Nancy (Yates) Grant (abt. 1768 - 1821)

Born about 1768 in England [uncertain]

Died 20 Jul 1821 at about age 53 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Nancy (Yates) Grant was a convict on the First Fleet.

Nancy was sometimes known as Ann. She was born about 1768, and came to Australia as a convict in the First Fleet in 1788.

Nancy "Yates" aged 17, a milliner, was tried at Yorkshire Summer Assizes at York on 9 July 1785 with Jonathan Howard for burglary, breaking and entering into the dwelling of John Strickland in the township of Milton at 3am on 7 February 1785, where they stole thirty-six yards of printed Cotton, value £5, being the property of George Crumbie.^[1]

She was sentenced to be hanged, and commuted to 7 years of transportation. She was held over in gaol until ordered to the New Gaol, Southwark on 26 November 1786, and then she was sent to Gravesend with a group of women prisoners and embarked on the Lady Penrhyn on 31 January 1787.^[2]

During the voyage, Nancy had a relationship with seaman Joseph Theakston. Bowes Smyth recorded baby "Joseph Yates" as being born on the voyage.^[3]

Nancy was among the women chosen to go to Norfolk Island in February 1788. Surgeon Bowes Symth noted that "Ann Yates" was recommended as a very fit person to go, having uniformly behaved well during the whole of the voyage. However, she chose to stay at Sydney.^[2]

Her baby Joseph was baptized on 16 March 1788 in Sydney Cove, and was recorded in the register of St Phillips, Sydney as Joseph, son of Joseph Theakston, sailor, and Ann Yates, convict.^[4][5] Baby Joseph possibly died in infancy.

Nancy became the mistress of Judge Advocate David Collins.^[6] They had children:

• Marianne Letitia Collins born 13 September 1790. She was baptised 14 November 1791 Marianne Letitia Collins, daughter of David Collins, and "Ann Yeates", registered at St Philip's Church of England, Sydney.^[7]
• George Reynolds Collins born 28 June 1793, baptised 23 April 1794 at St Phillips, Sydney.^[8]

Judge Advocate Collins departed in September 1796 on the Britannia. He will return in 1803 to administer the settlement in Van Diemen's Land.

Marriage 13 November 1800 "Nancy Yeats" to James John Grant at St John’s Parramatta, by Samuel Marsden, "by permission of his Excellency Gov'r Hunter". Nancy and James both signed the register. Witnesses were James Wright (signed) and Eliz'th "Rafferty's" (marked the register with a cross).^[9] James John Grant (Surprize 1794) was a Scottish convict and former lawyer.

Collins conveyed his 100 acre Willow or Wellow Farm at Freeman's Reach on the Hawkesbury River to Nancy. In November 1802, Willow Farm was conveyed by James John Grant and Nancy Grant to John Palmer Esq for £157.10s. and John Palmer conveyed it for the same amount to Henry Baldwin on the same day. The notation appearing in the register: "conveyance in cons[?] of 157-10-0 of Willow Farm originally granted to Nancy Yates by David Collins Esq. and dated 27 Feb 1802".^[10]

Both of Nancy's children visited their father David Collins in Hobart in 1804.^[6]

In the 1806 muster she is listed as Ann Yates, ship "Albion", FBS (free by servitude) "JJGrant". (could the enumerator have misheard "Penryn" as"Albion"?)^[11]

She is listed in the 1811 muster as Ann Grant (no ship listed), with Mary Ann Chace, born in colony.^[12]

On 10 April 1812 her husband James Grant died at Castlereagh Street Sydney.

In the 1814 muster she is Ann Grant, Arrived per ship "Albion", Current Status: Free; Residence: Sydney; off stores, widow.

Her son George wrote his will in 1816: Will of "George Collins a Lieutenant in his Majesty's Royal Navy': will written 20 Feb 1816, proved London 21 June 1821, beneficiary is "my mother Mrs Nancy Grant".^[13]

Death: She is probably the Ann Grant who died 20 July 1821, age 41, burial 23 July 1821 St Phillips, Sydney. (note that the age is too young,  but that is not unusual for burials at this time)^[14]

Death of son George: Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser 28 May 1821:

"On Friday sennight, suddenly, at Halewood, near Liverpool, aged 27 years, Lieutenant George R. Collins, the Royal Navy, only son of the late Colonel Collins, of the Royal Marines, formerly Governor of New South Wales." (actually Lt. Governor of Van Diemen's Land)^[15]

This means his date of death was 18 May 1821. He was buried 22 May at Edgehill St Mary, Liverpool, England.^[16]

Children (from the book "Obliged to Submit : Wives and Mistresses of Colonial Governors" by Alison Alexander)

• "Marianne married Samuel Rodman Chace (Chase) a sea captain and trader; she returned to Hobart settling there with her children after the death of her husband."
• "George became midshipman in the Navy, enlisting 26 November 1805 on Buffalo. He was on Porpoise in 1806 when it sailed into the Derwent with Governor Bligh and was still serving on Porpoise in 1810. George was in England at the time of his death aged 25. It is noted that he was very anxious to return to his mother in Sydney."

Research Notes

Did she go to England with David Collins?
Mollie Gillen in her book "Australian Founders" writes that Nancy went back to England possibly with Collins on the Britannia in 1796, and that she returned with her children on the Albion in 1799. The source for this is the 1806 and 1814 musters which have "Albion" for her ship. Note that "Lady Penrhyn" was sometimes written as "Albion" - see for example Esther Julian (Abrahams) in the 1811 muster.^[17] Esther was listed twice in the 1811 muster, once with the ship "Albion", the second with ship "Lady Penrhyn".^[18]

Death of Ann/Nancy
There is an Ann Grant who died 22 Oct 1809, age 39 in Sydney.^[19]
HOWEVER, because she is listed in the 1811 and 1814 musters, and she is the beneficiary in her son George Collins's will written in 1816, her death was obviously later, and she is more likely the Ann Grant who died 20 July 1821, age 41, burial 23 July 1821 St Phillips.

Sources

1. ↑ Cobley, John, The Crimes of the First Fleet Convicts, 1970.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Gillen, Mollie, The Founders of Australia : A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet, 1989.
3. ↑ Journal of Surgeon Bowes Smyth https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/collection-items/arthur-bowes-smyth-illustrated-journal-1787-1789-titled-journal-voyage-portsmouth
4. ↑ St Philip's Church of England, Sydney NSW: Church Register - Baptisms; ML ref: Reel SAG 90.; Volume entry number: 20, quoted in Biographical report for Joseph THEAKSTON, Biographical Database of Australia (BDA) (subscription required) https://www.bda-online.org.au/mybda/search/biographical-report/30001002001?f=&l=theakston&ol=&i=1&s=&p=
5. ↑ NSW BDM online index Birth YATES JOSEPH 20/1788 V1788 20 1A WILLIAM ANN and YATES JOSEPH S20/1788 V178820 4 ANN (checked)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Alexander, Alison. Obliged to Submit : Wives and Mistresses of Colonial Governors / by Alison Alexander. Rev. ed. Hobart, Tas.: Montpelier Press, 1999.
7. ↑ St Philip's Church of England, Sydney NSW: Church Register - Baptisms; ML ref: Reel SAG 90.; Volume entry number: 145 quoted in" Biographical report for David COLLINS" Biographical Database of Australia (BDA) (subscription required) https://www.bda-online.org.au/mybda/search/biographical-report/92021025601?f=david&l=collins&ol=&i=1&s=&p=
8. ↑ NSW BDM online index Birth COLLINS GEORGE R 264/1794 V1794 264 4 DAVID ANN (YEATS) and COLLINS GEORGE R 334/1794 V1794 334 1A DAVID ANN (YEATES) (checked)
9. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Marriages, 1790-1966 for Nancy Yeats, https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/60735/images/44132_1831101454_0699-00109?pId=59026
10. ↑ Book 1, p42-3, entries 196 and 197, date 1 Nov 1802, in State Records Authority of New South Wales. Old Register [electronic Resource] : One to Nine : The Registers of Assignments and Other Legal Instruments. Kingswood, NSW: State Records NSW, 2008.
11. ↑ New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849 New South Wales General muster 1806 https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/1185/images/IMAUS1787_114215-00067?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=6e12c3f9b2803f9ca9afe049da5ab241&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dOf32319&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=12630
12. ↑ New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849, New South Wales General muster 1811 (HO 10/5) https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/1185/images/IMAUS1787_114215-00067?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=6e12c3f9b2803f9ca9afe049da5ab241&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dOf32319&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=12630
13. ↑ England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 for George Collins PROB 11: Will Registers1819-1822Piece 1644: Mansfield,Quire Numbers 301-350 (1821) https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/5111/images/40611_310363-00399?pId=819946
14. ↑ St Phillips burial register SAG reel 90; NSW BDM index GRANT ANN 566/1821 V1821566 8 AGE 41
15. ↑  Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser 28 May 1821 Findmypast British Newspapers https://search.findmypast.com.au/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000950%2f18210528%2f018&stringtohighlight=george%20collins
16. ↑ Liverpool, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1975 for George Collins Edge Hill, St Mary 1813-1842 https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/2198/images/englb5617_283-edg-4-1_m_00017?pId=2768232
17. ↑ New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849 New South Wales General muster 1811 (HO 10/5) https://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/1185/images/IMAUS1787_114215-00046?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=0e091047ff97eacaddda3d4896df9451&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dOf32331&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=10916
18. ↑ 1811 muster on the same page as Ann Grant (see above).
19. ↑ GRANT ANN2434/1809 V18092434 2A AGE 39 and GRANT ANN 16/1809 V180916 5 AGE 39. Death notice: "DIED.—On Sunday last, much regretted by her friends and family, Mrs. Ann Grant of Pitt's Row, of a consumptive complaint under which she had severely suffered for several years."  1809 'SYDNEY.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 29 October, p. 2.

Acknowledgements

Merged Yeates-743 into Yates-7627. Clear duplicate. LNAB Variant. 20230408. Unsourced family tree handed down to Anonymous Cox.

• https://firstfleetfellowship.org.au/stories/nancy-yates/
• https://www.geni.com/people/Nancy-Ann-Yeats-Yates-Theakston-Collins-Grant-Convict-Lady-Penrhyn-1788/6000000069984003830
• https://www.tasfhs.org/downloads/Volume15Number4_1995.pdf