Date of Conviction: 16/03/1808

Age at Conviction: 24

Crime Convicted of: Theft

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

Sentence Length: Life

Ship Transported on: Canada

Where Arrived: Port Jackson, New South Wales

Departure Date: 23/03/1810

Arrival Date: 08/09/1810

Biography: Along with Ann Allen, Mary Dolan and Hannah Fagan, Isabella stole two pieces of printed cotton from a shop at Wigan belonging to David McClure. They each had death sentences reprieved. Whereas Isabella’s partners in crime were transported very soon after conviction on the Aeolus, Isabella had a two year wait.

Isabella married free convict stonemason and Irish Rebel, Anthony Curran (ship- Friendship) in January 1813 at St Philips Sydney. She was recorded as his wife in 1816 at muster though in 1817, Isabella was recorded as single and in 1819 as being in the female factory. 1822 shows her as wife to Anthony Curran again.

In early 1823, her husband Anthony was killed, suspected murdered, and hidden under rubble, leaving Isabella a widow. By May, Isabella had remarried Samuel Lovelee/Lovely (ship- Prince of Orange) and they were living at 31 Clarence Street with Isabella being formally assigned to him in the September of that year. Interestingly, in 1825, Isabella was assigned to Richard Vickers & his wife; Lancastrian Sarah Gordon. This Richard (ship- Ocean) was Isabella’s father, who passed away in 1828. This year, Isabella was recorded (incorrectly as Elizabeth) with her husband Samuel, who was a cordwainer and farmer at Campbelltown. She began the process of applying for emancipation too in 1825 but applying in her current surname, rather than as Vickers, she was turned down, despite showing evidence she had never committed any further colonial offences.

At the age of 50, in February 1834, Isabella was given a conditional pardon. At this time, she was described as a servant, and a native of Dublin, Ireland. She was 5ft 2 tall with a ruddy complexion, brown hair that was going grey and hazel eyes.

Two years further on in September 1836, Isabella ran away from her marriage along with the deeds to their farm (Creek Farm near Campbelltown) and money, claiming the farm was her property- leaving Samuel to place an advert in the newspaper along with her own advert. They must however, have reconciled as in June 1845, he placed another similar advert to say that she has once again left him, taking money, she would have been 61 at this time. It seems there must have been yet another reconciliation of sorts as he places another cautionary advert against her in March 1849 having moved to Stoney Range, Bringelly.

It seems this time, Isabella must have passed away- Samuel remarries as a widower in 1854.