Date of Conviction: 16/07/1821

Age at Conviction: 17

Crime Convicted of: Theft

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

Sentence Length: 7 Years

Ship Transported on: Lord Sidmouth

Where Arrived: Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania)

Departure Date: 11/09/1822

Arrival Date: 10/02/1823

Biography: Mary Ann was a single woman of Manchester. Along with Mary Lowe, she had stolen a pair of stays and a tea caddy from William Kelly and Alexander Lee. She was described whilst at Lancaster Castle as saying she was born at Warrington and had fresh complexion, hazel eyes, short brown hair, several smallpox scars on her upper lip, and a small scar on the same, small scar on forefinger of left hand and was also pregnant. She had had two past convictions. She was put onboard ship on the 30th August.

On arrival in Van Diemen’s Land, she was sent to the female factory. In 1823, she absconded from her master’s service and was sent back to the factory. She was in again in April 1824 but this time in the ‘assignable class’, perhaps she had been returned through no fault of her own. Oddly, in 1825 she was again returned to the factory for re-assignment as ”her master’s men servants had been quarreling about marrying her”. By 1828, Mary Ann had a certificate of freedom though did not marry however until March 1830 to fisherman David Roach who was known as ‘Big Davy, the Whaler’ and was a ‘goliath’. Big Davy clearly liked a drink and was handy with his fists, being made to keep the peace towards his wife and others in 1833. This year, Mary Ann received land in Hobart town. By 1837, Mary Ann had had moved to Launceston and had a new husband, another seaman, Ralph Atley who she married just days after the couple had been in trouble for a sustained attack along with another couple against a maid, Mary Ann Bennett, for what was termed jealousy. (Our) Mary Ann had previously been housekeeper and in a relationship with a blacksmith Mr Turner who had exchanged her for a Mary Ann Bennett. The feud carried on for several months. After that, Mary Ann’s trail goes cold.