Frances Heazle was born in 1812 in Canterbury. According to her death certificate Frances was the daughter of Sergeant Major Benjamin Heazel and his wife Elizabeth, and was born at Canterbury in 1812. While her baptism record remains elusive, there is no reason to doubt this information.
1,2 She witnessed the baptism of
James ("Jimmy") Reed on 5 April 1835 in Manchester, England.
3 , as 's mother, presented at baptism on 26 July 1837 in Linden, NSW.
4 She witnessed the baptism of
Sarah Ann Reed on 26 May 1844 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Robert Luxford's "Reed Family History" mentions "When Sarah Ann Reed (born 21st March) was baptised on 26th May, 1844. the address was shown as York Street, so it appears that James Reed had set himself up in a shop on the corner just across the way from the Barracks which he had just left. Clearly, if the military life no longer held any appeal, the company of his old colleagues was still attractive (as also their custom)."
1,5 Frances Heazle witnessed the baptism of
Prudence Reed on 30 August 1846 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Robert Luxford's "Reed Family History" mentions "another baptismal record - Prudence, August 1846 (born July). (Her father) had become a constable in Kent Street. Previously the babies were baptised in St James or St Philip's church, the two nearest the Barracks. Prudence was baptised at St Andrews which suggests that James was stationed at the watch immediately behind the still incomplete cathedral."
1,6 At 's birth, on on 27 November 1862 in Bogan River, NSW, Australia, assisted as a midwife. The original record names the birthplace as "Gralger No. 17 Station on the Bogan" but I have not found any other refrence to this place. It is very likely that this should read "Cowga Station", which comprised blocks 16 and No 17 on the East Bogan. Perhaps the scribe mis-heard the name of the station. According to a list of early Bourke District births published on page 30, volume 7 of the History of Bourke journal, this child was the ninth child of European origin born in the Bourke District. The first child had been born at Fort Bourke two years earlier.
7,8,9,10
Frances Heazle was travelling on 13 January 1831 in Kephalonia.
13 She was travel on 10 March 1831 in Portsmouth, England.
13 She was travel on 30 May 1831 in Stafford, Staffordshire.
13 She was travel on 5 January 1832 in Manchester, England.
13 She was travel on 2 June 1832.
13 She was travel on 3 June 1832 in Dublin, Ireland.
13 She was travel on 10 October 1832 in Dublin, Ireland.
13,14 She was travel on 11 October 1832 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "While at Belfast many parties were sent out at different periods for the purpose of assisting the Civil Power in collecting tithes..."
13,14 She was travel on 25 July 1833 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
13 She was travel on 7 April 1834 in Dublin, Ireland.
13 She was travel on 24 April 1834 in Liverpool, England.
13 She was travel on 1 May 1834 in Blackburn, Lancashire.
13 She was travel on 17 October 1834 in Manchester, England.
13 She was travel on 4 May 1835 in Liverpool, England.
13 She was travel on 7 September 1835 in Chatham. They arrived at Chatham on 7 October 1835.
13 She emigrated on 25 July 1836. "James Reed and his family embarked on the "Earl Grey" on 25th July, 1836. The military party consisted of 5 officers, a sergeant and 29 rank and file, 3 officers' wives, five women and seven children. There were 45 in the crew."
"According to Surgeon Evans, the ship was new and very damp, so several of the guard suffered 'catarrhal affliction'. To dry out the ship, fires were burnt between decks and the barracks and prison 'dry holy stoned with hot sand and lime' - this during the voyage from Deptford to Kingstown, Ireland, to embark the convicts." "During the passage to Ireland little John Reed took sick with croup. ... The little boy was bled and given aperient powders to make him vomit, to the extent that his 'countenance became pale and sunk' and 'symptoms of sinking of the powers of life were manifest - the powders were discontinued...' - all on the first day! It took him two weeks to recover from this treatment."
1 John and
James traveled to on 27 August 1836. "The convicts were embarked in two groups - 91 at Kingstown and 192 at Cork, plus 'five free boys (the sons of convicts in the Colony)'. So the ship sailed on 27th August with 384 persons on board." "Sentry duty was carried out around the clock and the men on guard were regularly inspected by the officer in charge. Soldiers could be reported and punished for such offences as insolence, quarrelling, dirty weapons, sitting down while on guard, sleeping on guard or talking to the prisoners"
1
John and
James traveled to in November 1836. "The voyage took 126 days from Cork to Sydney. The surgeon's account indicates that generally it was without incident. He complains of the heat and expresses concern for the health of the convicts in his charge. At his insistence the vessel called at Capetown in November to take on 'fresh beef, mutton and vegetables for the Guard and convicts'. Scurvy was affecting a number of the convicts by this time, but it cleared up very quickly afterwards. In all, three convicts died on the voyage"
1 She immigrated on 31 December 1836 to Sydney, NSW, Australia. "The ship arrived in Sydney on 31st December 1836. 'The weather proved remarkably fine and unusually dry' wrote the surgeon. The next day the convicts were marched to the Barracks to be inspected by the Governor (Sir Richard Bourke). The safe arrival of the ship and its assorted company was briefly reported in the
Sydney Gazette. The officers and their wives are mentioned by name. James Reed, his wife and children are not mentioned - just '29 rank and file of the 28th, 50th and 80th Regiments, 5 women and 7 children'."
1,15 She lived with
Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, on 3 January 1837 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australian Colonies. "Until July, 1837 the Regiment was based at Sydney Barracks. It then moved its headquarters to Windsor. It supplied detachments to a variety of locations to act as guards for convict work gangs."
1 She was travel on 31 July 1838 in Windsor, New South Wales, Australian Colonies. "The detachment stationed hitherto at 17 Mile Hollow on the Bathurst Road was relieved by one from the 28th Regiment in July and rejoined Head Quarters."
14 Alexander,
James, and
John traveled to on 10 September 1839. "On the 10th September a party consisting of 1 Sub 2 Serjts and 32 rank and file proceeded from Head Quarters at Windsor to Sydney for the purpose of taking a share in the duties of the latter station."
14 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived at Wollongong Stockade in Wollongong, NSW, Australia, on 7 November 1841.
16 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived at Nichol Street in Surry Hills, NSW, in 1842. This must have been another family. They were church opf Scotland and had two females who were older than any of the members of our family. Also, this family was recorded at the same address on the electoral roll a year later, when our family was known to have moved to Wollongong.
17 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived in a dwelling house at Clarence Street in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1848.
18 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived in a dwelling house at Clarence Street in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1851.
19 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived a house of wood and shingle owned by George Atherton at 37 Cambridge Street, the Rocks, in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1861. It is possible that this record could relate to a different James Reed. The John Reed (waterman) who lived next door could have been his son, John Benjamin Reed, then aged 29 years. Note that these two houses are bracketed together in the City of Sydney Assessment Book for 1861 (page 12) and rented together. They were worth a combine 28 pounds.
20,21 Migrated with from to about 1862. "James' and Frances' obituaries in the '
Western Herald' are quite specific that the family moved to Bourke in 1862... The year is significant because it marks the beginning of land selection under the provisions of the Robertson land acts. For several years there had been severe unemployment in Sydney and agitation for land reform, that is, to allow small selectors to move in on the great holdings of the squatters, was vigorous. Provision was made for Crown lands to be selected 'at a price of £1 per acre, with an initial payment of 25 percent and the remainder within three years'."
"From 1860 it was possible to travel as far as Penrith by train, by Cobb & Co. coach to Dubbo, then by whatever transport was available (frequently horseback) for 400 miles to Bourke. It is likely that the Reeds had to organise their own transport to carry household goods and the women and children"
1,22 Private James Reed, 80th Regiment of Foot, and she lived at Darling Street in North Bourke, New South Wales, Australian Colonies, on 5 April 1891. The household included 1 male and 1 female.
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