Simon Lear

341

Maureen Withey on 19th December 2025

National Archives. HO-9-4_2 page 19/49. Hulk Records. Woolwich Hulks, Prudentia, Retribution or Justitia. Received 2 Nov 1816. Abram. Elias, age 27, Having in Possession forged BE notes. Tried Exeter Castle Ass, 5 Aug 1816, Sentence, Beyond seas, 14 years, Transported 20 Nov 1816. Simon Lear, age 29, Having in Possession forged BE notes. Tried Exeter Castle Ass, 5 Aug 1816, Sentence, Beyond seas, 14 years, Transported 20 Nov 1816.

341

Maureen Withey on 11th December 2025

National Archives. ADM 101/67/2/1 Diary of the convict ship Shipley for 19 November 1816 to 3 May 1817 by George Clayton, Surgeon and Superintendent, during which time the ship was employed in carrying convicts, soldiers and passengers from England to New South Wales. Folio 3: 20 November 1816: Received 70 convicts on board at Woolwich apparently in health except five with ulcerated legs.  Folio 5: 8 December 1816: Cured Simon Lee of ulcers.

74

iain Frazier on 3rd December 2023

Family connections for Simon (Lear) are: LEAR Simeon/Simon (Lear) was born about 1780/8; he claimed in later life to have beem medically trained. was tried for possession of forged notes, on 7 6 1816, at Plymouth at Devon Assizes, sentenced to 14years, & arrived in NSW as a convict on 24 4 1817 after a voyage of 4months on SHIPLEY; he was sent to Windsor. He was working as dentist & corn operator in 1818 at 7 Castlereagh St. In 1820 he was struck off the medical register as being not qualified to practice. He was free by 1822 & sought permission to work as a surgeon. He married with permision Elizabeth (???/Sideboth/ttam her third marriage) emancipist on 7 8 1823 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He was still working, as oculist & snuff seller, in 1828. He was issued his Certificate of Freedom in September 1830. In 1838 he was treating Fistula in Macquarie St. He died on 18 9 1847 age67, leaving a property at Elizabeth St Sydney to the Jewish Philanthropic Institute. [Some details taken from this Website] Elizabeth (???/Sideboth/ttam) was born about 1768. She was tried for receiving stolen shawls etc at Old Bailey on 1 7 1807, sentenced to 7years, held at London or Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 16 11 1808 after a voyage of 8months on SPEKE. She married secondly (2of3) Richard (Tuckwell his second marriage) on 13/30 11 1808 at St Phillips CofE Sydney; the marriage was deemed invalid due to unacceptance of Governor Blighs administrative actions & she married him again on 2 2 1810 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She became owner of 100acres at Botany Bay. She continued operating the City of London Arms in Pitt St Sydney & the butchers licence after her husbands death in 1820. In 1843 she challanged the Will of Richard (Tuckwell) as having left her nothing but leaving her 100acres at Botany Bay to her step children. She died in 1850 age82. [Some details taken from this Website] 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.

341

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2022

1822. To His Excellency Sir Thomas Brisbane, The Humble petition of Simeon Lear sheweth That your Excellency’s Petitioner by profession is a Surgeon, but was prohibited from continuing his practice in this Colony by an order which appears in The Sydney Gazette of 1820. That petitioner previous to such order had completed several cures on the Persons where names are hereto annexed who are willing if necessary to prove the same ... Dec 2 1822. Re permission to marry at Sydney. Simon Lear, convict, per Shipley and Elizabeth Tuckwell, Free. Sydney, Revd. William Cowper, Chaplain. 1825. List of Crown Prisoners who have applied for Emancipation. Simon Lear, per Shipley, Remarks on Character taken from the Police Books- this name does not appear on the books. Dentist. ---------------------------------------------------- Public Notice. THE undermentioned Persons have obtained Certificates of Freedom, during the last Week, ; viz. Shipley (1) Simon Lear. Sydney Gazette, 26 Oct 1830. -------------------------------------------------- Is this the same person? Giving evidence in a trial? Mr. Simon Lear, Oculist, being on the Jury, examined the prisoners eyes, and being sworn, confirmed the prisoner's statement as to his being totally blind. The Sydney Herald, 18 May 1835. ---------------------------------------------------- PRO BONO PUBLICO SIMON LEAR, MACQUARIE STREET, opposite the general hospital, Sydney. A CQUAlNTS the Public that he continues ilTk to perform a CURE for the FISTULA, which he- undertakes to do within a week or ten days. Such individuals as are suffering under this distressing and dangerous complaint had better call on the Doctor without delay. Sydney, 8th June, 1838. Commercial Journal, 9 June 1838. --------------------------------------------------- LEAR AND WIFE V. MOORE This was an action brought by the complainants for dower and arrears of dower, in respect of 100 acres of land at Botany, in the occupation of defendant. The evidence produced went to show that the complainant Elizabeth Lear was married to R. Tuckwell, in the year 1810, and after his death to the present complainant Simon Lear. Further hearing of the case was then adjourned. Sydney Morning Herald, 4 May 1843. -------------------------------------------------- LAW INTELLIGENCE. SUPREME COURT.—IN EQUITY. TUESDAY. BEFORE SIR JAMES DOWLING, CHIEF JUSTICE. SIMON LEAR AND ELIZABETH LEAR v. PATRICK MOORE. Sir JAMES DOWLING, Chief Justice: This was a suit for dower.—The case made by the bill was, that Richard Tuckwell, of Sydney, butcher, a former husband of complainant, Elizabeth Lear, was, during coverture with him, and at the time of his death, seised in fee of one hundred acres of land at Botany Bay, and by his will, duly attested, on 2nd June, 1818, devised the same, in trust, for the benefit of his illegitimate children, by another woman, to the exclusion of his wife Elizabeth, no provision having been made for her in lieu of dower. ... The plaintiff, however, proved her marriage in fact, with the testator, by license, in the name of Elizabeth Sidebotham, solemnized by the Rev William Cowper, Colonial Chaplain, on the 2nd February, 1810. ... Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1843. -------------------------------------------------- Deaths. At his residence, in Macquarie-street, on the 19th Sept., Simon Lear, Esq., aged 67. Maitland Mercury, 25 Sept 1847. -------------------------------------------------- In the Supreme Court of New South Wales. ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION. In the Will of Simon Lear, late of Macquarie-street, in the City of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, oculist, deceased. NOTICE is hereby given, that Abraham Polack, of Sydney, aforesaid, auctioneer, James Simmons, of Sydney, aforesaid, merchant, and Moses Joseph, of Sydney, aforesaid, merchant, the Executors named and appointed in and by the last Will and Testament of the above named Simon Lear, do intend, at the expiration of fourteen days from the publication of this notice and advertisement, to Apply to the said Court, in its Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, that Probate of the said last Will and Testament be granted to them.—Dated this twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven. ROBERT JOHNSON, Proctor for the said Executors, 342, Pitt-street, Sydney. NSW Govt Gazette, 24 Sep 1847.

341

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2022

Devon. Simon Lear was next indicted for having feloniously had in his possession, at the parish of Charles. in the borough of Plymouth, on on the 7th, day of June last, and in his lodgings situate within the said parish, certain forged and counterfeited notes for £l each, purporting to be notes of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, payable to Mr, Henry Base, or bearer, on demand. Star, (London) 17 Aug 1816. Assize Intelligence. Abraham Elias, for having uttered a forged £ 1 note, and Simon Lear, for having in his possession 84 forged notes— Transported 14 years. Royal Cornwall Gazette, 17 Aug 1816.

341

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2022

Colonial Secretary Index. LEAR, Simon. Per "Shipley", 1817; dentist. 1817 May 2 On list of convicts disembarked from the "Shipley" & forwarded to Windsor for distribution (Reel 6005; 4/3496 p.129) 1822 For permission to practise as a surgeon (Reel 6056; 4/1763 p.217) 1822 Dec 2 Re permission to marry at Sydney (Reel 6010; 4/3507 p.13) 1824 Dec 11 Of Pitt Street. On list of persons receiving an assigned convict (Fiche 3290; 4/4570D p.3) 1825 On list of prisoners applying for emancipation (Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 p.21) --------------------------------------------------- GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS. Government House, Sydney, Saturday, 29th July, 1820. CIVIL DEPARTMENT. A MEDICAL BOARD, consisting of the following Surgeons ; viz. J. M. Brydone, Esq Surgeon, R. N ; G. A. Stephenson, Esq. Surgeon, 48th Regt ; and James Hunter, Esq. Surgeon, R. N ; Whereof J. M. Brydone, Esq. was President, having been lately appointed by His Excellency the Governor to enquire into and report on certain Subjects connected with the professional Practice here ; and, among other Things, to examine and report on the Qualifications of certain Persons who were represented as practising Surgery and Physic within the Territory of New South Wales, and more especially at Sydney, and believed to be exercising such Art and Profession to the Prejudice of the Ignorant and Unwary, who had placed themselves under their medical Charge :— And the Board having thereon called before them and examined Joseph Hyams, and Simeon Lear, Thomas Lawson, George White, John Brennan, who were known to be exercising the Practice of Surgery and Medicine, has reported to His Excellency that the said Persons are not duly qualified to practice either as Surgeons or Physicians, being ignorant of those Professions. His Excellency the Governor is hereon pleased to order and direct, that the said Persons ; namely, Joseph Hyams, and Simeon Lear, Thomas Lawson, George White, John Brennan, do forthwith cease to practice either as Surgeons or Physicians at Sydney, or in any Part of the Territory of New South Wales, on Pain of being prosecuted for the same with the utmost Rigour of the Law. By His Excellency's Command, J. T. Campbell, Secretary.

54

Phil Hands on 1st April 2017

Tried and convicted at the Devon Assizes and sentenced to transportation for 14 years. Left England on 20th December 1816. Ship:- the 'Shipley' sailed with 125 male conivcts on board, there were no reported deaths during the voyage. Arrived on 24th April 1817. Described as a dentist and corn operator, In 1818 he was advertising in the Sydney Gazette: "Simon Lear, Dentist and Corn Operator, No. 7, Castlereagh-street, respectfully informs the Public at large, that he makes a perfect Cure of Corns without Pain. N. B.,-Artificial Teeth made in a most perfect manner, and the Teeth cleansed from the Scurvy and other Disorders, and brought to a beautiful white" Simeon acheived dubious distinction of being the very first medical practitioner to be sturck off the register by the newly appointed medical board in 1820 on the basis that he was not qualified to practice as a physician or surgeon. On 29th July 1820 the Sydney Gazette published an article which had been prompted by Australia's first medical board to bring peoples attention to the fact that Hyams (who was accredited with being the first dentist in NSW) and Lear were not properly trained and therefore unqualified to practice as physicians and surgeons. This does not seem to have affected his career, because by 1828 he still operated a dentist sugery in Sydney, as well as being an oculist, and sold "exotic snuff" as a remedy for headaches. Simeon Lear owned land in Elizabeth Street, Sydney which upon his death was left in trust to the Jewish Philanthropic Institute.