William Merritt

75

iain Frazier on 24th March 2026

Family connections for William (Merritt) are: MERRITT William (Merritt/Merriott aka Adams) was born about 1769. He was said to have been wounded in His Majesties service at sieges of Gibraltar. He was tried probably at Old Bailey in 1790, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship ACTIVE. He was sent to Norfolk Island, possibly on ADMIRAL BARRINGTON, arriving on 2 4 1791. He married Honora (Sullivan her first marriage) on 14 3 1796 at St Johns CofE Parramatta-or recorded there. In 1801 he became shocked by the society on Norfolk Island & decided to go to sea on whaler GENERAL BOYDA, leaving his daughters in care of Mrs (Mitchell) a respectable school mistress. He returned to Norfolk Island after 2months, where he was charged with stealing money, pleaded not guilty, but was imprisoned for 11months. He apparantly retook custody of his daughters & later purchased a farm from William (Mitchell). He is recorded as convict sentence expired labourer Free by Servitude off stores in February 1805 on Norfolk Island. He later sold his farm-he returned the daughters to Mrs (Mitchell). He attempted to go to sea again, on FAVOURITE, but was detained & charged with incest of late wifes child (age10 & unidentifiable)- he was sentenced to 500lashes (received 225) & 4years in prison. He was placed on Phillip Island, south of Norfolk Island, about 1806 as he refused to work- a place providing no shelter or food-a gaoler brought food once a month by row boat. He could converse in English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese & Minorcan. His story was advised to Governor (Bligh) in a petition from Phillip Island dated 6 10 1806. He left Norfolk Island on 3 9 1808-which is when the CITY OF EDINBURGH left (according to Ref:'People...' but not mentioned on any ship in Norfolk Island Refs), at the time of the first evacuation & possibly went to Derwent (Tasmania). [Some details taken from this Website] Honoria (Sullivan) arrived in NSW as a convict with Catherine & Eleanor on 11 2 1796 after a voyage of 6months on MARQUIS CORNWALLIS & arrived on Norfolk Island on 13 2 1796sic-accordingng to Ref:'People...'-with Catherine & Eleanor (as a family).>>> Honoria (Sullivan) does not have an entry on this Website as yet-added by me. William (Merritt) & Honoria (Sullivan) produced 2children: 1.Ann (Adams) was born on 11 5 1797 on Norfolk Island. She possibly became an orphan. She was placed in Mrs (Mithell)s care at the government orphanage by her father in 1801 & was baptised on 30 5 1802 age5 w/Maria on Norfolk Island. She was returned later to her father & later again she was returned to Mrs (Mitchell). She may have left Norfolk Island with Mr & Mrs (Mitchell) as part of the first evacuation on 26 12 1807 on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Tasmania, arriving on 17 1 1808; Ref:'People...' shows her leaving Norfolk Island with her mother on 15 5 1808. She married George (Robley) on 10 10 1815 at St Davids CofE Hobart. She may have died on 20 4 1878 age82/6. ..Further information can be found in entry for Susannah (Hunt LADY JULIANA 1790) on this Website. .. 2.Maria (Adams) was born on 5 9 1798 on Norfolk Island. She possibly became an orphan. She was placed in Mrs (Mitchell)s care at the government orphanage by her father in 1801 & was baptised on 30 5 1802 age3 w/Ann on Norfolk Island. She was returned later to her father & later again she was returned to Mrs (Mitchell). She may have left Norfolk Island with Mr & Mrs (Mitchell) as part of the first evacuation on 26 12 1807 on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Tasmania, arriving on 17 1 1808; Ref:'People...' shows her leaving Norfolk Island with her mother on 15 5 1808. She married Robert (Blinkworth) on 21 2 1817 at St Davids CofE Hobart. ..Further information can be found in entry for Susannah (Hunt LADY JULIANA 1790) on this Website. .. Noted 2children that are recorded as born in Smees records: 1.Ann (Adams) was born in 1795 & died on 20 4 1878 age about82-no parents given. 2.Mary (Adams) was born in 1799-no parents given. Noted also: a Louisa (Adams) is recorded as born in 1806-no parents given & a William (Adams) is recorded as born in May 1809 & dying on 15 5 1809 age4d-buried at St Johns CofE Parramatta-no parents given. .. Noted also in Ref:'People...': 1.Ann (Merriott/Sullivan) was born on 11 5 1797 on Norfolk Island. She left Norfolk Island with her parents (from Ref:'People...') on 15 5 1808, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; at the time of the first evacuation-to New Norfolk. 2.Maria (Merriott/Sullivan) was born on 5 9 1798 on Norfolk Island. She left Norfolk Island with her parents (from Ref:'People...') on 15 5 1808, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; at the time of the first evacuation-to New Norfolk. .. >>>Honoria (Sullivan) apparantly married secondly Matthew (Wood his second marriage)-not shown in Smees records. She left Norfolk Island, as Nora, with her new husband & 2children (on board was Catherine (Sullivan) & children) (from Ref:'People...') on 15 5 1808 on ESTRAMINA, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; at the time of the first evacuation-to New Norfolk. Matthew (Wood) was born about 1737. He was tried for stealing a sack etc at Rotherham Assizes West Riding Yorkshire on. 23 7 1788, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6.5months on Fleet ship MATILDA or ATLANTIC. He was sent to Norfolk Island. He had a first short term relationship with Catherine (Lewis her second relationship) (from Ref:'People...'), when he later married. He is recorded in 1796 with 60acres Plot no.43 at Phillipsburg on west of the island. He had purchased 7acres by 1805 & was recorded as a farmer. He left Norfolk Island with his wife 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 15 5 1808 on ESTRAMINA, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; to New Norfolk where he became a farmer.>>>>>>Matthew (Wood) purchased 30acres in New Norfolk on 20 9 1813. He married Catherine (Williams/Sponsford) on 22 4 1812 at New Norfolk-recorded at St Davids CofE Hobart. He died on 10 2 1819 age84 by vicious murder by beating, witnessed by his wife who was also beaten, at Back River New Norfolk; he was buried at St Davids CofE Hobart; he left his goods & effects to his wife, [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'