Sarah Weatherstone Part 3 Settling into the Colony and Marriage to William Thompson
After disembarking from the Planter at Sydney Cove, Sarah was transported to Parramatta by boat and then walked a short distance further along the river to the Female Factory.
Sarah probably lived at the factory, although some of the females were housed nearby and went to the factory everyday for work. We know from the records that Sarah was a dressmaker and this was most likely done at the Factory. It was expected that she would have made 9 pieces of clothing a week that would be sold to the public. If Sarah made more than her quota she would be able to earn 9 pence for every extra article made. (from the book The Great Shame: A Story of the Irish in the Old World and the New).
Women were divided into 3 classes at the factory. Class One, were females eligible for assignment, may have earned a wage if something was available and could also receive friends on visiting days. They also had the right to attend church on Sundays and were given their "Sunday Best" outfit of a white straw cap, a straw bonnet, a long dress with a muslin frill, a red calico jacket, a blue petticoat, grey stockings and shoes. They were given a bag to keep their Sunday clothes in, and exchanged their clothes for simpler a plainer garment of calico cap, serge petticoat and jacket, and an apron.
As Sarah hadn't had an application for marriage in the first two years is could be assumed that she was possibly in the Class Two category. Class Two were the women who had been returned by masters and deemed unsatisfactory. Class Three had committed crimes in the colony and resided in 5 foot by 7 foot cells.
The women of the Planter had their own encampment in the dormitories of the Female Factory. Sarah would have maintained relationships made on board the journey.
Sarah would remain at the Factory until assigned, or on receiving their Ticket of Leave after having served half her sentence, by receiving a pardon, or on completion of their sentence. For many women the acceptance of a marriage application from a free settlers or a convict man who had served out their time was a faster way for them to escape the confines of the Factory.
On visiting days, willing suitors who had sought permission from the Bishop to attend the Factory would give their letter of permission to the matron. Class One inmates were paraded for the prospective husband to consider. He would often then move to the Class Two area to consider one of the other women, before usually returning again to the Class One area to make his plea to a woman to accept his proposal.
39 year old William Thompson was a Ticket of Leave convict who had been transported for life for stealing a handkerchief. He had sought the proper permission to visit the Factory and on Monday 27th of September he made his petition to Sarah, probably in the customary way of wiggling a finger to summon her forward from the line up. Sarah would have accepted by moving forward.
Once the paperwork was completed Sarah and William made their way the short distance (2km) to St John's Anglican Church, Parramatta where they were wed by Reverend H H Bobart.
Sarah was now free to leave the Factory, but must still remain in the country. William and Sarah would have made their way, most likely on the back of a bullock dray, to William's simple home where he probably had a few acres of land to start their new life. Friends of William's and any that Sarah may have known in the area would have helped the newly weds celebrate by bringing food and alcohol to the home.
We will probably never know if Sarah had known William Thompson or anyone connected to him, nor how happy their marriage was. For young convict brides life was often hard and fighting between the couples was not uncommon. Many wives were returned to the Factory by unhappy husbands.
What we do know is that Sarah and William had a child together, and Henry William Thompson was born exactly 10 months after their marriage on July 27th, 1842. The birth was registered at Cobbity, Narellen in New South Wales, so we have to believe Sarah and William were living in the Narellen area at the time.
We also know, that William Thompson was dead before the end of the following year. In September 1843 he had his Ticket of Leave cancelled as he was unable to pay hospital bills. No longer being able to afford medical help, perhaps this is the reason he died at 40 years of age on September 28th, 1843.
Less than a month after his death, Sarah was granted her Ticket of Leave (43/2524). The condition was she stay in the Liverpool area.
Sarah Weatherstone Thompson was now 22 years old and a widow with a 1 year old child.
Sarah probably lived at the factory, although some of the females were housed nearby and went to the factory everyday for work. We know from the records that Sarah was a dressmaker and this was most likely done at the Factory. It was expected that she would have made 9 pieces of clothing a week that would be sold to the public. If Sarah made more than her quota she would be able to earn 9 pence for every extra article made. (from the book The Great Shame: A Story of the Irish in the Old World and the New).
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| Female Factory to the left with St John's Church in the centre of picture |
As Sarah hadn't had an application for marriage in the first two years is could be assumed that she was possibly in the Class Two category. Class Two were the women who had been returned by masters and deemed unsatisfactory. Class Three had committed crimes in the colony and resided in 5 foot by 7 foot cells.
The women of the Planter had their own encampment in the dormitories of the Female Factory. Sarah would have maintained relationships made on board the journey.
Sarah would remain at the Factory until assigned, or on receiving their Ticket of Leave after having served half her sentence, by receiving a pardon, or on completion of their sentence. For many women the acceptance of a marriage application from a free settlers or a convict man who had served out their time was a faster way for them to escape the confines of the Factory.
On visiting days, willing suitors who had sought permission from the Bishop to attend the Factory would give their letter of permission to the matron. Class One inmates were paraded for the prospective husband to consider. He would often then move to the Class Two area to consider one of the other women, before usually returning again to the Class One area to make his plea to a woman to accept his proposal.
39 year old William Thompson was a Ticket of Leave convict who had been transported for life for stealing a handkerchief. He had sought the proper permission to visit the Factory and on Monday 27th of September he made his petition to Sarah, probably in the customary way of wiggling a finger to summon her forward from the line up. Sarah would have accepted by moving forward.
Once the paperwork was completed Sarah and William made their way the short distance (2km) to St John's Anglican Church, Parramatta where they were wed by Reverend H H Bobart.
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| St John's Anglican Church - The twin towers still remain today |
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We will probably never know if Sarah had known William Thompson or anyone connected to him, nor how happy their marriage was. For young convict brides life was often hard and fighting between the couples was not uncommon. Many wives were returned to the Factory by unhappy husbands.
What we do know is that Sarah and William had a child together, and Henry William Thompson was born exactly 10 months after their marriage on July 27th, 1842. The birth was registered at Cobbity, Narellen in New South Wales, so we have to believe Sarah and William were living in the Narellen area at the time.
We also know, that William Thompson was dead before the end of the following year. In September 1843 he had his Ticket of Leave cancelled as he was unable to pay hospital bills. No longer being able to afford medical help, perhaps this is the reason he died at 40 years of age on September 28th, 1843.
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Sarah Weatherstone Thompson was now 22 years old and a widow with a 1 year old child.
Hello, nice web page! Sarah is my ancestor too! She married Henry Laing (a Scottish convict) after William Thompson's death. He was much older than she. I am descended from Sarah and Henry.
ReplyDeleteKaite, I'm a decendant of Henry's as well. You can read more about Henry's life ont he blog. I have more to write about Sarah .. a lot more. I keep finding bits and pieces and need to get my head around some of it in order to write the last part of her life.
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