Martha Hughes

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Robin Sharkey on 28th August 2021

MARTHA's life with GEORGE PICKING / PICKERING Martha and George were married in 1833. In the 1837 convict Muster, Martha, then aged 40, was assigned to her husband, George "Pickering". Until this time they lived on the north shore. They had a daughter together, named Susannah, born 15 October 1834 and baptised at Scots Church, Sydney, recorded as "Picken" in the NSWBDM 2866/1834 V18342866 45A, to parents Martha & George. From [“Profiles of the Pioneers in Manly Warringah and Pittwater" by Shelagh & George Champion at Pp 109-110, and 64-65]: During the 1840's Martha and George moved onto land at North Harbour (Manly area). It is reported (SMH 1 January 1850) that at least by October 1849 Martha and George were living “In the bush at North harbour” when their daughter Susannah and her new husband James Heaton were living with them. The Heaton family resided in the old bathing house at Woolloomooloo, where the father was a boat-owner, and young James Heaton was a boatman. The North Harbour land was allotments at Balgowlah that had been granted to Charles Whitney in 1840. Whitney had the licence for the Steam Packet Inn, Windmill St, Sydney in at least 1842 and lived in York St Sydney, not on his Balgowlah grant. George Picking died in April 1867. Based on his arrival age in NSW he would have been 69 or 70 years old, as would Martha. He was described as a fisherman living at Brown’s Creek, North Harbour. He went to Manly Beach every day but on this day lost his footing off cliffs and fell into Brown’s Creek. Martha found his body the next morning. Martha continued living there, and her daughter and son-in-law moved in a year later. Martha died in 1874. The gravestones are in Manly Cemetery. In her old age, Martha had her daughter and son-in-law Susannah & James Heaton, a slew of Heaton grandchildren ranging in age from 24 years old to a baby (with two more yet to be born after Martha’s death). Sadly, her daughter Susannah died four years after Martha, in 1878, aged just 44 with some of her children still very young.

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Robin Sharkey on 28th August 2021

ANNES DAY was the child of Martha and William Day. She was born at the Female Factory where Martha had been sent for a while, for some misdemeanour. From the Baptism Register of St John's Church Parramatta, Annes was in the factory from 6 Sept 1829 (her birth date) until 4 April 1830, which would be he date of Martha's discharge from the Factory. Sadly though, the little baby died at the age of nine months and was buried on 1 June 1830. (Burial register of St John's Parramatta, 1830 Burials). _________________________________

71

Robin Sharkey on 28th August 2021

In October 1814 Martha, newly married the previous month, is recorded as resident at Parramatta, off-stores, and assigned to Nicholas Bayly Esq. But in November, in the 1814 Muster, Martha is recorded as wife of William Day residing at Sydney, off-stores. William was a labourer, off stores, residing at Sydney. In 1822, William is recorded as a labourer at Liverpool, and in 1825 as a labourer at Minto. Martha is not found in either muster, but presumably was with him. But in the 1828 Census, William Day was living at Brisbane Water in the household of Robert Henderson, as a labourer. However, Martha appears as living in the household of William Fowler, at Hunters Hill. George Fowler was a convict transported on "Fortune" in 1813, obtained a Ticket of Leave probably the next year, was a sawyer and by the early 1830's was a timber dealer in Sussex St, Sydney (having got a Conditional Pardon in 1831).(The Sydney Monitor 13 April 1833, p.3) In 1828 Fowler and his wife Elizabeth had separated, although they had five little children between 1817 and 1824. (see public notice that he would not be responsible for any of ELizabeth's debts in 'The Australian' 9 December 1828 p.1). Elizabeth was formerly "Hearson" and had come free on "Wanstead" with her mother Hannah Hearson, who'd been convicted at the Old Bailey for passing forged notes. There was probably a connection between Martha Hughes and the Fowler household because Martha knew Elizabeth from Newgate prison and the "Wanstead" voyage. In any case, Martha had a child in 1829, a daughter named ANNES DAY. Given that Martha and William Day were not living at the same place in the 1828 Census period, was Annes the child of William? She was registered however as Day. [ NSW BDM, BIRTHS 29/1829 V182929 14] William Day apparently died between 1828/29 and 1833, because Martha married again, on 17 November 1833 at the Scots Church in Sydney, to George Picking, or Pickering. Martha was 37 and George was about the same age. They had obtained a permission to marry since Martha was still a convict under life sentence, and had never sought a Ticket of leave or pardon. ________________________________________________

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Robin Sharkey on 28th August 2021

ARRIVAL IN NSW Martha actually received the death sentence at the end of her trial. She may have waited a while before hearing of her reprieve to transportation for Life. She remained in gaol for the first half of 1813 and was transported on "Wanstead" in August 1813, arriving in NSW in January 1814. She was now 18 years of age. Only nine months after arriving in NSW Martha married William Day who said he was aged 28 and had arrived on "Rolla" in 1803 with a 7 year sentence. He was free at his marriage. He could sign his name, Martha could not. She was a resident of Parramatta, so possibly was at the Factory there; he was a resident of St James' parish in Sydney town. (St John's, Parramatta, Marriage Registers, 1814). _______________________________________

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Robin Sharkey on 28th August 2021

There were two women named Martha Hughes on board "Wanstead". This one was only 17 yrs old, tried at the Old Bailey (Middlesex Gaol Delivery) for stealing jewelry from a shop. [The other Martha Hughes was a 34 yr old married woman tried at Lancaster]. Martha and her two friends, Ann Parker and Elizabeth Henry, all young girls, were all charged together. Martha was found guilty, probably because she had pawned the stolen earrings, the other two were found nor guilty. They'd gone to the shop of Joseph Thomas, a jeweller of Hanway St, Oxford St, Mary-le-Bone. They had a ploy. One (Ann Parker) asked to look at various things — thimbles, clasps — then said that none appealed to her. She went outside to look in the shop window before coming back in with the other two girls. Now they ask to look at earrings, with banter between themselves to hint to the shopkeeper they are respectable. They jumbled up the earrings presented on the tray so that there were no obvious missing gaps, and the jeweller didn't notice any were missing. They leave, still saying that nothing suits and declaring they will return next Tuesday - a day the jeweller said more earrings would be in like the ones they claimed to want. After this he noted some were missing, as he only had 6 pairs to start with. The girls did return on Tuesday. He said he noted there were two pairs of earrings and a drop pair missing when they left the shop. He accused the girls of taking them. When he threatened to go to the constable they admitted to the theft. Martha Hughes went off saying she would come back with the earrings. The other two gave him a Drury Lane address where their mothers were. The jeweller went there but it was false, but returning he saw Martha in Drury Lane who said her mother had not been home so she couldn't get the earrings. She gave him her address supposedly, which turned out to be where Elizabeth Henry's parents were. Back at the shop, while the jeweller sent for a constable, Martha's sister arrived with a pawnshop's duplicate for the pair of earrings. A duplicate was a ticket setting out the details the pawn broker had written in his register. The girls admitted the theft to the constable, but Ann & Elizabeth told him that Martha had enticed them to take the earrings. The pawnshop owner gave evidence that Martha had pawned the earrings on 21 November 1812, the same date the girls had first gone to the shop. He had loaned her 7 shillings against them; the jeweller said they were worth 17 shillings. ___________________________________________