CATHERINE  JOHNSON

Catherine Moore (née Johnson), who was sentenced to seven years transportation at the age of 16.  Catherine Johnson and Ann Smith were tried by the London Jury before the Court Recorder at the Old Bailey Sessions which commenced on 18 April 1787, that is, less than a month before the First Fleet sailed for Botany Bay. They were indicted "for stealing on 3rd March last, fifteen yards of printed calico, value 3 pounds, the property of Thomas Ashby and Joseph Osborne, privily in their shop." The shop was at Holborn Bridge.
  
This case is rather unusual in that the prisoners, unlike most First Fleet convicts, were defended by counsel. The owner of the shop and two assistants stated that the defendants were looking at "some muslins and prints" and that "they tumbled the things over the counter more than generally is the case and asked for a number of things from the poles."  After they had gone out an assistant, acting on suspicion, went "to fetch them back." When they came back to the counter Catherine Johnson was observed to drop the calico from under her petticoats on her left side.” It was claimed that Catherine Johnson pressed the owner to let her go and said "it was the first time she was guilty."  
Catherine Johnson in her defence said "when we came home the gentleman said they might be his things but he could not swear to them, and that gentleman that stands up now (presumably Ashby) said hanging was too good for us, and hang us, he said he would, if he could, and he took out a pencil and make a mark." Catherine called two witnesses "who gave here a good Character." Regrettably their names were not recorded, nor what they said. Ann Smith said nothing in her own defence. The jury found both women guilty. Although the offence was a capital one, the Recorder merely sentenced them to transportation for seven years. It may be that the jury returned a correct verdict, but on the evidence, and in view of the judge's sentence, it seems that there was an element of doubt.  

Catherine and Ann were received on board Prince of Wales on 3 May 1787. They had been sent with 35 other women from London to Portsmouth, where the First Fleet vessels were anchored, to make up the complement for the ship. No mention is made of Catharine Johnson in the records of the voyage. 

She was transferred from Sydney Cove to Norfolk Island late in 1788 or early in 1789. The only reference to her at Norfolk Island is an entry in Lt. King's Journal — "Catharine Johnson, a female convict, was punished with fifty lashes on the 7th (September 1789) for abusing the storekeeper and accusing him of theft wrongfully."
  
It would appear that she left the island some time after her term expired, in 1794, as she is shown in the Muster of 1800 as being a resident of Sydney. The next reference is in St Phillip's register which shows that Margaret Jane Moore was born to Catherine Johnson at Sydney in August 1804.  
The father of her child, Tristram Moore, had arrived in Atlas in October 1802. He had been transported from Ireland with a life sentence. He was an apothecary and was six feet in height, which was rather unusual in for the time. Moore and Johnson were to spend their lives together, although there is no record of them being married.  Another child, Mary Ann, was born to them in April 1806, whilst a child, Tristram, was buried at St Phillip's in August 1809. There is no record of his baptism.  

Meanwhile, Catherine Johnson was to become a landowner. As a free person she was able to buy 100 acres, the property of Charles Cross, which was auctioned "by virtue of execution." The purchase price was 120 pounds to be paid "in storeable wheat or cash" and the transaction was completed in August 1806. One year later the title to this property, which was situated half a mile upstream from the Ebenezer Church, was transferred to Tristram Moore.  
There the apothecary from Ireland and the shoplifter from London settled down to the harsh conditions of Hawkesbury farming. They grew their wheat and maize in the face of the depredations of the aborigines and in spite of frequent inundation from the river. Catherine possibly sought work as a needlewoman to supplement the family income.

In 1828 they had 34 acres under cultivation and were running a horse and 18 horned cattle. Catherine was recorded as housekeeper to Moore at Wilberforce under her own name, and aged 57. Their home consisted of a rough slab hut with a bark roof, "a ground floor" and a crude stone fireplace. It was on the banks of the river safely above flood level. It is marked by a grassy mound that grew over the old rough stone chimney when it collapsed.
  
Catherine died on 18 May 1838 aged 67 years and Tristram Moore died on the first anniversary of her death, on 18 May 1839. They left their original purchase, intact, to their younger daughter, Mary Ann. They were both buried at St John’s Wilberforce.