Date of Conviction: 05/03/1814

Age at Conviction: 27

Crime Convicted of: Theft from a Dwelling House

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

Sentence Length: Life

Ship Transported on: Northampton

Where Arrived: Port Jackson, New South Wales

Departure Date: 01/01/1815

Arrival Date: 18/06/1815

Biography: Maria stole 50 yards of lace and 200 yards of ribbon from the house of milliner Elizabeth Stephenson at Liverpool. She was sentenced along with a Rose Martin who was acquitted of the crime. The death sentence was passed on Maria but she was reprieved and sentenced to life transportation. Maria was the wife of Robert Roberts and left two children back in Liverpool.

In New South Wales, Maria was initially sent to the female factory but soon began a relationship with and had a large family with free convict weaver and Bolton Luddite rioter, James Brierley (ship- Fortune). They were both assigned to work for successful ex-convict business owner Simeon Lord. With partner James’ freedom the couple acquired land though lived in Sydney. They had five children- Martha (1816), Joseph (1818), James (1820) Thomas (1822). By 1823 Maria was having problems with alcoholism and was sent to the female factory but they had daughter and Ezella/Zilha (1824) and this time James requested that Maria be sent to the female factory (though this did not take place). Maria however, was widowed upon James’ death also in 1824 and his will left her everything.

However, following James’ death, Maria managed to blag herself a ticket of leave but placed her eldest daugjter in the female orphan school in 1825 and in 1826 was sent to the female factory for violently assaulting a Hannah Cole, losing her ticket of leave and her family. Her sons were sent to the orphanage as was her youngest daughter Ezella, who died there in 1827. Her other son, Thomas was raised by fellow Lancastrian convict from the Northampton, Ann Downs, and her publican husband who Maria must have remained close to. Ann however, seems to have a track record of sending or removing children from the orphanage to suit her situations. Maria was in and out of the factory for the next few years due to drunkeness. In 1828, Maria had a relationship with Irish convict Thomas O Brien (ship- Isabella) resulting in the birth of Zillah (named for her deceased older sister) who acquired all the land previously owned by Maria. He left her almost instantly- welcoming his Irish wife and family to Australia.

Maria was then taken on with her baby daughter as a servant of Sydney Stephens and his family where things were settled until the death of a baby daughter of the Stephens in 1835- resulting in Maria being sent back to the factory once again. A huge turn of events at this point saw Maria’s long lost first husband Robert Roberts arrive in Sydney, reuniting the couple after 20 years apart. Robert had been transported himself- arriving onboard the ship- Speke back in 1826 and was freed from servitude at Bathurst by 1833. The family, including Zillah moved to Braidwood, about 200 miles away and purchased land.

Maria eventually received a conditional pardon in July 1843, then aged about 55. She was at that time described as a native of Liverpool, a servant by trade, flaxen-haired, a fair pale complexion and blue eyes. Maria died, aged 65 in 1853 and was buried at Braidwood Old Cemetery in an unmarked plot.

With particular thanks to the research of Corinne Vale whose research and master’s thesis into her convict ancestor was the basis for much of Maria’s entry. https://researchsystem.canberra.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/45329614/Vale_Corinne.pdf