Ann Clarke

53

Beth Taylor on 3rd February 2026

TIMELINE NOTES: BC: 1792 Sentenced: 02/12/1812 Middlesex [see trial record below] to transportation for 7 years Crime: Stealing Previous Occupation: Silk weaver Age on Convict Indent: 22 1812 - ANN CLARKE, Theft > theft from a specified place, 2nd December 1812. 72. ANN CLARKE was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 13th of November, two sheets, value 5 s. the property of Robert Cooper , in a lodging room . ELIZABETH COOPER. My husband's name is Robert Cooper ; he is in the India warehouse. I live at No. 5, Union-place, Curtain-road. On the 11th of November I let the prisoner a front room at seven shillings a week, furnished. She came into the lodgings on the 11th; she quitted it on the 13th. I did not see her after the 13th until I saw her at the Office on the Tuesday following. I saw the sheets at the Office when the prisoner was there. She took the sheets on the 13th. THOMAS MILLER. I am a pawnbroker. I produce two sheets. The prisoner pledged one on the 12th of November for two shillings, and the other on the 13th. I am sure the prisoner is the person. Mrs. Cooper. They are my sheets. JOHN KENNEDY. I had the prisoner in custody for robbing the lodgings of Mrs. Goudge. On the second examination Mrs. Cooper came and said that she had robbed her. The prisoner said she had pawned Mrs. Cooper's sheets, and left the duplicates in the tea-pot, in the closet of her room. I went there and found them. Prisoner's Defence. I was in great distress. GUILTY, aged 18. Transported for Seven Years. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder. (Source: Old Bailey on-line http://www.oldbaileyonline.org) Certificate of Freedom 264 (indent) 1814 Muster: Ann CLARK (?), Brox, con, on stores, FF, Parra (3287) 1816 – “PUBLIC NOTICE. THE under-mentioned Prisoners having absented themselves from their respective Employments, and some of them at large with false Certificates, all Constables and others are hereby strictly required to use their utmost Exertions in apprehending, and lodging them in safe Custody. …Eliz. Griffiths, Priscilla Jones, Sarah Ellis, Ann Clarke, Sarah Wells, alias Longhurst, Judith Deylesby, and Charlotte Hopkins…Any Person or Persons harbouring, concealing or maintaining any of the said Absentees, will be prosecuted for the Offence. W HUTCHINSON Principal Superintendant.” (Source: Sydney Gazette, 09/03/1816, p1) 1817, 13 Dec – David Thomson, arr Indian 1810, servant to William Cox of Clarendon, petitioned for a TOL. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Petitions Fiche 3181; 4/1853 p331) 1818, 31 July & 14 Aug. – Ann Clarke, convict, was seeking permission to marry David Thompson, prisoner per Indian, at Castlereagh, by Rev Fulton. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Sent Reel 6006; 4/3499 p11) 1820, May – David Thompson, of Evan, sent a memorial. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Memorial Fiche 3032; 4/1825B pp799-800) 1822 Muster: David THOMSON, CP, Indian, life, labourer, Windsor (A20944) No record found for Ann. 1822, 25 July – Ann Thompson wrote to Major Goulburn, Col Sec, asking for a separation from her husband who had left her starving. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Received Reel 6055; 4/1761 p64) 1822, 29 Oct. – David Thomson, arr India, still recorded as a convict, applied to the Gov. for permission to marry convict Elizabeth Wilson of the ship John Bull, at Windsor. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Received 4/3506 p400) 1823-1825 Muster: Ann CLARK (?), FS, Brox, 7 years, housekeeper, Sydney (15635) & spouses – David THOMPSON, CP, Indian 1810, life, employed by John Cook, Bathurst (42939) William REYNOLDS, TL, Guildford 1815 (?), life, blacksmith, George St (37751) 1826, 9 Sept. – William Reynolds per ship Guildford 3 aged 33, TOL, life term, sought permission to marry Anne Clarke, aged 29, per ship Brox., 7 year term, now free. Rev. Therry in Sydney sent the application. (Source: SRNSW Convict Permission to Marry, Fiche 780, 4/4508) 1828 Census: Ann REYNOLDS, FS, Brox, 7 years, cath *(R0538) wife to – William REYNOLDS, TL, Guildford 3 1817, life, cath, blacksmith at Sussex Lane, Sydney (R0537) [David THOMPSON, aged 35, CP, Indian 1809, cath., servant, Wallis Plains, employed by Mary Hunt (T0371). Former spouse of Ann] 1828, 4 March – David Thompson, arr ship India, aged 36, life sentence now with a CP, received permission to marry convict Grace Keenan aged 30 of the ship Woodman. (Source: SRNSW Convict Permission to Marry, Fiche 780, 4/4508) 1829 – William Reynolds was a witness in a court case against 2 men accused of stealing oxen. “…William Reynolds.—I am a blacksmith, living in Sydney; I remember about 2 years ago, making a brand for Mr. Harpur ; it was an H H brand ; this is it, but the letters have been twisted, and forced closer together since I made it; I do not know to whom the brand was given, but I know that H H is not Mr. Harpur's own brand, I mean the brand he uses on his own cattle.” (Source: Sydney Gazette, 19/11/1829, p2) 1841 – “News of the Day. Mr. William Reynolds, for many years carrying on the business of a blacksmith in Harrington- Street, near the Custom house, met his death under the following circumstances. On Tuesday the deceased was giving some directions to one of his workmen, about putting a lock upon a loft door near to where he was standing, when his foot slipped and he was precipitated from a height of ten feet upon his back and head. The injuries received were so serious that, although medical aid was immediately called in, he lingered in a senseless condition until one o'clock the next day, when he died. The deceased was a man of considerable property, and was highly respected amongst his brother townsmen.” (Source: Sydney Monitor, 23/04/1841, p2) NSW BDM: 1) Ann Clarke married David Thompson (or Tom) at Castlereagh on 05/10/1818. (David Thompson, Signed X; & Ann Clark, Signed X; married 05 Oct 1818 Castlereagh, registered Christ Church Church of England Castlereagh by Banns by Henry Fulton; Witness: John Brenan, Signed; Witness: Frances Colletts, Signed X. Source: Christ Church, Church of England, Castlereagh NSW: Church Register - Marriages; ML ref: Reel SAG 89 & V1818-152-127) [No children born to the couple] 2) Ann Clarke married William Reynolds on 12/09/1826 at St Marys RC, Sydney. (William Reynolds; & Ann Clarke alias Ann Thompson; married 12 Sep 1826, registered St Marys Roman Catholic Sydney; Witness: John Butler; Witness: Ann Doyle; Witness: Mary Tunville; Witness: Eleanor Cougan. Source: St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Sydney NSW: Church Register - Marriages; ML ref: Reel SAG 7 & V1826-190-127) [No children born to the couple] 3) William Reynolds, aged 65, died in 1841 in Sydney. He was buried RC. (V1841-2238-132) 4) David Thompson died c1846 at Bathurst. He was buried 23 July 1846 (Presb). Listed as a farmer from Bartletts, a property now called “Oakleigh”. 5) Ann Reynolds (Clarke/Thompson) died ? Jess' Girls - SAG:  1814 - Muster  1818 - general hospital  1825 - Muster  4/3499 - Banns to wed David Thompson (Indian)  Mutch - marr David at Castlereagh Church 5 Oct 1818, aged 24 Convict Indents & Pardons for David Thompson and William Reynolds: 1) David Thompson came to NSW per ship Indian on 16 Dec 1810, with a life term. He had been court-martialled at Belfast on 26 April 1809. David received a CP on 31/01/1818. He was described as a native of Dumfermline, labourer, 5’3” tall, fair ruddy complexion, brown hair & hazel eyes. (Source: SRNSW Copies of Conditional Pardons Registered; Reel Number: 774; Roll Number: 149; Volume Number: 4/4430) 2) William Reynolds arr Sydney on the ship Guildford 3 on 1 April 1818, with a life sentence. He had been tried at the County of Dublin in Feb 1817 & was a native of Meath, a coachsmith, aged 31, 5’7” tall with dark pale complexion, black to grey hair & grey eyes. TL – 2616. CP – 175. William received his CP in 1830. The application stated that his crime was “Robbery” & he had held a TOL for 10 years. (Source: SRNSW Copies of Conditional Pardons Registered; Roll Number: 171; Volume Number: x62). William Reynolds, tried Dublin, arr Australia 1818 on the ship Guildford, was on a list of convicts who applied for their wives & families to be sent to NSW at the expense of the government. Letter dated 15-5-1829. (Source: National Archives of Ireland, Transportation Database) OTHER INFO: • Letter from Warren Loxley, Nov. 2002 who wrote:  David Thompson was born at Dumfermline, Scotland & was aged only 16 when he was court-martialed for desertion from the 72nd Regt. of the Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders.  After David separated from Ann Clarke he met & married convict Grace Keenan in 1828 at Newcastle. She had reached NSW in 1823 on the ship Woodman. They had a child in Newcastle who died young & later settled near Bathurst where David was a hedge carpenter & the couple had 2 sons, Lachlan & Peter. He was buried 23 July 1846 (Presb) Bathurst. Listed as a farmer from Bartletts, a property now called “Oakleigh”. Notes 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 tbeth3370@gmail.com for further info

135

C H on 16th February 2024

Old Bailey Online ANN CLARKE. Theft; theft from a specified place. 2nd December 1812. Text type Trial account Defendants ANN CLARKE Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 2nd December 1812 Reference Number t18121202-73 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 72. ANN CLARKE was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 13th of November , two sheets, value 5 s. the property of Robert Cooper , in a lodging room . ELIZABETH COOPER . My husband's name is Robert Cooper ; he is in the India warehouse. I live at No. 5, Union-place, Curtain-road . On the 11th of November I let the prisoner a front room at seven shillings a week, furnished. She came into the lodgings on the 11th; she quitted it on the 13th. I did not see her after the 13th until I saw her at the Office on the Tuesday following. I saw the sheets at the Office when the prisoner was there. She took the sheets on the 13th. THOMAS MILLER . I am a pawnbroker. I produce two sheets. The prisoner pledged one on the 12th of November for two shillings, and the other on the 13th. I am sure the prisoner is the person. Mrs. Cooper. They are my sheets. JOHN KENNEDY . I had the prisoner in custody for robbing the lodgings of Mrs. Goudge. On the second examination Mrs. Cooper came and said that she had robbed her. The prisoner said she had pawned Mrs. Cooper's sheets, and left the duplicates in the tea-pot, in the closet of her room. I went there and found them. Prisoner's Defence. I was in great distress. GUILTY , aged 18. Transported for Seven Years . Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder.