Jane Bonner (abt. 1765 - 1787)

Born about 1765 in England

Died 30 Jul 1787 at about age 22 in At Sea

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Biography

Jane Bonner was a convict on the First Fleet.

Jane was born about 1765. She passed away in 1787.

Mollie Gillen, in her book The Founders of Australia : A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet has the following: ^[1]

Jane Bonner had to leave a husband, Henry and a young child when she was transported to New South Wales. Sentenced at the Old Bailey on 18 April 1787 for theft of a black silk cloak which she said she had been asked to pawn without knowing it was stolen, ‘I was so frightened, I didn't know what to do … my infant was going to be torn out of my arms and I sent to prison’. She was in fact hustled on her way within two weeks, dispatched on the 30th from Newgate for transportation by waggon to Portsmouth and embarkation on Prince of Wales.

On 24 July 1787 Jane suffered a violent blow on the head from the jolly boat which slipped from the booms in rough water. She died on the 30th in spite of immediate medical care.

The Old Bailey trial can be seen here.^[2]

Her death was mentioned in the journal of James Scott, Sergeant of Marines:^[3]

Tuesday 24th Latd B,O. lld.51’; S. Fair Weathr

The Carpenter Being Imployd A Caulking the Jolly Boat, on the Booms, In Canting of Her, She Slipt of, & one of the Female Convicts

Recvd a Violent Blow on the Head = =About. one OClock PM of Which She Died 30th Inst.

...

Sunday 29th

Latd 19°35,' S. Longd 33°12’ W, Wind

E.N.E. Course S.W. Fare

Haild the Supply for the Assistance

of a Docter for the Woman that Was

Hurt; Tuesday the 24th July —

Mr. White Surgeon Was Ordrd. to

Come on Board Next Morning,

(But prevented By Carring Saile)

Monday 30th

Latd 20°37' S, Wind, N.E.B,E

Course S.W,—

P.M Jane Bonner, Convict Died, from the

Hurt, that She Recvd the 24th,

Inst. Buried At. 6, P.M

Research Notes

Need to find the primary source for her age, and her husband's name Henry.

Sources

1. ↑ Gillen, Mollie, The Founders of Australia : A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet, 1989, p.402.
2. ↑ Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) April 1787. Trial of JANE BONNER (t17870418-69). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t17870418-69?text=bonner (Accessed: 25th January 2024).
3. ↑ James Scott journal titled `Remarks on a passage Botnay [i.e. Botany] bay 1787', 13 May 1787-20 May 1792 State Library of NSW https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/1JkmpX5Y Transcript: https://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2014/D00007/a1142.html#a1142009

See also:

• Community contributors, Convict records database https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/bonner/jane/44651
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221880489/jane-bonner: accessed 25 January 2024), memorial page for Jane Bonner (1765–1787), Find a Grave Memorial ID 221880489; Buried or Lost at Sea; Maintained by LaVerne's Granddaughter (contributor 48747107).
• 'Bonner, Jane (c. 1765–1787)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/bonner-jane-31045/text38417, accessed 25 January 2024.