Robert Garrad

Robert Garrad, baptised in Wickham Skeith on 16 November 1788 as Robert, son of John GARROD and Mary CROSS. Robert married Elizabeth MAYES on 9 February 1807 and their son John was born on 11 March 1807 in Wickham Skeith followed by a daughter, Maria, born on 14 April 1808. Elizabeth was later to marry John Cattermole in Wickham Skeith on 13 August 1821, and have a further five known children. Tragically, Elizabeth died in a house fire in 1876 at 87 years of age,

Unfortunately, on 27 February 1808, Robert, together with father-in-law, John Mayes and brother in law, George Mayes, stole from the house of William Morgan in Thornam Magna "one hundred and sixty pounds weight of pork at the value of four pounds, two legs of pork to the value of eight shillings and two earthern dishes to the value of 12 pence."

Soon after the trio found themselves in Ipswich gaol and in late March before the Suffolk Assizes to be tried for their "crime". All three received the death sentence. At the time John Mayes was 46, George Mays 14 and Robert Garrad 19 years of age.

However, the Bury and Norwich Post of 30 March 1808 reported

"Before the judge quitted the town, he was pleased to reprieve G Mayes and Robert Gerrard. John Mayes was left for execution."

George Mayes served a shorter sentence in England. Robert was entenced to 14 years transportation to New South Wales. John Mayes' sentence was later commuted to transportation and we find him in Sydney, aged 66 listed in the 1828 Census. We have little information relation to John Mayes, other that he was enthusiastically recommended for a Ticket of Leave in 1818 by his employer, William Blower (Blower, also a convict, had arrived in NSW in 1791 and was free by servitude when John Mayes arrived in Australia.) Mayes had worked for Blower since his arrival in 1811. Blower had a holding of 70 acres at Prospect which, on his death, he left to his wife Martha. Martha, in gratitude for 21 years faithful service, gifted the land to John Mayes. We have no conclusive record of John Mayes death. He may have died in NSW in 1841or he may have returned to England.

Robert spent three years in the prison hulks "Captivity" and "Retribution", moored at Devonport, Plymouth before finally setting sale for Australia on the "Admiral Gambier", together with 199 other male convicts, on 12 May 1811. The "Admiral Gambier" arrived at Port Jackson on 10 October 1811, the start of our family presence on this continent.

Captivity was a former 64-gun ship launched in 1772 as HMS Monmouth She became a prison hulk and was renamed Captivity in 1796. She was broken up in 1816