Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Martha Chamberlain was transported on the Indispensible, departing 30th Sep 1795 and arriving 30th Apr 1796 with 134 passengers.
Indispensible (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 208 |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
"Martha Chamberlain is my great great great grandmother. She married George Best."
Photos
No photos have been added for Martha Chamberlain.
Convict Notes
Family connections for Martha (Chamberlain) are: CHAMBERLAIN Martha (Chamberlain) was born about 1774. She was living at St Giles Middlesex when tried w/1other for stealing cloth coat of John (Cox) at probably Old Bailey on 17 1 1795, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW on 30 4 1796 after a voyage of 6months on INDISPENSABLE; she was Protestant. She married George (Best) on 17 9 1797 at St Johns CofE Parramatta, farmed at Toongabbie & produced 11children. She was Free by Servitude by 1803. She died on 14 3 1833 age59. [Some details taken from this Website] [Martha (Chamberlain) is recorded on this Website as daughter of William (Chamberlain) & Mary (???) born on 6 11 1776, baptised on 8 12 1776 at St Benets Pauls Wharf London & buried on 18 5 1777 age6m:] [OR as daughter of William (Chamberlain) & Mary (???) born on 13 10 1780 & baptised on 12 11 1780 at St Benets Pauls Wharf London-perhaps this is she.] CCONVICTdone George (Best) was born about 1758 in Kent & became a labourer. He was tried for burglary, on 24 11 1789, of a watch etc of William (Cheeseman) of East Peckham at Kent Lent Assizes Maidstone, sentenced to death commuted to Life & arrived in NSW on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship WILLIAM AND ANN; he was Protestant. He married Martha (Chamberlain) on 17 9 1797 at St Johns CofE Parramatta & farmed at Toongabbie. He was issued his Conditional Pardon in 1800 & his Absolute Pardon in 1804. In 1814 he was assigned convict John (Mills). In 1828 he had >800acres. He died on 2 7 1836 age78. [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.
New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Name: Martha Chamberlain Age: 21. Estimated Birth Year: abt 1774 Date of conviction: 1 Jan 1795 - Middlesex ---------------------------
A Martha Chamberlain, daughter of William and Mary, was indeed born on November 6 1776 and baptised on December 8 at St. Benet Paul's Wharf in London, but another Martha was born to William and Mary on October 13 and baptised on November 12 1780 at the same church. The first Martha must have died, and sure enough there is the record of the burial of Martha Chamberlain 'an Infant' at the same church on May 18 1777. The second one seems too young to have been described as 21 at the time of her trial in 1795.
Sainty & Johnson; 1828 Census of New South Wales: [Ref B1105] Best, George 72, absolute pardon Wm & Ann, 1792 life, Protestant, settler, Seven Hills, 805 acres 340 cleared, 70 cultivated, 19 horses, 340 horned cattle and 1140 sheep. [Ref B1106] Best, Martha, 53, free by servitude, Indispensible, 1796, 7 years, Protestant Best, Sarah 20 born in the colony Best, John 17 born in the colony Best, Robert 16 born in the colony Best, peter 14 born in the colony Best, William 13 born in the colony
In the colony, Martha married George Best (Convict, William & Ann, 1791). They married At Parramatta, September 17, 1797. George Best of the parish of Parramatta and Martha Chamberlain of the parish of Parramatta were married in this church by banns this seventeenth day of Se[ int he year one thousand seven hundred and ninty [sic] seven by me Samuel Marsden Both George and Martha signed the register with their X mark In the presence of Joseph Souter and Mary Phillips who both sighed the register. The couple had 10 children, only one of whom did not survive infancy.
JOHN JONES and MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN were indicted for feloniously and burglariously stealing, breaking and entering the dwelling house of John Cox , about the hour of ten in the night, on the 23d of May , and burglariously stealing therein, a man's cloth coat, value 6s. a pair of mens velveret breeches, value 7s. a man's cloth waistcoat, value 1s. a man's hat, value 10s. a woman's cotton gown, value 10s. a black silk bonnet, value 6s. and a stuff quilted petticoat, value 7s. the goods of the said John Cox. Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice LAWRENCE. Martha Chamberlain, one of 131 convicts transported on the Indispensible, departing England in October 1795 on the ship 'Indispensible'. She was tried at Middlesex Gaol on 1 Jul 1795 and found guilty of stealing goods value 39 shillings, but not guilty of breaking and entering. Her sentence was 7 years. She was aged 21 a singlewoman, native place Parish St Giles, Middlesex. The ship arrived in the colony on 30 Apr 1796.