The Journey

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...

  The Convict Connection: From Chains to Legacy   Foundations: The Convict Era The following is my Convict Connection and   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 embodi...

  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...

    FRANCIS PIPER 1770 – 1844   and his brother EDWARD PIPER   were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 17th of November, eight hundred pounds (lbs) of flax, value 35l. the property of Hugh Atkins. Francis and his brother Edward were convicted of simple grand larceny at the Old Bailey on 3 December 1800 and each received a sentence of transportation for 7 years. They arrived in Port Jackson on 14 December 1801 on the Minorca, together with their wives and families. Francis had been married in England, Francis married Sarah Elizabeth Wood 1775-1841 on March 22 1797, at age 27 in St Andrews, Holborn, London, prior to his trial and sentencing. Francis and Sarah’s children, William Piper 1798–1859, Francis Piper was born on August 13 1803, in Sydney, Thomas Piper, Mary Ann Piper 1807–, Dulciebella Piper1810–1880, Jonathan Piper 1813–and Sarah Piper1815–.   The “ Minorca” had set sail from England on 21 June 1801 in convoy with Canada and Nile , a...

    William Spears 1771-1833 William Spears was born around July 1771 in Lye, Somerset, England, the son of William and Mary (Whyte) Spears. William a Colonial soldier who joined the 102nd Regiment, New South Wales Corps of Foot, on 4 January 1800 in London. The regiment left Portsmouth, England for New South Wales in 1801, traveling aboard the Convict Transport vessel the "Earl Cornwallis ", and arrived at Sydney Cove on 12 June 1801. Probably a common law relationship. William and Sarah Ann Robinson had both arrived aboard the 'Earl Cornwallis' . Sarah was assigned to William after her arrival on 12 Jun 1801. Whether the relationship began on board, or after arriving is unclear, but Sarah was assigned to William for work. A daughter, Mary, was born to Sarah and William on 6 June 1802. In 1802 William abandoned Sarah when he was posted to Norfolk Island William Spears per Earl Cornwallis 1801 , Mary How/e per Minerva 1800 and William Coleman per Minerva 1800 ,...

Precious Cargo Mary Turner & David Batty Mary TURNER/WILKS Mary Turner 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 February 1787 the ships of the first fleet sailed to establish a penal colony in NSW. On 20 January 1788 the last of the eleven ships of the First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay. Captain Arthur Phillip's search for a more suitable site led him to Port Jackson. The rest of the fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1788. Mary was sent to Norfolk Island in 1790 on "Sirius" and returned to Port Jackson in 1793 on "Kitty" it was believed she had one son on Norfolk Island John who didn’t survive She had a relationship with David BATTY in 1794 at Sydney and they had 4 children, they were David 15/03/1794, Richard 28/8/1797-12/6/1799, Ann 2/2/1800, and Thomas 13/9/1802-17/10/1870 Mary`s last name was it Turner?...