Pierce Brigginton Collits ^{379,804,944,1197,1198,1199,1200,1205,1211,1215,1219,1229,1231,1233,1234,1235,1236,1237,1238,1239,1240,1241,1242,1243,1244,1245}

  General Notes:

Caught receiving stolen goods (12 yards Muslin, 12 yards Mode, 18 yards of lace and 2 pieces handkerchief) belonging to John, Robert and James Read.



Described as fair complexion, Brown hair, and Brown eyes



At time of arrest he lived in No 2 Swan Yard, Bishopgate Street, London.



Tried in the Old Bailey, Wed 15 July 1800 (Trial Number 570 - Old Bailey Session Records) and received 14 years. Committed to Newgate jail, and delivered aboard the Minorca 16 May 1801, age 38. Sailed from Spithead on 21 June 1801 and arrived
in Australia on 14 Dec 1801. It appears that Mary, his wife arrived on the same ship as a free settler, along with his 2 daughters.



Initially he was assigned to his wife Mary as her convict servant.



Granted conditional pardon 11 May 1811, and became free 3 years later, and received grant of 50 acres at Prospect on 17 Aug 1819.



Supplied fresh meat to the government stores (1,000 pounds delivered in 1815, as listed in the Sydney Gazette June 11, 1815)



Became a voluntary collector of funds for many relief collections (Flooding of the area was common), and collected for the building of a school house and bridge in the Castlereagh area.



Became Constable of Penrith in 1820 (Listed as "Constable, Pound-Keeper, and inspector of cattle for slaughter on the Nepean, near Castlereagh" in a list by Governor Macquarie on 20 May, 1820)



Given permission to move 154 head of cattle to a station 12 miles east of the Fish river, and 4 miles west of the ford on the Cox's river, near Mt Blaxland in 1821, the first man to obtain such permission.



Settled at the base of Mt York in 1823 and built the "Golden Fleece" inn, which was later called the "Royal Garter", now more commonly known as Colletts inn. Licenced in 1830 and again in 1831. The land on which the inn was built was later
granted to Pierce by Governor Macquarie (later shown to be 200 Acres). The inn became a depot for mail in Jan 1831, and Pierce was a deputy Postmaster.



The small graveyard, 181ft 6" * 313Ft 6" was conveyed by James Colletts to the Anglican Church on 12 Dec 1860 (It had been promised by Pierce in 1825).



After the new road down the mountain was built, bypassing the Mt York steep descent, Pierce closed the inn, and was granted land for the construction of a new inn in Hartley.



It seems that Thomas Rawsthorne worked for Pierce, becomming a friend, and thus allowing his daughter to marry Thomas

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, 3 Sep 1839, Wellington, NSW Australia. ¹²²⁹

• Property: Oxley, the surveyor, gives the height at "Vale of Clwyd" near Collit's Inn.., 1826, Mt York, NSW Australia.

• Arrival: With wife and 2 children who were free settlers. Initially he was assigned to his wife Mary as her convict servant, 14 Dec 1801, Sydney, NSW Australia. ^{1205,1215,1219,1231,1239,1240,1243}

• Residence: NSW Australia. ¹²⁰⁰

• Departure, 21 Jun 1801, Spithead, England. ¹²⁰⁰

• Residence, 1822, Sydney, NSW Australia. ¹¹⁹⁹

• Land Grant: grant of 50 acres, 17 Aug 1819, Prospect, Sydney, NSW Australia.

• Conditional Pardon Granted: Became free 3 years later, and received grant of 50 acres at Prospect on 17 Aug 1819, 11 May 1811.

• Imprisonment: Committed to Newgate jail, and delivered aboard the Minorca, 16 May 1801.

• Conviction: Caught receiving stolen goods (12 yards Muslin, 12 yards Mode, 18 yards of lace and 2 pieces handkerchief) belonging to John, Robert and James Read.Tried in the Old Bailey, (Trial Number 570 - Old Bailey Session Records) and received 14 years, 15 Jul 1800.

• New Inn: After the new road down the mountain was built, bypassing the Mt York steep descent, Pierce closed the inn, and was granted land for the construction of a new inn in Hartley.

• Inn becomes Licensed, 1830-1831.

• L.

• Golden Fleece: Settled at the base of Mt York in 1823 and built the "Golden Fleece" inn, which was later called the "Royal Garter", now more commonly known as Colletts inn. It accomodated a long stream of noteable visitors, including Governors Darling and Bourke, 1823.

• Cattle Movement: Given permission to move 154 head of cattle to a station 12 miles east of the Fish river, and 4 miles west of the ford on the Cox's river, near Mt Blaxland the first man to obtain such permission, 1821.

• Constable: Became Constable of Penrith (Listed as "Constable, Pound-Keeper, and inspector of cattle for slaughter on the Nepean, near Castlereagh" in a list by Governor Macquarie on 20 May, 1820, 20 May 1820.

• Flood Volunteer: Became a voluntary collector of funds for many relief collections (Flooding of the area was common), and collected for the building of a school house and bridge in the Castlereagh area.

• Supplier: Supplied fresh meat to the government stores 1,000 pounds delivered, 1815.

• Business: Post Office under Pierce's charge, 1831.

• Residence, 1831, Bathurst, NSW Australia. ^1241,1244

• Residence: Australia. ^{1197,1231,1243}

• Arrival: NSW Australia. ¹¹⁹⁷

• Residence, 1 Jan 1840, NSW Australia. ¹²⁴²

• Residence: At time of arrest he lived in No 2 Swan Yard, Bishopgate Street, London, 1800, Middlesex England. ¹²³⁸

• Residence, 12 Sep 1844, Lachlan, NSW Australia. ¹²³⁷

• Residence: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Australia. ¹²³⁶

• Residence, 1828, Bathurst, NSW Australia. ¹²¹⁹

• Residence, 1832, Bathurst, NSW Australia. ¹²⁴⁵

Pierce married Mary A. Hardwick, daughter of Edward Hardwick and Mary Spooner, on 15 Nov 1795 in St Dunstans, Stepney, London, Middlesex England ^1211,1233.^,1234 (Mary A. Hardwick was born on 24 Dec 1769 in St Dunstans, Stepney, London, Middlesex England,^1219,1246 died on 4 Aug 1841 in Mt York, NSW Australia ¹²⁴⁷ and was buried on 5 Aug 1841 in Grave D0001-16A, Mount York, NSW Australia.)