Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Matthew Wood was transported on the Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Mary Ann, Matilda, Salamander And William And Ann, departing 31st Dec 1790 and arriving 9th Jul 1791 with 1265 passengers.
The Third Fleet consisted of 11 Vessels. Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Gorgon, Mary Ann, Matilda, Queen (from Ireland) Salamander and William and Ann. These vessels were provided by a private company; Camden, Calvert and King to ship convicts to the colony.
Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Mary Ann, Matilda, Salamander And William And Ann (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 148 |
| 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 |
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Convict Notes
Family connections for Matthew (Wood) are: WOOD 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. He had a first short term relationship with Catherine (Lewis her first (1of3) relationship) (from Ref:'People...')-mentioned again just below when he married her. He is recorded in 1796 with 60acres Plot no.43 at Phillipsburg on west of the island. He apparantly married secondly Honoria (Sullivan)-not shown in Smees records. 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.>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Honoria (Sullivan) arrived in NSW as a convict with Catherine & Eleanor on 11 2 1796 after a voyage of 6months on MARQUIS CORNWALLIS & arrived on Norfolk Island on 13 2 1796sic-accordingng to Ref:'People...'-with Catherine & Eleanor (as a family). She left Norfolk Island, as Nora, with her new husband & 2children (on board was Catherine (Sullivan) & children) (from Ref:'People...') on 15 5 1808 on ESTRAMINA, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808; at the time of the first evacuation-to New Norfolk. Honoria (Sullivan) does not have an entry on this Website as yet-added by me. .. >>>Matthew (Wood) purchased 30acres in New Norfolk on 20 9 1813. He married secondly Catherine (Williams/Sponsford) on 22 4 1812 at New Norfolk-recorded at St Davids CofE Hobart. 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, 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). She was an emancipist when she married thirdly Zachariah (Sponsford his first marriage) emancipist on 28 1 1804 on Norfolk Island. She was almost beaten to death on 10 2 1819 at Back River New Norfolk by persons who beat her husband, (Wood), 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. [Some details taken from this Website] David (Wood) son of Matthew (Wood) claimed, in 1819, that all debts owing to his fathers estate should be be paid to him, in December 1819. Noted that Matthew (Wood) is shown in Ref:'People...' as with Catherine (Hyland) & produced 2children - rather than with Honoria (Sullivan). This relationship is not supported elsewhere; in fact Smees records &t Ref:'Exiled...' show Catherine (Hyland) with John (Folly) & produced a family. The (Folly)s left Norfolk Island on 25 12 1807 on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Tasmania, arriving on 17 1 1808. Further Ref:'People...' shows John (Folly) was with Ann (Poore). All in all I think this reference provides incorrect information in this instance. 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'
The previous Police Notice was published in Hobart Town Gazette, 20 Feb 1819. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew Wood’s burial is recorded in the Parish of St David’s Hobart in 1819. Matthew Wood, died 10 February 1819, buried 15 February 1819, age 84 years. Murdered at New Norfolk, Free. Ceremony performed by R. Knopwood. ---------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE. The burial record gives a different date of death to the newspaper report of the Police incident.
POLICE OFFICE, 9th January, 1819. WHEREAS Two Men at present unknown did about Nine o'Clock on the Night 0f Wednesday the 3d Day of this present Month burglariously Break and Enter the Dwelling-house, of MATTHEW WOOD, a Settler at the Back River in the District of New Norfolk ; and did then and there Kill and Murder the said M. Wood, and afterwards Rob the House of the Goods mentioned underneath, with which they made off;-And whereas the said two Robbers and Murderers are at present at large, these are to require all Constables and others to use their utmost Exertions to discover, apprehend, and lodge in safe Custody the said two Felons. A List of the Goods carried off by the Murderers:-4 white calico Shirts, 4 check cotton ditto, a pair of grey woolen cloth Trowsers (the cloth made at Sydney), 1 white double breasted Waistcoat, 5 calico woman's Caps, 1 woman's cotton Bed-gown with red spots, 1 Peticoat of the same, 2 brown linen Sheets that were issued from the King's Stores, a pair of cotton sheets, a new tin Baking-dish about a foot across and 5 or 6 inches deep, 1 Dutch-made Gun with brass bands round the stock and barrel, ½lb. of Gunpowder in a bottle, about 20lb. of moist Sugar, 2½lb. of Tea, a Promissory Note of Hand drawn by Thomas Murphy for £50 payable in June next, a Store Receipt for £25, signed by Mr. Commissary Broughton, 2 new calico Shifts, 1 hank of fine white Thread, and a quantity of red and brown thread. By Order of A. W. H. Humphrey, Esq. Superintendant of Police. W. English, Clerk.
Matthew Wood, for stealing sack, &c. ordered to transported seven years, Sheffield Register, 26 July 1788. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Convict Indents (Digitised) Index Matthew Wood, per ship Matilda, County, York. tried Rotherham, York. 23 July 1788, 7 years beyond the seas.
Mathew Wood came to Australia in the third fleet on board the Atlantic in 1791. Somehow he was transported to Norfolk Island and by 1805 had purchased 7 acres of land and was a farmer. In 1807 - 08 he was transported to Tasmania to New Norfolk on the "Estramina" and became a farmer there. https://htfs.org.au/norfolk_islanders.php#e1808 Fourth Embarkation of "Estramina" for Derwent, Van Diemen's Land on 15th May 1808. John BOYLE wife Catherine HENRY Stephen MARTIN child Mary Ann PEELING/MARTIN/BENTLEY Thomas Martin HUNT wife Ann ROCK Deborah DAVIS William JONES Matthew WOOD wife Nora SULLIVAN New South Wales, Australia, Land Grants, 1788-1963 for Mathew Wood Colonial Secretary Nominal List of Persons Owing Quit-Rent 1811-1823 Purchased 30 acres of land in New Norfolk Tasmania on 20/9/1813 with 1/- rent per year from 1819 to 1822. Tasmania Libraries Online Married Catherine Sponsford on 22/4/1812 at New Norfolk. Both described as single married by Robert Knopwood with witnesses of Dennis McCarty and Job Anthony. 3 others were married on the same day. Tasmania Libraries Online Mathew Wood age 84 died 10/2/1819 at New Norfolk was murdered and free R Knopwood was the informant The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter (Tas. : 1816 - 1821) Sat 6 Feb 1819 Page 2 SITTINGS OF THE SUPREME COURT. SHOCKING MURDER-We have just been informed of a horrid murder committed at New Norfolk the particulars as far as we can learn are as follow:---On Wednesday evening left two men entered the residence of Matthew Wood, a settler much advanced in years, and after binding his hands behind his back they beat him with some weapon in a most barbarous manner on every part of the body till he died ; they also put a cloth over the eyes of his wife, an aged woman, whom they beat nearly in a similar manner ; afterwards one the ruffians put his hand on her mouth in order to discover it the were dead, they then robbed the house of several articles. From the blows inflicted on the poor old woman, and the lonely situation of the house, she was unable to give any alarm till Friday morning, when she made shift to crawl to her nearest neighbour. Upon the neighbours proceeding to the house, they found the body of the unfortunate man in the passage dreadfully mangled and entirely naked, having only a jacket wrapped round the head. The deceased was a person generally respected ; and we hear was reported to have had some money in his house, to get possession of which, probably the murderers had in their view when perpetrated this horrid deed. The Chief Constable and proper assistants were sent off immediately on this murder being reported ; and every exertion is making to discover the perpetrators ; which we trust will he attended with success. The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter (Tas. : 1816 - 1821) Sat 22 May 1819 Page 1 Classified Advertising NOTICE.- CATHERINE WOOD , Widow of the late MATTHEW WOOD, late of New Norfolk, settler, deceased, having renounced all claim of administering to the Effects of her deceased Husband in favor of WILLIAM HARRY, of Hobart Town; he hereby gives Notice of his Intention of applying to the Honorable the Supreme Court of Civil Judicature at Sydney (through its commissioner at this Settlement) for Letters of Administration to the Goods, Chattels, and Effects which were of the said Deceased. All Persons hiving Claims and Demands against the said Effects are therefore desired to send in the same immediately for Liquidation ; and all those who stood indebted to the deceased at the time of his Death, are requested to make Payment to the said William Harry. The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter (Tas. : 1816 - 1821) Sat 25 Dec 1819 Page 1 Classified Advertising NOTICE. - DAVID WOOD, Son of the late MATTHEW WOOD, Settler, deceased, having applied for Letters of Administration to the Judge of the Supreme Court (through the Medium of the Commissioner at this Place), gives Notice that all Debts due to the said Matthew Wood are to be paid to him only; and all Persons whatsoever are cautioned from, in any Manner intermeddling with the said Estate, Effects or Debts, which were belonging to his late Father. (signed) DAVID WOOD, Hobart Town, Dec, 25, 1819