Ann Simpson

48

Naomi Parsons on 7th March 2025

One evening in spring 1835, 51 year Ann shared a celebratory drink with a neighbour, an Esther Battersby, who was telling her how she had just returned from collecting an inheritance. Seizing the opportunity, early the next morning whilst her neighbour was still waking up, Ann talked her way up into Esther’s bedroom in Wood Yard off lower Church Street and while Esther who was partially sighted and just waking up, used the ruse of distracting her by trying to get her to buy a bag whilst she stole a purse containing the inheritance money from under the bolster before heading off. Once fully awake and realising what had happened, Esther and her teenage daughter raised the alarm and Ann was apprehended near Lune Villa in Skerton, before being arrested on the Green Ayre and taken to the town hall. The purse was found on her and whilst the coins were there, the higher value notes were missing. Ann admitted her guilt but said she had no idea where the notes were. Ann was tried at the Borough Police sessions in the town hall (now Lancaster City Museum) on the 9th April that year and was one of only two women to be given a sentence of transportation from the local police court (Mary Cawson being the other). Like Mary, she also received a life sentence and was transferred up to the castle to await her fate. A failed attempt to petition the king meant that in September that year, Ann was put onboard the Henry Wellesley at Woolwich and sailed to Sydney, arriving in February 1836. Whilst aboard the Henry Wellesley, Ann may have been surprised to see three Black women; named as Sue, Matty Beck and Peggy who had been convicted at Bermuda, Barbados and Dominica courts respectively. Slavery had officially ended the year before in the British West Indies though the colonisers were still keen to exert their control by transporting those now termed ‘apprentices’ to Australia. Ann was described as 5ft 4 with grey hair, hazel grey eyes with a ruddy complexion and gave her occupation as a plain cook. She was a native of Cumberland and was married to John and had had nine children. Having settled at Goulburn, 120 miles from Sydney in 1838, Ann received permission to marry a much younger fellow convict but before the wedding could take place it was discovered Ann had produced letters fraudulently claiming she was now a widow after asking her step son back in Lancaster to write a letter to say his father was now dead. This he did but then in his next letter said his dad wanted the postage fees repaying! At the age of 56 in 1841, Ann received permission to marry a 62 year old convict, Richard Nolgrove but this does not appear to have happened. Finally, the following year she married John Stone. Her ticket of leave was granted in 1844. Ann passed away in 1853 aged 68 at Goulburn.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 5th April 2021

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents. Indent No; 62 Age; 51 Reads, Protestant, Married. 4 male and 5 female children Native Place; Cumberland Trade; Plain cook, all work country Height; 5 ft. 4 in Complexion; Ruddy Hair; Grey Eyes; Hazel grey Ticket of Leave; 44/2161