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Mary Turner (Wilkes) & David Batty: A First Fleet Woman and the Man Who Helped Build a Life With Her

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Mary Turner (Wilkes) & David Batty: A First Fleet Woman and the Man Who Helped Build a Life With Her When we talk about Australia’s beginnings, we often picture ships, governors, and grand events. But the real story of the colony was written by ordinary people who endured extraordinary circumstances. Among them were Mary Turner , a young woman transported with the First Fleet, Mary always used the name Mary Wilkes in Australia, and David Batty , a Third Fleet convict whose life became inseparable from hers. Their partnership—formed in hardship, sustained through resilience—left a legacy that still echoes through their descendants today. A Young Woman Sent Across the World In March 1785, at the Worcester Assizes, a young Englishwoman named Mary Turner stood before the court accused of stealing clothing worth only a few pounds. Like so many women of her time, poverty and circumstance shaped her fate more than criminal intent. She was sentenced to seven years’ transportation , a puni...
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The Convict Connection: From Chains to Legacy

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  The Convict Connection: From Chains to Legacy   Foundations: The Convict Era Chapter 1 – Mary Turner (Wilks): A First Fleet Woman In the spring of 1785, nineteen-year-old Mary Turner stood trial in Worcestershire for theft. Convicted and sentenced to seven years’ transportation, she was torn from her homeland and thrust into the unknown. Two years later, she boarded the Lady Penrhyn , one of the eleven ships of the First Fleet. The voyage was brutal — cramped quarters, disease, and meagre rations — yet Mary survived, arriving at Sydney Cove in January 1788. Transferred to Norfolk Island in 1790, she endured isolation and hardship, returning to Port Jackson in 1793. In 1794, she began a relationship with David Batty, a Third Fleet convict. Together they had four children, though tragedy struck with the death of their infant son Richard. Mary herself died in 1808, buried in the Old Sydney Burial Ground. Her resilience embodies the First Fleet women — ordinary people tran...
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Jonathon Piper 1813- 1879 Ship Builder

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Jonathon Piper  Jonathon Piper was born in Sydney on January 1, 1813, and in 1835, he entered into matrimony with Ann Bates in Pitt Town along the Hawkesbury River. A year earlier, his sister Sarah had wed Joseph Spears, the descendant of a Rum Corps member granted 60 acres of land on Brisbane Water in 1829.   This parcel, located at the headwaters of Cockle (Kincumber) Broadwater, was precisely identified at 50 chains and 50 links from the mouth of Kincumber Creek. Evidently, a strong family bond existed between the Spears and Piper clans, likely prompting Jonathan and Ann to relocate to Brisbane Water in 1829. Joseph Spears named his property Brisbania, while the Piper residence found its place at the southern end, marking the eastern boundary of the current Gosford suburb known as Yattalunga.   The Piper family left an indelible mark on the local landscape, waterways, and land use, distinguishing themselves as committed, full-time residents rather than absentee landlor...
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MARY TURNER / WILKES A Life of Struggle and Survival

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  Early Grave Sydney Mary Turner: A Life of Struggle and Survival In 1785, Mary Turner, a young servant to the Collins family in Pershore, Worcestershire, was caught stealing a few humble articles of clothing from their daughter, Nancy. Attempting to flee down the High Street, she was swiftly apprehended and arrested. Born to William Turner, a farm laborer, and his wife Betty Ferrett, Mary was convicted on March 5, 1785, in Worcester and sentenced to seven years of transportation. After enduring time on the prison hulks, she was sent to Australia aboard the Lady Penrhyn . A lingering mystery surrounds Mary due to her use of the alias "Wilkes" "Wilks" (sometimes spelled without the "e"). The ship's officers, lacking proper records of the prisoners’ details, contributed to the confusion. Some speculate she adopted the name in a moment of panic, while others wonder if she had a connection to Richard Wilkes, a fellow convict tried in the same court session...
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Adoption and the Journey of self discovery.

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 What does finding ones roots mean to an adoptee ? For many adopted people, the desire to find out who they are often stems from a deep sense of identity and belonging. Here are several reasons why you might feel compelled to search for their origins: Identity and Self-Understanding : Knowing one's biological roots can help in forming a more complete sense of self. Many adoptees may feel that understanding where they come from can offer clarity about their personal identity, cultural heritage, or familial traits. Medical History : A key motivation for many is to access information about their medical background. Knowing family medical history can help identify risks for certain genetic conditions or provide explanations for health issues they may experience. Connection and Belonging : Some adoptees seek out biological family members to establish a sense of connection or closure. They may want to understand the circumstances of their adoption, meet biological relatives, or connect w...
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The Convict Connection

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  My Convicts Ancestors The following are some of my convict ancestors    Mary Turner (Wilks) Arrived on the First Fleet 1788 Ship  “Lady Penrhyn” David Batty Arrived on the Third Fleet 13/10/1794 on the  "Albemarle" Frances Piper arrived on 14/12/1801 on the  “Minorca” Richard Yardy arrived 31/10/1835 on the He was sent on the  “Mary Ann” Others of interest  William Spears -  Colonial soldier, enlisted in the 102nd Regiment, New South Wales Corps of Foot, on January 4, 1800, in London Jonathan Piper Son of Francis Piper, Early Ship builder  Known as the ‘father’ of the Brisbane Water shipbuilding industry on the Central coast NSW in the very early days of the Colony Mary Turner / Wilks 1761-1808 Mary Turner alias Wilks was around 19 years of age when convicted of stealing at Worcestershire on 5 March 1785 and sentenced to 7 years transportation. She was sent on the ship “Lady Penrhyn” and in 1787 the ships of the firs...
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Who was Aunt Polly? Is the Mystery solved ? Updated Feb 24

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  Discovering my grandmother's name  Joseph Iris and Ida  After many months and months of piecing together bits and working out a lady only known as "Aunty Polly" as my father's Joseph Wright had known her. From the photos Raine had put on Ancestry.  Also after slowly unraveling the intricate threads of my family history finding out my father had also been Adopted way back in 1928 in Victoria by Les & Ann Wright ( Raine is their grand daughter) and this was a year before the Adoption Act had come in Victoria, so records and  information was hit and miss, even the way adoptions were carried out in some cases was more of a anything goes. So Aunty Polly is Ida Mary Pulz, Ida was born in 1905 and I found out she lived to the ripe old age of 97 passing in 2001.  She had also got married later in life and had a daughter. This is another one of the many other things I'm working on now. But more on that later. Also Ida and her Sister in law were the...
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