Elizabeth (Burrell?) wife of John Symonds

[GeoffTurner]

Hi, some fellow descendants and I are trying to find out more about this woman's life in Northumberland. We have the General Quarter Sessions records, newspaper reports etc detailing how she was sentenced in Newcastle in 1813 to be transportation to Australia for 7 years for stealing a silk handkerchief. Her name was given as Elizabeth, wife of John Symonds. A Mary Symonds, perhaps her sister-in-law, was found not guilty at the same trial. Elizabeth travelled to Australia on the convict ship Broxbournebury in 1814 and was assigned to a recently widowed male convict, Isaac Dowse or Douse, to help him look after his children. She became his replacement "wife" as well as nanny. Elizabeth and Isaac had four children together but may not have married. We would love to know Elizabeth's maiden name but we are all in Australia which makes it difficult to research in Northumberland. There was an Elizabeth Burrel who married John Simmons at St John's, Newcastle, on 4 Mar 1798. This would have been in the right time frame. We have two baptism records from All Saints for daughters of this John and Elizabeth (Elizabeth 3 Mar 1799; Anne 8 Sept 1811) which describe the parents as "John Simmons, basketmaker, of Morpeth", and "Elizabeth, daughter of William Burrell, maltman of this parish". Her father William might have been born in Morpeth in 1751, then travelled to Eglingham where Elizabeth was baptised in 1772. But is Elizabeth Burrell the Elizabeth who fronted court? Any help will be gratefully received as this has turned into a real dead end for us, which is especially frustrating as we have so much source material from the court appearance and later. Thanks, Geoff Turner.

[Craclyn]

The Elizabeth who was born in 1772 would have been in her 40s at the time of transportation. Did the court record or newspapers give any indication of her age when she was convicted? What was the timeframe for the births of the 4 children in Australia?

[GeoffTurner]

You are right, the dates don’t really stack up. We think she was 32 when she arrived in 1814, and her four Australian children were born from 1815 to 1825 — when she was about 33 to 43. If all that is correct, she would have been born about 1782, not 1772. Neither the court documents nor the Newcastle Courant report gives an age for her. The 1799 and 1811 baptisms could still be her English children and the other things might still be true, just that we haven’t found her baptism yet.

Thanks for your thoughts, Geoff

[Craclyn]

Have you considered this baptism at Newcastle All Saints in 1784?
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818cd71e93790ec8b31d090/elisabeth-burrell-baptism-northumberland-newcastle-upon-tyne-1784-09-29?locale=en

[GeoffTurner]

We were thinking her father was William, not James, based on these All Saints baptisms for what we thought were her daughters (Elizabeth, first daughter, 1799; Anne, fourth daughter, 1811). We don't have any of the other children. We also thought this might be her marriage.

[Craclyn]

OK, I see why you are looking for a father William. Since they were in Newcastle it might also be worthwhile considering baptisms south of the Tyne in County Durham.

[GeoffTurner]

Thanks for the tip. I see one of the families you are interested in is named Turner. I am Geoff Turner. Most of our Turners came from Cornwall to South Australia as free settlers in the 19th century. I presume you wouldn't be interested in them -- it's a common name, after all.

[Craclyn]

As you say it is a fairly common name. My Turners originated in Northumberland and Durham.

[trish1120]

A Tree has Elizabeth dying 1859.
Do you have the Death Cert?

Looks like her Parents names are on there.

DOUSE  ELIZABETH 5380/1859 JOHN/MARY A,  Reg WELLINGROVE

Trish

EDIT FreeREG also has a JANE Symmonds 1806;
Noted as 3rd daughter.**
Mother is daughter of William Burrell, Maltman of this Chapelry.

I would be getting that 1859 Death Cert if that is the date you have for Elizabeth dying.