Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Ann Beardsley was transported on the Friendship, departing 13th May 1787 and arriving 21st Jan 1788 with 107 passengers.
This convict ship, being 274 tons and 75 feet long was one of the light weight ships in the fllet and was skippered by Master Francis Walton. Built in Scarborough in 1784, she carried 76 male and 21 female convicts. During her return voyage to England her crew came down with scurvy and with insufficient crew to man her, she was scuttled in the straights of Macassar. The survivors were transferred to the Alexander.
FriendshipReferences
| Primary Source | http://www.firstlanding.com.au |
Claims
No one has claimed Ann Beardsley yet.
Photos
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Convict Notes
There are two spurious children erroneously linked to Ann. A twin of Diana named Francis appears in some publications, but no trace appears in kknown source material of a birth or death of Francis. The 2nd source date of death 1 Oct 1796 with associated notes is believed to be a mistaken interpretation of material relating to the ship 'Francis' which was on Norfolk Island in Oct 1796. Another son named James is a misinterpretation of a James McCarty who happened to appear on the passenger list of the Estramina with Mary Ann McCarty departing Norfolk Island to Sydney in Apr 1810. He was a Sailor, recently of the Whaler 'Mary South', and no relation whatsoever No trace can be found of Ann McCarty's (or Bezely/Beazley/Beardsley) death, but she is thought to have died between Oct 1796 and 1802 on Norfolk Island as she dissappears from the Victualling records and there is a gap up till 1802 where records are virtually non existant. There is no record of her ever leaving the Island as did her husband & surviving two daughters Harriet ad Mary Ann
05/11/1791 married Pte John McCarthy (of the Marine Corps) on Norfolk Is when Rev. Richard Johnson visited the island. Vital records and victual records for Norfolk Island show that John and Ann had perhaps 6 children. Only Harriet (bp 1789 in Sydney) and Mary Ann survived. Harriet McCarthy left Norfolk Is in 1807 (per Porpoise) when the colony was first abandoned. She married John Devereux (who had been a convict on Norfolk Is) 13 Jun 1808 in Hobart. Harriet and John had 8 children. She died as Harriet Mulligan 21 Jun 1860. Mary Ann McCarthy left Norfolk Is sometime before 1810. She had a relationship with Thomas Skottowe, the commander of the penal establishment at Newcastle. They had 2 sons - Augustus & George. George's fate is unknown. Augustus went on to have a long life in Canada with many descendants. Mary Ann died in Sydney at the age of 89, leaving a small fortunate to her nephews Peter and Philip Devereux (sons of sister Harriet) in Tasmania.
Ann was 21 years old when she arrived in NSW. 4/3/1790: Ann was ordered to Norfolk Island (because of the starvation at Sydney Cove, the Colony was equally divided between Sydney Cove and Norfolk Island). Ann departed per 'Sirus' with her infant daughter Harriet. 5/11/1791: Married John McCarthy on Norfolk Island. They had 4 children but only 1 survived, Mary Ann McCarthy. 12/4/1808: Ann, Harriet and Mary Ann departed Norfolk Island per 'Estramina' and arrived in Sydney 22/4/1808. Nothing else is known of Ann, but Harriet died 21/3/1860 at Brighton, Tasmania and Mary Ann was recorded as living with Lieutenant Skottowe, of the 73rd Regiment and Commandant of Newcastle 1811-1814. Mary Ann died in 1832 in England.
Ann Beardsley was tried at Derby, Derbyshire on 5 August 1786 for stealing clothing. She was sentenced to transportation for 5 years and left England on the Friendship aged about 21 at that time (May 1787). Her occupation was listed as None. Held on Dunkirk hulk.One of the best behaved on the journey out according to Lieutenant Ralph Clark's Diary.