John Cobcroft (abt. 1760 - 1853)

Born about 1760 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Smith) Cobcroft — married 24 Dec 1842 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 4 Jun 1853 at about age 93 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dani Walker [send private message]

John Cobcroft was a convict on the Second Fleet.

Biography

John Cobcroft's date and place of birth has not currently been established^[1] (some researchers previously had 9 Aug 1756 in Keighley, Yorkshire, but this does not seem to be the same John). The 1828 NSW Census records his age as 68, which would make his birth around 1760. The Digital Panopticon website gives his birth as about 1761.^[2]

Conviction

John Cobcroft, John Wood and William Fubbs or Fielder were sentenced to death at the 7 May 1788 Old Bailey sessions for highway robbery.^[3][4]

At 4 am on 16 April, William Frost, an elderly fisherman, had been driving a cart from Harrow Hill to market in London with his wife and daughter. On EdgEware Road they were stopped by three highwaymen, one of whom brandished a pistol, shouting 'your money or your life in a minute' and threatening to blow their brains out. The men took a guinea, six shillings, a thimble and some small change and ran off towards Edgeware.

Frost then drove to the Bell public house near Kilburn and raised the alarm. The publican and three other men went out in search of the highwaymen and spotted three men coming from Golders Green along Hendon Road near the Bull and Bush public house on Hampstead Heath. After a struggle, the three were arrested and found to be carrying a pistol, a knife and some money. They were taken to the Bow Street Public Office and charged. Frost said he had seen their faces clearly: it was a 'moonshiney' night.

At the trial the three men retained a defence counsel who closely examined Frost, his wife and daughter, trying to discredit their evidence and suggesting that they were pursuing the case only to obtain the 40 pounds reward for the conviction of highwaymen.

Cobcroft had been wearing a leather apron and they said he had been the one pointing the pistol. He called six character witnesses who had known him between five and twelve years, which suggests that he was well established in London. The jury recommended him and his co-defendants to the King's clemency. A temporary respite was granted but he was not formally reprieved until the end of Sep 1789 Old Bailey sessions when he was among more than 100 capital convicts called to the bar of the court and offered a pardon on condition of transportation to New South Wales for Life.

On 10 Nov he was sent from Newgate Gaol (jail) to the ship 'Scarborough'. Soon afterwards Sarah Smith aged 18, embarked aboard the ship 'Neptune' as one of about six wives or de facto spouses of convicts who had accepted the government offer of a free passage to the colony. Although she was to live with Cobcroft for the rest of his life, the couple did not marry until 1842. The legal wives of Wood and Fielder also sailed on the 'Neptune'. The 'Scarborough' arrived in the colony on 28 Jun 1790.

Sarah Smith

John Cobcroft’s wife Sarah Smith was the daughter of William Smith and Sarah Gladman of Monken Hadley. Her parents are recorded in an affidavit she made at WIndsor on the 30th of September, 1833.^[5] At the age of 17, she was one of a small group of free women and their children who embarked on board the 'Neptune' as part of the 'Second Fleet'. They had accepted a government offer of a free passage to the colony for the wives, or de facto partners, of convicts on the fleet. In the colony she lived with John Cobcroft, but for an unknown reason they did not marry until 1842. It is likely that she embarked as Cobcroft’s de facto wife, but it has also been suggested that she may have embarked as a companion or servant to another woman as their first child was not born until 1793. Two of the other free women who embarked on the 'Neptune' were legally married to John Wood and William Fielder, who had been convicted with Cobcroft.

The couple’s children born in the colony were - Richard William (1793), Elizabeth (1795) who died as an infant, John Frederick (1797), Sarah (1799), Mary Ann (c1801), Susannah (1805), James (c1807), George (1810), Eliza (1812) and Matilda (1813).

Life in Australia

John Cobcroft received a conditional pardon in December 1794, and a 30 acre land grant on the left bank of the Hawkesbury River at Wilberforce Reach in July 1795. They prospered steadily, building their landholdings by grant and purchase to a total of 485 acres by 1828. He was granted another 40 acres in the same district in June 1797. By July 1800 Cobcroft had 17 acres sown in wheat with 7 ready for planting maize, owned 9 hogs and 7 goats and supported himself. His wife and three children were supported from government stores. Two years later he had 20 acres in wheat and barley, 6 in maize, and increasing numbers of hogs and goats, fully supporting his wife and 4 children and 2 free workers. Family lore has it that Sarah was the hardworking success behind the couple’s prosperity.

Cobcroft's holdings were increased by a 50 acre land grant in September 1802. He was mustered in 1806 with 120 acres (nearly 33 cultivated in wheat, maize, barley, orchard and garden), 4 horses, 57 sheep, 40 goats and 15 hogs, 15 bushels of grain in store, and supporting his family and 3 convict workers. While many other farmers were suffering from indebtedness and flood damage, his prosperity seems to have continued unchecked.

In June 1820 Cobcroft petitioned Governor Macquarie for additional land. In 1820 he had a wife and 9 children and owned 70 head of cattle. He was granted a further 60 acres at Kurrajong, and in October 1825 he petitioned for the allowance of government rations for himself, his wife, 4 children and 2 convict workers who were living on the grant. He stated that he had cleared and cultivated 12 acres and had built a dwelling house and outhouses. His request was granted shortly afterwards.

The census of 1828 describes John Cobcroft as a farmer of Wilberforce, aged 68, living with his wife, aged 57, and their younger children.^[6] His older sons and their families were established on farms nearby. A successful and prosperous farmer, he held 485 acres (130 cultivated) and owned 7 horses and 300 cattle. He also kept the 'George and Dragon' Public House, Wilberforce Road, Wilberforce (from around 1822-1846), and was actively involved in the public life of the local community.

He died on 4 June 1853,^[7] and was buried at St Johns Cemetery, Wilberforce^[8][9] three days later. An obituary notice in the Sydney Morning Herald stated that he left 58 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren.

Death Notice

At his residence, Wilberforce, on the 4th June last, Mr. John Cobcroft, aged 90 years, an old and much respected colonist, leaving an aged widow, three sons and five daughters, fifty-eight grand-children, and forty-seven great grand-children to deplore their loss.^[10]

Sources

au NSW BDM (Australian, New South Wales, Births Deaths Marriages)
1842 - Marriage - au NSW BDM 753/1842 V1842753 26C COBCROFT JOHN to SMITH SARAH at CM - CHURCH OF ENGLAND WILBERFORCE
1853 - Death - au NSW BDM 1361/1853 V18531361 39B COBCROFT JOHN - Aged 90

1. ↑ Luxford, Warren John (2016). Cobcroft : a genealogical index of the descendants of John Cobcroft & Sarah Smith. Malua Bay, New South Wales : Warren John Luxford. Volume 1: 1790-1908. ISBN: 9780646937427 pp. 672
2. ↑ The Digital Panopticon John Cobcroft b. 1761 (https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/life?id=obpt17880507-45-defend360 consulted 16th September 2017).
3. ↑ Source: Flynn, Michael. The Second Fleet: Britain's grim convict armada of 1790. Sydney : Library of Australian History, 1993
4. ↑ Old Bailey Online - Trail of JOHN WOOD, JOHN COBCROFT, WILLIAM FUBBS, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 7th May 1788
5. ↑ State Records NSW: Early probate records NRS13502 (6/4190)
6. ↑ 1828 New South Wales Census.
7. ↑ Probate packet at the NSW State Archives & Records.
8. ↑ Billiongraves: Wilberforce Cemetery, NSW, Australia
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #155623285
10. ↑ Family Notices. (1853, July 12). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 2.

Research Notes

• John Cobcroft was convicted of 'highway robbery' in England about 1788-89. He and his co-accused, William Fubbs (Fielder) and John Wood, were tried and found guilty & sentenced to death. Later this was altered to life in the colony of Nsw and they were transported upon the Scarborough in the second fleet in 1790. They were all later pardoned and John was granted 30 acres at Wilberforce in the Hawkesbury region of NSW.

His partner Sarah Smith later Cobcroft was granted free passage on board the Neptune in the same fleet. She lied & said they were married to be granted this privilege along with John's accomplices wives. She was also a midwife which was looked upon favorably as useful to the colony. They didn't marry until they were grandparents, possibly they did this in their later years to avoid any contention as to the heirs of their wealth. They prospered greatly and thankfully had many children. I'm very proud to call these two people my great grand ancestors.

• Clues From Old Bailey report - to establish his origin in England: character witnesses at his trial were Thomas Mason (12 years known) clerk to a gentleman in the law, Joseph Cox (7 years known), John Eldridge (5 years known), William & Charles Youther (10 years known), William Lambert (5 years known).
• John's middle name has not been established, however may have been Frederick.