Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
William Rowe was transported on the Lady Penrhyn, Scarborough And Alexander, departing 31st Dec 1786 and arriving 22nd Jan 1788 with 356 passengers.
Lady Penrhyn, Scarborough And AlexanderReferences
| Primary Source | Gillen, Mollie; The Founders of Australia; A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet. |
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Convict Notes
At Parramatta on 11th September 1791 William Rowe married Mary Hawkins (Third Fleet Convict, Mary Ann, 1791). They settled on his 30 acre farm at Richmond Hill. The formal grant was registered 15th May 1795. That month, there was a concerted attack on the community by large numbers of Aborigines and William Rowe and his very young child were killed. His badly wounded wife, Mary managed to crawl down to the bank of the Hawkesbury River and hide herself, partly submerged, in the reeds. She was discovered some time later and taken to Parramatta hospital where she eventually recovered. Mary was actually robbed and brutally murdered on 25th August 1811, at Parramatta. Her murderer, John Donne, was tried and executed in the colony.
William Rowe was Charged at Launceston, Cornwall on March 19th 1785. First charge, breaking into a house with intent to murder and Second charge, theft of a canvas bag containing money totaling 33 shillings and 6 pence (33/6). He was found Not Guilty of the more serious charge but Guilty of the lesser and sentenced to Transportation. His younger brother John Rowe was also on charges the same day, for the same crime, and had the breaking and entering charge dismissed but the stealing charge upheld and was also sentenced to transportation for 7 years. William was sent to the "Dunkirk" hulk and thence to "Charlotte" and then transferred on 6th April 1787 to "Scarborough" as part of the First Fleet.