiles

William was the eldest of the children of James and Mary Smiles. Born and baptised at Longbenton in July 1813,

he would have been about four years old when his mother embarked on the Friendship leaving him behind,

presumably in the care of relatives. It was as a young man that he was, however, reunited with his parents. William

arrived in the colony in 1835 aboard the well-found ship Frances Charlotte.33

William would have been in his early 30s when, on 12 May 1845, he married Ann Maria Davis at St Luke’s,

Liverpool. Both groom and bride were ‘of this parish’ and both were able to sign their names, as were the two

witnesses, James L. Quinlan and James Smiles, probably father but perhaps brother of the groom.34

Ann Maria had been born in Parramatta in 1828 to William Davis, a painter and glazier, and his wife Charlotte

Davis, two years after they had arrived on the Earl of Liverpool as free immigrants.35 William Davis had a varied

colonial career. Apart from painting and glazing, at various times he was a baker in Sydney, parish clerk and

schoolteacher at Liverpool, and licensee of hotels in Liverpool and Parramatta. Following the death of Charlotte

in late 1845, and the marriages of other children, the Davis offspring gradually moved away, including Ann Maria

who accompanied her husband William to Tumut, where he was listed as a Murrumbidgee settler. 36

At two-year intervals, over a period of twenty-four years, Ann Maria presented William with twelve children, all of

whom lived to adulthood.37

William John 1846-1904 Edward 1855-1909 Richard Joseph 1863-1900

James 1848-1925 George 1857-1936 Harrington 1865-1893

Thomas 1850-1939 Frederick 1859-1939 Alfred 1868-1949

Charles 1852-1921 Charlotte 1861-1942 Samuel 1870-1930

William Smiles and Ann Maria joined forces with James Snr at Jeremiah Station which, according to an obituary

for his William’s son Thomas who was born there, became a property of some 40,000 acres.38 Apart from his

farming interests William took out a license for the “Crown Inn” at Tumut, a role which occasionally brought him

before the Tumut Police Court, such as the time he was summoned for permitting a game of bagatelle to be played

in the house without a license.39 He also had an interest in the horses, not only as the Treasurer for the Tumut

Annual Races, but also as a race horse trainer.40


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William Smiles, farmer, was 57 when he died on 12 February 1872 at Gilmore, Tumut. He was buried the following

day at the Tumut Cemetery. James Smiles, the informant and son of William, provided full details, but he was

another person who had trouble with his paternal grandmother’s name – stated here to be Mary Hanington.41 John

Samuel Barrett and Richard Hargreaves were appointed executors of William’s estate.42

The last will and testament of William Smiles of Rose Vale Farmer near Tumut, drawn up in February 1872 - but

the actual date was been left blank - was not a complicated document. Everything was to go to his widow during

her lifetime, and after her death what was left was to be divided equally between all the children. Clearly, the

marriage between William and Ann Maria had been a partnership in every sense. He stipulated that, with the

advice of the Executors, it was to be his widow who would have the continuing management of the land, and the

buying and selling of horses and cattle etc, and grains and other products, and leasing arrangements, ‘according

as it may seem to her and the executors most conducive to the interests of the Estate’.43

The death of Ann Maria Smiles was registered at Tumut in 1894. It seems that none of the newspapers of the day

published any notices of her death or funeral. But like her late husband she did leave a will which states that she

died on 26 August 1894. And, there was nothing complicated about her last requests either – sell up everything,

the proceeds of which were to go to her youngest son Samuel.44

Elizabeth Smiles

The first colonial child of James and Mary Smiles, Elizabeth was born on 4 October 1819, and her baptism

registered at St. Luke’s Liverpool on 2 April 1820.45

Elizabeth was 19 when she and 32 year old Simon Grover applied in January 1837 for permission to marry. The

application was successful and the couple married at St. Andrew’s Scots Church, Sydney.46


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Elizabeth was not Simon’s first choice for a wife. He had made application in 1835 to marry convict Mary Palmer

who had arrived in 1831 on the Kains.47

Simon Grover aged 20, together with his 18 year old brother David, and Richard Tompsett, 22, were tried at the

Winter Assizes at Lewes, Sussex, indicted for having received sacks of oats and beans, the property of a Mr. R.

Hodd of Ringmer, knowing them to have been stolen. All three were sentenced to 14 years’ transportation.48 The

Grover brothers, by occupation ‘farm boy and milks’ arrived in the colony on the Marquis of Hastings on 31 July

1827. The 1828 census finds Simon assigned to James Hassall in the Bathurst district. He was granted a ticket

of leave in 1833, by which he was allowed to remain in the district of Goulburn.49

Two children were born to Elizabeth and Simon. Mary Ann Grover’s birth on 14 March 1838 was registered in the

Gundaroo, Gunning, Yass district and her ‘full’ baptism on 7 October registered at St. Luke’s, Liverpool.50

Jane Grover was born on 15 January 1841 and baptised two months later at Yass on 11 March.51 It was also in

1841 that Elizabeth Grover lost her husband. While no supporting record has been found, Simon Grover is

believed to have been killed by a fall from his horse while returning from the races.52 Very shortly after his death

Elizabeth remarried. Her marriage to William Thompson was registered in 1841 at the Gundaroo, Gunning, Yass

District. William Thompson was a publican who for about two decades held the license for the Cricketers Arms,

Forbes Street, Liverpool.53

Elizabeth had three children by William – William Clark Thompson (1843); George Thompson (1845) and

Elizabeth Thompson (1847).54 As for most women at the time, Elizabeth’s life was a constant cycle of pregnancy

and weaning, halted only in her case by an early death on 7 September 1848 after a prolonged debilitating illness.55

Assuming Elizabeth brought the two Grover girls to her second marriage, when she died William Thompson was

left with the responsibility of five children ranging in age from 1 to 10 years of age. Within four months he married

Mary Ann Tindall, and they had at least eight children. William Thompson died at Ultimo on 21 December 1878.56


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Mary Ann Thompson outlived her husband by twenty-five years. She died on 11 December 1903 at the home of

her daughter Maria Burcher.57

Mary Ann was buried in the Liverpool Pioneers’ Memorial Park in the same plot as her late husband William

Thompson. Also sharing the grave was William Thompson’s first wife Elizabeth.

Thompson family grave58


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James Smiles

The second son of James and Mary Smiles was born on 22 March 1823, and like so many of the males of this

extended family, was baptised James on 18 May at Liverpool.59

Not very much has been found for this member of the family. James seems to have spent his childhood with his

parents at Liverpool and subsequently, with his father and brother William, moved to the Tumut/Murrumbidgee

district where the Smiles men took up land for farming, principally as stock runs. The contemporary newspapers

give a few glimpses into James’ activities. In 1874, in his own right, James secured a 975 acre pre-emptive lease.

In 1875 he reported the theft from Mondongo, near Tumut, of a dark bay horse to the police for which he offered

a reward of £10 in addition to £100 from the Tumut Cattle Stealing Prevention Association. In 1876 agent E.G.

Brown, on behalf of Mr. James Smiles, disposed of the Argalong Run to purchaser Mr. Gilman.60

Two particular incidents suggest that James was something of a wily character. The first concerns a prospecting

claim at Jumper’s Creek which was registered in May 1870, as relayed by their Tumut correspondent to the

Sydney Mail.

On Sunday evening, Mr. James Smiles came into Tumut, and registered a prospecting claim at the source of

Jumper’s Creek, in the vicinity of Murphy’s reef, at Sandy Creek. As I have been informed, Messrs. Brown and

Co., who were prospecting for a reef, broke some of the surface stone which was scattered over the side of the

slope of the hill, and while performing this operation, they were observed by Smiles, who after their departure,

went to the spot where he saw them at work, and found the stone was very richly impregnated with the precious

metal. He immediately pegged out the ground, came into Tumut, and lodged the necessary application with the

mining registrar. Early on Monday Messrs. Brown and Co., also made an application for a prospecting claim at

the same place; but I am not aware whether it was granted or not.61

The follow up was an appearance before the Tumut Police Court in June 1870 at which the plaintiffs, Messrs.

Dear, Brown and others, charged James Smiles and Co. with trespassing on their quartz claims at Jumper’s

Creek. Apparently, when James Smiles applied to register the original claim for a protection area of 180 by 200

yards, the functionary at the Mining Registrar’s Office had informed him that he was entitled to 400 by 200 yards.

He therefore adjusted his application accordingly and then returned to Jumper’s Creek to peg out his expanded

claim which overlapped part of the adjacent claim. The case lasted nearly all the day, and after much examination

and cross-examination their worships decided that Smiles and Co. were only entitled to the original 180 x 200

yard claim, and that they had no right to extend their pegs after returning from registering their protection area

without having first marked off the extent they intended to apply for. Among the mining community it was thought

that this case was ‘likely to afford some work for our professional men’.62

Six years later, on 10 July 1876 and this time before the Gundagai Police Court, James Smiles was charged with

travelling with a mob of cattle without a delivery note. He pleaded not guilty. Senior-Sergeant Carroll deposed that

on the previous Saturday he had seen the defendant driving a mob of cattle along Jones’ Creek. When asked

whose cattle they were, Smiles had replied that 13 of the mob were his, but the rest, under the charge of Hector

McKenzie, belonged to a Mrs. Levett. Smiles claimed that he did not have a delivery note but that he was helping

McKenzie to drive the Levett cattle home. Indeed, McKenzie, who had left Smiles with the mob while he went into

Gundagai, stated that he was responsible for the cattle, that he did not have a delivery note, and that he was

travelling together with Smiles, the defendant.

[On that basis it would appear that both men, each responsible for a part of the mob and neither holding a delivery

note, were equally guilty. But Mr. Perkins, representing James Smiles, did not see it that way.]


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Mr. Perkins contended, somewhat illogically, that the defendant was not in charge of the cattle except his own,

and therefore this case must be dismissed. Senior-Sergeant Collins countered by reminding the Bench that

according to the Act, if this case was dismissed, it would be impossible for the police to do their duty, as any man

traveling with a mob of cattle without a delivery note could say ‘I’m not in charge, it is somebody else, and

somebody else was no one’. The Bench decided that the defendant was not in charge of the cattle, and dismissed

the case. James Smiles was probably amused by the heated argument between Carroll and Judge Love, which

concluded with the latter repeating himself yet again.

Mr Love. – The case is decided sir, I will hear no more, nor suffer any policeman in this court, while I hold my

position in it, to dare address me upon a case after it is once decided upon by me.63

Unlike his brother William, James was apparently unencumbered by a wife and children. He died on 19 October

1880 at Tumut, the following notice appearing in The Sydney Mail.64

There was no public house named “Hasmond’s Hotel”, and if there had been James Smiles was not the licensee.

The hotel where James died was actually the “Star Hotel” in Russell-street and the licensee at the time was Mr.

James Osmond.65 However, as an aside, James’ nephew Richard James Smiles did acquire the license for the

“Star Hotel” in 1898 and was still the licensee in 1900 when he committed suicide in August of that year.66

Mary Ann Smiles

The second daughter of Mary and James Smiles was born on 23 January 1825 and baptised one month later on

17 February 1825, the event being registered at St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool. On 31 October 1842, at the same

parish church, by licence and with consent of parents she married Gerald Anderson. Mary was ‘of this parish;

Gerald was ‘of the County of St. Vincent’. The witnesses were R. Anderson and M. Smiles, probably brother of

the groom and sister of the bride respectively. Mary was the only one who ‘signed’ by her mark X.67

Gerald Franklin Anderson had been born in Sydney on 28 August 1807 and, as registered at St Phillip’s Church,

baptised four months later on Christmas Day. He was the first of at least eight children of Robert Anderson, NSW

Corps and formerly convict per Boddington 1793, and Mary Franklin, convict per Earl Cornwallis, 1800.68 For the

1825 muster Gerald, age 18, was with his family at Liverpool, and for the 1828 census he was listed as a

coachmaker to Charles Weavers of Castlereagh Street, Sydney.69 By the 1820s the Illawarra district was being

opened up for settlement and the Andersons were one of the pioneering families.70 The 1841 census records

Gerald Anderson living at Warra Warra on land rented from the Government on which stood a completed dwelling

house built of wood.71

After their marriage Mary Ann and Gerald and settled into farming life at ‘Franklin Farm’ at Fairy Meadow. Over a

period of twenty-three years the following Anderson births were registered.72


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Mary A 1844 Phoebe 1850 George 1856 Charles 1867

Robert 1845 Thomas 1851 Gerald 1857

Gerald 1846-48 Elizabeth 1852 William 1858

James 1848 John 1854 Henry 1861

Gerald Anderson died on 15 August 1877 at the age of 68. He was buried at the Wollongong Cemetery, where a

headstone commemorates his passing. 73

Just over thirty years later widow Mary Ann Anderson died at home on 8 January 1908 at the age of 83 and was

buried with her late husband.74

.

In his will, Gerald Anderson had stipulated that, on the death of his wife, the farm, goods and chattels, and personal

estate were to be auctioned off and the proceeds to be distributed among his surviving children.75 The executors

wasted no time, preliminary notice of auction being published on 25 January. 76


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A further notice advised the public that the auction of a Wollongong Farm would be held on 4 July 1908.77

The sale signalled the end of the endeavours of Gerald Anderson and, after his death, his widow Mary – the

hardworking couple who likenesses were captured for posterity.78


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Margaret Smiles

The ‘baby’ of the family, Margaret was born on Christmas Day 1826 and baptised on 14 January 1827, another

family entry in the St. Luke’s Church register.79

She was 19 when, on 23 April 1846 she and Thomas Ashcroft were married by licence at St. Luke’s. The bride

was ‘of this Parish’ and the groom ‘of the Parish of Campbelltown. The ceremony was witnessed by Elizabeth and

William Thompson, sister and brother-in-law of the bride. Thomas Ashcroft was the only person to make his mark

X in the register.80

Thomas Ashcroft was born in the Narellan district on 21 November 1820 to John Ashcroft, farmer, and his wife

Elizabeth, to whom John was then assigned. Son Thomas’ baptism on 19 August 1827, by Thomas Hassall, was

recorded in the register of St. Paul’s Church of England, at Cobbitty.81 Following their marriage Thomas, a farmer,

and Margaret spent a short time in Campbelltown before settling in Liverpool where over a period of some twenty

years Thomas variously held the license for the “St Patrick”, “The Cricketers’ Arms” and “The Woolpack Inn”. As

noted previously, Margaret’s brother-in-law had also held the license for “The Cricketers Arms”.82

Ten children were born to Margaret and Thomas – 7 daughters and 3 sons. Amelia (1850), George (1851) and

Albert Thomas (1856) died in infancy, and Elizabeth (1847-1914), Susannah (1848-1892) and Emeline Australia

(1860-1882) survived to adulthood, but predeceased their mother.83

Thomas Ashcroft died on 12 December 1867 at the relatively young age of 47. He was buried in the family crypt

at St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery, Campbelltown.84


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The best account of the life of Margaret Smiles is, in fact, recounted in her own words. In December 1910 Liverpool

celebrated its centenary, an event which was enthusiastically commemorated in the local newspapers. Items of

interest included interviews with the person regarded as the town’s oldest inhabitant – Mrs. Margaret Ashcroft. A

reporter from the Evening News ‘had an interesting chat’ with Mrs. M. Ashcroft ‘at her well-appointed new cottage

residence, situated in Begge-street, facing the railway station’.

This lady, who will be 85 years of age on Christmas Day next, was born in the premises at present occupied by

the Haynes family, at Cabramatta, and is still hale and hearty. Her father, James Smiles, followed farming

pursuits and had a station on the Murrumbidgee, where she spent about nine months when she was 18 years

of age, after which she returned to Liverpool, and was married to Thomas Ashcroft, who was a farmer at

Menangle. She was married at St. Luke’s Church Liverpool, in 1846, by an itinerant minister, there being at the

time no resident Incumbent. After her marriage she went to reside with her husband at Menangle, where they

remained about twelve months, and then returned to Liverpool, where they started inn-keeping. They kept the

Cricketers’ Arms, in Forbes-street (since demolished) for some years, and afterwards the Woolpack Inn, at the

extreme southern end of the town, on the Campbelltown-road, which building is at present standing. It was here

that her husband died, at the age of 47 years, in 1867. After his death she relinquished inn-keeping, and started

a butchering business in a small premises at the corner of Macquarie-street and Scott-street where she some

years after erected the large and up-to-date business premises which now adorn the site. She gave up the

business some years later, and it was successfully carried on by her son Mr. E.J. Ashcroft, who has occupied

the position of Mayor and alderman of the town up till a recent date, when he retired, and took up his residence

at Collingwood, which property he had acquired. His son, an alderman of the present council has succeeded to

the business.

The first resident incumbent of St. Luke’s Church (the bricks for the erection of which she had heard her father

say that he assisted in carting) she remembers was the Rev. Robert Cartwright, and the parsonage was then

located in Northumberland-street, just opposite, at present occupied by Alderman Bossley. She attended the

Church of England Denominational School in Moore-street (at present existing and used as a Masonic lodge

room) when a girl, and well remembers the soldiers’ barracks (now the police court) opposite. She also

remembers the old coaching days, the arrival of the first train at Liverpool, and the burning of shells (brought up

by fairly large vessels to the existing dam) for lime making on the site of her present residence With the exception

of the periods above stated, she has resided all her life within a mile or so of where she was born. She is the

only living member of the Smiles family. She had 10 children, and has 46 grandchildren and 36 great-

grandchildren.85


- 18 -

In its coverage of the Centenary The Daily Telegraph included a photograph of Mrs. M. Ashcroft, and its report

included her early memories of bushrangers. While she was never held up, her father was.

He was bringing up a big box of holy [sic] dollars to pay the ticket-of-leave men. Donohoe was abroad in those

days. He took hold of the horse’s head and said, ‘What have you got?’ Father said, ‘I’ve got a box here, but I

don’t know what’s in it … Donohoe and his two mates dragged the box out of the cart to the side of the road,

and father drove into town as hard as he knew how … Father’s name was Smiles – James Smiles.86

Margaret Ashcroft died on 27 February 1915. An obituary repeated much of the information published in the 1910

Centenary articles but also added some additional family details.

One of the best known, most revered, and affectionately regarded residents of Liverpool, Mrs. Margaret Ashcroft,

of “Towri” Bigge-street, passed away on Saturday afternoon, in the midst of her large family, at the extreme age

of 90 years. The old lady had been bedridden for some years, but every care and attention by her immediate

surroundings, and careful nursing made her life enjoyable until the past few months, when she began to fail. The

deceased lady was born at Hayne’s Farm (now Kelly’s) on the Liverpool side of Cabramatta. The farm was

worked by her father James Smiles, who died many years ago …

Mrs. Margaret Ashcroft was, in a quiet and unobtrusive way, charitable to all and sundry, and she reared a large

family who have their names honored throughout the district: Mrs. Daniel Braithwaite [Selina] of Macquarie-

street, Liverpool; Mrs. William Orr [Susannah], Northumberland-street, Liverpool; Mrs. J.T. Steel [Margaret Jane],

Dubbo; and Mrs. J. Rose [Alice Mary], of Port Hacking, are all daughters of the deceased lady. Mrs. Wright

[Elizabeth], of Strathfield and Mrs. Robert Grey [Emeline Australia], daughters pre-deceased Mrs. Ashcroft some

time ago. Her grand-daughter and son, Miss Dorothy Grey and Mr. Raymond Grey, lived with the old lady to the

end. The funeral was held on Sunday last when the remains were interred in the family vault at the Church of

England Cemetery, Campbelltown, by the Rev. H.J. Noble of St. Lukes, Liverpool, officiating. Many prominent

residents followed the coffin to its last resting place and the handsome casket was covered with floral emblems

of sympathy. In the evening, at St. Luke’s, Liverpool, a memorial service was held at which the attendance was

very large.87

Postscript

R.J. Ashcroft Family Butcher, Liverpool, Sydney, 191088

The suburb of Ashcroft, part of the Housing Commission’s Green Valley development in the local government

area of Liverpool, was named after the pioneering family in the district that gave the land for the site of this

development. The Ashcroft family was active in establishing meat wholesaling and retailing activities at the

Homebush abattoir.89


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Epilogue

While the date and circumstances of the death of James Smiles have not been established, we do have records

to show that his wife/widow died on 19 February 1879 at Liverpool, New South Wales, but when and where was

she born?

Her age at death was stated to be 89, indicating that she was born around 1789-1790. On arrival at the colony

her stated age was 24 giving an estimated year of birth as 1794. She was recorded as being 29 when she received

her ticket of leave in 1824 (est. yob 1795) and as a 30 for the 1828 census (est. yob 1798). Based on a search

on the name Mary Errington and a time span of 1788-1798 the following has been extrapolated from the

FamilySearch birth/baptism records.

Birth Date Baptism Date Place of Baptism Father Mother

Jun 1788 Halton, Northumberland, England George Errington Mary

29 May 1791 Whitley by Hexham, Northumberland, England William Errington

25 Dec 1791 Newburn, Northumberland, England Elizabeth Errington

01 Jul 1792 Lee Saint John, Northumberland, England Hannah Errington

10 Feb 1793 Heddon on the Wall, Northumberland, England Robert Errington Jane

12 Jul 1795 Whitley, Hexham, Northumberland, England Thomas Errington

29 Oct 1797 Hexham, Northumberland, England Robert Errington

20 Jul 1798 12 Aug 1798 Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England

Francis Errington Ann Waugh

The baptism places set out in the table above are shown on the map below. Notably, Halton (not shown) is about

90 miles from Newcastle on the western side of the county, close to Morecambe Bay. Mary’s ticket of leave

specified her birthplace as Newcastle.

To further confuse the issue is the NSW BDM death registration for Mary Smiles which states that her father’s

name was Steven.90

What we can be more certain of, and much more important than postulating over her birth year, is that Mary

Smiles was the matriarch of an extended but close-knit family. By 1846 she had seen four of her children married

off – Elizabeth in 1837 to Simon Grover and in 1841 to William Thompson; Mary Ann in 1842 to Gerald Anderson;

William to Mary Ann Davis in 1845; and Margaret to Thomas Ashcroft in 1846. Following their marriages, son

William and daughter Mary Ann moved away from Liverpool. But no doubt, even if Mary was not able to spend

time with them and their families, she would have kept in touch and heard how her numerous grandchildren were

faring. Son James had left home as a young man, and of the five children he was probably the one with whom

Mary had the least contact. On the other hand, for a brief period in in the 1840s daughter Elizabeth and her family

and, from the mid-1850s, daughter Margaret and her family were back at Liverpool, where Mary could keep an

eye on them and, equally, she could rely on their comfort and support in her later years.


- 20 -

Two of Mary’s children pre-deceased her – daughter Elizabeth in 1848 and son William in 1872. Through them,

and her other married children, when Mary Smiles died in 1879 she left an impressive legacy of forty

grandchildren.

NOTES

1 A Vision of Britain, Historical Maps, http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/. 2 Tyne Mercury; Northumberland and Durham Cumberland Gazette, 18 Feb 1817, p.2. Tyne Mercury; Northumberland and Durham

Cumberland Gazette, 22 Apr 1817, p.2. 3 Durham County Advertiser, 31 May 1817, p.2. 4 Ancestry, New South Wales, Convict Indents, 1788-1842, Bound Indentures, 1814-1818. 5 Wiki Commons, St Bartholomew Church, Longbenton, Northumberland, England,

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/File:St_Bartholomew_Church_Longbenton_.jpg. 6 Ancestry, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FHL Film Number: 1469110, Reference ID: Item 10 p.9. 7 Caledonian Mercury, 27 Dec 1813, p.4. A hind was an agricultural worker who principally worked with the farm horses. So part of their

job would have been stockman and anything else involving the horses; the other part would be doing jobs like ploughing. 8 Lancaster Gazette, 27 Aug 1814, p.4. 9 Ancestry, England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892, England, Northumberland, 1814. 10 Ancestry, UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849, Justitia, Register, 1803-1836. 11 Lancaster Gazette, 17 Jun 1815, p.3. 12 A Vision of Britain, Historical Maps, http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/. 13 Biographical Database of Australia (BDA), Person ID: B#10013267201. Free Settler or Felon? Convict Ship Baring 1815,

https://jenwilletts.com/convict_ship_baring_1815.htm. 14 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1856, Series: NRS 937; Reel or Fiche Numbers: Reels

6004-6016, p.176. Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834, New South Wales, Male L-Y, 1820. 15 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1856, Series: NRS 937; Reel or Fiche Numbers: Reels

6004-6016, p.106. 16 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 19 May 1811-7 July 1823. 17 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834, New South Wales, Male K-Y, 1821. Ancestry, New South

Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, New South Wales, General muster, 1822. 18 BDA, Biographical report for James Smiles, Person ID: U#11511189301 – Land & Stock: NSW Land & Stock Muster 1822. 19 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1856, Series: NRS 897; Reel or Fiche Numbers: Reels

6041-6064, 6071-6072, pp.147 and 172. 20 Ancestry, New South Wales, Census and Population Books, 1811-1825, Liverpool Population Book, 1823. 21 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1856, Series: NRS 898; Reel or Fiche Numbers: Reels

6020-6040, 6070; Fiche 3260-3312, pp.121 and 195. 22 The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 29 Apr 1824, p.1. Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of

Freedom, 810-1814, 1927-1867, Registers of Certificates of Freedom, 4 Feb 1810-26 Aug 1814. 23 Ancestry, New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, New South Wales, General muster M-Z, 1825. 24 Ancestry, 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy), New South Wales, Census R-S, 1828. Possibly Moore’s Farm? 25 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869. Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of

Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870. 26 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Depasturing Licenses, 1837-1846, 1843. 27 Evening News, 15 Dec 1910, p.10. 28 The Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser, 22 Nov 1856, p.5. 29 Ancestry online Gibbons family tree, https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/69477310/person/30460460236/facts. 30 The Maitland and Hunter River General Advertiser, 30 Aug 1851, p.4. 31 Illawarra Mercury, 25 Feb 1879, p.2. 32 The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 Feb 1879, p.10. Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St

Luke, Composite, 26 February 1858 - 02 December 1894. Liverpool City Council, Pioneer Memorial Park,

http://maps.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/LCC/PioneerMemorialPark/Photos/LPMP_A101c_800x600.jpg. John Thomas Steel died on 8

November 1884 aged 10 weeks. He was the son of John Thomas Steel and Margaret Jane Ashcroft a daughter of Mary’s daughter

Margaret Ashcroft (née) Smiles – The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 22 Nov 1884, p.1070. 33 BDA, Biographical report for William Smiles, Person ID: T#91025276201 – this report states that he arrived in 1836, but it was more

likely in December 1835 – The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 3 Dec 1835, p.2. Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser,

24 Apr 1835, p.1. 34 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 09 January – 25 March 1866. 35 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, St. John’s Parramatta, Baptisms, 1790-1916, Vol 02, Baptisms, 1826-1834; Marriages. 1826-

1834; Burials, 1826-1934. 36 BDA, Expanded Biographic Item of William Davis, Biog Item No. 90110329.


- 21 -

37 NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (NSW BDM), Birth registrations. Ancestry, online Hodson Family Tree,

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/31308881/person/250186792143/facts. 38 Border Morning Mail, 26 May 1939, p.4. 39 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Certificates for Publicans’ Licences, 1830-1849, 1853-1899, Lists of Licenses Issued, 1866.

The Tumut and Adelong Times, 1 May 1865, p.2. 40 The Tumut and Adelong Times, 25 Feb 1867, p.2. There was some question as to whether his horse Scipio, who won his race, was

eligible to run. 41 NSW BDM, Death certificate, 6899/1872. 42 New South Wales Government Gazette, 28 Feb 1872 [Issue No.63] p.539. John Samuel Barrett was the husband of Mary Ann Grover. 43 Findmypast (FMP), New South Wales Will Books 1800-1952, Will No 9511. 44 Findmypast (FMP), New South Wales Will Books 1800-1952, Will No 7650. 45 BDA, Biographical report for Elizabeth Smiles, Person ID: 3002100115. Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-

2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 19 May 1811 – 07 July 1823. 46 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts Applications to Marry, 1826-1851, Granted, 1837. 47 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts Applications to Marry, 1826-1851, Granted, 1835. 48 Sussex Advertiser, 1 Jan 1827, p.3, and 8 Jan 1827, p.3. Ringmer is a village about 3 miles east of Lewes. 49 BDA, Biographical report for Simon Grover, Person ID: B#10016819701. 50 NSW BDM, Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922, Volume No V18381234 22. Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers,

1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 27 February 1826 – 23 September 1838. 51 NSW BDM, Birth registration 1640/1841 V18411640 25A, 1802/1841 V18411802 25A, 1602/1841 V18411602 25A. Ancestry,

Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981, FHL Film No 993953. 52 The Burrowa News, 19 Oct 1934, p.9 - Obituary for Mary Ann Barrett, daughter of Mary Ann Grover. 53 NSW BDM, Marriage registration 493/1841 1841493 25. NSW State Archives & Records (NSW SAR), Online Indexes, Publicans and

Innkeepers. 54 NSW BDM, Birth registrations, 3264/1843 V18433264 30A; 2352/1845 V18452353 30A; 10191847 V18471019 32A. 55 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 9 January 1839 – 25 March 1866.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 Sep 1848, p.3. 56 The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 Dec 1878, p.1. 57 Australian Town and Country Journal, 16 Dec 1903, p.18. Sunday Times, 13 Dec 1903, p.2. 58 Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 04 January 2020), memorial page for William Thompson

(1807–21 Dec 1878), Find A Grave Memorial no. 168678337, citing Liverpool Pioneer Memorial Park, Liverpool, Liverpool City, New

South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Tulip (contributor 48117843). Liverpool City Council, Pioneer Memorial Park,

http://maps.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/LCC/PioneerMemorialPark/Photos/LPMP_B8_800x600.jpg. 59 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 19 May 1811 – 07 July 1823. 60 New South Wales Government Gazette, 24 Feb 1874 [Issue No.41] p.569. New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of

Crime, 16 Jun 1875 [Issue No.24] p.177. The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser, 6 Oct 1876. 61 Sydney Mail, 28 May 1870, p.9. 62 The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser, 2 Jul 1870, p.3 63 The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser, 14 Jul 1876, p.3. 64 The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 6 Nov 1880, p.869. 65 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Certificates for Publicans’ Licences, 1830-1849, 1853-1899, Lists of Licenses Issued, 1880. 66 Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Certificates for Publicans’ Licences, 1830-1849, 1853-1899, Lists of Licenses Issued, 1898.

Adelong and Tumut Express and Tumbarumba Post, 28 Aug 1900, p.2. 67 BDA, Biographical report for Mary Ann Smiles, Person ID: B30021021101. 68 Convict Records, Community Contributions, https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/anderson/robert/131930. 69 BDA, Biographical report for Gerald Anderson, Person ID: B#30001107001. Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers,

1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 9 January 1839 – 25 March 1866. 70 Frank McCaffrey, The history of Illawarra and its Pioneers, J. Sands, Sydney, 1922 – various references to the Anderson family. 71 Ancestry, 1841 New South Wales, Australia, Census, Household Returns, Illawarra, St. Vincent. 72 NSW BDM, Birth registrations. 73 Illawarra Mercury, 24 Aug 1877, p.2. Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 January 2020),

memorial page for Gerald Anderson (28 Aug 1807–15 Aug 1877), Find A Grave Memorial no. 197620717, citing Wollongong Cemetery,

Wollongong, Wollongong City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by helenatamcreek (contributor 49085723) 74 The Daily Telegraph, 9 Jan 1908, p.6. 75 FMP, New South Wales Will Books, Will No 1662. 76 South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 25 Jan 1908, p.10. 77 Illawarra Mercury, 30 Jun 1908, p.2. 78 From the collections of Wollongong City Libraries and the Illawarra Historical Society – ANDERSON, Gerald and SMILES, Mary Ann.

https://www.findagrave.com/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/168678337/william-thompson

https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/48117843

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/197620717/gerald-anderson


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79 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 27 February 1826 – 23 September

1838. 80 Ancestry, Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011, Liverpool St Luke, Composite, 9 January 1839 – 25 March 1866. 81 BDA, Biographical report for Thomas Ashcroft, Person ID: B#3011100120. John Ashcroft obtained his Certificate of Freedom on 9 May

1929 – Ancestry, New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom, 1810-1814, 1827-1867, (NRS 12210) Butts of Certificates of

Freedom, 1829, May, All Records. 82 NSW SAR, Online Indexes, Publicans and Innkeepers. 83 NSW BDM, Birth and Death registrations. 84 Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 January 2020), memorial page for Thomas Ashcroft

(21 Nov 1820–12 Dec 1867), Find A Grave Memorial no. 182471929, citing St Peters Anglican Church Cemetery, Campbelltown,

Campbelltown City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Stombell (contributor 48335209). 85 Evening News, 15 Dec 1910, p.10. 86 The Daily Telegraph, 14 Dec 1910, p.11. 87 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 6 Mar 1915, p.5. 88 Creative Commons, https://creativecommons.org, https://www.flickr.com/photos/hwmobs/24668739252/in/photostream/. 89 Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashcroft,_New_South_Wales. 90 NSW BDM, Death registration 6202/1879.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182471929/thomas-ashcroft


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SELECTED SOURCES

Genealogy Websites

Ancestry

1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy)

1841 New South Wales Census

Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981

England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

New South Wales and Tasmania, Australian Convict Musters, 1806-1849

New South Wales, Australia, Certificates for Publicans’ Licences, 1830-1849, 1853-1899

New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom, 1810-1814, 1827-1867

New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary’s Papers, 1788-1856

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870

New South Wales, Australia, Depasturing Licenses, 1837-1846, 1843

New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts Applications to Marry, 1826-1851

New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834

New South Wales, Australia, St. John’s Parramatta, Baptisms, 1790-1916

New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869

New South Wales, Census and Population Books, 1811-1825

Online Family Trees

Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011

UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849

Findmypast

New South Wales Will Books 1800-1852

Other Websites

Biographical Database of Australia (BDA), http://www.bda-online.org.au/

Convict Records, https://convictrecords.com.au/

Creative Commons, https://creativecommons.org/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/

Free Settler or Felon? https://www.jenwilletts.com/

Liverpool City Council, http://maps.liverpool.nsw.gov.au

New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths. Marriages, https://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/

New South Wales State Archives & Records, https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/

Vision of Britain, http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/

Wiki Commons, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/

Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/

Wollongong City Libraries, http://council.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/

Online Newspapers

British Newspapers (Findmypast)

Caledonian Mercury

Durham County Advertiser

Lancaster Gazette

Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser

Sussex Advertiser

Tyne Mercury; Northumberland and Durham Cumberland Gazette

TROVE

Adelong and Tumut Express and Tumbarumba Post

Australian Town and Country Journal

Border Mail

Evening News

Illawarra Mercury

New South Wales Government Gazette

South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus

Sunday Times

Sydney Mail

http://www.bda-online.org.au/

https://convictrecords.com.au/

https://creativecommons.org/

https://www.findagrave.com/

https://www.jenwilletts.com/

http://maps.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/

https://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/

https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/

https://en.wikipedia.org/

http://council.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/


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The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate

The Daily Telegraph

The Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser

The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser

The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser

The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser

The Sydney Morning Herald

The Tumut and Adelong Times

Publications

McCaffrey, The History of Illawarra and its Pioneers J, Sands, Sydney, 1922.

© Leonie Fretwell, 2019

Mary Smiles · Bond of Friendship Mary Smiles - Northumberland - 2 - Longbenton, now part of the Newcastle conurbation was a village situated about three miles north-east by north

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