Richard Mott

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Lynne Dacey on 26th January 2016

Richard and Elizabeth had a daughter 1852.

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D Wong on 7th December 2014

This is from Thomas Wayne Fox’s Family History. Richard was born to John Mott [1756 – 1847] and Mary Riley [1774 – 1855] around 1812 in Bishopstone, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. On September 19, 1832 he married Esther Sarah Blake [1805 – 1878] in the Stone Parish Church. They had six children: 1. Elizabeth [1833 – 1835] 2. Alice [1834 – 1835] 3. Henry [1835 – 1903] 4. Richard [1837 – 1902] 5. Charles [1840 – 1900] 6. Sarah [1843 – 1911] Convicted of breaking into a warehouse and committing larceny therein, at the Aylesbury Assizes on January 2, 1844 he was sentenced to 10 years transportation. Richard had previous convictions for stealing three fletches of bacon and breaking a machine for which he had served twelve months. Convict No: 51158 He sailed on April 22, 1844 on the ship “Maria Somes Province” arriving in Hobart on July 30. Convict records give a detailed description of Richard: “Height [without shoes]: 5’8”|Complexion: Ruddy| Head: Long | Hair: lt. Brown | Whiskers: None | Visage: Oval | Eyebrows: Brown| Eyes: Hazel | Nose: Long | Mouth: Medium | Chin: Medium Double | Native place: Aylesbury. Protestant can read a little. farm labourer who can plough. Stout made, scars on 3rd and 4th fingers of left hand.” Upon arrival he spent the first eighteen months in the “gang” on Maria Island. According to government records he committed numerous minor offences, including being “drunk” on October 15, 1852, fine 5/-. He had married an Elizabeth George in 1851. “When a man was convicted of a major crime in the 19th century he was often transported to Australia, leaving his family without means of support. In fact, although their sentences would hopefully expire while they were still alive, they were not provided with a return passage to England, so it was effectively a life sentence. The practice of remarrying was common among convicts who were unlikely ever to return to the United Kingdom, even though they were still married to another wife. He was “certified free” on January 6, 1854, having previously made application to marry Rosanna Murphy, which was approved April 11, 1853 They married in St Joseph’s Church, Macquarie Street, Hobart on June 28, 1855 and had five children. 1. Eliza [1853 – 1872] 2. John (Twin) [1855 – 1923] 3. William (Twin) [1855 – 1927] 4. Richard [1861 – 1927] 5. Ellen [1863 – 1882] They were among the first settlers in the Cockle Creek area, south of Hobart, where Richard worked as a Sawyer. On May 15, 1882 in his 74th year Richard was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The following appeared in The Mercury on May 19, 1882: “SUSPECTED MURDER.- A man named Mott died suddenly a few days ago at Recherche Bay. At first foul play was suspected, and the police went to the length of arresting a man on suspicion of murder; but by a telegram received yesterday, we learn that now Superintendent Lambert is of opinion that death was caused by heart disease or apoplexy. An inquest will, of course, be held. The man arrested and then released was in fact his son-in-law. Richard was one of the earliest burials in the Cockle Creek cemetery. Rosanna is also buried there as are two of their children – Ellen who died at age 19 years in a house fire, and Richard Jr. who lived in Catamaran with his wife Alice Doherty, and worked in a local mill.