ELIZABETH VANDERCOM (nee Evans)

Convict, Lady Penrhyn c1759 - 1820

 

Died 27 September 1820, aged 60.

 

Elizabeth Evans was sentenced at the Old Bailey (London Court) on 13 December 1786 to transportation for seven years for theft of three pounds of tea from a shop. When pursued, she said a second woman had given her the tea to hold, she claimed she was never in the shop. On 6 January 1787, aged 27, Elizabeth was delivered to Lady Penrhyn from Newgate. She was identified as Elizabeth Jones alias Evans, on the muster taken by Major Ross at Portsmouth on 13 March 1787.

 

Elizabeth Jones (Evans) had a child by the name Jane (Jenny) Jones. Elizabeth Evans and Jane Jones both went to Norfolk Island by H.M.S Supply on 4 March 1790.

 

On 19 November 1794, when Elizabeth Evans returned to Port Jackson, she was granted 20 acres at Concord, which she sold to James Williamson as agent for Charles Mann. In the very early 1800s she had held a lease for a Sydney lot which was 60 by 100 feet at 2s.6p per annum; she was self-supported and kept nine pigs.  In 1802 she still held the lease on the Sydney lot, and purchased another 25 acres, eight of them cleared, two sown in wheat and five ready for planting maize. At this time she appeared to be living alone.

 

In 1806, she met James Vandercom, whom she married in Sydney on 2 February 1810. They had one male child designated illegitimate. Her daughter Jane Jones, at that time was a young woman, living her own life elsewhere.

 

In 1810, Elizabeth held only a quarter of an acre as garden and orchard, owned five hogs and had 17 bushels of wheat and maize in hand. She died in Sydney on 27 September 1820, aged 60.

 

 Note: This information, which appears on the grave stone of Mary Marshall at the First Fleet Memorial Garden at Matraville, is based on research by Molly Gillen.

 

 

 

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