Thomas Lisson (Convict ? F)

  General Notes:

"Gosper Connections" "Page 207"
Thomas Lisson arrived as a convict on the "Royal Admiral"on the 7/10/1792.

SOURCE DOCUMENTATION Research.
Dennis Gosper
Page 263. 264. 265. The Pragmatic pioneers
THOMAS LISSON (Custom ID: 92)
Born: - 1771. England U.K.
Married, first, on the 27 Aug 1804 - Ann Bradwell.
They had 7 children.
Issue (1) Elizabeth (t) (ID: 1599)
Issue (2) Mary Jane (t) (ID: 1600)
Issue (3) John Lisson (ID: 1601)
Issue (4) Izette (ID: 1602)
Issue (5) Susannah (ID: 1603)
Issue (6) Isaac (ID: 1604)
Issue (7) Sarah (ID: 1605)
Associated with Ann Thornley.
They had 2 children
Issue (1) Hannah (ID: 1618)
Issue (2) Maria (ID: 16190
*Source Ryde Library Microfilm Page 379. Aged 56 when died.
*Died: - 24th June 1827 at Wilberforce N.S.W.
End research, Thomas Lisson.

"The Pragmatic Pioneers" "Page 263"

THOMAS LISSON AND ANN THORNLEY.

The first Lisson to arrive in Australia was Thomas's mother Hannah; she came on the "Mary Ann" in 1791. She had been convicted at the Old Bailey on 27th October 1790 of shoplifting, for which offence she was sentenced to seven years Transportation. She was recorded as a Midwife at Parramatta in 1806 and at Windsor in 1814. She died in 1823. Her son Thomas followed her out, not voluntarily, on the "Royal Admiral" in 1792. Thomas had been convicted at the Old Bailey in March 1792 of stealing in the company of Anthony Biggs forty-eight glass bottles called quart bottles to the value of five shillings, the property of Benjamin Barley. Both were sentenced by Lord Kenyon to be transported for seven years. At this time he was described as being twenty-six years of age, five foot four inches tall, hazel eyes, brown hair, sallow complexion, born in London, a labourer.

He arrived on the "Royal Admiral" in 1792, and on 27th August 1804 at St. Johns Parramatta, he married Ann Bradwell who had arrived on the "Experiment" some two months previously. According to her death certificate, she was born in Manchester in about 1771, the daughter of Jacob and Mary Bridewell. In 1800, Thomas was a farmer on the Hawkesbury, he was listed in the Muster as being on thirty acres, twenty three cleared and planted under wheat or maize, ten hogs and two convict servants, Thomas Allen and William Wallace. Thomas and Ann suffered greatly in the 1806 flood. From their farm at Cornwallis they lost one hundred and fifty-bushel's of wheat, one hundred of barley, two horses and about seventy pigs, as well as two houses and a barn. The family found refuge on a haystack they floated some seven miles down river to Wilberforce, where they were eventually rescued.

In 1808 Thomas was charged with receiving various articles, knowing the same to have been stolen. The case is reported in the Sydney Gazette dated 5th December 1808. The following are extracts from the trial.
Patrick Flynn, constable, deposed, that he was sent

Page 264
"The Pragmatic Pioneers"

with a warrant to search the prisoners house on the 17th ult. and found therein part of the articles sworn to; the sheet and shawl were found concealed between a bed and the sacking of a bedstead.

Patrick Davey deposed, that he had once lived as a labouring servant with the prisoner; during which time his house had been searched for stolen property on the information which his (the prisoner's) mother had lodged against him; and he had very recently heard it confidently asserted that the prisoner was in the actual possession of the watch stolen from Blore at Prospect. Which information he received from John Russler, a neighbour of the prisoner. John Norman deposed that the watch was obtained from the prisoner; and that he, being a district constable, had kept a watchful eye over the prisoner, who was a neighbour, and of such infamous repute that his house had been repeatedly searched for stolen goods; that he gave countenance to the most abandoned characters, many of whom had come to an untimely end; and, that in fact the prisoner at the bar was a perfect nuisance to the surrounding settlers.

Thomas was found guilty and sentenced to fourteen years transportation, but what transpired after that is not clear. He appears to be still farming on the Hawkesbury in 1810, when the Provost Marshal advertised that he intended to auction goods belonging to Thomas Lisson, unless a debt owing to the Crown was liquidated.

Thomas and Ann produced seven children; no record has been found of the birth of first three. It would seem that they had twin girls Elizabeth and Mary Jane in 1805 and a son John in 1808. Then came Izette; Susannah; Isaac; and finally Sarah in 1813.

Sometime about 1815, Ann apparently had enough of Thomas and moved out, taking the children with her, and went to live with Isaac Gorrick. Gorrick was a substantial settler; he arrived on the Atlantic in 1791, the same, boat as Richard and Edward Reynolds, and was at one time a neighbour of Thomas Gosper. His wife Rebecca deserted him in about 1807. Ann had more children to Gorrick and died in 1860 at Wilberforce. After Ann Bradwell left him, Thomas took up with Ann Thornley.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Convict: Stealing in the company of Anthony Biggs forty-eight glass bottles called quart bottles to the value of five shillings, Mar 1792, Old Bailey England.

• emigrated: "Royal Admiral", 7 Oct 1792, Sydney Cove, NSW Australia.

• Occupation: Farmer, 1800, Hawkesbury, NSW Australia.

• Physical Description: Five foot four inches tall, hazel eyes, brown hair.

• connection.

Thomas married Ann Thornley (Convict ? F), daughter of Giles Thornley and Susan Lomax. (Ann Thornley (Convict ? F) was born on 14 Mar 1790 in Deane-By-Boulton, Lancashire England, died on 16 Jun 1860 in NSW Australia and was buried in Jun 1860 in St Thomas, Sackville Reach, NSW Australia.)

Thomas next married Ann Bradwell, daughter of Jacob Bradwell and Mary Hind, on 27 Aug 1804 in St Johns C of E, Parramatta, Sydney, NSW Australia. (Ann Bradwell was born circa 1776 in Manchester, Lancashire England and died on 7 Feb 1860 in Wilberforce, County of Cumberland, NSW Australia.)