Reuben Buckner

16

Tanya Kirk on 8th January 2026

24 May 1767 - Reuben was baptised the son of William Buckner and Alice Main at Cranborne, Dorset. 23 Sep 1788 - Reuben Buckner(21) and Elizabeth Budden (17) marry in St Mary and St Bartholomew parish church at Cranborne, Dorset. Elizabeth was the daughter of William Budden and Sarah nee Hatchard. She had been baptised at Horton in Dorset (6 Nov 1771) but the family had moved to Edmondsham, Dorset and her siblings were all baptised there. Perhaps the young couple moved to look for work because their daughter Henriette (or Harriet depending on which Bishop's transcript you look at) was baptised 18 Nov 1789 in Romsey, Hampshire. By 5 May 1791, Reuben has been convicted of fraud and sentenced to transportation for 7 years. 2 months later Reuben boards the convict ship "Pitt". Elizabeth joins him on board. She is "free" but her social class is that of "wife of a convict". The ship sailed from Cowes on the Isle of Wight 18 Jul 1791. (Hampshire Chronicle 18 July 1791 (Monday) Page 3 of 4 ; Kentish Gazette, 19 July 1791 Page 3 of 4) Only weeks after they set sail, the ship's surgeon, Mr Jameson, records an outbreak of smallpox amongst the convicts. Several deaths are noted, including 2 convict children, but no names are recorded. (Historical Records of Australia Series 1 Vol 1 pages 525-528). It is highly likely that Reuben was one of the deaths as there is no record of him arriving in New South Wales.

74

iain Frazier on 18th December 2023

Family connections for Reuben (Buckner) are: BUCKNER Reuben (Buckner) [alias Thomas (Williams] was born on 17 5 1767. He married Elizabeth (??? maybe Budden age about15 her first relationship (1of3)) in about 1790. He was tried for deception-fraud false pretences & theft of books etc-at Lewes Easter Quarter Sessions Sussex, sentenced to 7years & was sent to NSW as a convict with his wife; the ship arrived on 14 2 1792 after a voyage of 8.5months on PITT. He died in 1792 close to the arrival of the ship: perhaps in conjunction with attempts to escape from the ship-of the 450convicts on board only 29 were alive at muster in May 1792 (or perhaps only this many could be mustered). [Some details taken from this Website] Elizabeth (??? maybe Budden) was born about 1775. She arrived in NSW with her husband on 14 2 1792 after a voyage of 8months on PITT. She had a second relationship (2of3) at age about16 with Richard (Tuckwell) & produced 7children.>>> Richard (Tuckwell) was born about 1757. He enlisted in NSW Corps om 20 6 1789 in UK as a sergeant. He arrived in NSW as a soldier/sergeant Quarter Master on 14 2 1792 (although the Ref:'Colonial...' shows him arriving in 1790) after a voyage of 8months on PITTalso. In 1793 he was granted 25acres at Concord. He was discharged in 1794. In 1809 he received a grant of 100acres at St George & 65rods in Pitt St Sydney. In 1813 he was granted a licence as a victualler & operated City of London Arms in Pitt St Sydney. He was also a licensed butcher. He died on 26 3 1820 age about59/63 father of perhaps 7children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney; he left 100acres at Botany Bay to his children by Elizabeth (Buckner) & not to his wife Elizabeth (???/Sidebotham)-contested in 1843 as being in fact her land. Details of Richard (Tuckwell)s family are given BELOW. .. >>>Elizabeth (??? maybe Budden) had a third relationship with Patrick (Kirk) whom she married on 29 1 1810 & produced 2children. She is recorded in 1828 with her husband at Prospect. She produced maybe 9children in her lifetime. [Patrick (Kirk) was born about 1778. He was tried at Dublin city Ireland in 1800, sentenced to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 7 7 1802 after a voyage of 7months on ATLAS; he was Catholic. At some time in his life he was a publican. He is recorded in 1828 with Conditional Pardon with his wife at Prospect. He died on 20 2 1837 age59.] [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.

105

Denis Pember on 13th January 2016

Rueben Buckner appears under the name of Thomas Williams, on 17th March 1791 at the Quarter Sessions in Lewes, East Sussex, where he is found guilty of fraud, false pretences and theft. The items he was found guilty of stealing, or obtaining by fraud, (he claimed to be a merchant,) included books, linen, china, glassware and pictures, suggest that he was trying to set up house! At the Easter Session of the Lewes Court, May 1791, he is convicted and sentenced to Transportation for Seven Years. He was subsequently transferred to the convict transport “Pitt”. Reuben died probably during the voyage of the ship 'Pitt' from England to the colony or shortly after it arrived in the colony on 14 Feb 1792. The journal of George Thompson, who sailed in the Royal Admiral, May 1792 records that of the 450 that came from England in the Pitt only twenty nine were alive six weeks since at a general muster. Reuben Buckner does not appear in the return of those Convicts who have died or run from the 'Pitt', but this return lists only those who either escaped or died whilst attempting to escape. No mention of Reuben Buckner in New South Wales appears on musters or other documents and one can assume, because of the high death toll amongst convicts on the Pitt that Reuben Buckner died on the voyage or soon after landing in 1792.

5

Jo Jennings on 24th April 2013

Reuben Buckner died in transit to Australia. His 16 year old wife was on board the Pitt. She had an affair with Richard Tuckwell. Sgt Quarter Master after Reuben died.