Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Ferdinand Meaurant was transported on the Minerva, departing 24th Aug 1799 and arriving 11th Jan 1800 with 240 passengers.
The Minerva was built at Lancaster, England in 1804. 4 voyages bringing convict transportees to Australia.
Minerva (generic)References
| Primary Source | http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au http://colsec.records.nsw.gov.au |
Claims
"4th Great Grandfather"
"Ferdinand is my 4th great-grandfather. I am the daughter of Ken Pemberton, the son of Jack Pemberton, the son of Selina Carkeek, the daughter of Rebecca Meurant, the daughter of Albert Meurant, the son of Ferdinand and his third wife, Rosetta Martin."
Photos
No photos have been added for Ferdinand Meaurant.
Convict Notes
FREE PARDONS: Ferdinand Meaurant Sydney Gazette, 19 June 1803.
Sainty & Johnson; 1828 Census of New South Wales: Page 267... [Ref M2332] Meurant, Ferdinand, 61, absolute pardon, Minerva, 1800, life, Protestant, farmer, Seven Hills. [Ref M2333] Meurant, Rosetta, 31, born in the colony. [Ref M2334] Meurant, Ferdinand (Jun), 17, born in the colony. [Ref M2335] Meurant, Albert, 15, born in the colony. [Ref M2336] Meurant, Elvira, 9, born in the colony. [Ref M2337] Meurant, Juliet, 6, born in the colony. [Ref M2338] Meurant, Augustus, 3, born in the colony.
Ferdinand clearly carried on a good business as a jeweler. A snuffbox made from gold and turbo shell, the making of which is attributed to Ferdinand, was acquired by the Powerhouse Museum in 1987. It was commissioned by Walter Stevenson Davidson, a London merchant and early landowner and banker in New South Wales, as a gift for his father Reverend Patrick Davidson in Scotland. The box is inscribed "Walter Stevenson to his honoured father, N.S. Wales 1808". Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 16 Nov 1811 Text: "FERDINAND MEURANT, GOLDSMITH and Jeweller, begs respectfully to acquaint Ladies, Gentlemen, and the Public in general, that he has lately returned to Sydney, and prosecutes his profession at No. 84 Castlereagh-street,- where he hopes his endeavours to excel will restore to him the patronage which he has heretofore enjoyed without a Rival in making and repairing every description of Jewellery, whether plain or ornamental in the first style of elegance, and with every every regard to dispatch and a moderate rate of charge. [Today there is a commemorative plaque in Bent Street Sydney, unveiled by the French Ambassador in 2000.]
In the colony, Ferdinand had a de facto relationship with Mary Pritchard (Convict, Glatton 1803). They had 2 children William 1803 and Elvira 1804. (# Note William, in 1835, married the Maori princess Rehe Hekina Kenehuru, at Kawiha, New Zealand.) Ferdinand then married Rosetta Martin, May 11th 1811 at Parramatta. Ferdinand Meurant of the parish of Hawjesbury and Rose Martin of ditto were married in this church by banns this twenty 7th day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and eleven by me Samuel Marsden. Both Ferdinand and Rose signed the register in the presence of John [illegible] and Catherine Martin who both made their X marks. Rosetta was the daughter of Owen Martin (Convict, Queen, 1791) and Sarah Warport (Convict, Kitty, 1792). Ferdinand and Rosetta had 13 children, born between 1811 and 1836.
There is actually no place called Frontignac in Champagne-Ardenne where Ferdinand claimed to have been born. (He was known to be a little careless with the truth). Fontignac (now called Frontignan) is in Herault in the South of France on the Mediterranean. Ferdinand was a convict. He escaped the French Revolution by fleeing to Ireland. He lived in Dublin where he married Sophie and had at least one child, Edward who was later apprenticed to a saddler. Ferdinand was an engraver by trade. He used his skills to forge banknotes, and was tried at Kilmainham Dublin in 1798 and sentenced to life, and was transported to Australia on the ship 'Minerva' which departed Cork on 24 Aug 1799 with 165 males and 26 females aboard. 3 males died on the voyage. The ship arrived in Sydney on 11 Jan 1800. His wife, Sophie (maiden name unknown) twice petitioned the Irish Government to allow her to travel with him to Australia. Her second petition was granted, however she never came.
A French Man convicted at Dublin Assizes for forging bank notes. Trade: Jeweller Native Place: Frontignac, Champaigne, France. From the Colonial Secretary Index, 1788-1825. MEURANT, Ferdinand. Arrived c.1799; of Seven Hills 1816 Jan 16 On list of persons to receive grants of land in 1816 (Fiche 3266; 9/2652 p.27) 1816 Apr 6 On list of persons licensed as publicans for 1816; at Sydney (Reel 6038; SZ759 p.192) 1816 Apr 11-12 Juror at inquest on Daniel Tonar held at Sydney (Reel 6021; 4/1819 p.691) 1817 Feb 20 Licensee of the hotel Rose in June. Had received notice to quit on account of debt (Reel 6047; 4/1739 pp.159-60) 1817 Feb 20-1 His application for renewal of licence for the Rose in June opposed by R Brooks (Reel 6005; 4/3496 pp.10-1) 1817 Apr 19 Publican of the Bee Hive. On list of persons licensed as publicans for 1817; at Sydney (Reel 6038; SZ759 p.340) 1818 Oct 21 Gave evidence against Edward Tobin, in a charge of neglect of work; appears as Murrant (Reel 6047; 4/1741 pp.79-80) 1820 Memorial (Fiche 3025; 4/1824B No.494 pp.827, 830) 1822 Deprived Edward Tobin, his assigned servant, of money owed (Fiche 3228; 4/1868 p.21) 1822 Nov 8,19 Application for himself and family to be victualled (Reel 6055; 4/1762 pp.66, 80) 1822 Nov 19 Re victualling for himself, family and convict servant (Reel 6009; 4/3506 p.456) 1823 Sep 14 Certifying to the character of Christopher Limebear Bridges, schoolmaster at Seven Hills (Reel 6059; 4/1772 p.120) 1823 Sep 15 Convicts landed from "Earl St Vincent" assigned to at Parramatta (Reel 6011; 4/3509 p.241) 1824 May 25 Memorial (Fiche 3100; 4/1838B No.637 pp.707-10) 1824 Jun 7 On list of lands granted and reserved by Sir Thomas Brisbane (Fiche 3269; 9/2740 p.19) 1825 Oct On list of persons liable to serve as jurors at Parramatta or Liverpool; listed as Murong (Reel 6062; 4/1782 p.83b)