Edward Humphries (1770 - 1804)

Born 1770 in London, England

Husband of Mary (Williams) Humphries — married 14 Feb 1791 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 4 Nov 1804 at about age 34 in Sydney Cove, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rod Kennedy [send private message]

Biography

Convict Ship Scarborough, Arrived 26 Jan 1788

Edward Humphries was a convict on the First Fleet.

Alternative Names Edward Humphry, Edward Humphrey, Edward Humphries, Edward Humfries,

Edward HUMPHREYS, was indicted at the "Old Bailey" for feloniously stealing , on 8 November 1784, one cloth coat value 30s, one pair of leather boots value 10s, the property of Henry Martin Bird Esq. Occupation Dustman. Sentenced to 7 years transportation to Africa. The prisoner was stopped by Nathan Nathans, with the great coat and boots; and Sarah Biggs deposed, on the 8th of November she let the prisoner into her master's house, as a dustman, but did not miss the things till they were brought back. Edward stated in his defence that a gentleman asked me to carry them, he had a sack on his head. He called three witnesses who gave him a good character. Court to Prisoner: "This is a second instance that has occurred this Sessions, of dustmen robbing houses; it is an offence particularly dangerous, because the credulity of servants is imposed upon by those that come under that pretence, they come into the house under a trust; I think it therefore necessary, for example, to pronounce sentence upon you before you quit the bar, in the hearing of those who have heard the trial and that sentence shall be as severe as the law admits in such a case; which is, that you be Transported for seven years."

From the time of his arrest on 8 November 1784 until the time of his trial on 11 May 1785 Edward had been held in Newgate Prison. He was transferred to the Censor hulk on 23 May 1785, age given as 19.^[1] He was transferred from the Hulk to Portsmouth on 24 February 1787 travelling by wagon for 3 days. The newspapers of the day record that the convicts travelled through many villages enduring abuses on the way.(citation needed) He embarked on the Scarborough on 27 February 1787. The Scarborough left with the First Fleet on 13 May 1787 arriving in Port Jackson (Sydney) on 26 January 1788.

He appears in colonial records as having a pumpkin stolen from him by William Parr on 12 April 1790.^[2][3] William Parr received 100 lashes. Food was extremely short in the Colony at the time and stealing food was a serious offence.

Edward "Humphries" married Mary Williams (convict, Neptune, Second Fleet) on 14 February 1791 at St Philip's Church, Sydney; both signed the register with an 'X', witnesses were William Cross, (signed name) and witness: Mary Williams, (signed X).

Edward and Mary's second son (also called Edward) died on 13 March 1796 at Sydney, aged 2 years and 4 months.

Edward became a Constable in The Rocks area on the western side of Sydney Harbour. This infers that prior to becoming a Constable he had worked as an Overseer of convicts.(citation needed) He is recorded in Order for victualing as a Constable, as appointed on 15 December 1798, and he is on a list of Constables taking their oath on 8 February 1800 at "Masculine District" (Dawes Point), The Rocks, Sydney.^[2]

Edward died on 4 November 1804 and his wife Mary died on 24 December 1805 leaving their 5 surviving children as orphans.

Biography Note N53 Edward Humphries. Aboard 'Scarborough' of the First Fleet (1788) convicted of stealing clothing and transported for 7 years. Convicted on 8 Dec 1784 and is listed as a dustman.

1. Edward HUMPHRIES/HUMPHREYS Born: abt. 1765, Deptford, Kent, England Baptised: 2 January 1766, Deptford, Kent, England Died: 4 November 1804, Sydney, NSW, Australia. married: 14 February 1791, St Phillips, Sydney, NSW Mary WILLIAMS Born: c. 1767, Wales, England. Died: December 1805, Parramatta, NSW, Australia

Children:

1. William HUMPHRIES (1791-1863)
2. Edward HUMPHRIES (1793-1796)
3. Elizabeth HUMPHRIES (1795-1830)
4. Edward HUMPHRIES (1798-?1838?)
5.  ?Mary HUMPHRIES (c.1800-1892)?
6. Susannah HUMPHRIES (1803-1877)

Research Notes

Alternative Names:

• Humphry, Edward
• Humphrey, Edward
• Humphries, Edward
• Humfries, Edward

His name is spelt HUMPHREYS in records overseas and HUMPHRIES in many (but not all) Australian records. The name adopted by his descendants was HUMPHREYS - e.g. for births & deaths of his grandchildren, and his daughter Susannah spelt her surname that way when she married. Illiterate - signed with a X.

Who was Mary Williams, Edward's wife? There were four women called Mary Williams in the colony at the time. The most likely one who married Edward was Mary Williams a convict who had arrived in the Neptune of the Second Fleet. The other women were:

• Mary Williams, sentenced Maidstone, Lady Juliana who sailed to Norfolk Island in August 1790
• Mary Williams, sentenced Old Bailey, Lady Juliana died either at Parramatta in November 1795 or Sydney 1796
• Mary Williams, First Fleet, past her child bearing years, married William Whiting.^[4]

The following was written by Denis Pember as part of Community Contributions, Convictrecords:^[5]

Old Bailey Online: Transcript t17841208-92 -

EDWARD HUMPHREYS, Theft - grand larceny, 8th December 1784.

EDWARD HUMPHREYS was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 8th of November last, one cloth great coat, value 30 s. one pair of leather boots, value 10 s. the property of Henry Martin Bird , Esq.

The prisoner was stopped by Nathan Nathans , with the great coat and boots; and Sarah Biggs deposed, on the 8th of November she let the prisoner into her master’s house, as a dustman, but did not miss the things till they were brought back.

(The things deposed to.)

PRISONER’s DEFENCE.

A gentleman asked me to carry them, he had a sack on his head.

The Prisoner called three witnesses, who gave him a good character.

GUILTY .

Court to Prisoner. This is a second instance that has occurred this Sessions, of dustmen robbing houses; it is an offence particularly dangerous, because the credulity of servants is imposed upon by those that come under that pretence, they come into the house under a trust; I think it therefore necessary, for example, to pronounce sentence upon you before you quit the bar, in the hearing of those who have heard the trial, and that sentence shall be as severe as the law admits in such a case; which is, that you be Transported for seven years.

Edward was transported as part of the First Fleet, aboard “Scarborough”.

In the colony, he married Mary Williams (Second Fleet Convict, Neptune, 1790) February 14th 1791 at Sydney Cove.

Edward and Mary had 6 children between 1791 and 1803.

Mary and Edward are both recorded in the 1802 Muster, but no details of relationships of family are mentioned.

Mary and Edward lost 1 child in 1796 but otherwise the family prospered until 1804. Then in a matter of twelve months, both Mary and Edward died.

One wonders what happened to the little family. 2 boys and three girls, aged from 12 years to 1 year when the parents died. How did they survive? Well survive they did!

In the 1828 Census of New South Wales we can find….

[Ref H2850] Humphreys, William aged 33, BC, a shipwright at darling harbour.

[Ref T1289] Turner, Elizabeth, 32, BC. A housekeeper at Harrington Street, Sydney, 3 children. # Her husband John is in gaol!

[Ref G0825] Gosport, Mary, 27, BC. With her husband Thomas, a farmer at :Lower Portland Head, 4 children.

[Ref P0390] Payton, Susannah, 25, BC. With her husband Nathaniel at Parramatta, 3 children.

There is no mention of the other son, Edward, he was a seaman so possibly was away at the time.

Edward Humphries Born 1765 in Deptford, Kent, England Humphries-680 created 22 Jul 2013 before merge of Humphries-680 and Humphries-538 created 15 Mar 2013 Born 1770 in London, England

Sources

1. ↑ Gillen, Mollie. The Founders of Australia: a biographical dictionary of the First Fleet. North Sydney: Library of Australian History, 1989
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Jan Halson, "Edward Humphries, Convict Scarborough, Dustman of Kent", Fellowship of First Fleeters http://www.fellowshipfirstfleeters.org.au/edwardhumphries.htm accessed 31 October 2021.
3. ↑ Gillen incorrectly has the year 1788.
4. ↑ Flynn, Michael, The Second Fleet : Britain's Grim Convict Armada of 1790, Library of Australian History, 1993.
5. ↑ Denis Pember, Community Contributions, Convictrecords https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/humphreys/edward/61991

• NSW BDM marriage index 119/1791 V1791119 4 and 123/1791 V1791123 3A
• NSW Death registration no: 1925/1804 V18041925 2A
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 June 2020), memorial page for Edward Humphries (unknown–21 ??? 1804), Find a Grave Memorial no. 30221961, citing Old Sydney Burial Ground, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Tony Larson (contributor 46936896) .

See also:

• 'Humphreys, Edward (c. 1765–1804)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/humphreys-edward-31327/text38721, accessed 31 October 2021.
• Australian Royalty https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I67442/Edward-Humphreys accessed 31 October 2021.
• Jan Halson, "Edward Humphries, Convict Scarborough, Dustman of Kent", Fellowship of First Fleeters http://www.fellowshipfirstfleeters.org.au/edwardhumphries.htm accessed 31 October 2021.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Michael Weston for creating WikiTree profile Humphries-680 through the import of Weston Family History.GED on Jun 26, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Michael and others.