Edward Willis

74

iain Frazier on 20th August 2025

Family connections for Edward (Willis) are: WILLIS Edward (Willis/Wills) was born about 1779. He married Sarah (Harding her first marriage) in 1795 in Middlesex. He was tried for highway robbery at Surrey Assizes, sentenced to hanging commuted to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict with his family on 26 7 1799 after a voyage of 9months on HILSBOROUGH; the ship was riddled with typhoid & bad management; he was ill & became assigned as ward to his wife. He was issued his Conditional Pardon on 4 6 1803 & later an Absolute Pardon. He was Free by Servitude by 1805 & is recorded on 15 9 1805 as involved in seal skin business (w/??? (Raby). In 1806 he owned 22.5ton sloop ELIZA, halfowned sloop RAVEN & built 66ton boat MARY & SALLY w/Thomas (Reibie)sic. He was living at George St when he died on 16 5 1811 (from Smees records age32 or14 5 1821 & was buried at Old Botany Bay cemetery St Phillips CofE Sydney, later moved. [Some details taken from this Website] Sarah (Harding) arrived in NSW with her family on 26 7 1799 after a voyage of 9months on HILSBOROUGH. She married secondly George (Howe printer his third marriage) on 5 10 1812 at St Phillips CofE Sydney & produced 1child. She died on 10 7 1823 age44 mother of 6children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. [George (Howe aka Happy 'Happy George') was born about 1769 on St Kitts Island West Indies & became a printer. He married firstly (1of3) Mary (McLeay) in London. He was tried for shop lifting at Warwick Assizes, sentenced to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict with his children on 20 11 1800 after a voyage of 8months on ROYAL ADMIRAL. He was issued his Conditional Pardon in 1803. He had a second relationship (2of3) with Elizabeth (Hastings). He was emancipated in 1806. He was a printer in 1812 & became the first Government Printer in 1813 with other firsts-1st newspaper Sydney Gazette-published 1st natural history & art book-published 1st poetry book. He died on 13 5 1821 age52 father of 8children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. [Some details taken from this Website] [Details of George (Howe)s family are given in entry for George (Howe ROYAL ADMIRAL 1800) on this Website.] .. Edward (Wills) & Sarah (Harding) produced 6children: 1.Sarah (Wills) was born on 23 4 1796 in Middlesex. She arrived in NSW with her parents on 26 7 1799 after a voyage of 9months on HILSBOROUGH. She married at age15 William (Redfern gentleman Pardoned) on 4 3 1811 at St Phillips CofE Sydney & produced perhaps 2children. In 1821 she visited England with her family. About 1824 she was able to obtain a land grant for her husband. ..William (Redfern) was born about 1771/4, possibly in Canada, brought up at Trowbridge Wiltshire England & became a doctor & surgeon. In June 1797 he passed the examination of the London Company of Surgeons & became surgeon's mate in the British? Navy. He served on HMS NEPTUNE where he was involved in Mutiny of the Nore in 1797, tried on 27 8 1797 at Court Martial on NEPTUNE, sentenced to death reprieved to Life, held on NEPTUNE & 4years in British jails & arrived in NSW as a convict on 14 12 1801 on Fleet ship MINORCA; he was given Conditional Pardon on arrival & was issued Full Pardon in 1803. In 1808 he was appointed assistant Surgeon after proving his credentials & became doctor to Governor Macquarie. He was known as a gentleman in 1811. He was one of founders of Bank NSW in 1817. In 1819 he resigned from Colonial Medical Service after not being selected as Principal Surgeon; was selected as Magistrate but not sanctioned & continued practice as physician & surgeon. In 1821 he visited England with his family & is recorded at Island of Madeira in poor health in January 1824. Meanwhile in England his wife obtained a land grant for him. In 1826 he undertook scientific farming. He was recorded in Edinburgh in 1828 where he died in July 1833 age62. ..[Some details taken from this Website] .. 2.Thomas Spencer (Wills) was born on 5 8 1800 & baptised on 26 9 1802 age2 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He was a farmer when he married firstly Celia (Reibey) on 18 6 1822 at St Phillips CofE Sydney.>>> ..Celia (Reibey) was born on 1 2 1803 & baptised on 20 3 1803 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 28 9 1823 age20 & was buried at St Philips CofE Sydney-no mention in Smees burial records. ..Details of Celia (Reibey)s family are given in entry for Mary (Haydock BRITANNIA 1791) on this Website. ..Thomas Spencer (Wills) & Celia (Reibey) produced 1child: ..1.Alice (Wills) was born on 6 5 1823 & baptised on 1 6 1823 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 14 4 1824 age11m & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. .. >>>Thomas Spencer (Wills) was still a farmer in 1828 & married secondly Mary Ann (Barry) in 1829 (not shown in Smees records). He died on 29 7 1872 age72- father of 2known children. ..Mary Ann (Barry) arrived in Australia as wife of Mr (Barry perhaps a settler) in 1827 on ORPHEUS. She was recorded in the Female Factory in 1830. ..Thomas Spencer (Wills) & Mary Ann (Barry) produced 1child: .. ..[Noted a John (Barry) was a carpenter in 1827 & 1829 & is recorded as having 3children with Mary (???) & Mary (Ryan): - all girls] ..[1.Elizabeth (Barry) was born on 8 9 1827 at Murray Shire & baptised on 27 12 1829 age2 w/Eleanor at St Phillips CofE Sydney-mother=Mary (???).] ..[2.Eleanor (Barry) was born on 15 7 1829 also & baptised on 27 12 1829 w/Elizabeth at St Phillips CofE Sydney-mother=Mary (???).] ..[3.Catherine (Barry) was born about 1830 at Parramatta Factory & baptised on 12 1 1830 with others from the Female Factory at St Marys RC Sydney-mother=Mary (Ryan) convict from BROTHERS.] ..[This Mary (Ryan) was born about 1787. She was transported as a convict on BROTHERS which arrived in NSW on 4 2 1827 after a voyage of 4months. However, Mary sufferred from asthma & oedema from 7 12 1826 to 28 1 1827 when she died with anasasca/anasarca age40. It seems she could not have been the person required here.] ..[These details taken from this Website] .. ..Thomas Spencer (Wills) & Mary Ann (Barry) produced 1child: ..1.William Henry Redfern (Wills) was born on 1 12 1827 & baptised on 1 2 1828 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He died on 28 1 1828 age1- & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. .. 3.Eliza (Wills) was born on 10 9 1802 & baptised on 19 9 1802 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She married at age16 Henry Colden (Antill) Esq Captain of 73rd Regiment on 9 10 1818 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 30 9 1858 age56+. ..Henry Colden (Antill) was born about 1779. He arrived in Australia as an officer in 1809 on HMS DROMEDARY. In 1818 he was Captain of 73rd Regiment & became a Major-military staff officer with 48th Regiment. He was recorded in 1828 as Esq gentleman. ..Eliza (Wills) & Henry Colden (Antill) Esq produced at least 6children: mostly boys ..1.Margaret Campbell (Antill) was born on 27 6 1820 & baptised on 31 7 1820 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 22 7 1849 age29. ..2.John Macquarie (Antill) was born on 30 5 1822 & baptised on 30 6 1822 at St Lukes CofE Liverpool. He died on 4 6 1900 age78+ ..3.Alice Sophia Colden (Antill) was born on 27 3 1824 & baptised on 25 4 1824 at St Lukes CofE Liverpool. She died on 30 1 1920 age95. ..4.Henry Colden (Antill) was born on 7 4 1826 & baptised on 9 5 1826 at St Lukes CofE Liverpool. He died on 17 3 1913 age86. ..5.William Redfern (Antill) was born on 3 1 1828 at Home Quarry Creek & baptised on 3 2 1828 at St Peters CofE Campbelltown. He died on 5 9 1905 age77. ..6.Thomas Wills (Antill) was born on 24 11 1829 & baptised on 29 12 1829 at St Lukes CofE Liverpool. He died on 11 5 1865 age35. .. 4.Edward Spencer (Wills) was born on 16 2 1805 & baptised on 14 7 1805 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He died in 1828 age about23. 5.Elizabeth Selenia (Wills) was born on 30 11 1807 & baptised on 10 1 1808 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 18 1 1811 age3 & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. 6.Horatio Spencer Howe (Wills) was born on 15 10 1811 & baptised on 7 6 1815 age3 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He married ??? (???). He died on 17 10 1861 age50+. ..Horatio (Wills) & ??? (???) produced at least 1child: ..1.Tom (Wills) became cricketer & creator of Australian Rules game of football. 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. Clem Sargent 'Colonial Garrison 1817-1824-48th foot Northamptonshire Regiment in the colony of New South Wales'

59

greg petersen on 25th November 2018

Edward was sentenced to be hanged but had the sentence commuted to transportation for life. Arriving at Botany bay 26th July 1799 with wife Sarah and daughter. He died at age 32 leaving 5 children and his wife Sarah pregnant with a son, Horatio. Horatio was the father of Tom Wills the famous Victorian cricketer and the creator of the Australian Rules football game.

7

Celene Wills on 22nd May 2014

There were six woman aboard the "Hillsborough", one of them being Edward's wife Sarah with their infant daughter. Edward became ill from the voyage but was lucky to become a ward of his wife Sarah who had "arrived free". 1803 June 4th - conditionally pardoned by Governor King. 1805 September 15th, the "Gazette" mentioned RABY and WILLS as being involved in the seal-skin business. In 1806 the 66 ton "Mary and Sally" was built by Thomas REIBIE and Edward WILLS In the same year these two partners are recorded as owning a sloop named "Raven". He also owned the 22.5 ton sloop "Eliza" When Edward WILLS died after three months of painful illness his assets were valued at more than £15,000. Edward Wills's Headstone was destroyed in removal from Old Botany Bay Cemetery but says Mr. Edward WILLS died 14th May 1811 aged 32 years.