Emma Sophia Henry

  General Notes:

Marilyn Wilson notes:
Emmas mother, Sophie was a slave born in Madagascar and transported here from Mauritius for setting fire to her Masters barn and stealing. She took the name of Lesaud/Lizard as this was her mistresses maiden name.
I contacted a Professor Clare Anderson at the Uni of Leicester in UK as she had written a book called 'Subaltern Lives: Biographies of Colonialism in the Indian Ocean World, 1790-1920 <http://www.academia.edu/6369462/Subaltern_Lives_Biographies_of_Colonialism_in_the_Indian_Ocean_World_1790-1920>' which included the story about Sophie. She suggested I contact Eilin Hordvick at Uni of Tasmania which I did. She has ultimately written a book which includes my information and research about Sophie's story and her life (as much as we know) in Australia.

Sophie was convicted of stealing a substantial amount of money. Her thefts may not have been necessary for economic survival, but perhaps to acquire petty luxuries or goods to lessen the everyday drudgery of a domestic slave.

The following are extracts from NSW State Records;
SOPHIE. Per "Ann", 1825; negress from Port Louis, Mauritius
1825 Jun 30Re transfer from the "Ann" to the Chief Constable (Reel 6014; 4/3514 p.560)
1825 Sep 12Re arrival of (Reel 6019; 4/3522 p.175)


The above reads;
rdrtrdrsrdrw10rsp20 rdrlrdrsrdrw10rsp80 rdrbrdrsrdrw10rsp20 rdrrrdrsrdrw10rsp80 Sophie (a Negress) Convicted in Port Louis (Isle of France) Sept 1823 Life Native of Madagascar, a servant aged 20.
Description 5'0 ¼ inches, Copper colour complexion, black hair and eyes, lips thick, nose broad, scar under the right ear.
Sophie met John Henry and in 1828 they applied for permission to marry.

Name: Sophia
Age: 23
Birth Year: Abt 1805
Spouse: John Henry/ Heney
Request Status: Granted
Date of Permission/Refusal: 4 Mar 1828 married 31 March at St James Church Sydney.
From the Colonial Secretary papers;
Conditional Pardon for Sophie
,Sophie, SOPHIE, Anne, -1844, Recommended Conditional Pardon, [4/4479; Reel 797 Page 055], Recommended by S Gilks; George Mitchell; J L Innes JP; Thomas Bodenham.

Name: Sophia (Lizard (Lazone)
Spouse Name: John Henry
Marriage Date: 1828
Marriage Place: New South Wales
Registration Place: Sydney, New South Wales
Registration Year: 1828
Volume Number: V B
Bond: Holding Ticket of Leave = still a convict but can work for themselves
·Bond: In Government employ = a convict employed by the Government
·Bond: In Private Assignment = a convict working for a private employee
In 1847 Sophia was charged in Sydney for assault? and sent to Darlinghurst gaol.
Name:Sophia Henry
Commit or Trial Date:1 Sep 1848
Court Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

In 1854 she was charged with stealing and described as being
'Black, with black hair and eyes, Catholic, was charged 27//29 September 1854'



Name:Sophia Henry
Place of Origin:Mauritius
Arrival Year:1825
Arrival Country:Australia
Vessel Arrived In:'Mary Ann'? should be just ANN
Date of Admission/Photo:27 Sep 1854
Gaol:Darlinghurst
Gaol Location:Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
Record Type:Entrance Book

She was acquitted on 16 November 1854.

There were very few of the transportees who returned to Mauritius. Of the non-British convicts,
most were young men in their twenties and thirties
most were described as black, brown or copper-coloured
most were born into slavery and few had any surname.
Mauritian and Australian convict records indicate that the majority were convicted of stealing. Though some received life sentences, most were transported for between seven and 14 years. Some, who had been slaves on the island, unlike other convicts, had never known freedom.

  Noted events in her life were:

• connection. ³⁴¹

Emma married John Hemson, son of John Hemson and Louisa, 2nd Oct 1850 in Scone, NSW Australia.³⁴¹ (John Hemson was born in 1814 in Erridge, Sevendocks, Essex England, christened on 12 May 1862 in Bundarra, near Armidale, NSW Australia and died in 1887 in Armidale, NSW Australia.)