John Gilbert is a fairly common name so it is not clear, whether one or more persons, of the same name married Ellen and Emma Coates in the 1861 and 1873. The gathering of facts below is thereby speculative.

A person of the name John Gilbert born about 1808 in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England was convicted of larceny in July 1823 and imprisoned for nine months. He was convicted again of housebreaking and burglary in the Lent session of Bedford assizes on 6 March 1834 and sentenced to death, which was commuted to transportation for life.

John Gilbert boarded the ship “Hooghley” (aka Hougley) which departed England on 25 July 1834, with 258 convict prisoners, sailed for Australia, arriving in New South Wales on 18 November 1834. Voyage of the Hoogley 1834 - <https://www.macleayargus.com.au/story/7597550/a-tale-of-two-convicts-william-delaforce-and-thomas-lee/>

As the Hooghly neared the equator in September, the oppressive heat and guilty thoughts of his miserable human cargo played on the mind of the commanding officer of the 50th Regiment guarding the convicts, Lieutenant-Colonel Woodhouse.

One day he suddenly appeared among the convicts with a list of his sins in one hand and a Bible in the other and began confessing his sins before being forcibly removed by his fellow-soldiers and confined to his cabin for the remainder of the journey.

Landing in Sydney on November 18, the boys were taken to Hyde Park Barracks.

The Hoogley was the same ship on which Thomas Putland arrived and who was tried for the same crime at the same place, so they may have been known to one another before arrival in Australia. John Gilbert was disposed of to Edward Park of Sydney and was recorded with Edward Park in 1837 working as a farm labourer and received a conditional pardon in 1846.

John Gilbert conditional pardon^[vii] was issued on 30 Jul 1847 in Sydney, New South Wales, when he was 40 years of age, a labourer

• • • Birth Year: 1807

    • Place of Origin: Bedfordshire

    • Date of Conviction: 6 Mar 1834

    • Record Type: Conditional (signed 13 July 1847)

    • Pardon Number: 47/594 - granted 30 Jul 1847

    • Height: 5' 5.²⁵", Ruddy complexion, Brown hair and Blue eyes. His nose was thin and a mole on the back of right ear; scar on the ball of the left thumb, and a wart on the back of the left hand.

Reference Notes:

A John married Emma Coates, 19 years of age, born 1855, daughter of George Coates (bricklayer) and Mary Lasimar. The marriage took place on 17 June 1774, (#3521) registered in Parramatta and John was aged 30, so is unlikely to be the person associated to Ellen Coates. Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931)

• Tue 23 Jun 1874 "John, second son of the late Mr. John Gilbert, of Parramatta to Emma, eldest dangher Of Sir. George Coates. of Parramatta."
  

Their first child John was born in 1875 and it is noted an Emma Gilbert (1849 - 1878) died in Sydney (#1267/1878) of unknown parents (possibly b.V18492255 34A/1849 - Thomas Gilbert and Emma) and another who died in 1915 whose parents were William and Mary A.

It is not clear whether Emma was related to Ellen, nor how many persons of the name John Gilbert [iii] there are in these cases. Researchers on ancestry.com provide no convincing evidence for these persons.

[i] There were four females born in NSW with parents William Gilbert and Mary who could be the female however there is some possible traces for each of them – Hannah (1844- ?), Louisa (1854-1893?), Emma (1848-1873?) and Mary (1870-1877?). An Ellen J Gilbert death was registered in 1860 and may have been their child.

KPJ Tree

[ii] BDM NSW Marriage Online search 1233/1861 GILBERT JOHN LUCK ELLEN BATHURST

[iii] As Ellen Coates Luck Gilbert probably died by 1872, A female person with no registered first name (#3053/1872) and surname Gilbert died in 1872 with parents William and Mary[ii] and this death registered in Bathurst. This is possibly the death of Eleanor Coates. There were four females born in NSW with parents William Gilbert and Mary who could be the 'female' however there is some possible traces for each of them – Hannah (1844- ?), Louisa (1854-1893?), Emma (1848-1873?) and Mary (1870-1877?).

[v] Children born to John Gilbert and Ellen or Helen in Taree were not hers. John F Gilbert born 1887 registered (#23579) Taree and his siblings were not born of this union and John married Gertrude E Halliday in 1915 in Taree.

[vi] As Ellen Coates Gilbert probably died by 1872, the children born to John Gilbert and Ellen or Helen in Taree were not hers. John F Gilbert born 1887 registered (#23579) Taree and his siblings were not born of this union and John married Gertrude E Halliday in 1915 in Taree.

[vii] New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870

[viii] There was also a John Gilbert, a draper, born 1844 and son of John Gilbert (builder) and Bridget Lynch.

• • Registration number201/1833 V1833201 17; Groom's Family Name: GILBERT; Groom's Given Name(s)JOHN; Bride's Family Name(s)LYNCH; Bride's Given Name(s)BRIDGET.

  • Distric : CJ. One Bridget Gilbert died 1886.