Ann Smith

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Phil Hands on 15th August 2017

Ann had travelled with her husband, John Smith, when he fought in the American War of Independence. They had a daughter Ann. It is not known what happened to John Smith in America but after Ann returned to England she was convicted of theft at Winchester on 5th April 1785 and sentenced to transportation. She spent the next two years on the prison hulk 'Dunkirk'. While on the 'Dunkirk' she was selected as one of the 183 female convicts to join the First Fleet and she and her daughter Ann sailed aboard the 'Charlotte'. (there is also a John Smith listed as a convict on the Charlotte, this could possibly be Ann's husband, although no proof of this has come to light). Left England on 13th May 1787. Ship:- the 'Charlotte' sailed with 88 male and 20 female convicts on board of which 4 males died during the voyage. Arrived on 26th January 1788. (Also aboard the Charlotte was a male convict, William Smith, who features later in Ann's story.) Patrick Burn was also convicted of theft and sentenced to transportation and sailed with the First Fleet aboard the Friendship. He was employed as a baker. Ann and Patrick began a relationship in Port Jackson and a son Thomas was born in 1789. However, Ann and her two children were transferred to Norfolk Island in 1790 and sailed aboard the Sirius which foundered on the reef there, a few days after she landed. Patrick Burn remained in Sydney and married Mary Newton in 1790. Patrick died in 1791. Ann and her children remained on Norfolk Island for 3 years and during this time Ann rekindled her friendship with First Fleet convict William Smith from the Charlotte. William was one of the small party of 7 freemen and 15 convicts who had sailed to Norfolk Island in February 1788 under the command of Phillip Gidley King. Ann and her children returned to Sydney in 1793 aboard the Kitty and later, having served his 7 years, William also returned to Sydney and their relationship continued. On his return William was granted 30 acres and in April 1797 a further 40 acres. In 1818, in her own right, Ann and the children were granted 20 acres. When William died in 1830, aged 75, he left all his property and animals to Ann. Ann, with the help of her son Thomas, managed the farm until his premature death. She lived on there with her daughter-in-law Leticia until her death in 1837 at the age of 87. Ann & William are both buried at St. Johns Anglican Church cemetery, Parramatta.