William Yardley

75

iain Frazier on 27th October 2025

Family connections for William (Yardley) are: Some amendments added Dec 2025. YARDLEY William (Yar/dley) was born about 1757 & became a stationer. (He may have produced a child, with Ann (???) in 1757). He was tried for burglary w/1other, on 7 10 1825 at Southwark, at Surrey Assizes perhaps on 22 3 1786, sentenced to death commuted to Life. He claimed at this time to have a wife & elderly father. He was transferred to the hulk CERES at Langstone Harbour Portsmouth in August 1788 & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship SURPRISE; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate. He had a relationship with Catherine (Edwards her third relationship) from 1793 & married her on 5/7 11 1796 at St Johns CofE Parramatta; he had land at Toongabbie. He was issued his Conditional Pardon in July 1797 & was granted 30 acres at Seven Hills on 7 7 1797, on which he lived until at least 1801 & sold in March 1805. In 1801 he was granted more than 30acres at Lower Portland Hawkesbury & had 130acres confirmed at Sussex Reach in 1804. He died in 1805 age48 burned in a house fire which has variously attributed to lightning, the action of Aborigines & murder by his wife & a convict servant; leaving his property to family members. [Some details taken from this Website; where 2entries (with similar details) are found] Catherine Mary (Edwards) was born in 1763. She may have married firstly (1of3) a ??? (Everitt) with whom she produced a son. She was tried at Dublin city, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict with her son John (Edwards age2 (who was born in 1788 Ireland) died 24 10 1791 at Rose Hill & buried at St Johns CofE Parramatta) on 26 9 1791 after a voyage of 5months on Fleet ship QUEEN. She had a second (2of3) relationship with Timothy (Driscoll) & produced 1child. About 1792 while pregnant she may have escaped the colony & tried to walk to 'China' north of Port Jackson. She became Free by Servitude by 1795. She was charged after the death of her husband in 1805, with her convict servant Henry (Murray), with murder of her husband, for which they were acquitted after a period in gaol. [Investigation of the murder? was carried out by Magistrate Thomas (Arndell) of Green Hills] After her husbands death she remained on the farm with 3children Edward, Ruth, Mary. In 1815 her daughter left her husband & took 5children to live with her mother. She died (murdered) on 14 10 1818 age55 mother of 7children at Lower Portland Sackville/Colo area near Laws Farm Rd, with her son in law Richard (Hayman) being charged with her murder. [Some details taken from this Website] [Timothy (Driscoll) does not have an entry on this Website as yet; however, a Dennis (Driscoll) does:] .. [Dennis (Driscoll) was born about 1760. He arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 9 1791 after a voyage of 5months on Fleet ship QUEEN. He died on 18 3 1792 age31 & was buried at St Johns CofE Parramatta.] [These details taken from this Website; where many others of the name originating in Cork also have entries] .. William (Yar/dley) & Catherine (Edwards) produced maybe 5children: 1.Edward (Yar/dley) was born on 1 4 1794 & baptised on 6 4 1794 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He left home in 1814. He died on 8 7 1820 age26. 2.Ruth (Yar/dley) was born in 1795. She received 30/100acres as proceeds of fathers Will in 1805. She married Richard (Hayman) on 21 6 1813 at St Matthews CofE Windsor & produced 4children. In 1815 she moved away with 5children to live with her mother.>>> ..Richard (Hayman) was born in 1771. He was tried for stealing a watch etc of Thomas (Miller) at probably Old Bailey, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 4 2 1792 after a voyage of 8months on PITT; much fever & attempts to escape from the ship resulted in deaths of convicts-of the 450convicts on board only 29 were alive at muster in May 1792 (or perhaps only this many could be mustered. He seems to have had a first marriage with Eliza (???). In 1802 he was renting 10acres at Musgrave Place Hawkesbury & had a wife; in 1806 he was at Webbs Farm Canning Reach; in 1811 he was on a grant of 40acres at Cumberland/Boston Reach with his wife. He was an emancipist by 1813. He apparantly was not a nice man & by September 1813 he was given a 'breach of the peace' order. In 1815 his wife moved away to live with her mother. He was living with Eliza (???) & 2sons in 1816 & 1817. In 1817 he was forced off his property for financial reasons. He took steps to secure his second wifes property for himself, leading to the death of his motherinlaw Catherin/Mary (Edwards)-for which he was tried for murder, on 5 12 1818, & was acquitted. He died on 14 8 1826 age55 at Windsor hosp father of 6children. ..[Some details taken from this Website] .. >>>Ruth (Yardley) later lived with George (Evans) & produced 3children. She died in 1884 age about89 mother of 7children. ..George (Evans) was born in 1803. In 1828 his mother lived with him. ..Details of George (Evans) family are given in entry for Mary (Martin PITT 1792) on this Website. .. 3.Mary (Yar/dley) was born in 1799. She married at age16 Thomas (Dent) on 14 8 1815 at St Johns Cofe Parramatta.>>> ..Thomas (Dent) was born about 1788. He arrived in Australia as a convict in 1809sic on DUKE OF PORTLAND.>>> ..Thomas (Dent) does not have an entry on this Website as yet; but a John (Dent) does. >>>Thomas (Dent) is consistently shown in Smees records as arriving in NSW in 1809 on DUKE OF PORTLAND-a voyage that apparantly did not occur: therfore I have added him to voyage of 1807. ..Mary (Yar/dley) & Thomas (Dent) produced 1child: ..1.Thomas (Dent) was born on 30 10 1817 & baptised on 1 3 1818 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. .. >>>Mary (Yar/dley) later lived with Joseph (Bradley). She produced 2children in her lifetime. ..Joseph (Bradley) was born about 1789 to a respected family. He was convicted w/2others of stealing watches of Walter (Mayers), at Cheltenham on 24 2 1813, at Gloucester Assizes in April 1813, was sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW on 7 2 1814 after a 4month voyage on GENERAL HEWETT. He became chief clerk for Parramatta Chief Magistrate until 1824. In October 1828 he was convicted w/1other of forging a deed of ownership of property in Kent St & sentenced to death. He died on 20 10 128 age39 executed with full acceptance & some remorse. ..[Some details taken from this Website] ..Mary (Yar/dley) & Joseph (Bradley) produced 1child: ..1.Louisa Jane (Bradley) was born on 17 10 1821 at Parramatta & baptised on 29 9 1822 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She died on 21 10 1822 age1+. .. 4.William (Yar/dley) who died on 6 12 1824. 5.??? (Yarley) was born on 29 11 1801. 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.

54

Phil Hands on 9th December 2017

Sydney Gazette 5th December 1818 Criminal Court, The next trial was that of Richard Hayman, committed by the Coroner for the suspected murder of his mother-in-law, Mary Yardley, on or about Wednesday the 14th of October last, at Cumberland Reach, Portland Head. The evidence taken upon this trial was to the following effect: that the defendant was the husband of the deceased Mrs. Yardley's daughter, by whom he had several children, towards his wife and whom he had always envinced the strongest marks of a sincere affection; from causes that none of the witnesses could delevop, Mrs. Yardley (the deceased) had so far disagreed with her son-in-law, (the defendant) as to compel him to leave her house and his won family, who had continued to live with her. On Wednesday the defendant went to Portland Head, from the upper parts of Hawkesbury, and breakfasted in the house of Mrs. Dorrington, which was near to that of the deceased, saying that he was going to cross the river. And was obliged to go so low down for the purpose of getting a boat, as he could not get one higher up. He was under the necessity of passing near Mrs. Yardley's house; and scarcely left Dorrington's before she entered, and seemed already agitated, but became much more so on hearing that he had gone that way. They were both seen ascending a steep activity, Mrs. Yardley far distant behind. The defendant dined with his wife and children on that day, but not with the deceased, with whom he had not been seen. He called at several of the neighbouring houses throughout all parts of the day, until four o'clock when he went to Knight's, close to Yardley's, & there remained an night; he went away next morning; he had no stick or weapon whatever, and had never been by any person observed to show any marks of agitation or concern, except upon the mention of his separation from his wife and children. His deportment was described to be mild and gentle; that of the deceased passionate and otherwise intemperate. The deceased was afterwards missing from her habitation, but for what space of time did not appear in evidence, and on the morning of the following Sunday was found dead a short distance from her own house, in a state, from which it was evident she had been dead for several days; a severe wound was on the back of the head, and a broken stick laying by her side, with a small stain upon it. The Inquest assembled on Monday morning, and the defendant attended, saying he had been informed by Mr. Howe, of Windsor, of the event. These were the circumstances brought out upon the trial; and as no particle of the evidence could at ah apply to the defendant, he was acquitted without being required to enter on a defence, and ordered to be immediately liberated.

54

Phil Hands on 9th December 2017

Sydney Gazette 9th March 1806 From the observation of persons resident in the neighbourhood of the late unfortunate William Yardley, who was supposed to have perished in the flames by which his habitation was consumed, a suspicion arose that he was destroyed by human hands and the house afterwards set on fire intentionally to conceal the wilful murder. On the first disclosure of the suspicion every probable means of determining it were promptly restored to by Thomas Arndell, Esq. Magistrate at the Green Hills; with who the active aid and perseverance of Mr Thompson, Chief Constable for the district, collected such information as at the present juncture to justify the strong presumption of his inhuman murder; in which we are shocked to state his wife was implicated on strong suspicion, and after undergoing a long examination before Mr Arndell, was committed to the county gaol yesterday fortnight. A Bench of Magistrates was yesterday convened, before whom a further investigation of this lamentable affair took place; when one principal circumstance in establishing the fact upon evidence appeared, that when the mutilated remains of the deceased were found among the ruins, the head alone remained uninjured by the flames; that the appearance of blood at that time visible about the lower part of the face, which was very reasonably attributed to a violent blow from part of the building falling in upon him; but in consequence of the subsequent suspicion, the interred remains were taken up and more minutely examined; when a handkerchief tied firmly about the head being unbound, discovered to the astonished spectators a large and ghastly aperture in the skull, which might indeed have been attributed to the above cause, did not the cavity appear to have been filled with cloths, and covered with a bandage, as was also the hair of the deceased, which was very much stained with blood. A man servant to the deceased, also in custody pleaded an alibi, but was, with the woman, sentenced for further examination. Sydney Gazette 16th March 1806 Mary Yardley and her servant Henry Murray underwent another examination for the suspected murder of the late unfortunate William Yardley. On 5th April 1806 - Both Catherine and the servant were released from custody when it was determined that there was insufficient evidence to mount a prosecution. Sydney Gazette 6th April 1806 Mary Yardley, who was confined and underwent examination in consequence of some inexplicable circumstances that attended the death of her late unfortunate husband, was liberated by order of the Bench, as from the strictest enquiry no proof had been adduced to constitute grounds of prosecution.

221

D Wong on 27th February 2015

From: http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/twconvic/3273 William was stationer when he was arrested at the age of 28. His accomplice, John Le Ross?, a jackhitt (sic) maker, was aged 34. William and John were both sentenced to death for the burglary of a linen draper's shop at 36 Blackman Street, Southwark in south London. They were both reprieved to transportation for life a few days after their initial sentencing. In an appeal against his sentence William stated that he had a wife and elderly father to care for. He further claimed that the evidence against him had been fabricated as he had spent the evening in question (7 October 1785) entertaining a prostitute - Elizabeth WALLIS. Elizabeth swore that she had been drinking with William at the Admiral Vernon public house in London and had spent the night in bed with him. Several other witnesses corroborated that evidence. The trial judge discounted William's alibi on the basis that other witnesses had reported seeing him and his accomplice John Le Ross? at the scene of the crime as well as the fact that his alibi was supported by testimony from a "common prostitute". August 1788 - William was transferred from county gaol to the 'Ceres' hulk at Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth. 30 November 1789 - Embarked on the 'Surprise' transport 1793 - William was cohabiting with Catherine EDWARDS? from at least this year. June 1797 - Granted 30 acres at Seven Hills. William lived on this grant until about 1801. July 1797 - Received a Conditional Pardon. 1800 - William was mustered as having 15 of his 30 acres cleared and cultivated, owning 15 pigs and having a wife and two children on-stores 1801 - Received a grant of land, larger than his Seven Hills grant, at Lower Portland in the Hawkesbury region of NSW August 1804 - William's 130 acre land grant was registered at Sussex Reach. March 1805 - William advertised for sale his Seven Hills farm, eventually selling it to Thomas JONES on 22 June for £35 down with another £35 top be paid within ten months or the land to be resold 8 December 1805 - The Sydney Gazette printed a report on an inquest into William YARDLEY's death at his farm. The Hawkesbury District coroner reported that he had been burned to death in a house fire which was assumed to have been started by a lightning strike. His wife and children had escaped but he was trapped inside while trying to save some clothing March 1806 - William's widow and their convict servant were arrested under suspicion of murdering him and concealing the crime by burning the body in the house. William's body was exhumed and a head wound (covered by a handkerchief, was discovered on the body and Catherine was, for the following few weeks, subjected to intensive questioning over William's death. 5 April 1806 - Both Catherine and the servant were released from custody when it was determined that there was insufficient evidence to mount a prosecution. Sydney Gazette Sun 8 Dec 1805 On Thursday a Coroner's Inquest assembled at Hawkesbury on the body of William Yardley, a settler down the River, whose death was was occasioned by the following melancholy circumstances: A considerable time after himself and family were in bed Wednesday night, the house took fire, and burned with such rapidity as to render their escape difficult: he succeeded nevertheless, with his wife's assistance, in snatching his children from the flames, and then unhappily returned to save some little cloathing, but the roof falling in, he perished in the attempt. The body of the deceased presented a ghastly spectacle to the jurors, whose verdict was appropriate to the event. As the accident of the house taking fire was most unaccountable and mysterious, many people attributed it to the lightning, which was very vivid at the time; but it is a much more probable conjecture that the disaster originated in the rancour of the Branch natives, to whose excesses his activity was a constant curb, and whose hostile inclinations are as manifest as ever. So long as they content themselves with pillaging the settlers' grounds they experience civility and hospitable treatment: but tiring with this comparative moderation, they rush into acts of open and declared hostility; and it is much to be lamented that possibly from the want of sufficient caution, the first objects of their treachery have too frequently become its easy victims.

221

D Wong on 27th February 2015

Ron Selden (75) at 1:02pm, 27th February 2015 wrote of William Yardley: William married another convict Catherine Mary Edwards at Parramatta on the 7-11-1796 and died on his farm at Lower Portland on the 8-12-1805. It was thought by the Police that his wife and another convict murdered William.