Hi My name is Neisha Gschwend (nee Shrimpton) I am new to this sight and would like to share my Convict ancestor information. My Great,Great,Great,Great Grandmother is Mary Davis/Bishop, Mary was born around 1761, probably at Diddlebury in Shropshire,England,under either the name of Davis or Bishop, both names common in the area. At present nothing has been found on her birth. In 1785 she managed to get herself into trouble by breaking into a house and stealing a copper kettle, and then into another house where she stole a quantity of clothing, and then handed over everything to Ann Davis and Joseph Owen, who both received the stolen property. Whether Ann was a relation or not is not known. Tried and convicted at Shrewsbury on 12th March 1785,Ann Davis was found not guilty but Mary was sentenced to death, a sentence that was changed to seven years of transportation on the 28th December 1785.Almost a year later on the 23rd November 1786 she was sent to the New Goal at Southwark and on 31st January 1787 after going by wagon to Gravend, she was placed on board the Lady Penrhyn.She arrived in the colony on board that ship as part of the First Fleet on the 26th January 1788. On the 18th December 1787 whilst on board the Lady Penrhyn on the way to Australia she fell down the hatchway...."pitched on her head...which being well defended by false hair, rolls etc she sustained no material injury"...reports the official papers. At Sydney on 27th September 1788 she broke a bottle over the head of John Mara who slept in her hut, but only after he had apparently called her a "bitch" in a scuffle with some of the Soldiers. On the 2nd November 1788 at St Phillips Church of England in Sydney she married Samuel Day as Mary Bishop the first time she was to use the name in the Colony, however she did not live long with Samuel for some reason or use the Day name. On the 4th March 1789 she was sent to Norfolk Island on board the "Sirius", her husband Samuel not being sent until 1790 and by then he had a defacto wife Mary Bolton with whom he was to stay with. Mary gave birth to a Daughter, Charlotte in 1791 the father not recorded. Mary and infant daughter Charlotte both left Norfolk Island on board the "Kitty" in March 1793,returning to Sydney. The 1801 list shows her as Mary Davis in Sydney with an expired sentence. Apparently she moved to the Parramatta area, and Rev Samuel Marsden in his muster shows her as a concubine with one illegitimate daughter. He apparently did not consider her legal marriage to Samuel Day as of any consequence. In 1806 she is shown as Mary Bishop, a servant at Government House at Parramatta. She was still at Parramatta when on the 10th May 1809 she leased land in the main Street of Parramatta and on the 16th November a Mary Bishop was granted 30 acres of land at Bringelly, which was probably this Mary Bishop although she appears to have never taken up the grant as she was still in Parramatta in 1811, but this time as Mary Davis, and in 1814 was still as Mary Davis living alone and single at Parramatta. On the 1811 muster her daughter is shown as Charlotte Bishop and as Charlotte Bishop she married James Crabb of the 73rd Regiment at Parramatta on 10th March 1811. Mary was still at Parramatta as Mary Davis in 1822, but managed to go unrecorded in 1825. By 1828 she was then a housekeeper to Joseph Martin at Parramatta, her age given was 63yrs and with her working also for Martin was her eldest grandchild Alexander William Crabb. Around 1833 Charlotte's husband John moved out, owing apparently to the birth of a child to another man, and it was apparently then that Mary Bishop moved to Kurrajong to be with Charlotte and also to have company in her old age. Mary died at Charlotte's home on the 1st January 1839, and she was buried five days later at St Peters Richmond, her age being shown as 80yrs, and a widow. She left behind a daughter and seven grandchildren. Her grave is unmarked, but all evidence points to her daughter Charlotte being buried with her in later years. NORTH RICMOND CEMETERY Sandstone Headstone marked as Charlotte Pently (one word)-Charlottepently Has a 1st Fleet Medallion on it for Mary Davis/ Bishop. Charlotte Bishop Charlotte Bishop was born on Norfolk Island in 1791, the daughter of Mary Davis/Bishop a convict on the First Fleet, and an unknown Father ( possibly Samuel Day ) with her mother Mary she came to Sydney on board the "Kitty" in March 1793. Her Mother was then sent to Parramatta and this is where Charlotte spent her childhood. In 1806 she was with her mother who was working at Government House as a servant, and living by 1809 in the main Street of Parramatta. In 1808 when Charlotte was 17yrs she had a daughter which she called Susannah ( father unknown ). It was in Parramatta that Charlotte met James Crabb, a soldier in the 73rd regiment. On the 1811 muster she was shown as Charlotte Bishop born in the colony and free, at Parramatta. On the 10th March 1811 at St John's Church of England , Parramatta she married James. Their two children were born at Parramatta- Alexander William in 1813 and Mary in 1814. Following the birth of Mary the family moved to Sydney. On the 1814 muster Charlotte is shown as Charlotte Crabb, free and on stores with three children and the wife of James soldier of the 73rd regiment. James seems to disappear from records just after that, and it is not known if he died and his death unrecorded, or if he deserted his family and returned to England at the end of his tour of duty, which is quite possible. Charlotte moved back to her mother's home in Parramatta, and that is where she met Richard Shrimpton, whom she married at St John's Church of England, Parramatta. Apparently accepted as a widow on the 9th August 1819. To Richard she was to have four children, their first child was born at Parramatta, Edward Francis in 1819,they then moved to the farm at Wilberforce were their other three children were born, Charles 1822, Leah 1824 and Richard in 1826. Age was to take its toll on Richard and he died on his farm on the 11th July 1827 and was buried at Wilberforce. On the 22nd December 1828 at St John's Church of England Charlotte married for a third time to John Pentley.(shown in register as Pintla) They moved to North Richmond and their daughter Susannah Jane was born in 1829. In 1833 Charlotte had a daughter Margaret Elizabeth to Frederick Allsop, at this point John no longer seems to be living with Charlotte. It is at this time she moved her family to Kurrajong and her mother Mary Bishop moved in with her probably to help with the small children and to give her comfort in her old age. John died in 1843 and Charlotte lived until the 5th September 1851,when she died in her home at Kurrajong. She was buried three days later at St Peters, Richmond, interred with her mother. Richard Shrimpton September 1787 committed to Reading Gaol Berkshire, charged with stealing a gelding the property of Rob Coster of Hungerford Berkshire at Edingham Hills. Sold the horse at Angel Inn at Woolhampton and took hired chaise to White Hart Inn at Charalan Street (Chilton) Wiltshire, where drunken bragging aroused suspicion. May 1788 reprieved from death sentence. Sent 11th June to Portsmouth and the prison hulk "Lion". On 29th November 1789 embarked on ship "Scarborough" for Botany Bay, arriving Port Jackson June 1790. November 1797 servant, eastern farm grant with no stock. Given pardon for good behaviour November 1799 and received a 50 acre land grant in eastern farm district. 1802 cultivating an acre of wheat, 6 acres Maize and employing 2 free men and a convict. 20th January1805 charged with obtaining permits for the issue of spirits by fraudulently making use of the names of other persons. Committed to the gaol gang. By 1806 sold his land and was a labourer employed by Simeon Lord.1807 farm at Kissing Point up for sale 1st February 1807 moved to Hawkesbury 1822 musters,held.twenty acres of land in Hawkesbury March 1827 farmer at Wilberforce County Cumberland on sons Baptism. I hope you found this information as interesting as I have. Regards, Neisha