Rebecca Bolton/Boulton c1760—1788

 

 

Rebecca Bolton (indicted thus spelt Boulton in other records) aged 23 and wife of Thomas Bolton of Thimbleby, Links, confessed to theft of clothing from the house at Withcall in which she was a servant, and was sentenced to transportation to America for seven years on 8 May 1784 at the quarter Sessions of Lindsey at Spilsby, Links. As Rebecca Gibson she had married Thomas Bolton, a laborer, at Panton, Links in 1778.

 

On 30 December 1786 the gaoler wrote to Evan Nepean to say “(she) has a Female Child about 8 months old, should be glad you’d inform me whether the child can go with the Mother, she being very desirous to take it”.

 

Permission was sent on 22 March 1787, but though she had been ordered to Portsmouth for embarkation on Prince of Wales on 16th with three other women (Mary Harrison, Mary Groves and Mary Pinder, qv), the infant Rebecca  was not actually delivered until the 25th at 8 pm when the Turnkey of Lincoln Gaol brought on board four female convicts and a child.

 

Rebecca senior and baby Rebecca survived the journey but lived in their new homeland for a short time. Rebecca Bolton senior died and was buried at Sydney Cove on 21 April 1788. Her child also named Rebecca died one week later.

 

Infant child Rebecca Bolton/Boulton, (1786--1788)

Rebecca junior was born in Lincoln Gaol around April 1786, went with her mother Rebecca Bolton senior (qv) on Prince of Wales. Young Rebecca was buried at Sydney Cove on 28 April 1788.

 

 

 

In Memory of

Rebecca Senior and Infant Rebecca

 

They left their mark far from home.

Thankfully Mother and daughter are united forever.

Infant Rebecca had little time to run, play and learn.

Both are now at peace.

 

 

Information:

Founders of Australia. M. Gillen.

 

Verse by J. Mortimer # 6409 

 

 

 

Copyright Fellowship of First Fleeters