Martha Edwards

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iain Frazier on 27th September 2025

Family connections for Martha (Edwards) are: EDWARDS Martha (Edwards) was born about 8 5 1774 & became a house servant. She was tried for burglary at Hereford Assizes or Middlesex (Ref:'Exiled...'), sentenced to death commuted to Life (or7years) & arrived in NSW as a convict on 18 7 1798 after a voyage of 6months on BRITANNIA. She had a first relationship with James (Holland) & produced perhaps 2children. She was sent to Norfolk Island in 1801.>>> [Some details taken from this Website; where a Margaret (Edwards) is also found] James (Holland) was tried for theft at Clerkenwell Middlesex Sessions of Peace, sentenced to 7years, held at London Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 14 2 1792 after a voyage of 8months on PITT; much fever & attempts to escape from the ship resulted in deaths of convicts-of the 450convicts on board only 29 were alive at muster in May 1792 (or perhaps only this many could be mustered). He was Free by Servitude by 1801. He went to Norfolk Island on PERSEUS? in 1801. His sentence had expired when he died on 1 7 1803 by drowning. [Some details taken from this Website] .. >>>Martha (Edwards) married secondly John (Barn/es/Bain/es/Burnes) on 7 9 1801 on Norfolk Island (recorded at St Phillips CofE Sydney) & produced perhaps 2children. She was recorded as off stores on Norfolk Island in 1802 & February 1805. She left the island with her family on 25 12 1807 as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to land at New Norfolk Derwent Valley. She was recorded as off stores in the Hobart Town muster on 2 10 1818 (as (Holland). She died on 20 3 1846 age71/80 mother of 2known children & was buried at St Stephens Back River New Norfolk Tasmania. John (Barn/es/Bain/es/Burnes) was born about 1768. He was tried (perhaps w/1other), for stealing clothes at Whitechapel, at Old Bailey on 9 6 1789, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship ATLANTIC; he was sent to Norfolk Island on NEPTUNE, arriving on August 1791 & became a landholder. He may have travelled to & from NSW in the period 1791-96. In July 1800 he bought 10acres-Plot no.56 east side of Queensborough. He was Free by Servitude by 1802 & was recorded as off stores. He had 3acres cleared when he left the island with his family as part of the first evacuation (for which volunteers apparantly had been called with appropriate compensation offerred & for which he may have tried to decline as some successful farmers were asked to stay) on 25 12 1807 on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; where he was later granted 36acres at New Norfolk Derwent Valley. He was recorded in the Hobart Town muster in 1818 (as (Holland). In 1820 he operated a ferry service. He died on 13 5 1835 age68 at New Norfolk Tasmania. Some details taken from this Website. 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'

7

Gillian Clark on 4th September 2020

Martha was sentenced to death later commuted on condition that she was transported for and during the terms above mentioned to the eastern coast of New South Wales or some one or other of the islands adjacent for term of her natural life. She must have spent about one year and 10 months in a prison before being transported to NSW on the Britannia III. Ref: Oxford Circuit of Assizes – England and Wales Crime, Prisons and Punishment 1770- 1935 image