Sarah Bellamy

75

iain Frazier on 13th November 2024

Family connections for Sarah (Bellamy) are: BELLAMY Sarah (Bellamy) was born in 1770 in Worcestershire & became a servant. She was tried for stealing money of Benjamin (Haden) of Dudley at Worcester Summer Assizes on 9 7 1785, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 22 1 1788 after a voyage of 1year on First Fleet ship LADY PENRHYN; information indicates she was pregnant for nearly the whole voyage - she had a first relationship with sailor Joseph (Downey) on the ship. She was assigned to 2Lieutenant John (Faddy) as housemaid. [Some details taken from this Website] Joseph (Downey) arrived in NSW as a sailor on 22 1 1788 after a voyage of 1year on First Fleet ship LADY PENRHYNalso. Sarah (Bellamy) & Joseph (Downey) produced 1child: 1.Joseph (Downey) was born in 1788 & baptised on 3 2 1788 at St Phillips CofE Sydney-not shown in Smees baptism records. (also mentioned as being born on the ship & dying age34d). He died on 29 2 1788 age<3m-not shown in Smees records. .. >>>Sarah (Bellamy had a second relationship with James (Bloodsworth his second relationship) & produced 8children. He was Pardoned in 1790 & on 1 9 1791 he was appointed Superintendent of all the colonys brickmakers & layers & built many of the colonys buildings. In 1802 he was farming on 50acre grant at Petersham which he quickly grew to 245acres. He died on 21 3 1804 age45 father of 12children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She was Free by Servitude by 1795. She presumably disposed of the property after her husbands death & was granted 20acres at Petersham. She was issued her Certificate of Freedom on 23 2 1811. She died on 24 2 1843 age73 mother of 9children. James (Bloodsworth) was born on 7 3 1759 & became a master bricklayer & builder. He married firstly Jane (Marks) on 9 12 1782 in Middlesex. He was tried for stealing fowls in Esther Surrey, tried at Kingston upon Thames Quarter Sessions on 3 10 1785 & arrived in NSW as a convict on 11 1 1788 after a voyage of 8months on First Fleet ship CHARLOTTE. He was Pardoned in 1790 & on 1 9 1791 he was appointed Superintendent of all the colonys brickmakers & layers & built many of the colonys buildings. In 1802 he was farming on 50acre grant at Petersham which he quickly grew to 245acres. He died on 21 3 1804 age45 father of 12children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. [Some details taken from this Website] Reference: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony.

54

Phil Hands on 2nd May 2018

Sarah was tried at the Summer Assizes held at Worcester on 9 July 1785 for stealing in the dwelling house of Benjamin Haden 1 linen purse valued at 2d., 15 guineas. value 15/5-, 1 half guinea valued at 10/6- property of said Benjamin Haden, one promissory note signed under the hand of Wm. Jackson for the Gover' and Co. of the Bank of England No. 6010 bearing date 11th April 1785 valued at 10/-/-, one other promissory note signed under the hand of Thomas Hill Jr. for Hill Waldron and Co. bearing the date 2nd May 1785 whereby the said Thomas Hill did for Hill Waldron and Co. promise to pay the bearer 5 guineas on demand valued at 5/5/-...at the parish of Dudley. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years. She was described as a service spinster aged 17 years in 1787. Left England on 13th May 1787. Ship:- the 'Lady Penrhyn' sailed with 101 female convicts on board of which 3 died during the voyage. Arrived on 26th January 1788. Aboard the ship she had a short-lived relationship with one of the sailors, Joseph Downey; they had a baby aboard the ship but he died 9 days later. Their relationship did not continue when they reached NSW. On arrival she was assigned to 2nd Lt. John Faddy, as a housemaid, Faddy had arrived with the first fleet. In 1789 Sarah was charged with disturbing the peace, but supported by strong witnesses, namely Matthew Everingham and John Harris, had the case dismissed. It had happened that Captain Meredith of the marines and Mr Kiltie, master of the Sirius, somewhat under the weather, departed from the governor's house at about one o'clock in the morning, made a lot of noise outside Sarah's house. She became alarmed and screamed "murder". Subsequently Captain Meredith tried to have Sarah arrested but was restrained by John Harris, the nightwatchman. After this time, Sarah began living with convict James Bloodworth ('Charlotte' 1788) in South Street, now 19 O'Connell St. She had eight children by him but four did not survive infancy. Due to James being a bricklayer and architect they lived together in a beautiful house, had a high social status and were quite wealthy due to James's salary being 50 pounds. Their family gained a very good reputation throughout the new colony. After James died in 1804 aged 45, Sarah lived by herself with her children in South Street. Sarah was described as a spirited girl with an abundance of bright red hair which has been passed onto her many descendants. Sarah settled James' insolvency, received a 20 acre grant at Petersham NSW and schooled her children. She received her certificate of emancipation on 23rd February 1811. In 1823 she petitioned the governor for the release of her son-in-law, Robert Carver, husband of her daughter Elizabeth, who had been falsely accused of a crime he did not commit and was sent to Port Macquarie NSW. She died in Sydney on 24th February 1843 aged 73.