Jane Gordon Royal Admiral 1792
Jane Gordon – Scattergood, convict Royal Admiral 1792
Janet (Jane) Scattergood died on 13 Dec 1838 at Back River, New Norfolk, VDL, with a recorded age of 95 years (born 1743, likely exaggerated due to her daughter Mary being born in 1800, which would make Janet nearly 60). Her death notice appeared in the Colonial Times: “As a tolerable proof of the salubrity of our climate, amongst several other persons whose thread of life has worn well amongst us, Mary (sic) Scattergood, who was born in Scotland in the year 1745, was sent early to New South Wales, thence to Norfolk Island, thence to this Colony (VDL) on its first settlement, died at New Norfolk last week, aged 93 years (sic).” Exaggerated ages at death on burial records and in newspaper articles are common.
Janet Scattergood married William Scattergood, both of New Norfolk, on 21 Dec 1811. William Scattergood, a farmer, died on 7 Jun 1842 in Hobart and was buried at St David’s Hobart VDL.
Some cite Janet, dau of William Gordon and Margaret Forsyth, born 12 Dec 1763, bap: 25 Dec 1763 at Botriphnie, Banff in Scotland as the woman who was transported to NSW in 1792 aboard Royal Admiral. Janet, also known as Jane Gordon, was tried at Inverness Court of Justiciary 27 Sep 1785 where she was sentenced to Life (although in Feb 1805 she was recorded as a woman of expired sentence). Her trial details appear in the Caledonian Mercury: Janet Gordon from Cairney, or Mills of Culithy, was accused of the crime of theft and house breaking. She petitioned for transportation, which being consented to, she was sentenced to be transported to any of His Majesty’s colonies beyond seas during her life, under the same certification. She was sent next to the prison at Tolbooth Inverness. On 2 May 1792 Janet had been transferred to the New Compter (small prison) at Giltspur St London, opposite Newgate prison, for her sentencing beyond the seas for life. She was transported to NSW as a convict per Royal Admiral arriving at Sydney Cove 7 Oct 1792.
Jane was transferred to Norfolk Island per Supply (2) in Oct 1795 receiving rations until 31 Dec 1795 as a convict. She had a son, William, with an unknown male on the island between Oct 1796 and July 1798. She travelled to Port Jackson aboard HMS Reliance in July 1798 with her child William Gordon. The unknown father may have been one of the NSW Corps soldiers aboard the ship.
William Gordon was born around 1797 on Norfolk Island during a period where few records survived. He was the son of Jane Gordon and an unknown father. His birth does not appear in the Norfolk Island Victualling Book ending in Oct 1796, and he is recorded only as a child traveling with his mother to Port Jackson aboard HMS Reliance in July 1798.
Jane Gordon returned to Norfolk Island before July 1801 when her other child, Mary, was baptized by Rev Fulton on 5 Jul 1801. This baptism record was on the first page of Fulton’s baptisms, which has been removed but was recorded by Kerrison in his index of baptisms. Jane Gordon, by this time, became the de facto spouse of William Scattergood, and both were recorded as parents at the baptism under the surname ‘Scerriget’, a phonetic mis-rendering of Scattergood.
Some secondary sources indicate she was accompanied by two children when the ship departed in Sep 1808; however, no primary records confirm this. Comparing shipping manifests of the City of Edinburgh, contradictions arise, and records of missing people. All City of Edinburgh shipping manifests have Jane Gordon travelling with no children or husband. William Scattergood, convict Matilda 1791 also travel to Hobart as an individual not holding land. Certainly, Jane Gordon was accompanied by her daughter Mary on the City of Edinburgh. Mary married Thomas Triffitt, aged 18 years, from Norfolk Island and also the City of Edinburgh voyage, on 14 Oct 1815 in Hobart.
© Cathy Dunn and Glen Lambert
Image: List of Scottish Convicts under the Sentence of Transportation, 2 May 1792, TNA, HO31/1
References:
TAHC, Death RGD34/1/1: 5646; Colonial Times, 18 December 1838: 7; TAHC, Marriage, RGD36/1: 72; Death RGD35/1/1: 1093; Caledonian Mercury Edinburgh, 3 Oct 1785; List of Scottish Convicts under the Sentence of Transportation, 2 May 1792, TNA, HO31/1; ADM36/13398: 173; NSWBDM. Bap 1800/975-1a; City of Edinburgh CSO1/1/177/4306: 222; SANSW, A4110, 45/5, a stray from ML Papers relating to Norfolk Island, 1794-1929.
