Margaret Dawson

75

iain Frazier on 25th August 2025

Family connections for Margaret (Dawson) are: DAWSON Margaret (Dawson) was born about 1771 maybe in Liverpool Lancashire. She was tried for stealing, on 17 2 1786, clothing etc of her employer Joseph & Frances (Stetley) at Old Bailey on 22 2 1786, sentenced to death commuted to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & Newgate Prison & arrived in NSW on 22 1 1788 after a voyage of 12months on First Fleet ship LADY PENRHYN; where she was quickly subject to depredations of fellow convicts. [She sufferred infamous behaviour of convict John (Hayes) who received 50lashes in August 1789: this John (Hayes) was a farmer & arrived perhaps as a marine-he was discharged on 10 12 1791 & sent to Norfolk Island, arriving on 2 11 1792, married Charlotte (Ware FRIENDSHIP 1788) & left on 6 11 1794.] She had a relationship with William (Balmain). In November 1791 she went to Norfolk Island with her partner on ATLANTIC arriving on 4 11 1791. She was Free by Servitude in January 1793 & possibly working a farm. She left Norfolk Island on 8 8 1795 returning to Sydney with her family. In August 1801 she returned to London with her family arriving in March 1802. In May 1803 she (pregnant) & her children were sent to Ormskirk near Liverpool Lancashire; she, perhaps with children, went back to London. She lived in Clements Inn with her family in 1807. She died on 17 2 1816 age45 at St James Westminster & was buried at St Giles in the Fields. [Some Details taken from this Website] William (Balmain) son of ??? (Balmain) & ??? (Henderson) arrived in NSW as Surgeon on 22 1 1788 after a voyage of 12months on First Fleet ship ALEXANDER. In November 1791 he went to Norfolk Island with his partner on Fleet ship ATLANTIC, arriving on 4 11 1791 where his duties included being a judge [he is recorded in Ref:'People...' as a magistrate in 1790]. He left Norfolk Island on 8 8 1795 returning to Sydney with his family. In August 1801 he returned to London with his family arriving in March 1802. He died on 17 11 1803 & was buried at St Giles in the Field, leaving monies for his wife. Margaret (Dawson) & William (Balmain) produced 4children: mainly girls 1.Ann (Balmain) was born on 29 5 1794 on Norfolk Island. She went with her family to Sydney on 8 8 1795. She died on 4 9 1797 age3. 2.Jane (Balmain) was born on 27 3 1797 in Sydney & baptised on 27 5 1797 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. In August 1801 she was taken to London by her parents arriving in March 1802. In May 1803 she was taken by her mother to Ormskirk near Liverpool Lancashire & perhaps back to London. She lived in Clements Inn with her mother in 1807. She died on 9 9 1874 age77. .. 3.John William (Balmain) was born on 20 8 1800 in Sydney & baptised on 26 9 1800 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. At some time he took on the surname (Henderson, that of his mother). In August 1796 he was taken to Sydney by his parents. In August 1801 he was taken to London by his parents arriving in March 1802. In May 1803 he was taken by his mother to Ormskirk near Liverpool Lancashire & perhaps back to London. He lived in Clements Inn with his mother in 1807. He was a surgeon when he married, as John William (Balmain-Henderson), Kezia Jane (Rose) on 28 12 1828 at St James CofE Sydney. He was a surgeon in 1829. He died on 9 8 1850 age50-. ..Kez/sia Jane (Rose) was born in 1807. She was recorded in 1828 with her father at Appin. She died in 1842 age about34; her 3children were cared for by her brother James Hannibal. ..Details of Kezia Jane (Rose)s family are given in entry for Thomas (Rose BARWELL 1798) on this Website. ..John William (Henderson) & Kezia Jane (Rose) produced at least 3children: ..1.Margaret Elizabeth (Balmain-Henderson) was born on 21 11 1829 at Elizabeth St Sydney & baptised on 29 12 1829 at St James CofE Sydney. From 1842 she was cared for by her uncle at Yass (perhaps John William (Balmain/Henderson). She later moved to Melbourne. She married in Victoria. ..2.??? (Balmain-Henderson). From 1842 he/she was cared for by his/her uncle at Yass. He/she later moved to Melbourne. He/she married in Victoria. ..3.??? (Balmain-Henderson). From 1842 he/she was cared for by his/her uncle at Yass. He/she later moved to Melbourne. He/she married in Victoria. .. 4.Jane (Balmain) was born about 1803 in London. In 1807 she was living with the family at Clements Inn. References: 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. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'

60

Eric Harry Daly on 21st December 2012

Margaret Dawson was born abt 1771 and died 16 Feb 1816 in St James, Westminster. She was tried at the Old Bailey on 22 Feb 1786 at the age of 15 for stealing from her employer. http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t17860222-54-defend677&div=t17860222-54#highlight She came from Liverpool and in 1786 was employed in London as a servant in the house of Joseph and Frances Shetley. On the afternoon of Sunday 12 February 1786, while her employers were out of the house, Margaret collected a large quantity of clothing, jewellery, and money, and left the house. Mrs Shetley returned home and found the house in disorder and the young servant girl missing. She sent for Mr Shetley who set out to follow Margaret that evening. Knowing she came from the Liverpool area, he asked after her at the Golden Cross at Charing Cross and was told that a girl of her description had boarded the coach for Chester in the north at 7.00 p.m. Mr Shetley took a postchaise with a Mr Lowe, and overtook the coach at St Albans. Margaret was found on the roof of the coach, apprehended, and taken into a local Inn where she handed over the stolen goods from her pockets and two boxes. The goods were recognised by Mr Shetley, the only item missing being a guinea coin which she had used to pay for the coach. When asked if she had acted with an accomplice or was travelling with anyone, she said no. Margaret was then taken back to London and Mrs Shetley identified the items of clothing!!. Her trial record, like that of most of her fellow convicts, remains completely silent as to motive. We can only speculate as to whether her rash action resulted from cruel or indecent treatment at the hands of her employer, a family crisis pulling her back home, a threat from an unknown person, or a simple failure to resist the temptation of an empty house. At her trial at The Old Bailey on 22 February for "feloniously stealing" goods to the value of £12 4s 1d, Mr Lowe stated that she was so changed in appearance that he would not have recognised her. In her defence, Margaret said "I have nothing to say, I have no witnesses." She was found guilty and sentenced to the mandatory sentence of death. The prosecutor and jury recommended mercy on account of her youth, being only fifteen, and it being her first offence. After ten months in Newgate Prison, in conditions where malnutrition, filth and violence were common, Margaret was returned to court. Here, on 4 January 1787, her death sentence was commuted "on condition of being transported for [a term of seven years], to the Eastern coast of New South Wales, or some one or other of the islands adjacent". On the 26th January, she was delivered from Newgate to the Lady Penrhyn, then moored in the River Thames. Conditions here were no better than in prison, with the women on board described as "almost naked and so very filthy' and "where there are very many venereal complaints". She sailed with the Fleet for New South Wales from Portsmouth on 13 May 1787, arriving after a cramped and insanitary voyage of seven months at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson on 26 January 1788. After allowing time for land to be cleared and huts erected, Margaret, along with the 189 other female convicts, went ashore on 6 February. Here, it was reported by one onlooker "the convicts got to them very soon after they landed, and it is beyond my abilities to give a just description of the scenes of debauchery and riot that ensued during the night." In August 1789 the convict John Hayes received 50 lashes in a flogging ordered for his "infamous Behaviour" towards Margaret. Perhaps it was this event that brought her to the attention of the assistant surgeon, William Balmain. And perhaps she assisted Balmain in tending to the large number of sick convicts who arrived in mid 1790 in the Second Fleet. In November 1791, Margaret and Balmain travelled together to Norfolk Island on Atlantic, along with Philip Gidley King, travelling to take up the post of Lieutenant Governor. Her penal sentence expired in January 1793, and soon after she signed a receipt for payment for some grain sold to the government stores, indicating she was literate, free, and farming some land. Their first child, a daughter, was born here in May 1794. The family returned to Sydney in August 1795. Back in Sydney, Margaret bore two more children, a girl and a boy, with Balmain. The older daughter died on 4 September 1797. The family left Sydney in August 1801, and arrived in London in March 1802, an absence of just under 15 years. In May 1803 Margaret, now pregnant with their fourth child, and the children, were sent to Ormskirk, near Liverpool. On 17 November 1803 William Balmain died. In his will, dated four days before, he left a yearly sum of £50 to “my dear friend Margaret Dawson, otherwise Henderson ... whose tenderness to me, while in ill health , claims my warmest gratitude and by whom I have had two natural children … and who is now ensient”. On Margaret's death his executors were to provide £12 10s for her “last sickness and funeral expenses”. No doubt due to her convict status, in contrast to Balmain's professional position, she was unable to marry him, and she and the children had taken the surname 'Henderson”, which was Balmain's mother's maiden name. Margaret left Ormskirk and gave birth to the fourth child in London. Little is known of this baby, except that it was a girl, and still living with the family at Clements Inn in January 1807. Although she was receiving some rent from properties in New South Wales, it is likely that Margaret would have had to earn a living, perhaps as housekeeper. With the help of Balmain's friends she continued to encourage her son John William's education, and he was to return to New South Wales in January 1829 as a surgeon (like his father). On 16 February 1816, while living at St James's, Westminster, Margaret died, and was buried in the churchyard of St-Giles-in-the-Fields, where Balmain was buried.