CONVICT
Mary Ann BOSWELL (My 3rd great grandmother)
Mary Ann BOSWELL (c.1813-1881), daughter of Edward BOSWELL and Elizabeth HEFFER, was born about 1813 in Kennington, London and was baptised on 12 September 1813 at the St Mary, Lambeth, Surrey, England.
As a young 18 year old she committed the crime that would see her tried, convicted and sentenced to 7 years transportation across the seas to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
On the night of May 5, 1831, William Ashmore, a sailor, had just left St. Thomas's Hospital where he had been a patient for some time, when he was prevailed upon by Mary Ann Boswell and her friend Mary Rich to come with them to a public house where they drank together until the sailor became drunk. They then adjourned to the "Grapes" in Thomas's Street being joined on the way by James Barber aged 24 and William Young aged 21. According to two witnesses, James Barber drew the watch from the sailor's pocket and handed it to Mary Ann Boswell, who called Mary Rich onto the street and gave it to her. They re-entered the establishment but presently left a second time and Mary Rich gave the watch back to Mary Ann. A policeman found the watch in the bosom of Mary Ann Boswell and they were all secured in the Borough Compter. Mary Rich was discharged and the others were committed.
As a young 18 year old she committed the crime that would see her tried, convicted and sentenced to 7 years transportation across the seas to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
On the night of May 5, 1831, William Ashmore, a sailor, had just left St. Thomas's Hospital where he had been a patient for some time, when he was prevailed upon by Mary Ann Boswell and her friend Mary Rich to come with them to a public house where they drank together until the sailor became drunk. They then adjourned to the "Grapes" in Thomas's Street being joined on the way by James Barber aged 24 and William Young aged 21. According to two witnesses, James Barber drew the watch from the sailor's pocket and handed it to Mary Ann Boswell, who called Mary Rich onto the street and gave it to her. They re-entered the establishment but presently left a second time and Mary Rich gave the watch back to Mary Ann. A policeman found the watch in the bosom of Mary Ann Boswell and they were all secured in the Borough Compter. Mary Rich was discharged and the others were committed.
At her Committal for Trial on 6 May 1831 in Southwark, Surrey, England, Mary Ann was charged with theft the day before of a silver watch, valued at 20 shillings and its appendages, valued at 1 shilling and 2 pence, belonging to William Ashmore. Her age was given as 18 and her two co-defendants were James Barber, aged 24 and William Young, aged 21. William Ashmore was a mariner who had been drinking with the accused in an unspecified public house in High Street, Southwark and later in the Grapes in St Thomas's Street. It was alleged that Mary Ann and another woman, Mary Rich had taken advantage of his intoxicated state to relieve him of his watch. See Committal for Trial Papers
She was subsequently tried on 27 June 1831 in the General Quarter Sessions, Southwark, Surrey, where she was found to be guilty and sentenced to transportation for 7 years.
On 10 November 1831 Mary Ann sailed from Cork, England aboard the convict ship 'Pyramus'. On 5 March 1832 after a journey of 116 days the 'Pyramus' arrived in Sydney NSW. 147 female convicts were landed with only two deaths.
The Muster Roll for the ship 'Pyramus' described Mary Ann as 19 years old, able to read and write and single. Her native place was Kennington and she was a Kitchen Maid. She was described as having a scar over her right eyebrow, was 4' 11 3/4" high, with a fair, ruddy complexion, and brown hair with hazel eyes. See Muster Roll of 'Pyramus'.
An 1832 Convict & Settler List noted that Mary Ann was a resident in Hunter River and she was in the employ of S. MacIntyre.
On 28 Nov 1832, Mary Ann became a runaway and was listed in the NSW Government Gazette as having runaway from Captain Hunter. It was noted that she had been subsequently apprehended. This Gazette was published weekly so she was on the run for less than a week. The same information also appears the following day in The Sydney Gazette & NSW Advertiser, page 2.
On 15 April 1833, Mary Ann was featured in a newspaper report in the The Sydney Herald, NSW, p.2:
"POLICE INCIDENTS - Mary Ann Boswell, a very virago*, who on being requested to do anything that did not suit her taste, would roll up her sleeves and tell her mistress to stand out like a man, and have a round or two; she was a match for any one of her weight in the Colony; would pop her nob in chancery in two-two's; and all that sort of thing. To make her perfect in the fistic art, the bench sent her to set-too with Mrs Gordon for a month."
* A virago is a loud voiced, ill-tempered scolding woman, a shrew.
Mary Ann seemed to settle down and on 26 September 1833 she applied to the Governor to marry Charles Jones who had 'come free' in 1811 on the ship 'Friends'. No objection was found and consent was granted. See Permission to Marry
Charles aged 23 and Mary Ann aged 20 were married on 16 October 1833 in St John's Anglican Church, Parramatta. Charles signed his name and Mary Ann made her mark, which contradicts the information on her Shipping Indent which indicated she could read and write. Witnesses to the marriage were James Whittaker, a Tailor from Parramatta, and Bridget Verdon, a convict also transported on the 'Pyramus' with Mary Ann.
Mary Ann obtained her Certificate of Freedom on 25 Feb 1839.
Mary Ann and Charles had 10 children.
Around 1840 the family moved from Parramatta to Goulburn St, Sydney and attended the St. Lawrence Anglican Church in George St.
From the 1860's they were living in Redfern, Sydney.
Charles died aged 74 of Cancer after an illness of 8 months on 27 February 1874 in Bullanaming St. Redfern. The informant was his son, William Jones, of Botany Road, Waterloo. He was buried on 29 February 1874 in Haslem's Creek Congregational Cemetery, which later became known as Rookwood Cemetery.
Mary Ann died aged 68 of Cerebral HO lasting 5 days on 19 September 1881 in Ultimo, NSW. The informant was her son, Edward Jones, of George St, Waterloo, NSW.
More information about Mary Ann, Charles and their children can be found at Charles JONES & Mary Ann BOSWELL
Updated 27 April 2018
At her Committal for Trial on 6 May 1831 in Southwark, Surrey, England, Mary Ann was charged with theft the day before of a silver watch, valued at 20 shillings and its appendages, valued at 1 shilling and 2 pence, belonging to William Ashmore. Her age was given as 18 and her two co-defendants were James Barber, aged 24 and William Young, aged 21. William Ashmore was a mariner who had been drinking with the accused in an unspecified public house in High Street, Southwark and later in the Grapes in St Thomas's Street. It was alleged that Mary Ann and another woman, Mary Rich had taken advantage of his intoxicated state to relieve him of his watch. See Committal for Trial Papers
She was subsequently tried on 27 June 1831 in the General Quarter Sessions, Southwark, Surrey, where she was found to be guilty and sentenced to transportation for 7 years.
On 10 November 1831 Mary Ann sailed from Cork, England aboard the convict ship 'Pyramus'. On 5 March 1832 after a journey of 116 days the 'Pyramus' arrived in Sydney NSW. 147 female convicts were landed with only two deaths.
The Muster Roll for the ship 'Pyramus' described Mary Ann as 19 years old, able to read and write and single. Her native place was Kennington and she was a Kitchen Maid. She was described as having a scar over her right eyebrow, was 4' 11 3/4" high, with a fair, ruddy complexion, and brown hair with hazel eyes. See Muster Roll of 'Pyramus'.
An 1832 Convict & Settler List noted that Mary Ann was a resident in Hunter River and she was in the employ of S. MacIntyre.
On 28 Nov 1832, Mary Ann became a runaway and was listed in the NSW Government Gazette as having runaway from Captain Hunter. It was noted that she had been subsequently apprehended. This Gazette was published weekly so she was on the run for less than a week. The same information also appears the following day in The Sydney Gazette & NSW Advertiser, page 2.
On 15 April 1833, Mary Ann was featured in a newspaper report in the The Sydney Herald, NSW, p.2:
"POLICE INCIDENTS - Mary Ann Boswell, a very virago*, who on being requested to do anything that did not suit her taste, would roll up her sleeves and tell her mistress to stand out like a man, and have a round or two; she was a match for any one of her weight in the Colony; would pop her nob in chancery in two-two's; and all that sort of thing. To make her perfect in the fistic art, the bench sent her to set-too with Mrs Gordon for a month."
* A virago is a loud voiced, ill-tempered scolding woman, a shrew.
Mary Ann seemed to settle down and on 26 September 1833 she applied to the Governor to marry Charles Jones who had 'come free' in 1811 on the ship 'Friends'. No objection was found and consent was granted. See Permission to Marry
Charles aged 23 and Mary Ann aged 20 were married on 16 October 1833 in St John's Anglican Church, Parramatta. Charles signed his name and Mary Ann made her mark, which contradicts the information on her Shipping Indent which indicated she could read and write. Witnesses to the marriage were James Whittaker, a Tailor from Parramatta, and Bridget Verdon, a convict also transported on the 'Pyramus' with Mary Ann.
Mary Ann obtained her Certificate of Freedom on 25 Feb 1839.
Mary Ann and Charles had 10 children.
Around 1840 the family moved from Parramatta to Goulburn St, Sydney and attended the St. Lawrence Anglican Church in George St.
From the 1860's they were living in Redfern, Sydney.
Charles died aged 74 of Cancer after an illness of 8 months on 27 February 1874 in Bullanaming St. Redfern. The informant was his son, William Jones, of Botany Road, Waterloo. He was buried on 29 February 1874 in Haslem's Creek Congregational Cemetery, which later became known as Rookwood Cemetery.
Mary Ann died aged 68 of Cerebral HO lasting 5 days on 19 September 1881 in Ultimo, NSW. The informant was her son, Edward Jones, of George St, Waterloo, NSW.
More information about Mary Ann, Charles and their children can be found at Charles JONES & Mary Ann BOSWELL
Updated 27 April 2018