Thomas Roker Alexander Gosper [Convict "Surprize" 1790]

Thomas Roker Alexander GOSPER (aka GOSPORT) was born 13/5/1768 Rotherhithe, Surrey England (son of Thomas GOSPER and Jane WORTON)

Thomas was baptised on 28/5/1768

Thomas was convicted (feloniously cutting, damanging and spoiling a headfast) and sentenced to 7 years transportation. He arrived in Sydney Cove on 26/6/1790 on "Surprize"

Thomas married Mary Ann HIPWELL on 19/11/1810 at Windsor and they had the following children

• Thomas 1798
• John Thomas 1801
• Joseph 1804
• James 1805 NOTE: Thomas received his certificate of freedom on 29/9/1810 and he married Mary Ann 7 weeks later.

Thomas died 21/9/1847 at Upper Colo in the Hawkesbury

• http://www.australianroyalty.net.au/individual.php?pid=I52772&ged=p...
• https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/gosport/thomas/79011
• http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/claimaconvict/convictDetails.php?convi...
• http://www.the1788-1820pioneerassociation.org.au/Thomas%20Roker%20A...
• http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Thomas_Roker_Alexander_Gosper_(1768-1847)
• http://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/gosper-thomas-roker-17295

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(SOURCE) "The Pragmatic Pioneers" Page 6

Mary Hipwell's conviction at the hands of the English judiciary appears to be based largely on circumstantial evidence. On 26th August 1791, Mary, a resident of the parish of St. George, Hanover Square, was committed to the Westminster Bridewell Prison in Tothill Fields by justice N. Bond, for stealing silver and jewellery from Elizabeth Tyndale. The case was reported in the London Times dated 28th August 1790 thus: -

Benjamin Colburn and Mary Hipwell were examined on Charge exhibited against them on the oath of Mrs, Tindyll. Mrs. Tindyll said, that when she left town2 which was in the beginning of August, she left her house in Bolton-street in the care of Mary Hipwell2 her servant, previously enjoining her not to quit it, oradmit any men. On the 14th of the same month she was informed by letter that her house had been robbed on the 12th, during the time her servant was gone to Sadler's Wells, in company with the other prisoner. Or coming to town, she discovered that she had lost property, the intrinsic worth of which is two hundred pounds; but to replace would take a much larger sum, as many very valuable antique medals and gems were among the property stolen.

Duncan Grant, one of Sir Sampson's patrol, who took the prisoners, and searched the box of Mary Hipwell, produced a pair of white gloves and a pillowcase, which he found within it. Mrs. Tindyll swore the gloves and pillowcase were both her property. This circumstance, with the many contradictions prevarications of the prisoners, together with the known character of Colburn, induced her to suspect they were concerned in the robbery.

They were both committed for trial.

The trial of Mary Hipwell and Benjamin Colburn was reported in the London Times dated 28th October 1790.

Before Mr. Justice Heath.

Benjamin Colburn and Mary Hipwell were indicted for stealing wearing apparel, plate, and jewels, to a great amount, the property of Elizabeth Tindall, in her dwelling house.

Page 6 "The Pragmatic Pioneers"

Mrs. Tindall said, she lived in Bolton-street, Piccadilly, that on the 2nd of August, she went into the country, and left her house in town, in charge of Mary Hipwell. On the 9th August, she received a letter from Mr. M'Cay, that her house was robbed. When she came to town she found all the property gone that was stated in the indictment. An officer searched Mary Hipwell's box, and found in it a pair of new gloves, which Mrs. Tindall positively swore to be her property, there was also a pillow case found in the box, which she believed to be her property but could not swear positively to it, as it had no mark upon it.

The Jury found Mary Hipwell guilty of stealing goods to the value of one shilling.

There was no evidence whatever against Colburn. He was taken up merely on suspicion, having kept company with Hipwell. Not guilty. (Colburn may not have been all that innocent; he eventually ended up on a convict vessel bound for Botany Bay).

The Times reports give two dates for the robbery, August 12th and a date prior to August 9th. Whichever date the event took place; we do know the Sadlers Wells program for those first weeks of August. The following is an extract from the advertisement and describes the first item in the program: -

SADLER's WELLS This and the FOLLOWING EVENINGS, Great Variety of Performances, particularly a new Historical Representation in two parts, founded on a late interesting Nautical Event, called.

ENGLISH HEROISM. In which is particularly and correctly given a living Picture of the GUARDIAN FRIGATE, commanded by Lieut. RIOU, in her very perilous situation in the South Seas, embayed amongst the stupendous Floating ISLANDS of ICE, with her providential arrival afterwards at the Cape of Good Hope.

Little did Mary know at the time, but she was destined to sail the South Seas, but in somewhat less romantic circumstances. For the sake of a little culture, Mary was transported to New South Wales for the term of seven years, and was never again to enjoy the entertainment provided by

Page 7 "The Pragmatic Pioneers"

Sadler's Wells. She arrived in Port Jackson on the Third Fleet vessel the "Mary Ann" on 9th July 1791.

Page 8 "The Pragmatic Pioneers" On 1st January 1810, Governor Lachlan Macquarie took over the administration of the colony. The fabric of Colonial society began to change under the new order; emancipists were encouraged to take their rightful place in the main stream of society and some even supped at the Governors table. Concubines were encouraged to become wives, and Mary Hipwell became Mary Gosper. She and Thomas married at St. Matthews Windsor on 19th November 1810, the same day as they baptised their youngest son James. The respectability of the Gosper family was further attested to in February 1816 when a public meeting was held in Windsor to raise subscriptions for the relief of those who were suffering as a consequence of the defeat of the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. Edward Reynolds was one of the collectors for the Wilberforce area, and both he and Thomas Gosper pledged two Pounds to the fund.

Page 8 "The Pragmatic Pioneers" At Upper Colo on 23rd August 1837, Mary Ann Gosper nee Hipwell died at the age of seventy-two years. Her last resting-place is certainly in the sylvan Colo Valley, but the exact location is not known. A number of her descendants now long deceased, claimed that they were told that both Mary and her husband Thomaswere buried on a rise behind the present house that stands on the Michael Lamb grant. No memorial now marks the spot, and the burial mounds that apparently could be discerned in the early years of this century, can no longer be found.

 Noted events in her life were:

• source. & http://www.easystreetretreat.com.au/australianroyalty where it is noted: Mary was convicted at the Old Bailey for stealing gloves to the value of 1 shilling and transported on the ship 'Mary Ann' in 1791. Old Bailey transcript 27 Oct 1790: BENJAMIN COLBORNE andMARY HIPWELLwere indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 12th day of August last, two silver sauceboats, value 4 l. a silver coffee-pot, value 6 l. nine silver table spoons, value 3 l. seven silver tea-spoons, value 14 s. two silver salt cellars, value 16 s. a silver punch ladle, value 5 s. a silver cup, value 10 s. an ink-stand, value 10 s. seven silver salt spoons, value 5 s. two silver waiters, value 40 s. four pair of plated candlesticks, value 40 s. a plated candlestick, extinguisher, and chain, value 14 s. a plated cream jug, gilt with gold, value 10 s. one muffinet, the inside gilt with gold, value 10 s. a cruet stand, plated with silver, value 10 s. a gold watch chain with a gold hoop, value 10 l. a green etwee case, mounted with gold, and gold instruments, value 10 l. one mother of pearl rouge box, wrought and mounted with gold, value 5 s. twenty-four beads, value 40 s. a pair of paste buckles, set in silver, value 3 l. a gold ring, value 20 s. five pair of garnet ear-rings, value 10 l. twelve real pearls, value 20 s. twelve Roman pearls, value 12 s. two pair of Roman drops, for ear-rings, value 10 s. one antique Chinese, value 20 l. two other rings, value 3 l. one mourning ring, value 10 s. eight yards of cloth, value 3 l. twelve muslin handkerchiefs, value 20 s. five yards of callico, value 10 s. a silk mode cloak, trimmed with lace, value 5 l. three muslin aprons, value 15 s. fourteen neck handkerchiefs, value 5 s. one wrought bed furniture of India dimity, value 50 l. one India dimity jacket, value 2 l. one muslin petticoat, flounced, value 40 s. one muslin jacket and petticoat, value 20 s. two bed-gowns, value 10 s. two knives, value 5 s. a white silk petticoat, value 20 s. a shawl, value 10 s. a silk gown and petticoat, value 5 s. a white callico chemise, value 5 l. twelve agate handled knives, value 5 l. two linen bed-gowns, value 10 s. one gilt metal, box, value 12 s. a paper machee snuff-box, value 10 l. one blue and gold smelling bottle, with a gilt stopper, value 20 s. two pair of linen pillow-biers, value 18 d. sixty crown pieces, value 15 l. a five guinea piece, value 5 l. 5 s. and eighty silver medals, value 10 l. the property of Elizabeth Tyndall, widow, in her dwelling-house. The case opened by Mr. Fielding, who informed the jury, that strong as the suspicions were, there was no evidence at all against the man, and none against the woman, as to the capital part of the charge. MARY TINDALL sworn. My house is in Bolton-street, Piccadilly. The prisoner Mary Hipwell was left in care of the house, with a strict charge never to leave the house; I left town the 2d of August; on the 9th, I received a letter that my house was robbed; the fastenings are so good, that I am sure no person could get into my house without being let in; I have no suspicion of the servant being concerned in the robbery, any farther than quitting her charge, and basely going to Sadler's Wells: the plate she had never seen, was not taken; the winter clothes that she had not seen, were not taken; there are not half the things in the indictment, which I lost; I am able to swear to these gloves; when the patrol gave them to me, she said, they are not yours, madam, they are a pair you gave me; no, says I, Mary, these are mine most certainly; they never were worn; they are marked with the maker's name, and the initials of mine; I know them to be mine; I left them in the cabinet, locked up in a drawer; there was a pillow-case found in her box; there is no mark on it; but to the best of my belief it is mine; I saw the gloves the day before I went out of town. - GRANT sworn. I am the patrol belonging to Bow-street: I went to Mrs. Tyndall's house about a quarter before one; I took charge of the two prisoners; the woman prisoner told me nothing was lost but plate; the woman gave me the key of her box; and in searching her box, I found the pair of gloves and the pillow-case. Prisoner Hipwell. Had not my mistress three honest characters with me? - No. The prisoner called two witnesses who gave her a good character. BENJAMIN COLBORNE, NOT GUILTY. MARY HIPWELL, GUILTY of stealing the gloves, value one shilling. Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH.