Francis Robertson (abt. 1815 - 1895)

Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Birth 1.2 Criminal trial and transportation 1.3 Marriage 1.4 Residence in Penrith 1.5 Death 2 Research Notes 3 Sources

Biography

Birth

Francis Robertson is conjectured to have been born about 1815 (based on his stated age at his criminal trial and his application to marry, details below), probably in Middlesex. His mother was Eleanor Robertson (so recorded in a petition for clemency after Francis had been sentenced to transportation for life for a theft in 1831, see below) and his father David Robertson (as recorded on the registration of Francis' death^[1].

Criminal trial and transportation

Francis, aged 16 years and an apprentice weaver, was involved in a theft from a tailor's shop and dwelling house at 4 Ryder Street, St James, Westminster on 22 Apr 1831. He and two older men (John Atwick and George Williams) were indicted and tried in the Old Bailey on 12 May 1831, for stealing 20 yards of woollen cloth, value £20, 30 yards of kerseymere, value £15, and a waistcoat, value 20/-, the goods of Thomas Dicketts, a tailor. Francis and Atwick were found guilty and sentenced to death^[2]. Their sentences were respited on 29 Jun 1831 to 21 years each and they were consigned to be transported to the Colony of NSW. Francis' mother Elanor Robertson (along with 17 other Londoners) petitioned for respite of his sentence of transportation to a reduced sentence in a penitentiary. The petition was considered in Council on 29 Jun 1831^[3] The grounds for clemency in the petition included: Was apprenticed and his master's business failed and he could not get the Indentures back. Stole the cloth as he knew how desperate his mother was. Very young. If sent to penitentiary, then he would be able to lead a useful and honest life in the future. Was induced to commit the crime by an older accomplice. Deeply sorry.

Francis was transported on the convict transport ship John (3) which left The Downs (off the Kent coast) on 26 Jan 1832 and arrived in Sydney on 8 Jun 1832. Francis, as lacemaker, was byu the end of Jun 1832 assigned to J.P. Webber, in Penshurst a suburb in the south of Sydney^[4]

At some point Francis relocated to the Penrith area. He was granted a Ticket of Leave in 1840^[5] He was subsequently given further Ticket of Leave Passports in 1842 (8 Jan no. 42/0043), 1843 (13 Feb, no. 43/196), 1844 (22 Mar no. 44/0251) and 1845 (23 Apr 45/362) all on the recommendation of the Penrith Bench. He received a Conditional Pardon on 1 Mar 1848 (no. 48/814)^[6].

Marriage

On 5 Sep 1840 Francis (aged 25 years) was granted permission to marry Mary Ann Fielder (aged 19 years, born in the colony, free). The named clergyman was Revd William Cowper^[7]. Mary was required to "first obtain the consent of their parents or guardians ... being under age"^[8]

Francis subsequently married Mary Ann, the marriage was registered in St Phillip's Church of England in Sydney^[9]

Francis and Mary had one known child, a daughter, Elizabeth Jane born on 8 Jun 1842, in Penrith, and baptized in St Stevens Church of England Penrith on 14 Aug 1842^[10][11]

Residence in Penrith

Francis was a storekeeper and wine and spirit merchant in Penrith from the late 1840s. He was a prominent citizen in Penrith's life. In 1850 he was one of the key actors in petitioning the NSW Legislative Council for the construction of a bridge over the Nepean River^[12] When registration of spirit merchants and brewers was enacted in Dec 1850, Francis was listed in the first returns as the registered Spirit Merchant for Penrith^[13], and every year for the next ten years.

Death

Francis died suddenly on 24 Jul 1895^[1] at the home of his daughter, Elizabeth Jane Price née Robertson, in Henry Street Penrith

"Mr. Robertson was for many years a most successful storekeeper and wine and spirit merchant in Penrith away back in the fifties"^[14]

. He was buried in St Stephens Church of England Cemetery, Penrith^[15][16]

Research Notes

Francis' mother, Eleanor, might have been enumerated in the 1841 Census in Brewers Row, Westminster, London (about 500 m south-east of Buckingham Palace). She was aged 50 years, a laundress, born in the county of Middlesex and living with another laundress and a dressmaker (probably mother and daughter), both of whom were also born in the county^[17]

The FindAGrave entry inserts the initial "R" into Francis' name. There is no reliable source for this.

This Francis Robertson should not be confounded with Francis Robertson, a Scottish emigrant who died in Essendon in Mar 1886. He was an independent Member of the Victorian Legislative Council. Or with a Francis Robertson found guilty of assaulting and strangling his wife Elizabeth in Feb 1878.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Deaths, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 24 Feb 2024), Name, ROBERTSON FRANCIS, Registration Number 9850/1895, Father's Given Name(s) David, Mother's Given Name(s) Ann, District PENRITH
2. ↑ Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) May 1831. Trial of JOHN ATWICK , FRANCIS ROBERTSON , GEORGE WILLIAMS (t18310512-12). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18310512-12 (Accessed: 24th February 2024)
3. ↑ UK. Home Office. Criminal Petitions, Series I HO 17/118 citing Francis Robertson HO 17/118/141 record online in TNA UK (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
4. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette 29 Aug 1832 [Issue No.26], Page 262, ref. 2236 online in Trove NLA (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
5. ↑ Museum of History NSW. Convicts Index 1791-1873 citing ROBERTSON Francis, Ship: John, 1832, Citation: 4/4141; Reel 937, Entry No: 40/1542 District: Penrith online in MHNSW (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
6. ↑ Museum of History NSW. Convicts Index 1791-1873 citing ROBERTSON Francis, Ship: John, 1832, Conditional Pardon Citation: 4/4457; Reel 787 Page 237-238 online in MHNSW (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
7. ↑ Museum of History NSW. Convicts Applications to marry, 1825-1851 citing ROBERTSON Francis, Ship: John, 1832, NRS 12212 [4/4513 p.180]; Reel 715; Fiche 795-799 online in MHNSW (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
8. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry au Record 1504 #13427 : accessed 24 February 2024), Name: Francis Robertson; Age: 25; Birth Year: Abt 1815; Spouse: Mary Ann Fielder; Request Status: Granted; Date of Permission/Refusal: 28 Aug. 1840; citing State Archives NSW, Series 12212, Item 4/4513, Page 178.
9. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Marriages, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 24 Feb 2024), Registration Number 79/1840 V184079 24B, Groom: ROBERTSON FRANCIS, Bride: FIELDER MARY A, District: CA
10. ↑ "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTHN-J2N : 31 January 2024), Elizabeth Jane Robertson, birth 8 Jun 1842, Father: Francis Robertson, Mother: Mary Ann
11. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 24 Feb 2024), Name, ROBERTSON ELIZABETH J Ref no. 1151/1842 V18421151 26A Father: FRANCIS, Mother: MARY A, District: MW
12. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald 3 Aug 1850 Page 1 col. 3 online in Trove NLA (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
13. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette Jan 1851 [Issue No.3] Page 15 "SPIRIT MERCHANTS' online in Trove NLA (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
14. ↑ Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962) View title info Sat 27 Jul 1895, Page 4 "Death of an old Colonialist" online in Trove Nla (accessed 24 Feb 2024)
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #236964161 : accessed 24 February 2024), Memorial page for Francis R Robertson (1819-24 Jul 1895), citing St Stephens Anglican Cemetery, Penrith, Penrith City, New South Wales, Australia (plot: Grave 27). "FRANCIS ROBERTSON/HUSBAND OF THE ABOVE/DIED 24 JULY 1895/AGED 75 YEARS/THY WILL BE DONE/".
16. ↑ "Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry au Record 61177 #475140 : accessed 24 February 2024), Francis Robertson burial (died in about 1895) on 25 Jul 1895 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Born in about 1820; citing Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Baptism, Burial, Confirmation, Marriage and Composite Registers in the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Archives.
17. ↑ "1841 England Census," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry au Record 8978 #8205115 : accessed 27 February 2024), Eleanor Robertson (50) in St Margaret in Westminster registration district in Middlesex, England. Born in Middlesex, England; citing Class HO107, Piece 738, Book 13, Civil Parish St Margaret, County Middlesex, Enumeration District 27, Folio 33, Page 11, Line 2, GSU roll 438839.