~ Servant girl, convict - Female factory, land owner, Pioneers on "Trimdon Grange"
Mary Ann Marjoram[ii] was born on 15 May 1795 in Knoodishall, Suffolk, and christened in St. Lawrence's Church.
Mary was the eldest daughter of - Thomas Marjoram, born on 9th. May 1758 in North Walsham, Norfolk, England, son of Abraham Marjoram and Mary Paulding (who were married on the 1st. November 1745, in North Walsham, Norfolk, England). Her mother was Elizabeth Watling (c.1770-c.1843), ... "born in Cratfield, a village in northern Suffolk, England. Elizabeth was a daughter of James Watling and Elizabeth Deck, who were married in 1790 in Cratfield; There was a daughter Elizabeth born the year after James and Elizabeth were married who may not have survived." source: Patricia Baker corresondence via ancestry.com April'2022.
Wikipedia: - "Knodishall in 1801 the total population was just under 300 people and a slow increase until 1961 came to over 500 people."
Siblings: possibly 7 children including:
Elizabeth Marjoram, was christened 13 Jun 1790, Attleburgh, Norfolk, England*. citation: "England, Norfolk Bishop's Transcripts, 1685-1941," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27H6-CXM : 17 February 2021), Record Office, Central Library, Norwich; FHL microfilm 1,545,212.
Mary (Ann) b.: 1795,
William B: 1810 at Cransford or Melton and
Amy B 1814 at Cransford. Amy married William Muddock in 1835 and died 1874.
By age 16, Mary was working as a servant girl, at the house of her employer variously: house of a Howard or John Welton of Raddingham or Badingham or Baddington; when on 13 March 1812 Mary was charged with an alleged arson, namely for burning down the master's house on 25 November 1811.
Mary was tried at Suffolk Assizes on 13 March, 1812 and found guilty of setting fire to a house and sentenced to death, however, due to her young age and first offence, the charge was commuted to transportation for life.
Newspapers reported as follows:
"Last week Mary Marjoram was committed to Ipswich goal, by the Rev. F. Hotham, charged with maliciously setting fire to the dwelling of John Welton, of Baddington, with whom she lived servant"
The Bury and Norwich Post: Or, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, and Ely Advertiser (Bury Saint Edmunds, England), Wednesday, December 04, 1811; Issue 1536. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.
Suffolk Lent Assizes March 25, 1812
The Bury and Norwich Post: Or, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, and Ely Advertiser (Bury Saint Edmunds, England), Wednesday, March 25, 1812; Issue 1552.
"Mary Marjoram for arson, in wilfully setting fire to the dwelling house of John Welton, of Baddington, on 25th Novemeber last.
Other offenders in this period from Suffolk were John and Robert (May 26, 1826) Marjoram
Mary spent 17 months in Suffolk goal before being dispatched to Australia[iii], aboard the ship "Wanstead" departed from Spithead, Portsmouth on 24 Aug 1813 and arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 9th January 1814.
Mary Marjoram was described as height 5' 4", fair complexion, black hair, and hazel eyes.
In New South Wales, Mary was immediately placed at a female factory at Parramatta. Prisoners were sent by boat to Parramatta Female Factory and arrived on 13th January 1814, where she worked in the storeroom and appears on a list of women prisoners (Reel 6004; 4/3493 p.12).
Mary was reported in 1817 as chained re riot. In December 1819 records reference her request for permission to marry at Parramatta (Reel 6007; 4/3501 p.101). After working in this factory for 3 years she became pregnant. The father, Richard Batty was born Aug 27, 1797 in Sydney Cove and her first child a son was born April,1818. The father was not regarded as able to care for the mother and child and following the birth Mary was assigned to work with settlers in Liverpool, NSW. There she met William Coates, and William Coates and Mary received permission to marry in 1819 and a ceremony was conducted by Samuel Marsden at St.Johns Parramatta on January 3, 1820.
Mary Marjoram, her status now changed, received a Convict Pardon on 28 Nov 1821. On the 30 Nov 1821 the convict register shows her certificate of absolute pardon.
According to family oral tradition Mary may have been of gypsy stock, as Marjoram aka. Marjaram, Hayaram, is believed to be of Romani (gypsy) pedigree and also because the name is that of a herb. In addition her skill at spinning and weaving, which she undertook at the factory, was considered as learnt from the same stock (?). The Parramatta Female Factory was known as the toughest institution for women in the colony.
Origin: The Romani are generally believed to have originated in central India and the Indus River Valley. Much persecuted throughout Europe and under English laws which were gradually repealed from 1780. Refer: romani and gypsy.
After working in this factory for 3 years she became pregnant to Richard Batty and her first child, they named Richard. After the birth Mary was assigned to work with settlers in Liverpool, where she met William Coates and they married on 3 January 1820. On the 30 Nov 1821 the convict register shows her certificate of absolute pardon.
John William (Will) Coates was born in 1792 in the town of Trimdon in Durham. He was an excise officer and was tried on April 25, 1816 at Cumberland Assizes for an unrecorded crime and sentenced to seven years transportation. On December 9,1816 he was aboard the convict transport "Sir William Bensley" which sailed from London and arrived in Sydney on March 10,1817, and Will was sent to Bringelly, where he was assigned as a Magistrates clerk. He died 8 Dec.1847 in New South Wales, Australia
Mary and John (Will) Coates had a large family and became land owners of Trimdon Grange. They had a hard time establishing their lives in Australia and from adversity became one of the pioneer roots of modern day Australia.
Children of John W. Coates and Mary A. Marjoram
William COATES raised Richard Batty as his own son. Richard changed his name (circa 1856) to his fathers name and Richard Batty married Ann Susanna Bryant at Carcoar, New South Wales in 1856 (BDM 1284/1856) . His death certificate shows his father was Richard BATTY, a painter and mother Mary Ann Marjoram.Richard Coates (Born: 1818) aka Richard Batty (adopted).
Jane Coates (Born: 1821) married Andrew Hinds 1837 Kings Plains
Mary Ann Coates (Born: 1823-1848) married John Ingram 1839 Kings Plains. John & Mary, death Woodstock. Son in Law, John Ingram publican license applicant 1851, Woodstock. Woodstock is the area named for the property “Woodstock” at Evans Plains, which is the first stop along from Bathurst, then comes Kings Plains, where John Ingram and Mary Coates married 1839 and sadly where Mary Ingram died 1848.
Eleanor Coates (Born: 1825) married 3 times, George Luck 1840
Louisa Coates (Born: 1826) married John Wheeler 1843
John William Coates Jnr. (Born: 1827)
Matilda Coates (Born: 1829) married Thomas Lane 1845
Alfred Coates (Born: 1831 married Maria Reed 1865
Emma Coates (Born: 1833). After the death of her sister Eleanor, whose third husband was John Gilbert, she was married to the widower.
Ann Coates (Born: 1835) married James Morthorpe 1855
Mary Marjoram died on the 01 March 1838, at Woodstock, New South Wales; registered Parramatta, and buried Castlereagh under the name Mary Marjoram - a graziers wife, ex Wansted.
References:
Beverley Earnshaw ~ "A Century of Pioneers" The story of five pioneer families in the Central West; copyright 1984 Beverley Earnshaw ISBN: 0 9593925 1 3
Geoffrey Owen on ancestry.com ~ Owen-Marjoram Family.
Note: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries for the area of: The Bury and Norwich Post: Or, Suffolk and Norfolk Telegraph, Essex, Cambridge, & Ely Intelligencer (Bury Saint Edmunds, England),
Note:- Message board: ejw2713 - I think you are correct with Badingham. - Checked 1844 White's as it is the nearest reference I have to hand at home. In Badingham in 1844 there are John Welton - blacksmith, Richard Welton - grocer and blacksmith, Robert Welton - farmer.
Siblings of Mary Marjoram,b:1895, • Elizabeth b.1790 at Attleborough, • William B: 1810 at Cransford or Melton and Amy B 1814 at Cransford.
Mary and John (Will) Coates had a large family and became land owners of Trimdon Grange. They had a hard time establishing their lives in Australia and from adversity became one of the pioneer roots of modern day Australia. They are also highlighted as Australian Royalty on a website of that name.