Eliza Cobb

74

iain Frazier on 25th July 2025

Family connections for Eliza (Cobb) are: COBB Eliza (Cobb) was born about 1801. She developed a pockmarked face & a caste eye. She became a maid in in Kensington London. She was tried for abducting a baby at probably Old Bailey on 17 9 1817, sentebced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) as a convict on 11 10 1818 after a voyage of 5months on MARIA. She was issued her Pardon about 1826. She may have followed her husband to Victoria in 1835.>>> [Some details taken from this Website] John Pascoe (Fawkner) was born on 20 10 1792 at Cripplegate London/Middlesex. He arrived at Port Phillip (now Victoria) with his parents on 4 10 1803 after a voyage of 7+months on HMS CALCUTTA (an expedition that settled in Tasmania); he camped at what is now Sorrento/Sullivans Bay. This expedition rejected Port Phillip for a settlement at this time & he was moved with his parents to Risdon Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) on 27 1 1804 (arriving on 15 2 1804) on OCEAN or HMS LADY NELSON or leaving on 24 3 1804 (arriving on 25 6 1804) on OCEAN. He became a shepherd boy & then a very active man. In May 1814 he was charged with aiding and abetting the escape of 7convicts. He was sent to Newcastle for committing crimes from Port Dalrymple on KANGAROO on 26 1 1815, & worked at cedar cutting on the Hunter River. He was freed in 1816 & returned to Hobart. He had a relationship with Eliza (Cobb her first relationship) whom he met in 1818 in Hobart as she arrived by 'selecting' her from the females on the ship. In July 1819 he was bound over for his part in crimes of his father. He married Eliza (Cobb) on 5 12 1822, with permission of the Governor, at Launceston. He established a bakery, timber business, bookshop, 'The Launceston Advertiser' (in 1829), nursery and orchard. In 1826 he was granted a licence for the Cornwall Hotel. In April 1835 he sought a vessel to take an expedition to Western Port Victoria, acquired ENTERPRISE; he also impatiently hired the DOLPHIN for the purpose about July, before the ENTERPRISE became available, which then proceeded to Western Port then Port Phillip Bay, but without John who had to return to Launceston due to debts. He eventually arrived at Hobsons Bay in October 1835 & thus the story of Melbourne city evolved-he became the cofounder of Melbourne Victoria with John Batman. He died on 4 9 1869 age76 at Smith St Collingwood Melbourne. Details of John Pascoe (Fawkner)s family are given in entry for John (Falkner HMS CALCUTTA 1803) on this Website. .. >>>Eliza (Cobb) gave her age as 56 when she married secondly John Joseph (Walsh his second marriage) in 1871. She died in 1879 age about78 in Victoria.>>> John Joseph (Walsh) married firstly an unknown. He became a Barrister. He gave his age as 44 in 1871.>>> John Joseph (Walsh) & unknown produced at least 2children: 1.Sarah Jane (Walsh). After 1871 she was adopted by Captain John (Lancey) quid pro quo? 2.Charles Henry (Walsh) 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.

59

greg petersen on 22nd April 2017

Born Eliza Cobb in England, she grew up to be unattractive, ungainly with a pock marked face and a caste eye. She was employed as a maid in a stately home in Kensington, London. On 17th September 1817, she was sentenced to 7 years transportation for 'feloniously and maliciously' kidnapping a 4-month-old baby. She arrived in Van Diemen's Land on 11th October 1818. The arrival of women in the Colonies was cause for great excitement. Men rushed to the ships to choose a 'wife'. On this occasion, in Hobart, John Pascoe Fawkner was amongst these men. His first choice was apparently the most attractive of the women, but following a brawl with another man, she abandoned Fawkner for the other man. Fawkner returned to the ship and chose the plainest woman on board - Eliza Cobb. Married 5th December 1822 to John Pascoe Fawkner in Launceston with a permit from the Governor George Arthur. They established a bakery, timber business, bookshop, a newspaper The Launceston Advertiser in 1829, nursery and orchard. Soon after Eliza had received a pardon, Fawkner obtained a licence to run the Cornwall Hotel in 1826.John died in 1869, Eliza, aged 70 married John Joseph Walsh, he was 44. On the marriage certificate Eliza gave her age as 56. She died in Victoria in 1879, although she & John had no children they fostered numerous children including Amelia Lancey (Captain John Lancey's daughter) and 2 children (Sarah Jane and Charles Henry) of barrister John Joseph Walsh, after his first wife died. Upon his remarriage, they persuaded Walsh to allow them to adopt his daughter Sarah Jane. They then adopted Annie Williams from the South Melbourne Orphanage and christened her Eliza Ann Fawkner. They also took in 3 children of Fawkner's nephew after his wife died.