Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
James Weavers was transported on the Neptune, Scarborough And Surprize, departing 30th Nov 1789 and arriving 26th Jun 1790 with 1084 passengers.
Neptune 809 tons built on the River Thames 1779. The largest ship of the Second Fleet.
Neptune, Scarborough And Surprize (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 24 |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
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Convict Notes
Family connections for James (Weavers) are: Some amendments added Sep 2025. WEAVERS James (Weavers) was born in 1752 & worked on a farm. He was a labourer at Needham Market when apprehended for burglary, on 1 11 1786, & stealing calico of Charlotte (Hunt) at Bury St Edmonds Assizes Suffolk on 18 3 1787, sentenced to death repreived to Life & transported on GUARDIAN toward Port Jackson NSW (which struck an iceberg & drifted for 9weeks off Cape of Good Hope) & arrived in NSW as a convict-the same ship as Richard (Porter)-on 26 6 1790 after a total voyage of 12months on Fleet ship SURPRIZE; he was granted Conditional Pardon on arrival for efforts in saving the sinking ship. He was farming 30acres in the Hawkesbury area on 1 1 1792. He was granted his 30acres in February 1792. He was Free by Servitude by 1800 when he was recorded with 12acres crops & livestock. In 1802 he was recorded with his family off stores with 51sheep & purchasing more land. He died on 3 4 1805 age53, maybe killed by some aborigines (as was his motherinlaw), & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney 1day after his mother in law; his estate was left to his wife. [Some details taken from this Website; where he is mentioned on both the GUARDIAN & SCARBOROUGH ships] Mary (Hutchinson) was born about 1765. She perhaps married & produced perhaps 2children. She was tried w/her mother Ann for stealing cotton gown etc of Ann (Brody) who had been lured into her house in Cross Lane St Giles, on 6 12 1789, at Old Bailey on 9 12 1789-quick justice, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict with her mother on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship MARY ANN. She started her second (2of3) relationship with James (Weavers) & produced 4children. She was Free by Servitude by 1800. In 1802 she was recorded with her family off stores. She moved in with her stepfather Richard (Porter) after her husbands death in 1805, commenced a third relationship, produced 6children & later married him. She was recorded in 1828 with her family at Kissing Point. She died on 20 1 1850 age84 mother of perhaps 12children: mostly boys. [Some details taken from this Website] James (Weavers) & Mary (Hutchinson) produced 4children: 1.James (Weavers) was born on 10 5 1792 & baptised on 17 3 1793 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He died on 1 12 1793 age18m at Eastern Farms & was buried as James (Hutchinson) at St Johns CofE Parramatta.] .. 2.James (Weavers) was born on 1 6 1794 & baptised on 14 6 1794 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. In 1802 he was recorded with his parents off stores. He died on 13 8 1816 age22 & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. .. 3.Enoch (Weavers) was born on 30 7 1796 & baptised on 16 6 1800 age4- at St Phillips CofE Sydney. In 1802 he was recorded with his parents off stores. In 1820 he sought to be granted the family land as his late fathers grant had been lost. He died on 18 12 1828 age33 at Field of Mars & was buried at St Annes CofE Kissing Point. .. 4.Sarah Mary (Weaver/s) was born in 1802 & (in 1802) she was recorded with her parents off stores. She married firstly at age15 (perhaps inflating her age to 19) with permission Robert (Wicks) labourer on 23 6 1817 at St Phillips CofE Sydney-witnesses were Mary Ann (Chapman) & Richard (Porter) her step father. She is shown in June 1824 as having troubles with her husband, causing him to advertise against her. She was recorded in 1828 with her family at Kissing Point; she was Protestant. In 1831 she gave evidence, with her family, of robbery by convict servant Thomas (McCoy), which did not convince the judge-nevertheless (McCoy) received 7years for thefts.>>> ..Robert (Week/es/Wicks) was born about 1770. [He is shown in Smees records as arriving in Australia in 1802 on PERSEUS & in 1813 on FORTUNE-a perpetuated error by the original recorders?] He was tried for sheep stealing w/maybe 4others at Devon Assizes in March 1801, sentenced to death reprieved to Life, held at Exeter gaol & arrived in NSW as a convict on 14 8 1802 after a voyage of 7.5months on PERSEUS; he was assigned to private service. On 30 10 1803 he was admonished for being absent from his Masters farm wothout leave. He is recorded in 1806 at Castle Hill agricultural station. He was recorded again in 1811. In 1814 he was recorded as boatman at Lane Cove on stores. He was issued his Pardon before 1817 & was a labourer in 1817. He was recorded on 31 1 1820 as sawyer; 5'8" black to grey hair hazel eyes. He was recorded in 1822 as gardener at Sydney. He bought 50acres at Kissing Point. He is shown in June 1824 as having troubles with his wife. He is recorded in 1825 as landholder at Kissing Point. He was recorded in 1828 as settler/landholder/farmer with 110acres with his family & 6 convict servants at Kissing Point. In 1831 he was robbed by convict servant Thomas (McCoy) &, with his family, gave evidence which did not convince the judge-nevertheless (McCoy) received 7years for thefts. He was recorded again in 1832 at Kissing Point. In December 1835 he was living at Field of Mars when convicted of illegally retailing half a pint of rum to a runaway from a road party & fined £30 and costs. He died on 1 5 1837 age67 after long/painful illness. ..Robert (Wicks) does not have an entry on this Website on FORTUNE although a William (Wicks) is found-could he be a relation?; a Robert (Weekes/Wicks) is found on PERSEUS] ..Sarah Mary (Weaver/s) & Robert (Wicks) produced 5children: ..1.Mary Ann Elizabeth (Wicks)) was born on 5 4 1818 & baptised on 3 5 1818 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died in 1872 age about54. ..2.Robert (Weeks) was born on 1 9 1820 & baptised on 1 10 1820 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Kissing Point. In 1831 he gave evidence, with his parents, of robbery by convict servant Thomas (McCoy), which did not convince the judge-nevertheless (McCoy) received 7years for thefts. He died on 8 8 1901 age80. .. ..3.Charlotte (Weeks) was born on 25 9 1822 at Kissing Point & baptised on 11 1 1823 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Kissing Point. She died on 19 11 1902 age80. .. ..4.George (Weeks) was born on 23 12 1824 at Parramatta & baptised on 16 1 1825 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Kissing Point. He died in 1898 age about73. .. ..5.Elizabeth Jane (Weeks) was born on 17 3 1827 & baptised on 8 6 1827 at St Annes CofE Kissing Point. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Kissing Point. .. >>>Sarah Mary (Weaver/s) married secondly William (Watts his second marriage) in 1838 at CofE Field of Mars Ryde. She died on 24 5 1872 age about69 mother of perhaps 5children. ..William (Watts) was born about 1798. He was tried at Bristol city Quarter Sessions (Gloucestershire?), sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 18 11 1818 after a voyage of 4months on SHIPLEY. He was Free by Servitude by 1826. From about 1826 he cohabitted firstly with Sarah Elizabeth/Eliza (Bradley her second relationship); she & her children assumed the surname (Watts). He was recorded in 1828 with his wife? & her children as labourer at Kissing Point. He died in 1868 age70 father of at least 1child. ..[Some details taken from this Website] ..Details of William (Watts)s fanily are shown in entry for James Edward (Bradley SCARBOROUGH 1788) on 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.
Sainty & Johnson; 1828 Census of New South Wales: [Ref P1087 page 304].... Porter, Richard, 62, absolute pardon, Surprize, 1790. life, Protestant, settler, Kissing Point. Porter, Mary, 62, free by servitude, Mary Ann, 1791, 7 years, Protestant. Porter, Richard (Jun), 23, born in the colony. ## Richard Junior the step-son, was unmarried at this stage, he later married Ellen Fitzgerald the daughter of Michael Fitzgerald (Irish Convict, 1806, “Tellicherry”) and Bridget Shea (Irish Convict, 1806 “Tellicherry”). Also on the Census are: [Ref O0292 page 292] The step-daughter Mary Anne now married to Peter Honslow (Convict, 1798, “Globe”). [Ref W0833 page 386] The daughter from Mary’s first marriage, with James, now married to Robert Wicks (Convict, 1802, “Perseus”). ## All these children had quite large families.
Mary, now a widow with three or four children aged between 10 and 3 now moved to live with her step-father, Richard Porter. They then commenced a de-facto relationship, had several children and subsequently married 8th June 1811.
James burial was registered at St Philips, Sydney on 4th April 1805. His Mother-in-Law, Ann Porter, was buried the day before, 3rd April 1805. There are no substantiated records as to the rumour that each of these was killed by Aboriginal incursion onto their properties. There is no record located in the Sydney press regarding the matter. However, there were numerous such attcks taking place in the Hawkesbury during this period. In 1820, his son, Enoch Weavers, submitted a petition for a land grant on the basis that the land grant to his father had been lost. A referee, Mr John Piper, made the following statement…. “This lad, being a native of this place and his father having been killed by the Natives, I beg you to support his petition” [Ref Flynn, Michael; The Second Fleet: page 600]
By January 1792, James was already settled on a 30 acre property which was granted to him in February. It would seem that he was already living with Mary Hutchinson (Convict, 1791, “Mary Ann”) and the couple married in 1792. By 1800, they were moderately prosperous with 6 acres of wheat, 6 of maize, 17 sheep, 14 pigs and a goat. By 1802 the whole family, including three children, had moved off government stores and were self sufficient. By then, the sheep flock had increased to 51 he was then purchasing further land. Nearby, lived Mary's mother Ann Hutchinson (Convict, 1791, “Mary Ann”) and her much younger husband Richard Porter (Convict, 1790, “Surprize”). Richard had been a transportee on the same vessel as James. Ann and Maryt had been convicted together and now lived very near to each other.
Flynn, Michael; The Second Fleet.. Page 599... James Weavers was sentenced to death at 28 March 1787 Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk) Assizes for the burglary on the night of 1 November 1786 of the widow Charlotte Hunt's house at Needham Market. He was reprieved soon afterwards to transportation for life and was maintained by the county in gaol until 24 July 1788. On 8 September 1789 he was embarked on HMS "Guardian". It was stated that he had farming experience and was one of a group of 25 specially selected convicts whose skills were needed in New South Wales. He survived the near sinking of "Guardian" when it was holed by an iceberg of the Cape and was then transferred to "Surprize" with 19 other surviving convicts. He was recommended for a conditional pardon for his role in saving the "Guardian" from sinking.