Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
George Collis was transported on the Barwell, departing 31st Aug 1797 and arriving 18th May 1798 with 309 passengers.
Barwell (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 234 |
| 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
"I am a descendant of George Colless"
Photos
No photos have been added for George Collis.
Convict Notes
Family connections for George (Collis) are: Some amendments added Jul 2025. COLLIS George (Colli/ess) was born about 1771. He was tried for stealing valuable piece of cloth, in January 1793 in Birmingham, at Warwick Assizes Warwickshire in March/April 1793, sentenced to death reprieved to 7years, worked at Kings Dock Woolwich & arrived in NSW as a convict on 18 5 1798 after a voyage of 9months on BARWELL. He leased then bought land at Birds Eye corner Nepean River. He had a relationship with Ann (Goodwin) from about 1804. He was Free by Servitude by 1805. He was recorded in 1828 with his family as a farmer with 190acres at Castlereagh. He died on 18 7 1851 age80. [Some information taken from this Website] Ann (Goodwin) was tried at Warwick Assizes Warwickshire, sentenced to 14years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 7 5 1804 after a voyage of 6months on EXPERIMENT. She was Free by Servitude by 1818. She was recorded in 1828 with her family at Castlereagh. [Some information taken from this Website] George (Colless) & Ann (Goodwin) produced 9children: 1.William (Colle/iss) was born on 21 8 1805 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age18 w/Elizabeth, Jane, George, Mary & John at Christ Church Castlereagh. He was recorded in 1828 as farmer at Evan. He married Elizabeth (Sherringham age16) on 9 3 1829 at Christ Church Castlereagh. He died on 24 10 1872 age67. ..Elizabeth (Sherringham) was born on 18 9 1813 & baptised on 17 7 1814 at Christ Church Castlereagh. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Evan. She died on 9 9 1883 age70-. ..Details of Elizabeth (Sherringham)s family are given in entry for Robert (Sherringham MINORCA 1801) on this Website. ..William (Colless) & Elizabeth (Sherringham) produced at least 1child: ..1.Susannah (Colless) was born on 18 6 1830 & baptised on 8 7 1832 age2 at Christ Church Castlereagh. .. 2.Elizabeth (Colless) was born on 8 6 1806 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age17 w/William, Jane, George, Mary & John at Christ Church Castlereagh. She married George (Field his first marriage) on 12 7 1824 at Christ Church Castlereagh. She was recorded in 1828 with her husband. She died on 28 10 1833 age27. ..George (Field) was born about 1803 at Parramatta. He was recorded in 1828 with his wife. He married secondly Frances (Callaghan) on 12 5 1834 at (Christ Church?) Castlereagh. He died on 16 4 1872 age about68 at Mt Pleasant father of 13children. ..Details of George (Field)s family are given in entry for Betty (Mitchell MARY ANN 1791) on this Website. .. 3.Jane (Colless) was born on 28 8 1808 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age5 w/William, Elizabeth, George, Mary & John at Christ Church Castlereagh. She married James (Wilcox) emancipist on 17 9 1827 at Christ Church Castlereagh & produced at leas 1child. She was recorded in 1828 with her husband at Evan. She died on 21 8 1882 age74+. ..James (Wilcox) was born about 1802 perhaps in Birmingham Warwickshire-it appears he became a shoemaker. He was tried at Warwick Assizes, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1819 after a voyage of 7months on BARINGalso. On 21 6 1822 he was assigned to Edward (Field (see Elizabeth (Mitchell MARY ANN 1791) at Nepean. On 6 7 1824 he was servant to John (McHenry) at Penrith when he was punished for a misdemeanor & was still there in 1825 as an emancipist. He was recorded in 1828 with his wife as shoemaker at Evan & 1829 as shoemaker. [There seems to be some difficulty in identifying him on this Website. However, on 30 3 1852 the Penrith Magistrates sent a James (Wilcox shoemaker) to Parammatta Gaol for 1month for exposing his person in public; on 19 4 1852 he was removed as a dangerous lunatic to Tarban Creek Asylum; & on 20 4 1852 he was certified lunatic & dangerous to be at large; he was from Birmingham Protestant Free by Servitude 5'5.5" slight stature sallow complexion grey hair blue eyes-mermaid & merman 2moons 7stars JW on right arm, sun moon 7stars slimp on left arm 2marks below left elbow; he died on 13 4 1853 age40-which does not fit the date of birth given here.] A James (Wilcox) is recorded as dying on 29 8 1860 age58. ..[Some information taken from this Website] .. 4.George (Colless) was born on 18 6 1810 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age13 w/William, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary & John at hrist Church Castlereagh. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Castlereagh. He died on 4 1 1869 age58. 5.Mary (Colless) was born on 27 4 1813 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age10 w/William, Elizabeth, Jane, George & John at Christ Church Castlereagh. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Castlereagh. She died on 20 3 1893 age69. 6.John (Colless) was born on 15 8 1815 & baptised on 8 3 1824 age8 w/William, Elizabeth, Jane, George & Mary at Christ Church Castlereagh. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Castlereagh. He died on 4 11 1893 age78. 7.Ann (Colless/Collis) was born on 15 7 1819 & baptised on 15 8 1819 at Christ Church Castlereagh. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Castlereagh. 8.James (Colless) was born on 25 2 1821 & baptised on 6 5 1821 at Christ Church Castlereagh (his mothers surname is recorded in Smees records as (Goodman/Williams) & she is also shown as a government servant/prisoner). He was recorded in 1828 as Free by Servitude with his parents at Castlereagh. He died on 14 6 1901 age80. 9.Charles (Colless) was born on 11 6 1824 & baptised on 12 7 1824 at Christ Church Castlereagh (his mothers surname is recorded in Smees records as (Goodman/Woodman) & she is also shown as a government servant/prisoner). He was recorded in 1828 as Free by Servitude with his parents at Castlereagh. He married ??? (???). He died on 23 3 1898 age73. ..Charles (Colles/s) & ??? (???) produced 8children: ..1?.George Henry (Colless) married ??? (???) & produced at least 1child: ....1.George Charles Henry (Colless) married ??? (???) & produced at least 1child: ......1.Shirley (Colless) ..2.-7.??? (Colless) ..8.??? (Colless) was born in 1851. 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.
I can find no record that George Colless married Ann Goodwin in 1804 or at any other time. Certainly they began to live together in 1804. The logical time for them to marry was after she had served out her time of transportation, when she could have decided to return to England. The 1828 Census lists her as Ann Colless, but in his will George Colless specifically referred to her not as Ann Colless, beloved wife, but as Ann Goodwin, mother of my children. By identifying their mother and listing his children, George ensured that their right of inheritance was secured against any claims on his estate that might have been made by a member of his family in England.
Sainty & Johnson; 1828 Census of New South Wales: [Ref C1831] Collis, George, 57, FS, Barwell 1798, Farmer at Evan. 190 acres, 112 cleared, 60 cultivated, 8 horses and 26 cattle. # Also [Ref C1832] Collis, Ann, FS, Experiment, 1804 and 6 children listed. George 18, Mary 13, Anne 9, John 13, James 7 and Charles 5 all born in the colony. The three elder children are also listed separately; William 23, Farmer at Evan. Jane (married James Wilcox 1827) shown as James Wilcox 26 and Jane Wilcox 19. Elizabeth (married George Field 1824) shown as George Field 25 and Elizabeth Field 22. So all 9 children are identified in 1828.
George did marry Ann Goodwin (Convict, Experiment, 1804), around 1804 at Castlereagh. They had nine children up to 1823. 8 of these children appear themselves, to have married and raised families.
Correct name is George COLLESS. He was arrested in Birmingham, January 1793, charged with the theft of a gown piece (a valuable piece of cloth) was convicted of burglary and sentenced to death at the Warwick Assizes, Mar-Apr 1793. His sentence was commuted to seven years' transportation, but was sent to work on the King's Dock at Woolwich before finally being transported on the Barwell, arriving in Sydney 18 May 1798. First leased, then bought land at Bird's Eye Corner on the Nepean River. De facto husband of Ann Goodwin (Experiment 1804) Father of Charles Colless, grandfather of George Henry Colless, great grandfather of George Charles Henry Colless, great great grandfather of Shirley Colless.