Date of Conviction: 07/04/1821

Age at Conviction: 35

Crime Convicted of: Theft From The Person

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

Sentence Length: 14 Years

Ship Transported on: Mary Anne (3)

Where Arrived: Port Jackson, New South Wales

Departure Date: 25/12/1821

Arrival Date: 20/05/1822

Biography: Mary had stolen a watch and other articles at Manchester. Whilst in Lancaster Castle, her description was taken stating she was born at Longwood near Huddersfield and her maiden name was Hurst. She had a sallow complexion, dark brown hair, was a little pitted with the small pox and had a rather long face. She has been convicted of a felony three times. Her husband was a soldier but went abroad 13 years ago (straight after their 1808 marriage).

Mrs. Pryor, a close friend of reformer Elizabeth Fry witnessed the Lancaster women coming onboard ship and complained that “the prisoners from Lancaster Castle arrived, not merely handcuffed, but with heavy irons on their legs, which had occasioned considerable swelling, and in one instance, serious inflammation”.

It seems there was some confusion over whether Mary was meant to be left at Hobart (as the indent suggests) but the 1822 muster shows she went to Parramatta. Recorded as 36 upon arrival, extra details say Mary was 5ft 4 1/2 and had dark eyes and was a servant. Mary married fellow convict Thomas Gale (ship- Indian) in May 1823 at St Johns, Parramatta and soon after was assigned to him where they farmed a large acreage together at Kissing Point.

Mary finally collected her certificate of freedom in 1844 when she was now 58. Her hair was still brown at this time but she had lost all her front upper teeth and had a scar each side of her mouth and another on the back of her middle left finger. That same year, Mary was widowed when husband Thomas died.

Mary remarried the following year, in 1845 to Henry Staples at Hunter’s Hill. Mary passed away at home at Kissing Point on the 28th February 1850, aged around 64 after accidentally scalding herself lifting a full kettle of boiling water whilst drunk on Christmas Day the year before. Lack of proper medical care available over the two months between accident and her death was the chief cause.