200 Years in Australia!

Our family began it's tenure in Australia, 200 years ago, on 25th October, 1812, with the arrival of Elizabeth HANNELL.


As the story goes, Elizabeth was tried, found guilty, and transported to Australia, as a penalty for her crime of theft: simple grand larceny. It was during her initial days in the Parramatta Female Factory, that Elizabeth met fellow convict, James Walton.


The first of three sons, James, was born on 1st December, 1813, followed by John, 27th August, 1815, and Jesse, 15th November, 1817. The boys were all Free-born. Elizabeth never married Walton, who worked as a 'Scourger', but did have the boys baptised and given the surname of Walton. Of course, the occupation of scourger was not a well accepted one, and the boys, sometime in the early 1820's, preferred their mother's surname of HANNELL.

Fate again played a hand in Elizabeth's life. Originally sentenced to only seven years, which should have expired in 1818, or 1819, Elizabeth returned to her nefarious ways, by committing herself to abetting some dastardly criminals in Forgery of Receipts, in the Garland case...(see: Elizabeth Hannell - Addendum 1). She stood trial at Sydney, on 29th June, 1820, and was sentenced to 'Life' , in Newcastle. On the 27th July, 1820, she was transported to Newcastle, on the 'Princess Charlotte'. Her three sons stayed with their father, in Parramatta.

It wasn't long after arriving, that Elizabeth struck up a 'friendship' with another convict, named John White. On the 10th May, 1821, a daughter, Mary Ann WHITE, was born, and was the first baptism registered at the Christ Church.


The 'partnership' of Elizabeth and John didn't fair much better than her previous one, and Elizabeth was once again on her own - with a young child. John White died on Nov. 13th, 1828, 27 months after the only 'legal' marriage of Elizabeth to John Butler HEWSON, on 28th Aug, 1826, by reading of the Banns. It was at the Governor's pleasure, but with reservations due to the character of the 'participants'. However, it proved to be a long marriage and an apparently happy home for Mary Ann, who was to be known as Mary Ann White, then Hannell, then Hewson.


It is not known exactly when, but in the early 1830's, the three brothers came to Newcastle to be with their mother. It appears to be the last we ever hear of their father, James Walton. From what we do know, the 'family' in the Hewson household was happy. It was to be the start of a dynasty of Hannells, which became known as one of the 'Founding' families of Newcastle.


One doesn't have to search very far to come across the name of Hannell, in Newcastle, or be made aware of the influences of the three brothers, James, John and Jesse, on the early history of Newcastle. Whether it be in the field of Politics, Sporting facilities, Business, or Maritime safety, the name of Hannell rang out. From the 1840's through to the turn of the century, and further, some note has been mentioned, or recorded.


We have a lot to celebrate, and a family to be proud of. I have tried to keep up with the additions and subtractions of a family tree of enormous proportions. If you happen to come across this, or other stories by me, please feel free to contact me, via comment, or preferably, email.


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