Mary BRACHER - convict - transported to New South Wales - arrived in 1807

[jim1]

This is Leticia Bracher.
26 Apr 1806
Joseph DUMMETT, about 24 years of age
Born in North Curry, Somerset. His late father was named Joseph DUMMETT, a shoemaker. The Deponent is also a shoemaker, as is his brother. On 26th Dec last he married Letitia, by whom he has one child born a fortnight ago.

& is this Stephen Bracher b. 1790:
4 Jan 1815
Ann BRATCHER (wife of Stephen BRATCHER, gone from her) Also their son John (aged 4 months). Illegally at St Peter’s Bristol.

Stephen again:
14 Mar 1820
Stephen BRACHER and Ann his wife
Also their child Mary Ann (about 3). Illegally at St Michael, Bristol. Belong to Stourton.

52nd. Regt. 1st. Batt:
In 1815 the regiment fought at Waterloo and helped break the final advance of the Imperial Guard. In November 1818 it became the last British battalion to leave France at the end of the Allied occupation.
Fought for King & Country & they threw his family out of the Parish.

& is this brother John b. 1790:
10 Aug 1818
Ann STONE otherwise BRACHER, wife of John STONE otherwise BRACHER
She is now pregnant. He is a private with 52nd Regiment of Foot now in France. Illegally at St Peter, Bristol. Belong to Stourton.

Stephen:
1841:
HO107; Piece: 1183; Book: 7; Folio: 5; Page: 4;
1851:
HO107; Piece: 1850; Folio: 130; Page: 26;
1861:
RG 9; Piece: 1323; Folio: 96; Page: 8;
1871:
RG10; Piece: 1966; Folio: 20; Page: 6;

William Bracher
ch: 31 Dec. 1815
a child of Sophia Bracher;
STOURTON, 

[JaneyH_104]

Hello Toni, and other contributors to this discussion.

Mary Bracher (nee Stone) is my 5x great-grandmother, and I've also traced her convict history from Wiltshire to Australia.  I'm descended through her daughter Martha Bracher and, in turn, her daughter Narcissa. 

I have some more details of the Bracher family going back a couple of more generations if you're interested; there are some very unusual and comprehensive sources for Stourton in Wiltshire which I can point you to.  I visited there in Autumn 2014, and would be happy to share a couple of photos of the church there if you'd like to message me via this website.

Best wishes, Janey

[Toni Bracher]

Hi Janey,
Thank you for your reply.
Wonderful to hear from a descendant of Mary Bracher.
I would be interested in some information on the Bracher family going back a few generations. I am sure there is a link to my Bracher family (my husband's name, and of course our children's. There is some 'heresay' I have come across regarding some very early members of the Bracher family who came from Wiltshire to Spitalfields area of London and I am thinking that with such large families back then that there will be a link. Another piece of heresay via my husbands father was that he recalled ancestors spoke of coming over from Brussels ? a Hugenot link. Unfortunately, Like many of his generation he was not keen to speak of the past.
Janey I won't go on much more, but some of your information may help me in my research. I would also like to know about those sources in Stourton in Wiltshire too. Next time I travel to UK I may be able to take a look if I know where to go.
Janey, have you ever found out what exactly Mary Bracher did to be transported? The entry in the Wiltshire Q Sessions just said 'larceny' - and the length of her sentence, but I wonder what she actually allegedly stole.
Thank you again for replying and I hope to hear from you again.
When I look at her story, so very sad that she was sent off to the other side of the earth away from her family and her youngest was just a little boy.
They were harsh times.

Kind Regards

Toni Bracher

[JaneyH_104]

Hi Toni,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you - work has been busy of late and I haven't had a chance to sit down at the computer properly!  I've just sent you a PM via this website with my email address, so that I can send more information to you. 

Sadly I don't know any more about what Mary stole to cause her being transported to Australia, other than the reference to larceny.  The Wiltshire Quarter Sessions on Ancestry show that the crime was a family effort, since other family members were tried the same day.  The names of George Bracher (Mary's husband), Martha Bracher (George and Mary's daughter, also my 4x great grandmother) and Joseph Dummett (married to George and Mary's daughter Letitia) appear on the same page.  They all got off, but Mary was convicted.  I've not found any newspaper articles about this - I assume the relevant titles are not yet digitised as a case like this seems highly newsworthy.  There may be other records held at the Wiltshire archives, but I've not visited (I live in Kent).

I don't know about a link to Spitalfields in London but it' more than possible that someone left Wiltshire for London.  I can email you the wider part of the family tree to see if there are any people that we have in common.

[bitzar]

Isn't it odd how things transpire sometimes....  I remember following this thread last year and what do you know, now I'm involved in it!

I've had my James DUNSFORD, convict of 1829 on the backburner for a while.  Thought I'd have another look at him and his family tonight.  His wife Mary Ann DUNSFORD along with his sister Amelia DUNSFORD, a Mary CHUBB, Margaret WOOD, and Jane DUMMETT were locked up in the 'Bristol House of Corrections' for a month in October 1828 for assault!  Jane DUMMETT was his wife's 15 year old sister.

Now, Mary Ann DUNSFORD nee DUMMETT and Jane DUMMETT are the daughters of Letitia BRACHER!!!

Another sister of James DUNSFORD, Elizabeth / Eliza came to Australia as a free settler and married William BRADGATE at Newcastle.  She later married the convict James GARSIDE.

bitzar.

EDIT: Elizabeth / Eliza came to Australia WITH her husband William BRADGATE and children.  She later married John GARSIDE, convict, at Newcastle NSW.

[Toni Bracher]

Hello Bitzar,
That is so interesting!
Thank you for letting me know some of the information you have found.
You must have had some sort of inkling when you were following the thread last year!
This is a wonderful website with helpful people - hope I can provide more help at some stage sharing bits that I find.
Once again, thank you
Toni Bracher

[bitzar]

Just to add, I've just viewed the criminal register for the charges applied to George, Mary, and Martha BRACHER. 

The following name is Joseph DUMMETT, also discharged.  Joseph had married Letitia BRACHER the year prior.

Colourful isn't the word for it... 

bitzar.

EDIT: Soz.... Just realised JaneyH has already stated this!

[JaneyH_104]

How interesting!  I didn't have Jane Dummett (daughter of Letitia Bracher) in my tree as my focus was very much on Stourton / Kilmington.  However I've now found her details.  I see that Mary Ann Dummett married three times: James Dunsford (1826), Stephen Moore (1834) and William Pell (1861).

What I've been unable to track down though are the criminal records you mentioned - could you point me to the sources for this please?

Many thanks, Janey

[bitzar]

JaneyH

Someone found that ref in 'The Bristol Mirror, Saturday 18th October 1828'.

bitzar.