JOHN HAYNES story
The first of my ancestors to arrive in Australia was John Haynes, my 3x great grandfather. He arrived aboard the sailing ship, Shipley, on the 11 March 1822. He was 18 and had been transported for seven years having been found guilty of larceny. He stole tools to the value of £12/-.
John was born in London in 1803 to John Haynes and Sarah Sheldon. The plight of the poor in Victorian London was heinous. Starvation, overcrowding, disease, and desperation were the norm. When he was seventeen, he was caught stealing a watch. He was charged, found guilty and whipped. It didn’t seem to have the effect society required and he was back at the Old Baily the following year but this time he was charged with larceny and sentenced to seven years transportation. In other words, sent to NSW for life!
While he waited for the ship to NSW, he experienced a few months in one of the prison ships (hulks) at Woolwich on the Thames, the Justitia, a name obviously chosen with tongue in cheek.
The journey to New South Wales began in bad weather and many of the prisoners were sick. John developed an abscess on his chest because of an accident with an awl. He had a couple of weeks in the infirmary then dismissed.
He arrived in Port Jackson 11 March 1822. The colony was ruled by Governor Brisbane until December of 1925 then Governor Darling until Oct 1831.
According to the 1822 muster, John was assigned to Badgerys Creek and by 1828 he was working as a ferrier for Mrs Blaxland at Newington, Bringelly.
In July of 1828 he received his Certificate of Freedom.
Haynes Alchin
It would be another ten years before John was to meet Margaret Alchin. They would marry and have ten children. Their story continues but first how and when Margaret arrived in the colony.
The Tagney Hood 