| [Index] |
| Edward Spencer WILLS (1778 - 1811) |
| convict |
| Children | Self + Spouses | Parents | Grandparents | Greatgrandparents |
|
Sarah WILLS (1796 - 1875) Thomas Spencer WILLS (1800 - 1872) Eliza WILLS (1802 - 1858) Edward Spencer WILLS (1805 - 1828) Elizabeth Selina WILLS (1807 - 1811) Horatio Spencer Howe WILLS (1811 - 1861) |
Edward Spencer WILLS (1778 - 1811) + Sarah HARDING (1776 - 1823) |
Edward WILLS (1741 - 1814) | ||
| Elizabeth (WILLS) (1739 - 1822) | ||||
| b. 13 Aug 1778 at Middlesex, England |
| m. 1795 Sarah HARDING (1776 - 1823) at England |
| d. 14 May 1811 at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia aged 32 |
| Parents: |
| Edward WILLS (1741 - 1814) |
| Elizabeth (WILLS) (1739 - 1822) |
| Siblings (1): |
| Anne WILLS (1777 - 1813) |
| Events in Edward Spencer WILLS (1778 - 1811)'s life | |||||
| Date | Age | Event | Place | Notes | Src |
| 13 Aug 1778 | Edward Spencer WILLS was born | Middlesex, England | 36, 60 | ||
| 11 Sep 1778 | Christening | Finsbury, Middlesex, England | 60 | ||
| 1795 | 17 | Married Sarah HARDING (aged 19) | England | 36 | |
| 23 Apr 1796 | 17 | Birth of daughter Sarah WILLS | Middlesex, England | 36 | |
| Jan 1797 | 18 | Arrested as Highwayman | England | 60 | |
| 29 Mar 1797 | 18 | Sentenced for transportation | Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, England | Note 1 | 60 |
| 28 Sep 1798 | 20 | Emigration | Weymouth, Dorset, England | 60 | |
| 26 Jul 1799 | 20 | Immigration | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | per 'Hillsborough' | 60 |
| 05 Aug 1800 | 21 | Birth of son Thomas Spencer WILLS | 36 | ||
| 10 Sep 1802 | 24 | Birth of daughter Eliza WILLS | |||
| 16 Feb 1805 | 26 | Birth of son Edward Spencer WILLS | 36 | ||
| 30 Nov 1807 | 29 | Birth of daughter Elizabeth Selina WILLS | 36 | ||
| 18 Jan 1811 | 32 | Death of daughter Elizabeth Selina WILLS (aged 3) | 36 | ||
| 14 May 1811 | 32 | Edward Spencer WILLS died | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 36 | |
| Burial | Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia | 60 | |||
| Note 1: life sentence 342,21 , Native Place Surrey |
| Source References: |
| 36. Type: Book, Abbr: Edward Wills Family, Title: Ancestors Treasure Hunt, The Edward Wills Family and Descendants in Australia 1797-1976, Auth: R V Pockley, Publ: Wentworth Books, Date: 1976 |
| - Reference = 64 (Birth) |
| - Reference = 64 (Name, Notes) |
| - Reference = 64 (Marriage) |
| - Reference = 64 (Death) |
| 60. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Index of Australia Wills Families, Title: Index of Australian Wills Families, Auth: Tom Wills, Locn: http://tww.id.au/fam/ |
| - Reference = (Other Event) |
| - Reference = (Other Event) |
| - Reference = (Birth) |
| - Reference = (Emigration) |
| - Reference = (Immigration) |
| - Reference = (Name, Notes) |
| - Notes: Edward Spencer Wills was born on 13 Aug 1778 in Middlesex,England. He was christened on 11 Sep 1778 in St Luke Old St,Finsbury,Middlesex,England. He died on 14 May 1811 in ,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia. He was buried in Botany Bay Cem,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia.
son of Edward Wills, Gentleman of Broadcourt, Long Acre, Middlesex, b1741 ,Buried at St Paul's Convent Garden 9.1.1814 and Elizabeth (b 1739. buried at St Paul's Convent Garden 10.3.1822) (info from Last Will and Testament of Edward Wills Esq of Middlesex researched by R.P Vivien-Graham, College of Arms, London - for Brian Wills in Oct 1952) I.G.I. shows christenings for Edward Spencer Wills, 11 Sep 1778,at St Luke's Old Street, Finsbury, Middlesex Sarah Harding, 11 Aug 1776 and Sarah Wills, 15 May 1796 at St Luke's Old Street, Finsbury, Middlesex 1795 married Sarah Harding (mother Elizabeth Harding?? maybe step mother - visited Sydney in 1810 - but I.G.I gives mother as Sarah) January 1797 arrested for being a highwayman on 29 March 1797 sentenced to Transportion Lists of Convicts on Transports 1788-1800 Fiche No 618 p.324 50 334 Edward Willis - Native Place Surry Sentenced Mar 1797 life 342,21 from Weymouth 28th Sept 1798 In January 1797 Edward WILLS, James DASHPER and William WOODHAM were arrested for highway robbery. The three men had used arms to rob John MARTIN of his watch, a half guinea, a sixpence and 18 half-pence. The money (£2.19.4) was found at Edward's residence. Edward's trial took place at Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey on the 20th March 1797. The three men were found guilty and all sentenced "to be hanged by the neck until dead". They had the right of appeal, so Edward had a petition made. The document addressed to the Duke of Portland was supported by the Curate and Church Warden of St. Luke's, Edward's old employer Millar RITCHIE, the victim John MARTIN, Thomas LOCK. At Whitehall on the 29th March, 1797, "Edward WILLIS and James DASHPER having been convicted of Highway Robbery, and having been humbly recommended as fit objects of the Royal Mercy His Majesty has now been graciously pleased to extend his Royal Mercy on condition of their being transported for the term of their natural lives to the Eastern Coast of New South Wales..." On the 18th October, 1798 Edward and 55 other convicts were transferred from the hulk "Stanislaus" to the "Hillsborough". The convicts were to be housed in the lowest deck "where conditions were grim, because there were no port-holes to allow light and fresh air. For a bed each convict was given a two foot wide plank of wood, a blanket and a pillow. For clothing they each got two blue jackets, a pair of trousers, two pairs of stockings, two shirts, a pair of shoes and a cap. They were also allowed to take two gallons of wine for the voyage. Edward, James DASHPER and William WOODHAM set sail from Portland Rds. on the 23rd December, 1798. The "Hillsborough" was to be nicknamed "the Death Ship" from their ill fated voyage. WOODHAM died on the way out of port. There were six woman aboard, one of them being Edward's wife Sarah with their infant daughter. The "Hillsborough" arrived in Sydney on the 26th July 1799. On the following day Governor HUNTER wrote to the Duke of Portland explaining that the ship embarked with 300 convicts but arrived with only 205, with six dying within a day of arrival. Later, in a letter to KING, HUNTER decribed the "Hillsborough" inmates as being "a cargo of the most miserable and wretched convicts I ever beheld". Edward became ill from the voyage but was lucky to become a ward of his wife Sarah who had "arrived free". conditionally pardoned by Governor King 4th June 1803 The "Sydney Gazette" reported on the 2nd of October 1803 that Edward was fined £5 for purchasing seven ounces of stolen silver. On the 7th of October 1804, James BROWN and F.MOREY were sentenced to 100 lashes and three years hard labour for the robbery of copper coin and merchandise from the shop of E.WILLS. On the 19th of January 1805 a woman servant of E.WILLS was gaoled for stealing sundry merchandise from his house. Edward's house was in George Street (later Essex Street), Sydney. The "Sydney Gazette" in April 1805 contained an advertisement listing sugars, teas, soaps, linen, muslin, shoes, dungarees, ribbons, etc. for sale at the house of Edward WILLS. On the 15th September 1805 the "Gazette" mentioned RABY and WILLS as being involved in the seal-skin business. Edward also advertised on the 24th of November 1805 looking for a "careful stockman". 1805 Muster Wills, Edward S A4508 E.C. came "Hillsborough" self dealer Sarah B0036 and C1363 leg children 2 male and 2 female WILLS also went into shipping. In 1806 the 66 ton "Mary and Sally" was built by Thomas REIBIE and Edward WILLS In the same year these two partners are recorded as owning a sloop named "Raven". He also owned the 22.5 ton sloop "Eliza" In June 1808 WILLS donated £30 to send John MacARTHUR to London to give evidence on behalf of Major JOHNSTON. In April 1809 a burglar gained entry into WILLS's shop via the chimney and made off with goods to the value of £100. Natives found the items, in less than an hour, hidden in rocks. On the 4th September 1810 Edward was pardonned, under his alias WILLIS, by Major-General Lachlan MacQUARIE, Governor of New South Wales. WILLS was the victum of another burglary on 13th October 1810 where someone entered his unfinished premises and cut the duck covering off a new sofa. Died 14 May 1811 aged 33 2697 Vol 2 Obituary by George Howe in Sydney Gazette May 1st, "Died, at his home in George Street on Tuesday night, the 11th inst, Mr Edward Wills, after a painful illness of nearly three months duration in his 33rd year. The generosity of his disposition was evinced in all his actions - his integrity was un doubted and he lived universally respected, and his death must be sincerely regretted by his most distant acquaintance; while his amiable family and those who were happy in his friendship will be devoted by the melancholy event to the length of inconsciable affliction.' Mutch Index gives burial date as May 16, 1811 St Phillip's Sydney When Edward WILLS died after three months of painful illness his assets were valued at more than £15,000. Edward Wills's Headstone was destroyed in removal from Old Botany Bay Cemetry but says Also George Howe a native of St Kitts (who was Sarah Wills 's second husband) |
| - Reference = (Christening) |
| - Reference = (Burial) |