Date of Conviction: 25/10/1825

Age at Conviction: 28

Crime Convicted of: Theft

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

Sentence Length: 7 Years

Ship Transported on: Providence (2)

Where Arrived: Van Diemen’s Land

Departure Date: 08/12/1825

Arrival Date: 16/05/1825

Biography: Esther (Essy) who stole £1 11/ from the person. Born at Dublin, she was described as freckled with red hair, two small marks on her right wrist and a scar on her right elbow.

She had been married to John Murray and had a past conviction as Essy Murray. He had already been transported to Van Diemen’s Land (Albion) in 1822 where he was stated on records as single but sadly there was to be no reunion as in 1824 John had been sent to Macquarie Harbour Penal Settlement for a further theft and died there in October 1826. The following year, Esther remarried Thomas Jolly/Solly (of Phoenix) where she declared herself a spinster rather than a widow, suggesting her earlier relationship with John Murray may have been a common-law one. In 1829, Esther was convicted of being insolent and disobedient and was sent to the female factory for 6 months. She received a fine 1831 for being caught drunk. She passed away at Launceston in May 1844, described as a shoemaker’s wife.