Edward Hazelton

13

John Meara on 27th May 2025

Edward Hazelton (I) was born in about May 1792 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England to John Isaac Hazelton age 26 and Susannah (nee Gross) age 25. He was was their 3rd of 10 children, baptised on 29 May 1792 in Ipswich. On 10 May 1815 at age 22, he married Jane Brownlee in St Anne’s church in Belfast, [Northern] Ireland. Together they had one child, John Brownlee Hazelton, born in 1818. Some researchers suggest that Edward was at the time of his marriage serving in the British military and fought at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. On Friday 21 March 1823 at Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk, Edward Hazelton age 30 was convicted of stealing a sheep belonging to Ambrose Stewart. He was tried at Bury St Edmunds Assizes and sentenced to death, which was revoked to Life in the penal colony of New South Wales. Edward spent two years on a prison hulk before being transported. On 19 August 1825, he departed Portsmouth, Hampshire on board the "Marquis of Hastings" along with 151 other male convicts, with an average sentence of 12 Years with 110 Life sentences. They arrived in Sydney Cove 134 days later on 3 January 1826. Edward was described as 5'8 1/4, 33 years old, complexion brown, eyes with dark grey, hair brown. Upon arrival, Edward Hazelton was assigned to Mr Thomas Icely Esq. of Bathurst and Carcoar where he worked as a Groom. After 7 years separated in the penal colony, his marriage to Jane was declared null after this period. Jane never came to Australia and Edward was never allowed to go back to England. In October 1832, Jane remarried in Ipswich to Robert Greenwood. Edward and Jane’s son John became a seaman and died age 52 after being badly injured when the naval ship he was aboard was blown up in 1868. On 1 May 1833 and now age 40, Edward was granted a Ticket of Leave. With this, he moved to the Illawarra district and worked for Captain Weston at "Macquarie Gift" at Albion Park. As a convict, Edward was required to attend church every Sunday. This church would have been in Wollongong at the school owned by Henry Osborne. At the church he met Hannah "Anne" Herring who had arrived in 1836 as a free settler. Hannah was a nurse maid. Edward applied to the Governor for permission to marry Hannah and they were wed on 14 May 1838. They initially lived at "Macquarie Gift". Edward received his Conditional Pardon 41/28 on 15 March 1841. Edward and Hannah had 11 children together, registered mostly in Dapto, but they were resident near Albion Park. The children were: Susan born 1840, Edward (II) born 1842, Sarah Elizabeth 1843, Charles 1845, Samuel 1848, Henrietta (1) 1850 but died 1855, William 1852, Hannah 1854, Henrietta (2) 1856, Mary 1858 and Ellen "Nellie" 1860. On the 22 December 1856, Edward paid £111.5.0 for 111 acres on Stockyard Mountain, Yellow Rock (about 6km west of Albion Park). He also paid a deposit for another two lots of land but had to forfeit his money as he could not afford to pay for them. Edward and Hannah lived for 11 years in a small house at “Coobee” Stockyard Mountain (aka Tongarra at: -34.5838571, 150.7164574). Edward died on 7 May 1868 and was buried at the Old Cemetery, Shellharbour. Edward’s remains were reinterred later to the New Shellharbour Cemetery where his grave is unmarked. Hannah stayed on the property for a number of years until moving in with one of her daughters. Hannah lived for another 40 years and died 11 June 1908, aged 89 years.