Mary Anne Swaine

A lot of information is found on the conduct record for Mary Ann Swaine, but her indent list gives us her family back in the old country, England. Her father is Job, Joseph, Josh or John, she had 4 brothers Thomas, John, Uriah and George and 4 sisters Mary, Louisa, Lavinia and Jane. Her native place was Maidstone, Kent, England. She was born around 1821. You would think this would be enough to go further back in England, but so far I have not found her family in Maidstone at all.

Mary Ann is described as a housemaid five foot and half an inch with a fresh complexion, a round visage and head, dark brown hair and eyebrows, a medium height forehead, hazel eyes, a short nose and small mouth and chin. From these details you could imagine what my ancestor looked like!! She also had tattoos on her left shoulder C J? J? S U? S

By 1843, she had had a lot of temptations put in front of her as a housemaid. She was finally convicted of stealing a watch at the Maidstone Boro 2nd Session on 26 June 1843. For this felony she was sent to Van Diemens Land for 15 years. A bit harsh you think!! But looking at her previous record, you find she was addicted to drink, had been in service for the last three years, had been a prostitute and been in prison twice before, she had been caught stealing a watch previously but acquitted and had been given 7 days for being disorderly.

She arrived in Van Diemens Land on 7 April 1844 having been on the ship Emma Eugenia (2). Whilst here she was given 6 months probation and became a second class convict on 12 November 1844, then a third class on 29 April 1845. On 26 August 1845, she married William TEDMAN (had been a convict but was now free) at St Georges Church, Battery Point, Hobart. She was given her ticket of leave on 15 July 1851. She spent some time at the Ross Female factory from 1 June 1852, and on 2 February 1853 she unlawfully threatened the life of a woman and was given one month’s hard labour at the factory. She was recommended for a conditional pardon 21 February 1854 and approved 19 December 1854.

STOP PRESS      UPDATE     STOP PRESS      UPDATE  

Have been in contact with a descendant in England who has found a lot more information on Mary Anne’s family in Maidstone.

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