Send an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorSend an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorThe following article was written and researched by Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and published in their book 'Along the Windsor Richmond Road' 1985 (ISBN 0 9589831 0 0 and ISBN 0 9589831 3 5) and is subject to copyright. Written permission is held from the late author Grace Douglass for the writer to publish contents via the Internet. However, although this book is in the public domain, it still remains copyrighted material and may not be copied for any reason without permission. I do not have the right to give permission to others to reprint the book. I was only given permission to put it on line. All copyrights stay with Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and whoever they appointed, for control of the book. Under no circumstances may it be reprinted for profit.
Extractions of parts of the information for personal use with references to the book as the source is encouraged.
Henry Lamb arrived in the Colony as a member of the N.S.W.Corps. He had enlisted in the Corps in July, 1789 and came to the Colony with Major Grose on the 'Albermarle' in 1791. Henry was a Private in the 102 Foot Regiment. His Military Pay Sheets inform us that he was paid an average of 1 pound & 11 shillings ($3.10) per 38 days for his services.
For the first few years he was stationed at either Sydney Town or Parramatta and on the 19th November 1794 he was given a Grant of 25 acres of land at Lane Cove in the District of Hunters Hill, by his Commanding Officer, Francis Grose. This land was in the present-day suburb of St.Leonards, and would be very close to the spot in which the Royal North Shore Hospital now stands. At that time (1794) any attempt to farm it would have failed owing to its complete isolation from the settlement at Sydney Cove. The natives proved most troublesome to the early Settlers on the Northern shores of Sydney Harbour in the early years of settlement.
Henry, however, did not have to worry about this problem as the Grant was cancelled, possibly because it was about this time that he was transferred to Windsor. Sgt. Goodhall was sent to Windsor in 1795 in charge of a group of men, and Pvte Lambe was more than likely one of those under his command.
It was about this time, also, that Henry had a convict woman, Elizabeth Chambers, assigned to him as a housekeeper.
Elizabeth was tried at the Old Bailey on the 26/10/1791. She had been indicted for sealing on the 22nd October, one woollen cloth coat value 40 shillings ($4), one Marseilles waistcoat value 10 shillings ($1), a muslin handerchief value 1 shilling (10 cents), two pair of hose value 18 pence (15 cents) the property of William Kinslen and one pair of cotton stockings value 2 shillings (20 cents) the property of Robert Howden. It would appear that Elizabeth had been employed as a servant to William Kinslen at his home in Aldergate Street, near Little Britain Street. Mr. Kinslen had arrived home in the evening to find his house on fire. Elizabeth was in the house getting ready for bed in her room on the top floor of the building. When her employer went to warn her of the fire he found she had fourteen pawn tickets hidden in one of her shoes. He stated at the trial that he had been suspicious of her for some time, and thought that she had been stealing his things. When he went to the Pawn-brokers with the tickets he had found quite a few of his belongings there. Elizabeth was found guilty of the crime as charged and was sentenced to 7 years transportation. She arrived in the Colony on the 'Kitty' in 1792.
The majority of those persons who call themselves 'Ezzy' can also claim Elizabeth as their 'Grandmother', however Elizabeth almost did not make it to the Colony. The 'Kitty' as a ship was a disaster, for it leaked like a sieve. It was one of the smallest ships to come to the Colony. It was a merchantman and sailed from England in March 1792 with 10 male and 30 female convicts on board. The ship sprang a leak and had to go back to Spithead for repairs. Whilst there eight of the male prisoners escaped. She sailed again without the men being recaptured. There was continuous bad weather on the voyage and the ship continued to leak badly. They were delayed five weeks in the port of Rio whilst the ship was recaulked, and sailed again from Rio on July 31st. Upon reaching the Cape more repairs had to be made. The 'Kitty' finally reached Sydney Cove in November, having taken 231 days to complete the voyage compared to the 130 days taken by the 'Royal Admiral' that had brought William Ezzy and his Family to the Colony.
In the next few years after she was assigned to Henry Lamb, Elizabeth bore him three children, and she lived with him for about seventeen years before he finally married her. Unfortunately only the first of the three children would appear to have been baptized, and that was Rebecca who was born at Windsor 19/11/1797 and baptized the following year on the same day as Lucy Ezzy. Although the baptism is recorded in St.John's Register at Parramatta, the ceremony no doubt took place in the Hawkesbury. Their first son Henry was born about 1800, and we base his age on the fact the he stated that he was 21 years of age at the time of his marriage in 1821. By the time of the 1806 Muster, Elizabeth had a daughter and two sons, so we know that by that time a third child had been born. However, in June 1805 when the natives near Portland Head burned Henry's house to the ground, it was stated that Elizabeth had rescued an infant from the flames, which indicated that she had three children even at that time. For quite a number of reasons we feel that this second son was named John.
On the 10th April, 1798 Henry was given a Grant of 25 acres on the banks of the Hawkesbury River at Windsor by Governor Hunter. The Grant was Portion No. 81 and can be seen on the map displayed on page 32 in Book 1 of the Ezzy Family History. This land today is bisected by the Cornwallis Road and the greater part of it is a recreation area known as Deerubbun Park. Unfortunately for Henry this land was most flood-prone. Henry's life in the Colony was a series of disasters, he never quite seemed to make it, he was in fact a loser, through no fault of his own.
In the year 1800 Henry's name was mentioned in the records which survive relating to the Trial of the five Hawkesbury residents that were put on Trial for murdering two native boys in connection with the murders of Thomas Hoskisson and John Winbow. At the time of the Trial it was mentioned that some months previously, a Corporal Farrell and a private soldier named Henry Lamb had been sent to Sydney in charge of a native named 'Charley' who was thought to have been involved in the murder of Sgt. Goodhall. Sgt. Goodhall who had been Henry's superior officer had been attacked whilst at work in the grounds of his property on the road between Parramatta and the Hawkesbury in the District of Toongabbie, and subsequently died from the wounds that he received. (Goodhall also spelt Goodall)
In March 1803 Henry's name was mentioned in connection with another Trial at which he was called to give evidence. It was the Trial of a group of 'Delinquents' who had absconded from the Public Agricultural Settlement at Castle Hill on the 15th February 1803 and had subsequently stolen property belonging to several of the Settlers.
On the 27th April 1803, Henry was given another and much larger Grant of land. Once again it was described as being in the District of Mulgrave Place, however it was located in an area of the Hawkesbury that was then described as being 'Below Portland', today it is known as North Sackville, and Henry's Grant was quite nearby the present location of the little North Sackville Public School. The Grant contained 70 acres.
The Hawkesbury River is like a giant long snake. It twists and turns its serpent-like way across the countryside and each new bend or 'Reach' as they are known has its own individual name. If you look at a map of the area you will find such names as 'Cumberland Reach', 'Canning Reach', 'Swallow Reach', 'Windsor Reach', 'Sackville Reach' and 'Portland Reach'.
Until the year 1887 the little Hawkesbury settlement at Ebenezer was known as 'Portland Head'. A high rock bluff on the river several miles below Ebenezer and immediately opposite Henry's Grant was given the name of Portland Head because it had a striking resemblance to the head of the Duke of Portland. One side of Henry's Grant was washed by the waters of Portland Reach, just prior to the River making another twist to enter the Sackville Reach.
To say that Henry Lamb was living 'below Portland Head' was to indicat that he was living below, or further along the River from the 'settlement' known as Portland Head, whereas in actual fact he was living right opposite the actual rock bluff that had given the settlement its name.
Henry built a cottage on is land and took his 'wife' and children there to live. It would seem to me undeniably harsh that Jane Ezzy who came to this Colony as a free woman and of her own choice was always known as 'Jane Ezzy wife of a Convict', and yet Elizabeth Chambers, a convict transported for seven years, was almost always, even at this time before she was legally wed, referred to as 'Mrs.Lamb'. To my way of thinking it was only a 'mask'. By calling her 'Mrs.Lamb' you completely hid her true identity and the fact that the mother of Henry Lamb's children was of convict origin. Just another one of the injustices and social stigmas that lay behind the birth of our Family Folk Lore and Family Scuttle Bug.
Henry and Elizabeth had with them another child, possibly several years older than Rebecca who belonged to the aboriginal race. Henry had evidently found the child when only an infant, lying in the arms of her dead mother in the bush and had taken her home and raised her with his own family. No doubt Henry later wished that he had left the child where he had found her. Firstly with the help of members of her tribe, she burned down the home of the Lamb Family causing them to lose almost everything they owned. Henry took his family to stay at the home of a settler named Yeowler or Youler and this home too mysteriously caught fire (Henry still had the child with him not knowing that she was assisting the perpetrators of the crimes) and again Henry moved to the home of another neighbour, Thomas Chaseling at 'Chaselands'. Once again the natives tried to burn him out and this time the culprit was found. The incidents were all referred to in issues of the Sydney Gazette, during the months of June and July, 1805 and we quote :
S.G. 2/6/1805 : 'Hawkesbury May 31st - Last Wednesday a number of natives assembled near the farm of Henry Lamb at Portland Head, who was absent from home. After remaining some considerable time without manifesting any disposition to violence they all ascended a ridge of rocks at a trifling distance from the home where they kindled their fires, and rising suddenly commenced an assault upon the settler’s little property against which it was impossible to devise any means of security. A number of firebrands were showered about the house and different sheds which were thrown from a considerable distance by means of the 'mantang' or 'fire-gig', and the premises being by this device set fire to, were impossible to save and were in a short time wholly consumed, the family being able with difficulty to save themselves. The settler on his return went immediately in pursuit of the wanton assailants towards the interior of the mountains, but by a feint they eluded pursuit having first taken that route and afterwards struck off for the head of the Nepean'.
S.G. 9/6/1805 : 'The articles and property last mentioned to have been fired by the natives and consumed, comprised his dwelling house, barn, a stack of barley, a cast of meat, household furniture and whole wearing apparel of this family. Mrs. Lamb was at a small distance from the dwelling in which she had left an infant asleep and perceiving smoke issue from the roof, hastened back to the house which was in a blaze before she entered it and fearcely permitted her with safety to herself to rescue the child from the flames. Two labouring servants at work in an adjacent field ran to her assistance but the fire raged with such violence as to render every exertion to save a single article ineffectual'.
S.G. 7/7/1805 : 'It has been discovered that the perpetrator in setting fire to house lately destroyed at Hawkesbury was no other than a native girl not exceeding 13 years, reared from her infancy by Henry Lamb, in whose family she had ever remained and was a perfect stranger as well to he dialect as the (words missing) of her kindred. This juvenile incendiary was detected in the very act of attempting to destroy with a firebrand the premises of Thomas Chaseling and immediately acknowledged that she had set fire to the premises of her benefactor and the kind protector of her infant years, who had rescued her when abandoned to famine in the woods and clinging to the breast of her departed mother, and taken home and cherished, was ordained by fate to attempt the ruin of her preserver who still continued to afford her refuge. After Lamb was burnt out he took shelter at the farm of Yeowler and the little miscreant gave a second instance of her monstrous depravity. 'Chaselands' was the next retreat of the distressed family of which she was still a member, and but for the interruption of providence here also would she have accomplished her execrable purpose, but fortunately fell a sacrifice to her unparalleled depravity and ingratitude. To render more unaccountable the conduct of this juvenile desperado, she had never been observed to intermingle with the native tribes nor to hold any (words missing) among them, although she had frequently been (words missing) commenced, she had been several times seen in conversation with a boy rather older than herself'.
Although there are references in several writings that the home that Henry had on this land was built of stone, I feel that it is more likely that when Henry rebuilt, he built in stone, as he continued to work the land at Portland Head for several more years, and although he sold part of it in 1812 he retained the remaining 30 acres until some time after the 1814 Muster was taken.
During these early years in the Colony, Henry did not just fulfil his duties as a soldier and spend the remainder of his time working on his farm. He had other occupations from which he earned his living over the years, and he also received two more Grants of land.
In 1802 he was in partnership with a settler named Henry Smith. Possibly they were sharefarming.
After fourteen years service in the N.S.W.Corps, Henry was discharged late in 1802 when the Regiment was reduced to a peace establishment and it was at that time that head had received the Grant of 70 acres at Portland Head. After the series of fires that almost ruined him, Henry decided to lease part of the farm and an advertisement appeared in the Sydney Gazette in April 1806 to the effect that the portion was available for sale or lease and was situate on a part of the River known as 'Bardo Narrang' which was obviously the native name for this stretch of the Hawkesbury. Henry also stated in the advertisement, that it was his intention to leave the Colony. Quite obviously, however, he changed his mind.
The next few years were not kind to Henry. He suffered severely in the floods of 1806 and 1809 and in an endeavour to support his young Family he became an Overseer for Andrew Thompson and worked for him until his death in 1810. On 14/12/1809, Governor Paterson in consideration of Henry's military services and the severe and repeated losses which he had experienced granted him a portion of land in the Kurrajong Brush (later Richmond Hill District in Land Grant references). The Grant was to contain 80 acres, and although it was measured out for him he never received the Deeds and so he had no Legal Title to it.
His employer, Andrew Thompson, hearing of Henry's predicament promised to take the matter up with his friend Governor Macquarie, but unfortunately he was prevented from doing so by his death on 23/10/1810. So not only was Henry now without Legal Title to his new Grant, he was also without an employer.
He next became an Overseer to the Rev. Robert Cartwright and no doubt at his suggestion, late in 1810 he wrote a Memorial to Governor Macquarie advising him of his plight and duly received Title to his land. There is nothing to suggest that Henry ever lived on his Richmond Hill Grant, and even as late as the 1814 Muster he is still giving his place of residence as Portland Head. We have not at this stage investigated what he did with this land, we only know that he retained it and that by the 1830's it belonged to this son-in-law, John Ezzey.
Whether it was an influence exerted upon him by his employer the Rev. Cartwright, or the edict of Governor Macquarie that those who were not legally married could not inherit their Husband's Estate, but on the 27th January 1811, Henry and Elizabeth were married at St. Matthew's Windsor by Henry's employer. Elizabeth was now legally Mrs. Lamb, and in fact that is the way you will see here in all Official Records, even the 1828 Census, until she is buried as Elizabeth Lamb.
When the 1814 Muster was taken Henry and Elizabeth were living in Sydney Town and Henry was employed as a constable. It is not known when he left the employment of Rev. Cartwright as the Police Archives have no record of Henry's period of service with the Force. However, there is no doubt about it, he is recorded that way in the Muster. He still, however, put in a Return for the Hawkesbury in the Portland Head area and stated that he had eight acres of wheat, three acres of barley, 1 acre of orchard and garden and that he had in hand forty bushes of potatoes. In addition he had another three and a half acres standing fallow. He owned two male hogs and three female hogs and had a wife and three children.
Although Henry would appear to have had little success with his Portland Head farm, he has left his imprint upon the area. There is a small creek running in the Hawkesbury at this point which travels across Henry’s original grant, and even today it is quite officially known as 'Lamb's Creek'.
Henry Lamb must have retained some connection with his place of birth as there were several notices in the Sydney Gazette in the early years of his residence in the Colony, advising him that there were letters awaiting collection. However there is nother to suggest so far as we have been able to establish that he was in any way connected with other persons by the name of Lamb in the Colony.
Henry leased 30 acres of his Portland Head Grant to William Howe in January 1812, and later sold the remaining forty to John Jones. After William Howe's lease expired, Henry sold that portion to Thomas Clarkson.
The portion purchased by Thomas Clarkson had Henry's two-roomed stone cottage built on it. The cottage was erected on a rocky knoll no doubt in an endeavour to put it out of the reach of a least some of the lesser floods to which the area was prone. Thomas Clarkson sold his portion to the Turnbull Family in 1832 and as late as 1973 Henry's little stone cottage was still being lived in by a member of the Turnbull Family, according to reports.
In January 1821, a small Grant of land in the township of Windsor was allocated to a 'Henry Lamb', however I am of the opinion that this Grant was made to Henry's son and not to Henry himself. In 1820 Henry jnr. had sent a Memorial to the Governor stating that he was single and thought to be of excellent character and the he was a native son - ie. born in the Colony. The Grant was allocated on the condition that the owner cultivate low-lands in the district. This Grant was in the present day triangle formed by Brabyn Street, George Street and our old friend the Windsor Richmond Road. Henry's land was at the apex of the triangle and his adjoining neighbour was Thomas Upton. The reason for giving Henry this small Grant is quite easily seen as it was well out of the way of flood waters, and a good position to establish a home, however it has not been established which portion of the low-lands he was supposed to cultivate 'in consideration thereof'. Apparently Henry did not keep the Grant for long, however, and although we have not yet established how or when he obtained possession of it, on the 16/11/1822, John Lamb, a carpenter, sold the said land to his neighbour Thomas Upton. This sale record is one of the reasons why we feel that Henry and Elizabeth's third child was named 'John'.
By the time the 1822 Muster was taken, Henry and Elizabeth's two elder children, Rebecca and Henry jnr. were already married. Rebecca had married John Ezzey in 1817, and her brother Henry had married Charlotte Bogg in July 1821 and she and her husband John Ezzey had been the witnesses. Henry Lamb jnr. was a shoemaker by trade and had served his apprenticeship with a Pitt Street shoemaker named Thomas Smart. In 1819 Henry absconded from his master and returned to the Hawkesbury and Thomas Smart advertised in the Sydney Gazette for his return. Thomas described his late apprentice as being '5 feet 7 inches high, dark complexion, dark hair and dark side whiskers'. As to whether or not the young Henry Lamb returned to complete his apprenticeship is not known, but he later worked both in Sydney Town and Richmond as a shoemaker.
Charlotte Bogg was the daughter of a convict shoemaker, Robert Bogg who arrived on the 'General Hewitt' in 1814. Although Charlotte declares at the time of marriage that she was born in the Colony this was not correct as she was born in England and came on the 'Broxbornbury' with her Mother and other members of the Family in 1814. When the 1822 Muster was taken Henry jnr. and Charlotte where living in Sydney and they had a son Robert Lamb aged 7 months. Also listed in this Muster was a John Lamb, aged 19 years, born in the Colony, there is no occupation given, but we feel that this is possibly the son of Henry and Elizabeth.
The young infant, Robert Lamb, was born at Windsor and was baptized in Sydney at St.Phillip's Church, and it could possibly be that Henry jnr. sold the 1821 Grant to his brother John when he left the Hawkesbury and went to trade in Sydney Town as a shoemaker.
In April 1823 Charlotte Lamb gave birth to a second son in Sydney Town who was later baptised John.
On the 5th May 1825 Henry Lamb jnr. came before the Court on a charge of having assaulted Mr. Thomas Amsden, the Assistant Superintendent of Police at thee Sydney Racecourse. Likewise he was also charged with a similar offence against a Mr. Joseph Raphael. Henry was fined five pounds ($10) on both counts and given 6 months in jail for each offence. Henry Lamb jnr. was an inmate of Sydney Jail when the 1825 Muster was taken! This would appear to have been the end of the marriage of Henry Lamb and his wife Charlotte.
In the 1828 Census we find the Lamb Family completely scattered and the two sons of Henry, like Charles Ezzy, unaccounted for. No doubt they too were 'Beyond the Limits of Location'. The Census, however, shows Henry and 'Mrs. Lamb', no mention of the name 'Elizabeth', although it does give her Ship and sentence, living at Newington near Parramatta and Henry was employed as a Gardener to John Blaxland. Charlotte Lamb was 'living at' George Richard's home in George Street, her son Robert Lamb was a lodger at the home of Ann Garban in Clarence Street and her younger son, John Lamb is listed as an orphan living with John Beale at Parramatta. More than likely Henry jnr. and his brother had gone off somewhere together when he was released from prison.
It is not known how long Henry Lamb was in the employ of John Blaxland, or where he and Elizabeth had lived after he sold his little stone cottage at Portland Head. It is, however, thought that he remained with John Blaxland until 1838 as 'Newington' was given as the abode of Elizabeth Lamb when she was buried in St.John's churchyard at Parramatta on Christmas Eve of that year. She was said to be 78 years of age. She does not have a headstone.
Henry lived for almost thirteen more months and died at 'Curryjong' on 17/1/1839, more than likely in the home of his son-in-law John Ezzey. Henry was buried in St.Peter's Richmond and his age entered in the Register as 80 years. He does not have a headstone either.
Before Henry Lamb passed away his elder son had returned to the Hawkesbury and was working in the town of Richmond as a shoemaker. He had three more sons born to him : Henry 16/1/1834, Edward 17/9/1835 and Richard about 1839. The mother of the boys was Mary Ann..., and although on each occasion the children were baptised as if the parents were husband and wife, there is no record of a marriage and so far as we are aware, Henry's wife Charlotte was still living, although we have found no further evidence of her or her two sons.
Henry Lamb jnr. died 10/6/1839 and was buried at St. Matthew's Windsor. His youngest son, Richard was baptised several weeks later, but the date of birth was not entered in the Register, so he may have been born before or after his Father died.
So far as Henry and Elizabeth's younger son, supposedly John Lamb is concerned, we have found no further trace of him at this time, although a John Lamb who died in the year 1849 aged 45 could possibly be him, but this possibility has not yet been researched.
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