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WILLIAM ROWE - - One of 208 Convicts on “Scarborough” 1788 Sentenced to 7 years at Launceston Assizes Transported to

BROTHER OF JOHN ROWE, ALSO TRANSPORTED ON SCARBOROUGH

NAME: WILLIAM ROWE AGE: 30 – born about 1755, Lanivet-Cornwall

DIED: May 1795 CAUSE OF DEATH: Killed by Aborigines

TRIED: 19 March 1784, Launceston Assizes SENTENCE: 7 Years CRIME: Stealing a bag and money from Benjamin Odgers

ARCHIVES CORNWALL: William Rowe, tried at Launceston for breaking and entering the dwelling- house of Benjamin Odgers about 12 in the night with intent to murder him, and for stealing from the said Benjamin Odgers privily secretly and without his knowledge one Canvas Bag value 3d, 8 dollars value 36s, one half crown value 2s 6d, his goods and monies; found Not Guilty on the first charge, on the second “found Guilty of stealing the goods and monies but not privily from the person”; sentenced and transported for seven years; no occupation or age given.

BROTHER: His younger brother, John Rowe, was sentenced to Transportation on the same day but for a different charge

HULK REPORT: Onboard the prison hulk “Dunkirk”; report “tolerably decent and orderly”

GAOL REPORT: Tolerably decent and orderly BODMIN GAOL: 19 March 1785, William Rowe, stole a canvas bag, death commuted to 7 years transportation in NSW

SHIP: Scarborough – Departed on 13 May 1787, carrying 208 male convicts (no deaths) and arrived in New South Wales on 26 January 1788. Master John Marshall, Surgeon Denis Considen. John was originally embarked on the “”, but transferred to the “Scarborough” at Portsmouth prior to sailing.

FIRST FLEET: The First Fleet was made up of six transport ships, two naval escorts, and three supply ships, and their arrival began the European colonisation of the Australian continent. New South Wales was proclaimed upon their arrival at Cove on 26 January 1788. carried mainly convicts with some members of the Marine detachment sent as guards. In total, the First Fleet carried 569 male convicts, 191 female eonvicts, and a detachment of with their wives and children, plus Government officials, numbering more than 1,300 people in the Fleet.

FAMILY – Born: About 1755 Baptised: 1 September 1755, Lanivet-Cornwall Parents: William Rowe and Grace Hambly – married 30 July 1754 at Lanivet by Banns Children of William and Grace Rowe, baptised Lanivet-Cornwall - 1 Sep 1755 – William Rowe 5 Jun 1757 – John Rowe 20 Feb 1759 – Ann Rowe 13 Oct 1761 – Mary Rowe 24 Jan 1764 – Thomas Rowe 9 Sep 1767 – Jenifer Rowe 3 Jul 1774 – Elizabeth Rowe

NEW SOUTH WALES –

Crime: Charged with breaking into a house with intent to murder and found Not Guilty on this charge

SPOUSE: Mary Hawkins (also known as Ann Hawkins) Born: About 1758 Died: 25 August 1811, -NSW Cause of Death: Robbery and Murder Buried: St John’s, Parramatta 11 September 1791 – William Rowe married Mary Hawkins on 11 September 1791 at St John’s, Parramatta- NSW (V1791133 3A/1791 and V179119 147A/1791) 14 September 1811, Mary Rowe was murdered by John Dunne at Parramatta (NSW State Archives, Reel 6038; SZ758 p.222) Mary Hawkins, born about 1758, tried at the Old Bailey in 1790, arrived on the , 9 July 1791, aboard the “Mary Ann” as a convict; died 25 August 1811 at Parramatta aged about 53 years; widow of William Rowe; she was robbed and murdered

CHILDREN: One known, killed alongside his father during an attack by Aborigines Possibility? NSW BMD INDEX – Patrick ROW, father unknown, mother Mary, born 1795 (V1795495 1A/1795)

EMANCIPATION: 15 May 1795 - William was granted 30 acres of land at Richmond Hill

DEATH: May 1795 - The community at Richmond Hill was attacked by Aborigines the same month as he received his grant of land, and William and his child were killed.

“William Rowe was the older brother of John Rowe, and was charged in Launceston, Cornwall on 19 March 1785 (the same day as his brother), first with breaking into a house with intent to murder the owner, and second, for theft of a canvas bag of money totalling 33 shillings 6 pence. Found not guilty on the first charge, he was sentenced to transportation for 7 years for the second. Both brothers ended up in the same 'Scarborough' transport. At Parramatta William married Mary Hawkins ('Mary Ann', 1791), both signing with mark, which compares with his younger brother who could actually sign his name. He was probably settled on a farm in Richmond before the grant of 30 acres was registered at Richmond Hill on 15 May 1795. In that month (May 1795) the community was attacked by large bodies of aborigines, and Rowe, with his child, was killed. His wife, seriously wounded,'crawled down the bank [of the river] and concealed herself amongst some reeds half immersed in the river, where she remained a considerable time without assistance'. Mrs Rowe (as 'Roe') was taken to Parramatta hospital, where she recovered slowly. On 25 August 1811 this unlucky woman was robbed and brutally murdered. She had for several years been living in Parramatta in the house of Charles Wright. Her age was given as 53 when she was buried at St. Johns. The above reference is condensed from 'The Founders of ', By Mollie Gillen.”

NEWSPAPER REPORTS –

THE , 31 AUGUST 1811 – On Sunday evening last, a most shocking murder was committed at Parramatta, on Mrs Rowe, who had for many years lived in the house of Charles Wright, which lies between Mr Joseph Ward’s and the Stone-quarrey. The body of the unfortunate woman was found on Monday morning on the floor of her own dwelling, lifeless, bruised from head to foot, and mangled in a brutal manner. She appeared to have been strangled with a shawl she wore when attacked; her breast was much torn, by her own fingernails to all appearance, during her dying struggles. Soon after the information reached Town, the Coroner set out for Parramatta, and arriving on Monday evening, summoned an Inquest which assembled early on Tuesday, and proceeded to the enquiry. A Gentleman of the Faculty having declared the strangulation to have been sufficient as to occasion death, several persons who lived contiguous to the deceased were examined on suspicion; and from the evidence of John Welch, a boy 14 years of age, his father James Welch, and himself, a woman named Ann Wilson, who came prisoner in the “Experiment” brig, and James Donne, a foreigner, were committed by the Coroner for the murder, and sent down to Sydney, where they await a legal investigation of the dreadful charge. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/628311?searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=ldecade=181|||sortby=dateAsc

THE SYDNEY GAZETTE, 14 SEPTEMBER 1811 – REPORT OF THE TRIAL OF JOHN DONNE alias DUN, THOMAS WELCH and ANN WILSON, FOR THE WILFUL MURDER OF MARY ROWE AT PARRAMATTA ON 25TH AUGUST – DONNE WAS FOUND GUILTY AND HANGED; WELCH WAS FOUND GUILTY OF BEING AN ACCESSORY AND SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS CONFINEMENT TO HARD LABOUR; WILSON WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/628315?searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=ldecade=181|||sortby=dateAsc http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6810?zoomLevel=3&searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=ldecade=181|||sortby=dateAsc

THE SYDNEY GAZETTE – THE WITNESS, JOHN WELCH, A BOY OF ABOUT 16 YEARS OF AGE, RETRACTED ALL THAT HE HAD SOLEMNLY SWORN UPON AT THE TRIAL, DECLARED THAT DUNNE WAS INNOCENT, AND THAT HIMSELF AND HIS FATHER, THOMAS WELCH, WERE THE REAL PERPETRATORS – THE HANGING OF JOHN DONNE PROCEEDED; HIS FATHER WAS TRIED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH AND EXECUTED IN OCTOBER 1811 - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/628316?searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=l-decade=181|||sortby=dateAsc http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6810?zoomLevel=3&searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=ldecade=181|||sortby=dateAsc http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/628339?searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=l-decade=181|||sortby=dateAsc http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6823?zoomLevel=3&searchTerm=rowe&searchLimits=l-decade=181|||sortby=dateAsc http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/628346?searchTerm="THOMASWELCH"&searchLimits=l-decade=181|||sortby=dateAsc

REFERENCES –

Bodmin Gaol - http://www.jackiefreemanphotography.com/bodmin_executions.htm

Trial of Mary HAWKINS (also known as Ann HAWKINS) at the Old Bailey, 8 December 1790 - 31. MARY otherwise ANN HAWKINS , was indicted, for that she, on the 8th of December last, about the hour of four in the night of the same day, being in the dwelling house of Thomas Marshall , four silver table- spoons, value 20 s. and a diaper table-cloth, value 1 s. and a tin box, value 1 d. the property of the said Thomas, burglariously and feloniously did steal, and afterwards did break the said dwelling house about the hour of four in the night, to get out of the same . The witnesses examined separate, at the request of Mr. Knapp, prisoner's counsel. (The case opened by Mr. Knowlys.) ANN MARSHALL sworn. I am wife of Thomas Marshall , in the precinct of St. Catherines , a wharfinger . I know the prisoner; she came to me last Tuesday; I had her character from a Mrs. Yates, in Portland-street, by word of mouth; I hired her as a house servant ; she did her work on the Wednesday very well, and made no complaint, only she said there was a great many windows to shut; but she did not intimate that she was going away; on Wednesday night I saw all the doors fast; the street door was chained, and bolted with two bolts, and double locked; she took off the cloth from supper at half past ten; our spoons were not in use; I believe the prisoner followed me up immediately; we had two tinder-boxes in the house, one in the kitchen, which I missed, and the other was up stairs; she broke some matches into that tinder-box at twelve that night; I saw her no more till Friday, at the Justice's; I awaked about six; and the street door is just under my room; I set up some time, and I heard a watchman ring at the bell; and somebody went down and opened the door without taking down the chain; it was not light then; I got up about a quarter after seven; I missed four plain silver tablespoons; a large spoon, and a spoon that was cyphered, were left; the diaper table cloth that had been used the night before, and the tinder-box was gone that was in the kitchen the night before; it was a tin box; I put two of the spoons in the case that evening; and I locked the case, and the key was hanging by a bit of string; and I saw the other spoons in the case, only the vacancy of one spoon; I am quite positive these four table spoons were in the case at night; the table-cloth and spoons were never found; I saw a tinder-box produced. DANIEL CLARKSON MARSHALL sworn. I am brother to the prosecutor: I slept in his house on Wednesday last: I got up at ten minutes before seven; the day was just beginning to break; I cannot say it was light; I was called as usual by the watchman; nobody went down while I was dressing me; I laid hold of the latch and pulled it back; but whether it had catched, I cannot say; but I think it was fast; it was not chained or bolted. Mr. Knapp, prisoner's counsel. It was darkish then? - Yes; there was some light from a window over the door. RICHARD WALKER sworn. I lodged in Mr. Marshall's house; I got up after Mr. Clarkson Marshall. Had you ever gone out that night? - No. THOMAS MARSHALL sworn. I keep this house; I am husband of the first witness, Ann Marshall . On this Thursday morning I heard the watchman ring at the door; I did not perceive it was light; I came down about seven, within two or three minutes under or over; hearing the door open without being unchained and unbolted, I got up; I went into the maid's room, and she was not there, nor in the house; I was with the officer when he took her at her lodgings; she gave no intimation of her going; I heard my brother get up and open his door, which makes a noise; I heard nobody come down or go about the house, after the watchman wrang, and my brother went out. If the door had been opened, and the bolts drawn back between those times, should you have heard it? - I am sure I heard nobody; and it was dark when the watchman rang; my wife's mother was in the house, besides the people that have been mentioned; I did not open the door in the night; I found her at her lodgings; nobody was there but herself, from whence I conclude they were her lodgings; on searching her pocket I found a tin box, and to the amount of two pounds six shillings; we found nothing else that belonged to me; there were some duplicates, one for two shillings, the 26th of November; after we had taken her into custody, the officer and me went back to her lodgings, and found a tinder-box which I cannot swear to. Mr. Knapp. You heard no question during the course of the night? - None, it was a remarkable dark morning, it was dusk when I went out; there was a brass kitchen candlestick standing behind the door, without any candle in it, or grease or ashes. ANN FANCOURT sworn. Deposed to the same effect, being Mrs. Marshall's mother. ROBERT DAWSON sworn. I attend one of the publick offices. I went with Mr. Marshall, on Thursday, to various places; but yesterday morning I found her alone in a room, in Pennington-street; I searched her and the room, and found these duplicates, and two shillings and sixpence, in a paper; I found nothing then more than that: we took the prisoner into custody, and went back to her lodgings, and found a tinder box and a steel with it: she said, they were her own lodgings and goods, and had lodged three months. Court. In what part of the room did you find this tinder box? - In the corner of the room, under a piece of green cloth. (The tinder box and steel deposed to by Mrs. Marshall.) The seam of it was unsoldered by the maid's setting a hot iron on it, and in consequence of that there is a little solder run down to the bottom. How long had that been in your house under your observation? - I fancy eight or nine years; I have no doubt of it: I described it to Dawson: I came here, and was sworn to tell the truth, and I would not say any other if I might have the place full of money: I am positive it is my property; I have seen it so long and so often it is impossible I should be mistaken. CHRISTIAN MILLER sworn. I have done chare-work in Mrs. Marshall's house five years, I know this tinder box; it is Mrs. Marshall's; I am quite sure of it; I have seen it very often. HANNAH SMITH sworn. I am the person in whose house the prisoner lodged; she took them three months ago: she did not tell me she was going away; she said, she was going to keep her Christmas; but I forget where: she was taken away yesterday: the furniture was her own. Prisoner. I am innocent. David Yates , her late master, gave her a good character. GUILTY of stealing to the value of 1 d. but not of the burglary . Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.

FAMILY RESEARCHER – Maxene Seem (Hunter Valley List) - [email protected]

 William Rowe (1st Fleet “Scarborough”) married Mary Hawkins (arrived on "Mary Ann") in 1791at Parramatta, on 11 September 1791 - (1791/0 (V1791133 3A) 1791 ROWE WILLIAM married: HAWKINS MARY 1791/0 (V179119 147A) - 1791 ROWE WILLIAM married: HAWKINS MARY  They had a daughter named Fanny J H C Rowe (baptised St Phillips-Sydney V048152).  Both William and Fanny were killed in an aboriginal attack in May 1795. Mary survived by hiding in the reeds and later she was taken to Parramatta Hospital.She lived with Charles Wright until she was robbed and murdered on 25 August 1811. . Last Updated: 14 February 2011

Compiled by Trish Symonds