Henry Bacon

Level 53

Beth Taylor on 26th September 2019

Henry Bacon (c1788-1859) reached NSW on the ship Prince of Orange on 12 Feb 1821. He had been convicted on 17 July 1820 & received a life term. Henry was a native of Essex, aged 33, a farmer, 5’7” tall with black hair & black eyes. Henry was found guilty of stealing sheep at the Summer Assizes in Essex & received a death sentence. (Source: www.Ancestry.com England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892, Class: HO 27; Piece: 19; Page: 145) 1821, 17 Feb. – Henry Bacon, farming man, was sent from the ship Prince of Orange to Liverpool to work for James Meehan. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters sent Reel 6007; 4/3503 p105) 1821, 29 March – Henry, a labourer, was tried by John Piper Esq at Sydney on 24 March & sentenced to 1 year at Newcastle on the Elizabeth Henrietta. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Sent Reel 6007; 4/3503 p198) 1822 Muster: Henry BACON, con, P of Orange, life, govt servant to J Meehan, Liverpool (A00597) No record found of Mary Ann. 1823-1825 Muster: 1) Mary Ann DAID, FS, Broxbornebury, 7 years, householder, Liverpool (17936) [Note: This was in the 1825 version] 2) Mary McDEED, FS, Broxbornebury, living with J Hirps [who is he?], Wilberforce (30715) [Note: Assume this was in the 1823 version] [Henry BACON, con, Prince of Orange 1821, life, govt servant, James Meehan, Liverpool (10950)] 1825, 4 & 17 Nov. – Mary Ann Daid, free, sought permission to marry Henry Bacon, assigned servant of Mr Meehan at Liverpool, by Rev Cartwright. (Letters Sent Reel 6015; 4/3515 p626 & Letters Received Reel 6064; 4/1788 p92) 1825 - Mary A McDede married Henry Bacon on 12 Dec 1825 at St Luke’s, Liverpool. (Henry Bacon, Signed X; & Mary Ann McDede, Signed X; married 12 Dec 1825 Liverpool, registered St Lukes Church of England Liverpool by Banns by Robert Cartwright; Witness: Daniel Tindall, Signed; Witness: Stephen Bea.[?], Signed X; Witness: John Pidgeon, Signed; Witness: John Cutler, Signed. Source: St Luke's Church of England, Liverpool NSW: Church Register - Marriages; ML ref: Reel SAG 92 & V1825-3701-3B) [Note: No record of any children born to the couple] 1826, Feb. – “Mary Ann McDade was another free-by-servitude woman who married a convict, then attempted to have him assigned to her. She married Henry Bacon at St Lukes Liverpool, while he was an assigned servant to James Meehan. She pleaded with the Governor that, because Meehan objected to the tranference of her husband’s assignment, “she was in great distress which may probably be the cause of becoming an outcast in society”. It was many years before she managed to have Meehan’s objections overruled. In 1828 Ann McDade & her husband were together, working for Ann Hollis of the Upper Nelson. [Notes – Petition of Mary A McDade, Feb 1826; 4/7084, Reel 588, SRNSW, Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence]” (Source: “Women of Botany Bay, pp282 & 364) 1826, 2 Feb. – COF #2. No. 22/4822. Dated 2 Feb 1826 for Mary Ann DAID, arrived Brox 1814, tried Middlesex on 10 Sep 1812 & given a 7 year term. Her native place was stated as County Armagh [Ireland], she had been a servant, now aged 33, 5’¾ tall, with ruddy complexion, brown hair & hazel eyes. Given in lieu of No. 56/4275 returned mutilated & cancelled. (Source: SRNSW Convict Certificates of Freedom, Reel 602, 4/4424) 1826, 2 July – “LIVERPOOL POLICE. Henry Bacon, per Prince of Orange, was brought up on the 27th ult. by a warrant from Parramatta, charging him with being a runaway from Mr. Meehan's service, of Macquarie Field. It appeared in evidence that the prisoner absconded from his master's farm without permission, four months ago, during which period he had endeavoured to gain a livelihood from different people, by passing himself as a freeman. In defence the luckless mortal affirmed that he had entered into the silken bonds of matrimony with one Mary Ann M'Deed, to, whom he was then an assigned servant. He was ordered to do government duty until the truth of this alleged assignment and assignation could be ascertained.” (Source: The Australian, 05/07/1826, p3) 1828 Census: Mary BACON, 42, FS, Broxbornebury, 7 years, cath (B0006) & husband – Henry BACON, 39, TL, P of Orange 1820, 14 years, prot, labourer to Ann Hollis, Upper Nelson (B0005) [Ann Hollis was described as aged 30, BC, 3 children, prot, tenant farmer, Windsor Rd, Upper Nelson, with 160 acres, 5 horses & 12 cattle]. 1859 - Henry Bacon died on 7 Dec 1859 of “inflammation of the stomach & general decay” at Mulgoa Forest near Camden. (DC 1859/2628) No record found for death of Mary Ann Bacon nee Daid. From the book “Journey to a New Life…” the story of the ships Emu & Broxbornebury by Elizabeth Hook (3rd ed. 2014). I am the author & can be contacted on hookey5609@yahoo.com.au for further info