Date of Conviction: 27/08/1817

Age at Conviction: 36

Crime Convicted of: Uttering & Possession of Forged Notes

Court Convicted at: Lancaster Assizes (held at Lancaster Castle)

Sentence Length: 14 Years

Ship Transported on: Maria

Where Arrived: Port Jackson, New South Wales

Departure Date: 15/05/1818

Arrival Date: 17/09/1818

Biography: Betty, along with Catherine Hardacre, had uttered a forged note to Jane Lloyd at Manchester and was caught with having others in her possession. Whilst at Lancaster Castle Betty (or an amanuensis) wrote a petition to the Bank of England…

“Alice Willcoch, Betty Healey, Catherine Hardacre, and Elizabeth Stott, Lancaster castle gaol, 30 January 1818, to Mr Glover, Bank investigator

Honoured Sir, I hope you Will Excuse the Liberty We unfortunate Wemen take in addressing you Relating to a little Subsistory Money We understand the Governers of the Bank alows to us unfortunate Wemen Which if you will have the goodness to Intercede with the Governers of the Bank of England We unfortunate Wemen Will for Ever be Bound to Pray for you by so Doing the undersighned Will for Ever Pray for you Alice Willcock, Betty Healey, Catherine Hardacre, Elizabeth Stott”.

She was put on board ship on 20th March and during this time, Betty and others, wrote a further petition to the bank of England pleading for money.

During the voyage, Betty was very ill for a long time and the surgeon noted- ‘Was seized in the middle of the night with cold shivering which has terminated in a violent and continued heat flushed countenance. Eyes red & inflamed. Pulse quick. Tongue white, great thirst, urine high coloured. Bowels confined. Given ipecac, jalap root, antimony and calomel and bled but given lemonade. Then given cinnamon water, wine with opium and antimony. Still vomiting so given water, lemonade and opium. Improved then made too free with herself caught a fresh cold and brought on a return of the symptoms and back on ipecac complains of violent head ache. Tongue much furred with Pyrexia. given a plaster of lytta (spanish fly) between the shoulders to raise a blister. Very restless. Eyes red and inflamed with delirium and seems to have Typhoid symptoms, given more antimony and washed with vinegar. Still suffering with giddiness and headaches, given camphor, liquid ammonia and another blister and red wine. Had great heat of the abdomen’.

Having survived the journey, Betty married Lancastrian shoemaker, James Hulmes (often written as Holme/s) (ship- Globe) in 1819 and was assigned to him as a servant, living at Castlereagh St. Betty gained her ticket of leave in 1825 and her certificate of freedom in September 1831. In this, she was described as a native of Lincoln, 4ft 10 and a half, a fair, ruddy and freckled complexion, brown hair going grey and brown eyes. By 1828, they had been joined at Castlereagh St by 12 year old Luke, who was James’ son from his first marriage in England and who had emigrated along with his mother Sarah (James’ first wife) to join his father. and after this time the picture becomes unclear. Whilst James’ first wife takes up a role of governess elsewhere, James appears to begin a family with an Eliza Frances Withey Garrett, a much younger woman, who also takes the name Holmes (though no marriage is found) and they had several children during the late 1830s. With in effect, 3 wives, It is not clear what happened to Betty at this point in time, perhaps they amicably separated.

Betty died in August 1841 and was followed just a month later by her husband. They were buried together at Devonshire St Cemetery, later re interred at the La Perouse/Bunnerong cemetery, now the East Suburbs Memorial Park.