Edward Riley

75

iain Frazier on 5th October 2025

Family connections for Edward (Riley) are: RILEY Edward (Riley) was born on 26 7 1771 (or 1762). He was indicted for highway robbery w/2others of Walter (Denton) at Old Bailey on 14 11 1789, sentenced to death commuted to Life, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship SCARBOROUGH; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate. He may have become a watchman. He was issued his Conditional Pardon in December 1794 & 30acres at the Flats Concord, which he sold before 1800. He was issued his Absolute Pardon in September 1795. He married firstly Mary (Burke) on 5 3 1797 at St Phillips CofE Sydney.>>> [Some information taken from this Website] Mary (Burke) was born in 1775or7. She was tried w/1other for violent larceny of Christopher (Anderson) at Old Bailey on 16 7 1794, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 30 4 1796 after a voyage of 6months on INDISPENSABLE. [Some information taken from this Website] [This Mary (Burke) may not be the person who married Edward (Riley), as Smee attributes no history to her in his publication (& the Mary (Burke) from INDISPENSABLE is recorded with a different history that is shown in her entry on this Website)]. .. >>>Edward (Riley) married secondly Mary (Dolley nee Ballass [Smees records show Bellairs]) in 1810 at Hawkesbury-not shown in Smees records. He became Free by Servitude before 1811. In 1820 he held land at Portland Head. He produced 5known children in his lifetime. [The record of the death of Edward (Riley), sailor & came free 1790 SCARBOROUGH, on 8or11 11 1821 age59 (age50 from this Website) at Windsor buried at St Matthews CofE cemetery Windsor seems to me to be of a different person] Mary (Bellas/Ballass/Bellairs & more) was born on 18 5 1788 at Castleford Yorkshire & became a servant of Post Office Wakefield. She was tried for stealing money, on 19 6 1807, of Post Office Wakefield at York Summer Assizes on 27 7 1805, sentenced to 7years, transported from York on ADMIRAL & arrived in NSW as a convict on 12 7 1806 after a voyage of 6months on ALEXANDER; she was Protestant. She is recorded as having a Free Pardon 148-149 on 7 6 1809. She was issued her Ticket of n.431 on 1 2 1811. She was granted her Certificate of Freedom no.372 on 1 11 1813 which was issued on 28 11 1813; she was 5'5" dark complexion black hair dark eyes. She is recorded in 1817 as wife of Edward (Riley). She is recorded in 1821 census as landholder Wilberforce with her children. She is referred to in 1825 as landholder Wilberforce with her children.>>> [Some information taken from this Website] Edward (Riley) & Mary (Bellairs)-recorded as defacto in Smees records-produced maybe 5children : mostly girls 1.Elizabeth (Riley) was born on 2 8 1811 & baptised on 25 8 1811 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She married, with her parents consent, Alexander (Cross) on 4 5 1827 (with his sister Sarah), the date of baptism of her first child, at St Thomas CofE/Wesleyan Sackville Reach & produced at least 3children. She died on 22 10 1891 age80. ..Alexander (Cross) was born on 26 9 1803 & baptised on 10 12 1803 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He was recorded in 1827 & 1829 as a farmer. He died on 16 6 1886 age82. ..Details of Alexander (Cross)s family are given in entry for John (Cross ALEXANDER 1788) on this Website.. .. 2.Mary Ann (Riley) was born on 12 8 1814 & baptised on 28 8 1814 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She is recorded in 1821 census at Wilberforce with her mother. She was recorded in 1828 at Lower Portland Head with her mother. She died on 18 7 1860 age45. 3.John (Riley) was born in 1816. 4.Hannah (Riley) was born in 1822. She is recorded in 1821 census at Wilberforce with her mother. She was recorded in 1828 at Lower Portland Head with her mother. 5.Lucy/Louisa (Riley) was born in 1825. She was recorded in 1828 at Lower Portland Head with her mother. .. >>>Mary (Bellis/Riley) was recorded in 1828 as housekeeper at Lower Portland Head with her children. She had a second relationship with James (Dolley convict/servant for her first husband) whom she married (with permission of the Governor, his first marriage) on 8 12 1828 at Milkmaid Reach recorded at St Thomas CofE Sackville Reach Hawkesbury & produced 3children. She died on 8 1 1839 age51 mother of 8children at Milkmaid Reach Hawkesbury & was buried at Wisemans Ferry.] [James/John (Dolley) son of William (Dolley) & Hannah (???) was born in 1792 & became a miller. He was convicted of stealing 3heifer cows of James (Berryman) tried at Surrey Home Assizes on 4 1 1813, sentenced to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 7 2 1814 after a 4month voyage on GENERAL HEWITT. He worked for Thomas (Gosport) at Windsor & Edward (Riley)s farm. He had his Ticket of Leave (no.834) by 1823 & gained his Pardon (no.369). He was recorded in 1826 at Sackville Reach. He, as John (Dolley), married secondly Elizabeth Moore (Pickering nee Wides) on 12 2 1849 in NSW. He died on 14 5 1876 age about84 at Aubigny Toowoomba Queensland.] [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.

110

Ron Garbutt on 13th March 2020

Edward Riley, 1771–1821 Facts and events Birth July 26, 1771 Middlesex, England, United Kingdom Source: Smith, Sandra. 'Edward Riley', email message to Marion Purnell May 1 2011 Baptism August 30, 1771 (Age 35 days) Source: Smith, Sandra. 'Edward Riley', email message to Marion Purnell May 1 2011 Immigration June 28, 1790 (Age 18 years) Sydney Cove, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Source: State Library of Queensland. Convict Transportation Registers Database 1787-1867 [database on-line]. Citation details: Source: Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 56 Text: Edward Riley, one of 1063 convicts transported on the ship Scarborough, December 1789. Sentence details: Convicted at Middlesex Gaol Delivery for a term of life. Vessel: Neptune, Scarborough and Surprize. Date of Departure: December 1789. Place of Arrival: New South Wales. Source: University of Sheffield. Humanities Research Institute. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey: London's Central Criminal Court, 1674 to 1913. [database on-line]. Sheffield: the Institute, 2003-2008 Citation details: Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 6.0, 20 July 2011), January 1789, trial of EDWARD RILEY (t17890114-72). Text: EDWARD RILEY, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 14th January 1789. 169. EDWARD RILEY was indicted for feloniously assaulting William Denton , on the King's highway, on the 31st of December last, and putting him in fear, and taking from him a man's hat, value 5 s. his property . GUILTY, Death. He was humbly recommend to mercy, by most of the Jury Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice ASHURST. Marriage Mary Burke March 5, 1797 (Age 25 years) Sydney Town, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Source: Flynn, Michael. The Second Fleet: Britain's grim convict armada of 1790. Sydney : Library of Australian History, 1993 Marriage Mary Bellas about 1811 (Age 39 years) Sydney Town, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Note: The 1814 muster recorded Mary living with E. Riley. Death November 1821 (Age 50 years) Source: Flynn, Michael. The Second Fleet: Britain's grim convict armada of 1790. Sydney : Library of Australian History, 1993 Burial November 9, 1821 (Age 50 years) Windsor, Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia Source: Flynn, Michael. The Second Fleet: Britain's grim convict armada of 1790. Sydney : Library of Australian History, 1993 from Australian Royalty website: https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I66194/Edward-Riley

110

Ron Garbutt on 7th March 2020

EDWARD RILEY. Violent Theft: highway robbery. 14th January 1789 Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 07 March 2020), January 1789, trial of EDWARD RILEY (t17890114-72). https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t17890114-72&div=t17890114-72&terms=edward_riley#highlight 169. EDWARD RILEY was indicted for feloniously assaulting William Denton , on the King's highway, on the 31st of December last, and putting him in fear, and taking from him a man's hat, value 5 s. his property . WILLIAM DENTON sworn. The prisoner on the 31st of December last, stopped me in White's-yard, Whitechapel : there were with him two others, who are not taken; he put his hand on my mouth, (it was about half past nine) and stopt my speech; the other two turned my pockets inside out; they got no money; and they then took my hat from me. I never saw the prisoner before: I was quite close to a lamp, which gave me an opportunity of seeing his face. I am sure he is the man that stopped my mouth; the other two went away before him, I do not know which of them it was that took my hat. On Monday was a fortnight he was apprehended. I was robbed on the Wednesday; a person that came out at a door, at the time I was being robbed, took notice of the prisoner, and laid an information against him. Prisoner. Did not you say you lost two guineas at the time? - Yes, I said so in my fright; but I found it afterwards; I had luckily lost it at home. JOHN HAWKES sworn. I did not know the prosecutor before the time this robbery was committed. I live near the place, and was near the place at the time. I came home at nine o'clock from work, and was sitting at home; about half an hour after, sitting by the fire, I heard a man cry, I am a poor bricklayer ; after that, I heard a mumbling, as if a man could not speak, and I ran out, and my wife came after me, with a candle alight; and I saw the prisoner run past my door; and I says to Denton, the prosecutor, Who was there, what is the matter? He says, I have been robbed! I have been robbed! My wife then held up the candle, and he picked up an old hat, which he has now; he told me at that time, it was not his own; that they had taken his own away. I am sure the prisoner is the man I saw passing by; I have met him often in White's-yard. I am punctual to the man; the prosecutor said, at the same time, he had been robbed by that man, the prisoner. Did he say he had lost two guineas? - The prosecutor did say he had lost two guineas, but he found it afterwards at home, as he informed me. We could not pursue him; he had got off, and turned down Saltpetre-bank, where he lodges, which is a dangerous place. JOSEPH BEARD sworn. Me and another officer apprehended the man from the information we had received. The prosecutor came down the same night, and swore positively to the person of the prisoner. PRISONER's DEFENCE. I was at one George Ashton 's house at that time, and had been there for a long while before. I had not been out that evening. For the Prisoner. GEORGE ASHTON sworn. I live on Saltpetre-bank; the prisoner lodged with me. On the day which they accuse him of commiting this matter, he was at my house from four o'clock in the afternoon, till the next morning between ten an eleven. It was the last day of the old year: I am sure of that; for on the next morning, I was going with him on particular business, with a friend of ours. I desired him not to be out of the way, he said he would not. Court. Where was you going? - I was going to the Mansion-house, concerning a man that was going abroad, of the name of Wilson. I went with him, and Wilson, who was going abroad in the Greenland fishery. GUILTY, Death . He was humbly recommend to mercy, by most of the Jury . Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice ASHURST.

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

Notes on The 2nd Fleet and the Supply Shortage in the Colony. Supply crisis By 1790, no supply ships had reached the penal colony of Port Jackson for two years. Food harvests had failed and the colony was reduced to living off the remaining stores they had brought from England. An individual's rations were reduced to about a third of the original allocation. The weekly allowance per person amounted to 2 pounds (1 kilogram) of pork, 2.5 pounds (1.2 kilograms) of flour and 2 pounds (1 kilogram) of rice. On the orders of Governor Arthur Phillip (1738–1814), this ration was distributed equally, regardless of status. After the loss of the supply ship HMS Sirius in March 1790, relief came in October with the arrival of HMS Supply laden with provisions from Batavia. In June 1790 the Second Fleet, known as the 'Death Fleet', arrived with enough supplies to end the famine. The first ship that docked in two and a half years was the convict ship Lady Julian with 226 female convicts. It brought letters and news from home. Later in the month the store ship Justinian arrived with much-needed supplies. It was followed a week later by the Surprise, Neptune and Scarborough, each having convicts in very poor condition. The nine-month sea journey was fraught with dangers and many deaths from dysentery, scurvy and fever. During the voyage, the convicts were chained below deck with only a few rations and had to breathe the foul air. When the ship docked, some were unable even to walk off the ship. The Second Fleet was the first transport organised by private contractors, which had reduced convict rations and medicines in order to increase their profits. In December 1792, Governor Arthur Phillip left for England, leaving behind a viable penal colony. He had served a term of five years that had been pitted by famine, food shortages, loss of ships, disgruntled officers and conflict with Aboriginal groups and individuals. https://myplace.edu.au/decades_timeline/1790/decade_landing_21.html?tabRank=2

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

8 Nov 1821. Death. Windsor, New South Wales, Australia Sources. Title Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 Author Ancestry.com

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

1810 Marriage to Mary Dolley (nee Bellass) (1788–1839) Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia Source not found

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

5 Mar 1797. Married Mary Burke (1777–) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Source. Title Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950 Author Ancestry.com

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

28 June 1790. Arrived at Port Jackson, NSW on convict ship Scarborough. Source. Free Settler or Felon website Convict Ship Scarborough 1790 https://www.jenwilletts.com/convict_ship_scarborough_1790.htm

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

19 January 1790. Departed Portsmouth aboard convict ship Scarborough. Source. Free Settler or Felon website Convict Ship Scarborough 1790 https://www.jenwilletts.com/convict_ship_scarborough_1790.htm

110

Ron Garbutt on 1st February 2020

14 Jan 1789. Trial and Sentence Middlesex, London, England. Sentenced to death for the highway robbery. Commuted to transportation for life. Source. Detail Class: HO 11; Piece: 1 Source Information Title Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Second Fleet, 1789-1790 Author Ancestry.com