Convict Family to live on Phillip Island Norfolk Island 1795

Philip Gidley King wrote in his Journal in late Mar 1795: The family that is to reside on Phillip island, consisting of a man his wife and one child, went there this day with another man to assist them in attending the swine. As the man and woman are both transported for life, I gave them some hopes of my interesting myself to get their sentence mitigated if they were deserving of that attention (side note by Philip Gidley King: I obtained a free pardon for this man and a conditional pardon for the woman Oct 1796). As a further encouragement I caused them to be liberally supplied with every conveniency that could be collected either from the stores or what could be other ways procured. A months provisions and three casks of water were also sent, with 6 bushels of maize, which the man is directed to use for the purpose of drawing the swine together. Journal of Philip Gidley King 1791 – 1796, NLA, MS 70: 197.

But who is this family? Philip Gidley King rarely mentions individual names in his 1791 – 1796 Journal.

Using the following research methodology and a process of elimination it has been assessed, that it is now known who they were:

1. 1796 Pardons of people from Norfolk Island – only two women in Sep 1796 both with a conditional pardon. (Pardons in Old System Land Titles, NSW Land Registry Series 2 pardon).

2. Link up relationships of the two females from the pardon lists. Only one woman was in a relationship; and he too received an absolute pardon in Sep 1796 .

3. Checked their sentences – Both man and woman were on a life sentence.

4. Number of children in Mar 1795. Thus there only one applicable couple.

This couple is William Sherburd – Shirbird and Esther Thornton.
William SHERBURD – William THURBURD, convict Scarborough 1790. Crime: Burglary. Tried: Old Bailey, October 1786. Sentence: Death commuted to life.
Esther THORNTON,  convict Lady Juliana 1790. Crime: Steal greater than £5 in cash. Tried: Old Bailey, 18 April 1787.  Sentence: Death commuted to life.

They were married 30 July 1790 St Phillips Sydney, witnesses were Thomas Sargent and Margaret Wood. They were sent to Norfolk Island aboard the Surprize in Aug 1790.

Child: Anne THORNTON, born 3 Sep 1791 Norfolk Island. Their second child William THORNTON, born 20 Mar 1794 Norfolk Island, died 7 Mar 1795 Norfolk Island.

William Sherburd (sic) departed the stores on 8 Sep 1808 for the voyage to Hobart per the City of Edinburgh in Sep 1808 as a class two landholder with wife and six children.

Published 27 Oct 2025.