Date of Conviction: 14/07/1819

Age at Conviction: 44

Crime Convicted of: Theft

Court Convicted at: Lancaster Quarter Sessions (held at the New Bailey, Salford)

Sentence Length: 7 Years

Ship Transported on: Morley

Where Arrived: Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land

Departure Date: 17/05/1820

Arrival Date: 29/08/1820

Biography: Mary Ann was wife of a Joseph or James Ashton. Along with Mary Moreland and two other men George Wakeman and John Moreton, she stole a purse containing four shillings and sixpence from Hannah Mulliner at Manchester. Hannah petitioned for Mary Ann’s convicted partner Mary Moreland to be pardoned based on her advanced age and (almost certain) miscarriage of justice but not Mary Ann.

Mary Moreland’s petition described in great detail what occurred- she stated that she had left Shoreditch, London where she lived to visit friends in Liverpool and Manchester, meeting Mary Ann Ashton and John Moreton en-route. Forming a friendship, Mary, her Manchester friend George Wakeman and Mary Ann and John visited a racecourse there together. After this visit they were all apprehended with Mary Ann having the stolen purse on her person. Mary, who had no stolen property on her person, had no criminal history whatsoever.

Mary Ann left Lancaster Castle along with eleven other convict women at the end of April 1820 and arrived on board ship on the 28th that month. Ship surgeon Thomas Reid described the Lancaster women as displaying ‘riotous conduct and mischievous behaviour’.

Mary Ann was sent to Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land and her character was described as ‘most excellent’ when she was assigned to a Mr Chambers. By 1822 and 23 she was with Mr Peeves/Peevis at the Coal River (Richmond). Her conduct record in Tasmania is blank. She received a ticket of leave in January 1824 and her certificate of freedom in 1826. Mary died, aged 59 at Austin’s Ferry in May 1834 as a free servant and was buried at the Trinity Burial Ground in Hobart.