Date of Conviction: 17/07/1817

Age at Conviction: 20

Crime Convicted of: Theft

Court Convicted at: Lancaster Quarter Sessions (held at the Old Court House, Preston)

Sentence Length: 7 Years

Ship Transported on: Maria

Where Arrived: Port Jackson, New South Wales

Departure Date: 15/05/1818

Arrival Date: 17/09/1818

Biography: Charlotte was the wife of Joseph Bramwell. She stole a tablecloth at Preston and had used the alias Charlotte French, possibly her maiden name as she would later re-use this name. She was put on board ship 17/3. On board, the ship’s surgeon reported that she had a leg ulcer which was peeling and scaly and treated with nitrate and mercury creams. Later in the voyage she was then ”seized with a cold shivering. Skin hot. Tongue dry. Bowels regular, pulse quick”, and was treated with opium, antimony and menthol. She then ”perspired all night, later suffered from constipation then griping. Later again fever and headache”. She went on to marry free man Samuel Bowyer in the colony in 1819 and had two boys Samuel Jr and Edward with him. Things didn’t settle down though and in 1823, Charlotte was tried for being ‘constantly drunk, breaking the peace and being troublesome’ and sent to the female factory for 3 months. Charlotte was free by servitude in 1828 and still with her family but in 1837 was given a five year sentence for stealing a watch which she’d hidden down her chest and was sent to Moreton Bay penal colony before being returned to Sydney two years later when the colony closed. At this time (aged 39/40) she was described as 5ft 4 1/2, slender with a fresh complexion, grey hair and hazel eyes and stated she was originally from Galway, Ireland, that she was a Catholic and a servant. This wasn’t her final brush with the law as in 1839 she received 24 hours in solitary confinement and in 1846 was sent to the Paramatta Female Factory for four months with hard labour for theft.