Catherine Williams

Level 75

iain Frazier on 25th March 2026

Family connections for Catherine (Williams) are: WILLIAMS Catherine (Williams) was tried at Surrey Quarter Sessions in 1789, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE. She was sent to Norfolk Island. She had a first (1of3) short term relationship with Matthew (Wood his first relationship) (from Ref:'People...')-whom she later married. She had a second (2of3) relationship with Edward (Lewis) & produced 1child.>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Edward (Lewis) arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship SALAMANDER. Edward (Lewis) died on 17 4 1792 & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. Edward (Lewis) does not have an entry on this Website as yet; however Edmund Hiram (Lewis) does Edmund Hiram (Lewis) was tried at Nottingham Easter Quarter Sessions/Assizes Nottinghamshire on 30 7 1789 & sentenced to 7years. He broke out of gaol on 14 5 1790, was captured & taken back to gaol on 29 7 1790-where he was sentenced to death reprieved to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship ADMIRAL BARRINGTON-same Fleet). [These details taken from this Website] .. >>>Catherine (Williams/Lewis) was an emancipist when she married thirdly Zachariah (Sponsford his first marriage) emancipist on 28 1 1804 on Norfolk Island.>>> Zachariah (Sponsford/Spoonsford/Ponsford) was born about 1742. He, as Zacariah (Ponsford), was convicted at Wells Lent Assizes Surrey on 28 7 1788, sentenced to death reprieved to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6.5months on Fleet ship ATLANTIC. He was sent to Norfolk Island on FANCY, arriving on 4 7 1795. He was recorded in 1796 on plot. no.42 of 60 acres at Phillipsburg. He was recorded in February 1805 as settler/landowner on Norfol Island. He left Norfolk Island on 9 11 1807 as part of the first evacuation (for which volunteers apparantly had been called with appropriate compensation offerred & for which he may have tried to decline as some successful farmers were asked to stay) on HMS LADY NELSON to Derwent Tasmania, arriving on 28 11 1807 & being recorded as renting land & being very industrious; to New Town/Glenorchy. On 20 9 1813 he was granted 30acres at New Town parish of Argyle. He also leased land at Pittwater. On 31 1 1817 he was a settler & charged with assaulting Dennis (Geary) at New Town with a musket with intent to kill. He was recorded on 2 10 1818 as off stores at Hobart town-Ref:'Forgotten...' shows him as arriving in Australia on ALBEMARLE (same Fleet). He married secondly Catherine (???/Loftus her second marriage) on 18 5 1820 at St Davids CofE Hobart. He is recorded as off stores on 2 10 1818 at Hobart town. He died on 8 10 1832 age97 at Coal River. [Some details taken from this Website] .. >>>Catherine (Williams/Sponsford) married Matthew (Wood) on 22 4 1812 at New Norfolk-recorded at St Davids CofE Hobart. She was almost beaten to death on 10 2 1819 at Back River New Norfolk by persons who beat her husband to death. In 1819 she received goods & effects from Will of her husband & renounced her claim to a William (Harry). She produced 1known child in her lifetime. Matthew (Wood) was born about 1737. He was tried for stealing a sack etc at Rotherham Assizes West Riding Yorkshire on. 23 7 1788, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6.5months on Fleet ship MATILDA or ATLANTIC. He was sent to Norfolk Island, arriving in August 1791. He is recorded in 1796 with 60acres Plot no.43 at Phillipsburg on west of the island. He apparantly married secondly Honoria (Sullivan). He had purchased 7acres by 1805 & was recorded as a farmer. He left Norfolk Island with his wife as part of the first evacuation (for which volunteers apparantly had been called with appropriate compensation offerred & for which he may have tried to decline as some successful farmers were asked to stay) on 15 5 1808 on ESTRAMINA, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; to New Norfolk where he became a farmer. He purchased 30acres in New Norfolk on 20 9 1813. He died on 10 2 1819 age84 by vicious murder by beating, witnessed by his wife who was also beaten, at Back River New Norfolk; he was buried at St Davids CofE Hobart; he left his goods & effects to his wife, [Some details taken from this Website] References: 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. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'