Ann Webb, wife, mother & Convict

 Women have been so often written out of history, even death notices do not give their name sometimes.  They are often referred to as Mrs John Smith or relic of Mr. John Smith.  Ann Webb (as she was born) is even referred to in this way on her grave, although she does have her married name.

Get ready to meet a truly remarkable woman who defied the odds and overcame incredible challenges in her lifetime. Ann Webb was born in 19th century England, most likely in Lancashire around 1803. Despite growing up without the privilege of an education, Ann lived a life filled with incredible experiences.

At the tender age of 22, Ann tied the knot with Samuel John Brobin (or possibly Brabin, Brabbin or Brobbin) at St Mary's in Lancaster, Lancashire, the records indicate Ann could not read or write. A year later, she gave birth to her first child, a son named James, and went on to have two more children.

Unfortunately, Ann's life took a drastic turn for the worse when she found herself in front of a judge (and not for the 1st time!) at the age of 25. As a dairywoman, Ann was accused of stealing clothes. There is evidence suggesting that she may have been tried alongside another woman named Rebecca Warburton, as they were both charged with felony and the invoice for the prosecution was payable to Mr. J. Warden who may have been the victim of the theft.

Ann's fate was sealed when she was sentenced to seven years of transportation in Lancaster on October 20th, 1828. This meant that she would be sent to a penal colony in Australia, leaving behind her family and everything she knew. But Ann was not alone in her fate, as many women during this time were subjected to the same harsh reality. Her story is a powerful reminder of the struggles that women like her faced and the sacrifices they made to survive in a difficult world.

Despite the challenges she faced, Ann remained resilient and determined to make the most of her situation. Her husband Samuel tried to plead with Sir Robert Peel to either keep Ann from being transported because of their children or to allow him and the children to accompany her. Unfortunately, his efforts were unsuccessful, and Ann was forced to go it alone.

The voyage on the Sovereign was not easy, On the 21st March the first draught of women came on board and on the 27th the remainder of the women were embarked. Although there were many who were from London and had been tried at the Old Bailey, there were also women like Ann who had come from other counties in England and some had travelled a great distance under very difficult circumstances. Several women when being brought from Liverpool, were chained together on the top of a stage coach, which was overturned in the night causing them to be thrown onto the road. One women, Mary Williams received a deep gash in the calf of her leg when the irons ploughed into it.

The surgeon on board was George Fairfowl, who wrote in his journal "by admonition and steady punishment they learned that perseverance in improper conduct invariable tended to their own discomfort.'

They were made to rise at 7 in the morning, and when dressed, to roll up neatly their beds, pillows and blankets in a hard roll. After this the prison was swept out, and such parts as were wet dried up, and when this was properly done, and not before, breakfast was served out. After breakfast when the weather permitted, they were all sent up on deck, carrying with them the utensils they had used at their breakfast, and the prison received a thorough cleaning. It was then locked up until noon, to prevent any going below without express leave, and it was well ventilated by means of stoves burned in the water closets and by windsails. These were the regular times of cleaning the deck; but one mess daily received charge of it, and was responsible for it being, at all times dry and clean. The water closets were also washed out three times a day, and oftener when required, and each time sprinkled with the solution of chloride of lime.

The women and children were mustered on Sundays and Thursday, and inspected to see that their hair was combed and their persons linen and stockings were clean. Cheerful and innocent amusements among themselves were encouraged, and provided the songs were not licentious, singing was permitted until 8 o'clock except on Sundays and Thursdays.

On Sunday mornings church services were read to them; on the quarterdeck when the weather permitted, and in the evening in the prison. On Thursday evenings the service was read in the prison, and as they were permitted to sing the psalms and hymns which many, having been trained to it in Newgate, did with considerable taste and melody, it became a pleasant duty, instead of an irksome task, and was rarely omitted. It served a purpose of keeping them occupied at a time when they were usually all crowded together in the dark, and inclined to quarrel or to play mischievous tricks on each other, for want of useful employment."  

Although George Fairfowl was under no illusions that the women were reformed on arrival in Sydney, he nevertheless thought they had improved their behaviour and demeanour under his guidance.

From her convict indent on arrival in Sydney, we learn that Ann was 5ft 1 inch tall, had dark hair and hazel eyes, and a dark ruddy complexion. She had a large scar and a small horizontal one over her left eye, as well as a small one on her left cheek. In most of her records, she is referred to as Ann Brobbin, the wife of John Brobbin, even on the convict transportation register when she was sent to Sydney in 1829 aboard the "Sovereign" alone.

Ann was assigned on arrival to Newcastle, to Captain James St John Ranclaud, a retired British officer who had a land grant in the Newcastle area at Teralba on Lake Macquarie.

In June 1830 however, she was convicted of the crime of "pregnancy" and sent to the Female Factory at Parramatta. The formal record I have found of her child's birth was a record of baptism of an "Elizabeth Brabbin or Elizabeth Smith". Baptised on 3rd October 1830, this record states her date of birth as 19th February 1830 and her parentage as the daughter of Joseph Smith and Ann Brabbin. Who Joseph Smith was is uncertain, however he may have been another convict, and I have found no record of Ann marrying any Joseph Smith.

Two years later, in April 1832 there is an entry in the Government Gazette listing her as having absconded from her assignment to John Cooper of Liverpool Road. Later in the year, in July, In 1832 there is a record of Ann being assigned to a Thomas Jarvis, 8 Clarence Street Sydney as a laundress.

A Year later on 25th March 1833 Ann Brabbin married William Thomas Parker who was also a convict. Parker was convicted of larceny at the Old Bailey on 3rd. July 1822 and transported on 2nd October 1822 to Sydney and gained his Certificate of Freedom on 8th July 1829.

Women convicts found it difficult to get permission to marry, particularly if they had been married in England. Permission to marry was considered an indulgence and was only given if the convict had been of good behaviour and depended on time served and other considerations. Convicts who did not demonstrate ‘soberness’ or ‘industriousness’ were not permitted to marry. From the records it appears that men who had their freedom were allowed to marry even if they had a wife and family back 'home' as they were not allowed to travel back to England.

On 6th August 1831 Wiliam Parker presented a Memorial to the Governor praying for permission to marry a convict (Ann Brabbin). Comments by someone indicate that Ann had stated that she was previously married in England to Parker and that Parker was the father of her existing child Elizabeth and that they may have been living together. This statement was untrue as she was still married to Samuel Brabbin and the father of Elizabeth is stated as Joseph Smith.

On 10th February 1832 William and Ann lodged an application for the publication of marriage Banns with the Rev. Samuel Marsden at St Johns Church Parramatta. William indicated he was a bachelor, free and living in Sydney and Ann was a spinster under Bond being at the Female Factory. The Banns were not allowed due to Ann's marriage to Samuel Brabbin. The couple did eventually marry in 1833 at St James Church of England in Sydney, Ann used her maiden name of Webb and was shown as a spinster indicating that she was free (of couse this was untrue).

Even when Ann was finally granted her certificate of freedom in 1836 she is listed as " Brabbin Ann, the wife of John" Ann and William Parker went on to have 7 children together and are buried at St Johns Anglican Church Cemetery at Ashfield, NSW. Ann lived a life typical of the times, tied mostly to the men she married and is still referred to on her headstone as "Relic of above" (William Parker).