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ELIZABETH PARKER - FRIENDSHIP &
CHARLOTTE
this story is under review by Membership Team
Elizabeth Parker
was charged with breaking and entering and stealing one
linen gown and one shirt according to John Cobley’s book
Crimes Of The First Fleet on the 31st
October 1784. She was convicted at the Gloucester Lent
Assizes on the 23rd March 1785 for grand
larceny, and was sentenced to transportation for
7 years (1).
In Castle Gaol,
Gloucester, Elizabeth met another convict,
Edward Pugh, who was also convicted at the
Gloucester Assizes. Whether they knew each other before
they were both sent to gaol in Gloucester is not known
as yet, but they were in gaol together and Elizabeth
fell pregnant. It has not been established whether they
were married at this time, but accounts of the time
indicate that it was important for a female prisoner to
be taken under the protection of a male prisoner,
otherwise she was at the mercy of all around her.
Elizabeth and Edward,
along with their baby daughter Ann and another convict
Betty Mason, were ordered to Portsmouth to board
the Prince of Wales on the 23rd March,
1787.Elizabeth, Edward and Ann were again transferred to
the First Fleet vessel Friendship on the 10th
April, 1787 (2) and the information recorded for
Elizabeth by 2nd Lieutenant of Marines, Ralph
Clark, was: female, occupation none, age 22,
housebreaking, 7 years, child a girl.
During the voyage things
did not go well for Elizabeth, and Lt. Ralph
Clark states in his journal, date the 6th
October 1787, “I almost forgot to mention Elizabeth
Pugh and Rachael Harley were put in big irons together,
the former for quarrelling and ‘dirtyness’ and the
latter for ‘dirtyness’ and theft”. On the 11th
October he reports that the doctor found her (Elizabeth)
to be very ill and ordered that she be put out of irons
until she got better. She was accordingly put out,
but the chains still remained on the other. Perhaps her
ill health accounts for her conduct.
After the arrival of the
First Fleet at Port Jackson the female convicts were not
landed until the 6th February. It appears
she may still have been ill when the fleet arrived in
Port Jackson. Within a very short time after landing
Elizabeth Parker died, and was buried on the 19th
February 1788 according to the Mutch Index with her name
being registered as Pugh (3). It is mentioned in
Dr. John Cobley’s book Sydney Cove 1788 that 2
convicts died at this time, one being the first male
convict to die in the colony. It would seem that
Elizabeth Pugh nee Parker was the first white woman to
die in the colony. Sadly Elizabeth and Edward’s
daughter, Ann, died a short time later in June
the same year. Her death is also registered in the name
Pugh.
Unfortunately it is not
known what illness Elizabeth died from, but after
reading the book An Account of the English Colony in
New South Wales (Volume 1) by David Collins
1756 -1810, we may take an educated guess at its being
dysentery.
In the following
paragraph taken from this book it states:
“The women did not
disembark until the 6th of February; when, every person
belonging to the settlement being landed, the numbers
amounted to 1030 persons. The tents for the sick were
placed on the West side, and it was observed with
concern that their numbers were fast increasing. The
scurvy that had not appeared during the passage, now
broke out, which, aided by dysentery, began to fill the
hospital, and several died. In addition to the medicines
that were administered, every species of esculent plants
that could be found in the country were procured for
them; wild celery, spinach, and parsley, fortunately
grew in abundance about the settlement; those who were
in health, as well as the sick, were very glad to
introduce them into their messes, and found them a
pleasant as well as wholesome addition to the ration of
salt provisions”.
Elizabeth has no
descendants but was known as the wife of Edward Pugh.
It is, therefore, important that she be remembered in
our family history. It seems Elizabeth Parker was the
first female to die on Australian soil and this should
be recognised and not forgotten. An early map of the
first settlement shows the hospital and the cemetery:
the cemetery was in the area near where the southern
pylon of the harbour bridge is today, and hopefully
there will one day be a plaque placed here to remember
her.
An interesting footnote.
Edward Pugh’s
first daughter, Harriett, married a Stephen Parker.
Their first daughter was named Elizabeth, and thus
was another Elizabeth Parker, granddaughter of
Edward Pugh and Hannah Smith
Valerie Williams
#8050
1. From Mr Cook’s Papers
NLA ref. Gaol Calenders, Epiphany 1785 – Epiphany 1787;
Order in Council No. 7, Page 31, No. 8, Page 32, PRO
Assizes 2/25 Gloucester Records Office.
2. Ralph Clark’s Journal
3. Copy NSW Death
Certificate Vol 46 No 2
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