Thread: I have hit the brickwall - please help!

My GGgrandmother was Ann Williams who was born in 1817/1818 in Bristol. On her birth cert her mother is listed as Ann with father unknown. When she was 17 y.o. she was on a ship from New Zealand to Sydney that was in 1837 and in 1839 she married William Clarke at Parramatta in New South Wales. She had 3 boys to William Clarke and when he died she remarried to a William King and had a daughter to him. Ann died in 1884.



I know none of this later history will be know in England but I have no other information of her - between birth and 1837 I know nothing! I don't know when she left England, if she was a convict or free settler. Quite a lot of women came to New South Wales as domestic help/nannies and brought here by shipping companies - maybe thats how she came or maybe convict.



Please, can someone help me.



I now know that Ann Williams was a convict who was processed through thr Gloucestershire Assize 29 March 1836. She arrived in New South Wales in 12 October of the same year on the Elizabeth. Ann may have been know an Ann Bryant and born in 1816.



Am I able to look up the Gloucestershire Assize in the same way as the Old Bailey online to look at the proceedings?



Please help me!

Just a query- you state "on her birth cert her mother is listed as Ann with father unknown"



Birth certificates were not issued in England until registration came in Sept qtr 1837



???????????

Thank you for your reply - my mistake! I should have posted 'on her death cert' her mother was listed as Ann Williams with father unknown.



I suppose then that the only way to check is through the Parish Records - is that correct?



Jaqui

Unfortunately Ann Williams is a very common name and Bristol is a very big place!

However, there is a baptism index and I have managed to have a look at it. The most likely I found was -

Baptism 10-11-1816 Clifton St Andrew (Bristol). 'Base born', mother's name Ann Williams, father's name Anthony Williams, a servant.

It is on the IGI (which gives 10.12.1816) - I had discounted it previously as it looks as if the parents were married which appears is not the case.

What do you think?

Gillian

The Australian convict index on Ancestry has an Ann Williams age 22 birth place Bristol - single - housemaid - state NSW - ship Elizabeth 5.

Gillian

Dear Gillian,



Now I have to apologise for being slow in replying - sorry! I haven't been well and then my daughter was sick and who had to look after the children - yes! me.



You very kindly offered to search for Ann Williams court proceedings when you are in

Gloucester. The information I have is -



Ann Williams 29 March 1836 was sent for life on the Elizabeth 5.



Anything you can tell me would be very much appreciated and thank you very much for your offer.



I hope you have a great Christmas in your cold while we have the same one in our heat!



Regards



Jackie