William Hancy (1766-1830)

Immigration
William Hancy & his family immigrated to the Colony of New South Wales as "free" (that is not convict) passengers aboard the Minorca. Also immigrated at the same time was his elder brother Michael & his family. They arriving on 14 December 1801 to a primitive Colony that was nearing it's 14th birthday.

The Minorca had first sailed from Gravesend, arriving at Portsmouth on 27 May 1801. The immigrants are most likely to have been allowed to board the ship at Gravesend rather than find another vessel to transport then to Portsmouth. On 21 June 1801 the Ship had then sailed from Spithead (an area in the strait between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth protected from all winds, except those from the southeast) in convoy with the Canada and the Nile on a voyage that was to last nearly 7 months. The route travelled was via Rio de Janeiro, a common sailing route to the Southern Lands.

The freesettlers were travelling to the Colony of New South Wales on the promise of free land. Land ownership was something that they could not even aspire to in England. Life was also difficult in England for those of the working classes.

The Minorca carried provisions for the Colony, 99 male convicts (5 of whom died during the voyage) and a number of free settlers like the Hancys.

Having the immigrants on board tempered the treatment of the convicts and they arrived in New South Wales in better condition than had occured on previous transports.

After arrival of the ships in New South Wales, Governor King wrote back to England:

''Sir, I have the honor to acquaint you of the arrival of the Canada, Minorca and Nile, with the persons and provisions stated in the enclosed account. The passengers were all in good health, and the convicts the healthiest and best conditioned that ever arrived here, being all fit for immediate labour...'' (HRA., Series 1, Vol., 3, p. 379)

Treatment of the convicts may have been better, but it was still harsh. This harsh treatment was something that the passengers could not avoid observing.

A convict James Hardy Vaux later wrote in his memoirs about the voyage:

''In May 1801, after an almost fatal attack of the gaol fever, his father, mother, and sisters took a final leave of him, and he was removed to Gravesend, and put on board the Minorca transport, which lay there with the Canada and Nile bound to Port Jackson. We dare say it will be new to the majority of our readers to learn how persons in this situation are treated; and as the subject has just been raised in the House of Commons, it acquires greater importance...Having entered the ship, we were all indiscriminately stripped (according to indispensable custom), and were saluted with several buckets of salt-water, thrown over our heads by a boatswain's-mate. After undergoing this watery ordeal, we were compelled to put on a suit of slop-clothing. Our own apparel, though good in kind, being thrown overboard. We were then double-ironed, and put between decks, where we selected such births, for sleeping, &c. as each thought most eligible. The next day, we received on board forty-six more prisoners from the Hulks at Woolwich, and the Canada fifty. The Nile also took on board one hundred women, from the different gaols in Great Britain. The three ships then sailed for Spithead where, on our arrival, the Minorca and Canada had their numbers augmented, from the Hulks at Portsmouth, to one hundred men each. Every thing being now in readiness, we only waited for the convoy to assemble, with which we were to proceed to a certain latitude.''

Life before immigrating
Both William and his elder brother Michael both married at St Annes Anglican Church in Soho, London.
 * Michael at about the age of 32 married heavily pregnant Hannah Watts on 10 April 1793. It is not know how old Hannah was, but it guessed that she was about 30.
 * William at about the age of 28 married Sarah MacDonald on 9 November 1794. Sarah was about the age of 26. It is not known if she was pregnant.

William and Michael were both Catholic but they had no choice but to marry in the Anglican Church. The law was such in England at the time that legal marriages could only be performed in the the established church, and couples of all faiths had to have an Anglican marriage service. Many also had another ceremony performed in the church of their faith and it is not known if William and Michael also had a Catholic service.

The heritage of the brothers was Irish Catholic. It is not known, however if they were born in Ireland and immigrated to London as children with their parents or later together as adults, or if they had been born in London. The heritage of their wives was also possibly Irish Catholic. Many Irish Catholics immigrated to England to escape the conditions of poverty in Ireland, and many immigrated to London. MacDonald, although it appears to be a name of Scottish origin, was also a name common to Ireland, as was Watts. All that is known is that both wives were Catholic, or became Catholic.

It is possible to work out approximately when William, Michael, Sarah and Hannah were born, but not where, nor who their parents were. Many people were born in London, and many immigrated to London from elsewhere in the United Kingdom. There were many people of the same names, and many missing baptism records, even in the established church. As an illegal faith, baptism records for the Catholic church were almost non-existant. Fortunately for anyone studying this family the baptism records for St Patricks Catholic Church in London had been able to improve by the time that William's and Michael's children were born as baptism records exist for some of these children.

A Family's Story


Location of the Grants
The land grants that William & his elder brother Michael Hancy received were “in the district of Toongabbie” in the Hills District northwest of Sydney. The area where the grants were situated then became more commonly known as Baulkham Hills. Today where the grants were situated is within the Sydney suburb of Castle Hill, the suburb that adjoins the modern suburb that has retained the name of Baulkham Hills. In the early 1800s this was a remote, not always fertile area. Today this land is transformed into an upmarket outer Sydney residential area, on the fringes of rural settlement. The land the families had been granted, while highly valuable today, was then quite remote from the main settlement at Sydney Cove 22 miles distant, and the secondary settlement of Parramatta 5 miles away.

A portion of today’s Showground Road (which runs from the Castle Hill shopping centre and onto Windsor Road) intersects the grants. The Cattai Creek, which watered both the grants, intersects the Showground Road on the Western boarder of the Fred Catterson Recreation Reserve. The Fred Catterson Recreation Reserve with its preserved bushland accurately portrays the flora and terrain of the grants which were largely uncleared.

The grants were located less than 2 miles from the large Castle Hill Government Farm, Governor King had established the Goverment Farm in 1801 to provide grain for the colony. The Government Farm was manned by over 200 convict labours, mainly political prisioners from Ireland. The Government Farm was operational until 1810. In 1811 Governor Maquarie converted the barracks buildings into a lunatic assylum which operated until 1826. Subsequent uses for these buildings were as a school and later a church. A small porton of the farm, including where these barracks once stood, today forms the 17 hectare (42 acre) Castle Hill Heritage Park.

Quality of Land
''The heavy clay soils of the district (of Castle Hill) were difficult to work and deficient in certain mineral constituents essential to plant life. When cropped continuously the land ceased to respond, and the early settlers soon found it difficult to grow cereal crops successfully. Then rust attacked the wheat, which was the staple crop, and farmers wore forced to abandon this branch of agriculture.'' James Jervis, "The Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society Vol.XV", pp 226-266

An Area frequented by Bushrangers
Following is part of an 1834 description of the Itinerary-road from Parramatta to Windsor & Richmond, the means of getting to the Hancy’s farms. Many of William Hancey’s neighbours are mentioned in the description.

"Raymond's The New South Wales Calendar & Directory - 1834", pp 54/55:

''At point 15 miles from Sydney, bridge over Parramatta River - North side of Parramatta and Gaol stands on the left, At 15½ miles point on the right along Penrith St. towards the Pennant Hills and joining in about 3½ miles the road leading in from Pennant Hills to the Government wharf. From the Junction to that wharf 2 miles. There is also another road from Parramatta between this and the river, which leads to the Female Orphan School; to the neat and picturesque cottage of Pemberton Grange, the seat of George Thomas Palmer Esq.; Weddon Cottage of the late John Palmer(1); Vineyard cottage of Hannibal McArthur Esq. MC (2); One Tree Hill of Thomas Forster Esq.; Ermington House, Major Lockyer's residence and to others near Kissing Point, where a church and school house ornament the top of a rising hill. At the 16½ mile point, Turnpike. On the right, road leading to Pennant Hills and to allotments marked out for the location of veterans. This portion of the country is very rocky and wild and is much resorted to by bushrangers. A little farther on is the bridge across the Darling Mill ponds. On the right, steam flour mills, named the Darling Mills. From this to the 18 mile stone, the land on the left is the Toongabbie reserve land attached to the Government domain. At the 18¾ ml point, on the right, the new North road to Wiseman's and Hunter River turns off. On the left, Pye's Inn. At the 19¾ mile point, The Baulkham Hills. Here two old settlers, McDougall and Suttor have extensive orange grounds, the trees are upwards of 20 years old. At the 22½ mile point, on the left Haywood, the residence of Mr. Geo. Acres. At the 23 mile point, on the right, a public House, called "Bird in the Hand”, kept by Hugh Kelly. On the opposite side of the road there is much cleared land affording an open prospect, backed by some formidable hills belonging to the lower ranges of the Blue Mountains.''

(1) Referees to William’s memorials.

(2) William’s daughter Catherine married one of Hannibal McArthur's assigned servants, James Williams

Death or Liberty
Less than 12 months after receiving their land grants, building wattle and daub shelters for their families, and, with the assistance of their assigned convicts, beginning to clear their land, William and Michael Hancy found themselves in the midst of an Irish convict lead Rebellion, the “Battle of Vinegar Hill” – the first European battle fought on Australian soil. Their land was within 2 miles of the nearby Castle Hill Government Farm where the Rebellion had started. It can reasonably be summized that their farms were among the many that the rebels raided as they went from farm to farm seizing weapons and supplies. Their assigned servants would also have been planned to join Rebellion, especially if they were Irish. As men of Irish heritage themselves it may also have been expected by the rebels that they would join their cause.

The Battle of Vinegar Hill was a culmination of multi-conspiracies, mutinies, failed uprisings, betrayals, and personal tragedy.

On the evening of 4 March 1804, in what was to be the first and only major convict uprising in Australian History, largely Irish convicts under Irish leadership escaped from the Castle Hill Government Farm intent on capturing vessels on which to sail back to Ireland.

The next day, 5 March 1804, close to Rouse Hill on a hillock that became nicknamed as “Vinegar Hill”, the convicts took their stand against a detachment of 30 soldiers of the NSW Corp, and about double this number of armed civilians, part of the “Active Defence” militia.

The battle ended after the leader of the Government Troops, Major George Johnston, together with Trooper Anlezaek, went forward to parley with 2 of the leaders of the Rebellion, Phillip Cunningham & William Johnston. The uprising was routed with the capture of 2 of the principal rebel leaders, a capture that involved trickery and subterfuge as they had gone forward under an offer of truce.

Until it was quelled the Rebellion had spanned over 2 days, with the enthusiastic rebels declaring that the area be called New Ireland, and that Cunningham be elected “King of the Australian Empire”.

Earlier attempts at uprisings
In August 1800 a plan was made to take Parramatta and capture the hated Anglican Minister and Magistrate Samuel Marsden, the “flogging parson”. After dealing with Marsden the rebels would pike the soldiers at Parramatta in their beds, steal their muskets, and then march on Sydney. To this end pikes, long wooden spiked poles, were manufactured and hidden to ensure that the rebels would be well armed. An informant had given Marsden word of the insurrection and the Rebellion was quickly cancelled when its leaders learnt of their betrayal. The suspected Irish leaders were rounded up by the authorities and punished by being shipped off to remote parts of the Colony. The authorities also attempted to round up all the pikes. Once the population of Sydney, Parramatta and Windsor learned that the planned uprising had included pikes, the population went hysterical with fear of Irish convicts.

All the pikes were not found, and in September 1800 another insurrection was planned. This time rebels were to assemble at Parramatta when the local authorities would be in Church service on Sunday morning. The plan was to over-power the soldiers at Parramatta and then march on Sydney. The plan failed when the messenger that the leaders had been using to take word or the planned insurrection from farm to farm, and escaped convict named John Lewis, was captured. Placed in gaol he eventually informed. On learning that their plan had been discovered the rebel leaders, as in the attempt of the month before, cancelled the Rebellion. In reprisal the authorities rounded up the ringleaders, punished them with 1000 lashes, and gaoled and isolated them with hard labour on the hulk “Supply” which lay in Sydney Harbour. Other rebels were rounded up and given 500 or 200 lashes.

By isolating the rebel leaders Governor King was attempting to settle and keep the peace amongst the remaining Irish convicts. Then in February 1801 the convict transport “Ann” arrived from Cork with its new cargo of Irish convicts. In the words of Governor King she had carried “137 of the most desperate and diabolical characters that could be selected” (King to Portland, Dispatch 3, 10 March 1801), including convicts who had mutinied during the voyage.

Quoting Lynette Ramsay Silver from pages 48-49 of her book "The Battle of Vinegar Hill Australia's Irish Rebellion, 1804" (1989): ''With one lot of dangerous and desperate convicts only just removed from the colony, it seemed to the governor very much as if they had merely moved aside to make room for an even worse collection of desperadoes. The arrival of the new transportees brought the total of United Irishmen in the colony to six hundred, one of them apparently bound by an oath of absolute loyalty to the brotherhood, and, in King's opinion, 'ready and only waiting to put their diabolical plans into action'.'' (King to Portland, Dispatch 3, 10 March 1801)

This was not to be the end of the problem’s though. More ships continued to arrive from Ireland bringing out political prisoners. For example in June 1802 the “Hercules” arrived with more of these ‘desperate and diabolical characters’ who had likewise mutinied on the way.

Governor King’s forebodings were to be realised in the uprising, still future, of 1804 where the principal leader, Phillip Cunningham, was found to be an “Ann” transportee and mutineer, and one of the 2 deputy leaders, Samuel Humes, was found to be a “Hercules” transportee and mutineer.

The leaders of the Rebellion
The leader of the Rebellion, the Irish convict Phillip Cunningham (the alias of Glenn Liath), was a political activist and veteran of the 1798 United Irish “Vinegar Hill Rebellion” back in the home country. The slogan for this new 1804 Rebellion was borrowed from the 1798 insurrection: “Death or Liberty”.

After taking place in the “Vinegar Hill Rebellion” of June 1798, in early 1799 Cunningham had helped to reorganise the United Irish network in the south of Ireland. He was involved in rescuing prisoners and conducting arms raids, as well as sporadically attacking the Clonmel yeomanry on the ‘retaliate first’ principle, while continuing to await the arrival of the French and tried to re-establish lines of communication. On the evidence of an informer Cunningham was captured and charged with sedition at Clonmel 9-11 October 1799. A legal technicality only saved him from the hangman’s noose and instead allowed his sentence to be commuted to transportation for life. In 1800 he was placed abroad the “Ann”, the third transport to carry rebel prisoners to New South Wales. Then in an attempt to take over control of the vessel and sail to France for assistance, and along with the others crying “Death or Liberty”, Cunningham was involved in an unsuccessful mutiny on board the “Anne”. For his part in this mutiny of the coast of Brazil, Cunningham was at first sent to Norfolk Island when the vessel arrived in New South Wales in 1801. Then he was assigned to the Government Farm at Castle Hill where he becoming the overseer of government stonemasons. Cunningham had no intention of relinquishing his hope of freedom, however. In October 1802, accompanied by fellow convict Conor Sheehan, Cunningham attempted to abscond from the Colony of New South Wales. His plan had been to travel to Sydney and join a departing French Vessel. They only made it as far as Parramatta, however, before they were captured. Sent back to the Government Farm their punishment was 100 lashes each.

Cunningham’s deputy-leaders in the Rebellion were William Johnston and Samuel Humes.

Samuel Humes had arrived in the Colony as an Irish political prisoner aboard the “Hercules” in June 1802, another veteran of the 1798 United Irish “Vinegar Hill Rebellion”. He likewise had been involved in seditious activities in the aftermath. After being arrested, tried, and placed upon the “Hercules” transport he arrived in New South Wales in June 1802. On the voyage out, near Cape Verdes, he had likewise been involved in an attempt to take over control of the vessel and sail to France for assistance, another unsuccessful mutiny

Nothing is known about William Johnston except that he was an Irish convict, not even on which ship he was transported to the Colony, or when he arrived. His background, however, would have been similar to Cunningham’s and Hume’s.

All 3 men were Irish convicts working on the Castle Hill Government Farm. Many of their fellow convicts at the Castle Hill Government Farm were also political prisoners who had been involved in the “Vinegar Hill Rebellion” of 1798 and its aftermath. Many others were assigned to work as labourers on farms throughout the region.

The plan for the Rebellion of 1804
The Rebellion was not planned to include only those about 600 Irish convicts who had arrived in the Colony since after the “Vinegar Hill Rebellion” of 1798, but any other convicts and free settlers of any persuasion who wished to join them. The ambitious plan was to try to involve the about 685 convicts in the Castle Hill area (474 Irish & English convicts were on the Government Farm, and many Irish and English convicts were assigned to farms in the area) joining with the about 1,100 convicts from the Hawkesbury River area. They were to meet at Constitution Hill (near the intersection of today’s Cumberland Highway and Old Windsor Road) in order to march on Parramatta and then Port Jackson (Sydney) itself.

In more detail the plan involved torching the MacArthur property of "Elizabeth Farm" in order to draw the Parramatta garrison out of the town. Once this was done it was planned that the rebels in Parramatta would rise up and set fire to the town as a signal. The Castle Hill rebels would gather at Constitution Hill and then raid the barracks for more arms and ammunition. From there the rebels would march to Windsor and join up with the rebels in the Hawkesbury before marching on Sydney.

The signal for the Rebellion to begin would be for a convict by the name of John Cavenah to set fire to his hut on the Castle Hill Government Farm.

How did the Rebellion play out?
Secrecy and a non-traceable trail of communication were 2 factors that Cunningham was trying to ensure to guarantee the success of this Rebellion. There was some success in that the Rebellion did not come to the notice of the New South Wales Corps until the day before the Rebellion began. The secrecy had been blown, however late, and the Rebellion was now doomed to failure. Cunningham, however, was unaware of the leak.

On the evening of Saturday 3 March 1804 one of the Irish convict overseers at the Castle Hill Government Farm visited Samuel Marsden and turned informant. On Sunday 4 March, the day on which the Rebellion was planned to begin, 2 more informants “came forward” naming names. The first of these informants was the publican Lewis Bulger who told Samuel Marsden about the contents of a note that Cunningham had given the day before to his fellow convict John Griffin to take to one of the pike makers, Bryan Furey, that the Rebellion was on for the next night. Lewis Bulger knew about the note because he had urged John Griffin to destroy it, which he had done. The second informant was John Griffin after he was quickly caught and gaoled where Marsden forced the information about the Rebellion out of him.

Despite having this intelligence, Marsden took no action to prevent the Rebellion.

At 9 p.m. on the evening of Sunday 4 March 1804 a bell was rung and John Cavanah set fire to his hut on the Castle Hill Government Farm as planned. The signal had been given for the Rebellion to begin. Under the leadership of Cunningham, Johnston and Hume more than 200 convicts on the Government Farm poured out of their huts and took over the farm. They broke into the buildings on the Government Farm seizing firearms, ammunition, and any other weapons that they could find.

Initially pandemonium broke loose as buildings were ransacked and cries of “Death or Liberty” filled the air. Two English convicts dragged the flogger, Robert Duggan, out from under his bed and one of them, George Harrington, beat Duggan unconscious. Only misfiring muskets saved 2 constables from being shot in the face. Cunningham dressed the rebels down for their lack of discipline, but the lack of discipline continued.

Cunningham split the mob into 3 groups under the leadership of Johnston, Hune and himself. They were ordered them to spread out across the countryside to raid the homes of settlers to steal weapons and rally recruits. They were to regroup later at Constitution Hill outside Parramatta. Rebels went from farm to farm looking for others to join their cause, and seized firearms, ammunition, and any other weapons they could find. They also, however, took and drank any liquor they could find which helped nothing with their discipline. They did, however, manage to arm themselves with over 180 swords, muskets and pistols. This is estimated to be close to one-third of the entire Colony’s arms.

Setting fire to a hut in the darkness of night was a good way to get the word that the Rebellion had begun out to the rebels in the area. The fire was seen at Parramatta and in the Hawkesbury. Unfortunately for the rebels, however, Cunningham’s message had never reached Bryan Furey and those at Parramatta and in the Hawkesbury did not know what it meant.

The fire was also conspicuously visible to the authorities. Within an hour word had reached Parramatta that a Rebellion had begun. By 11.30 p.m. word had reached Governor King in Sydney who immediately issued orders for the rebels to surrender or face court-martial. He also issued a Proclamation of Martial Law for the area of the Rebellion, the first time that Martial Law had been declared in Australian history. Published in the “Sydney Gazette” until Martial Law was lifted was his proclamation: I do therefore proclaim the Districts of Parramatta, Castle Hill, Toongabbie, Prospect, Seven and Baulkham Hills, Hawkesbury and Nepean to be in a STATE of REBELLION; and to establish Martial Law throughout those Districts.

Governor King then sent for Major George Johnston to inform him of the situation and give him written orders to proceed to Parramatta to quell the Rebellion. Drums and gun shots rang out in both Parramatta and Sydney as the military and civilian militia, and all other able-bodied men, were called to duty. Meanwhile Samuel Marsden and John MacArthur and their families fled the town of Parramatta by boat.

At dawn on 5 March 1804, as stragglers continued to arrive, Cunningham and Williams were to be found drilling the rebels on Constitution Hill while they waited for the expected signal from the rebels in Parramatta that the town was free of soldiers. Word, however, had never reached the rebels in Parramatta of when the Rebellion was to begin, and the signal never came. Compounding Cunningham and Johnston’s problems was that they had lost Humes and a third of their men in the darkness. Despite the excellent beginning, those assembled at Constitution Hill now possessed an inadequate collection of weapons. Taking Parramatta was now out of the question, so Cunningham and Johnston decided to head off down the Hawkesbury Road (today the Old Windsor Road, and then Windsor Road) towards Windsor to meet up with the convicts from the Hawkesbury area who they believed were also in Rebellion

Also at dawn on 5 March 1804 Major Johnston with his troops and militia arrived at Parramatta from Sydney. After ascertaining that the rebels were on the move, Major Johnston and his troops then set off after the rebels. They followed them in hot pursuit with the assistance of roadside inhabitants who gave them a running commentary of where the rebels had been.

When those on horseback were within a mile of with the marching rebels Major Johnston firstly sent Trooper Anlezark ahead to call a truce and parley with them as the rebels needed to be delayed so that those on foot could catch up. The truce was refused, Analezark’s claims that Governor King was right behind them were not believed, and his demands for their surrender were ignored.

Needing more time Major Johnston next sent Father James Dixon, who he had brought with him from Sydney, to talk to the rebels in an attempt to convince them to surrender. Father Dixon likewise failed to halt the rebels

So Major Johnston, together with Trooper Anlezark, galloped ahead to call a truce and urge the rebels to surrender. Major Johnston was asked into the centre of the rebels to discuss any parley. Instead he called the rebel leaders cowardly for not wanting to come out and meet him in the open but under the cover of their rebel muskets. Phillip Cunningham and William Johnson came out and meet with Major Johnston and Anlezark. The rebel leaders listened for a period, and then agreed for the 2 officers to return to their troops to get father Dixon again.

The delay had allowed the foot-soldiers and militia to catch up. With their reinforcements at the ready, Major Johnston and Trooper Anlezark again returned to the rebels to call a truce and taking Father Dixon with them as requested. Johnson claimed that he waved a white handkerchief as a flag of truce. Again Cunningham and Johnston walked out from the ranks of the rebels to meet them.

Major Johnston was planning to quell the Rebellion by breaking the truce and tricking Cunningham and Johnston into thinking that he would talk with them but instead he and Anlezark would take them prisoner.

Major Johnston first gave a long lecture about accepting the Governor’s offer of clemency: surrender and no court-martial. Lynette Ramsey Silver then writes of the final confrontation between the rebel leaders and Major Johnston: Finally, when the major asked them [the rebel leaders] what they really wanted, Cunningham replied 'Death or Liberty' adding (according to one account) the very practical request 'and a ship to take us home'.

At this point Major Johnston pulled out his hidden pistol and held it to Johnston’s head ordering him to walk towards the soldiers and militia who had just appeared over a rise and begun to walk towards the base of the then unnamed hill. Anlezark likewise pulled out his hidden pistol and held it at Cunningham’s head. Cunningham and Johnston had been gullible enough to trust the English officer, and now they, and all those with them, were to pay the penalty.

Lynette Ramsey Silver writes of the start of the battle: ''Major Johnston without any other preliminaries, ordered his men to charge and open fire. Over fifty armed civilians, a mounted trooper, and 29 military men (26 of whom were capable of firing 780 prepared rounds of ammunition in 10 to 15 minutes), were pitted against 233 rebels. The odds were technically with the rebels, but it was Enniscorthy's Vinegar Hill all over again. With machine like precision and the economy of movement that comes with practice and military training, the red-coated soldiers formed ranks and for 15 minutes carried out their duty precisely as ordered. Leaderless, caught completely unawares and totally unprepared, the rebels weakly returned the fire before fleeing in all directions.''

The Aftermarth
With the short battle over a day-long pursuit of the fleeing rebels began. Some of the prisoners who were taken were murdered in cold blood by the troops. Major Johnston had to threatening his troops with his pistol to save the lives of six others.

In the meantime William Johnston managed to temporarily escape his captors and flee into the bush. As for Cunningham, Quartermaster Thomas Laycock struck at him with his sword and the wounded Cunningham fell to the ground assumed dead. Soldiers busy pursuing other rebels left Cunningham behind and he was not picked up until the next day. Picking up what they assumed to be a body the next day, Cunningham was found to be still living.

The men in the uprising were not just Irish convicts. There had also been a significant number of English convicts, and a smattering of free men such as Charles Hill. Governor King decided that the best thing to do was to only punish the ringleaders who had caused the others to follow. This decision meant that most of the rebels, still needed to work the Government Farm, were not punished.

Taking advantage of the Martial Law, Major Johnston ordered Phillip Cunningham to be hung without trial at Windsor on Monday 6 March 1804 from the staircase of the public Windsor Granary store, a place that he had boasted that he would plunder.

William Johnson eventually gave himself up before Martial law was lifted. Others of the rebels surrendered in great numbers. By 8 March all the leaders had been captured and now faced court-marshal.

William Johnston and the others who played leadership roles were then brought before a judicial panel. William Johnston plead guilty, while John Neale admitted that he had been in the rebel group. The rest claimed that they had been forced to join the Rebellion, except for Jonathon Place who outright denied all charges. William Johnston, and Samuel Humes another of the senior leaders of the Rebellion, were hung until dead in a public place, Johnston at Castle Hill and Humes at Parramatta, and then their bodies were hung in chains. Another 6 men were executed by hanging – 2 at Parramatta, 2 at Castle Hill, and 2 at Sydney. Four of these men were English convicts.

Lynette Ramsey Silver writes: ''There are very old legends about the two 'hanging trees' at Toongabbie. .. one on Toongabbie Hill and the other by Johnston's Bridge. It is probable that the body of Samuel Humes was hanged on one of these two trees. The Johnston's Bridge site is favoured, as it was by the main road to the Hawkesbury and right in the centre of the Government Ground. .... The body of Johnston was hanged in a small hollow on the road to Prospect where the road climbs from Parramatta and then descends, shortly after leaving the township.''

Johnston’s body was hung in a very public place as the road to Prospect was a busy road just outside of Parramatta. The bodies were left to rot as a warning to others and were not taken down until June, 3 months later, and then only because of the pleas of a free lady recently arrived in the Colony.

In total 9 of the rebel leaders had been executed and many more were punished before martial law was finally revoked on 12 March 1804.

Seven of the remaining leaders received between 200-500 lashes in Sydney before being exiled to Newcastle with 23 others. Another 34 were placed in irons. Father Dixon, who it was perceived had played a part in the Rebellion, was made to put his hands on the raw and bloodied backs of the rebels who had been flogged.

Finally many others whom it was suspected had played a part in the leadership of the Rebellion, but for whom there was insufficient proof of their involvement, were exiled to Norfolk Island.

Where did the battle take place?
The battle took place at what became nick-named “Vinegar Hill”. “Vinegar Hill” is somewhere along the road that the rebels were marching along on their way from Coronation Hill to Windsor, what was then called the Hawkesbury Road. Today it is the Old Windsor Road and then continues along Windsor Road.

Originally it was thought that “Vinegar Hill” was at Rouse Hill. From the 1950s a number of historians began to contend instead that it was about a mile before Rouse Hill near where Schofields Road meets Windsor Road. From the writings of Major Johnston about the battle, and the topography of the area, this is now the accepted place of “Vinegar Hill”, in the area occupied today by Castlebrook Lawn Cemetery. (In 1988 a sculpture commemorating the battle was dedicated at Castlebrook Lawn Cemetery by former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.) This is only about 4 miles, as the crow flies, from the farms of Willliam and Michael Hancy.

Final comment from The Hills Shire Council
“THE CASTLE HILL REBELLION & BATTLE OF VINEGAR HILL 1804”: The rebels were not bloodthirsty revolutionaries but ordinary men motivated by a single desire – to go home. The ideals of Liberty and Freedom, for which they fought and died, are as much a part of our Australian ethos today as they were in 1804. It is significant that the password for the 1854 Eureka Stockade in the Victorian goldfields was ‘Vinegar Hill’.

William Hancy's funeral
William Hancy's funeral was held on 8 December 1830 at St Patricks Catholic Church at Parramatta. His body was buried in the cemetery there, and a headstone still exists. If you go looking for his death registration, however, it is not to be found, not under any of the various spellings of his surname: Hancy, Hancey, Hansy, or Hansey. This is because his death was never included in the official records. In the very early days of the Colony no Catholic births, marriages, or funerals were included in the official records. Then by the time that Michael died Catholic Ceremonies held in Sydney had began to be included. At the time that Michael died, however, Catholic ceremonies held at Parramatta were still not making it into the official records.

The Family Secret
On 21 March 1818 at Parramatta, Catherine Hancy, William’s eldest child, married James Williams the father of her 3-month-old son, at Parramatta. James, who had been in the Colony for 3 years, was an assigned servant to one of William’s neighbours, Hannibal McArthur, the nephew of John McArthur.

A native of East Knoyle, Wiltshire, James had been convicted of horse stealing in the Dorset Assizes in March 1814. His original sentence had been death but it had been commuted to transportation for life. In June 1814, whilst he awaited a ship he had been put aboard the Laurel hulk in Langston Harbour (near Portsmouth).

James Williams, a miller by trade and a married man with 3 children, had come to the Colony of New South Wales as a convict aboard the “Marquis of Wellington” in January 1815. Some of the men aboard the Marquis of Wellington had their wives and children follow them to the Colony, at government expense. Six of these families had come out on the Northhampton arriving in the Colony 5 months later in June 1815. James William’s wife and children remained in England.

Marriage for a convict in the Colony was only allowed after first having received the Governor’s permission to marry. How then was it possible for James, a married man, to have received the Governor’s permission to marry Catherine?

An explanatory note to the “Index of Convicts” at the NSW State Archives states:-

''It was not uncommon in the early years of the settlement for convicts to marry again in the colony, when they had been married already prior to conviction. Various reasons accounted for this - the mistaken belief that their spouse was dead or the attitude they would never see them again. It was almost impossible to prove a convict was married if he stated otherwise. Some convicts believed transportation annulled marriage. Moreover bigamy after 7 years was probably not a crime.'' (see below)

James William’s 2nd marriage to Catherine Hancy, however, was definitely bigamous. It had been just less than 4 years since he had left England. He was one of the many convicts who re-married in the Colony by hiding their marital status. Rev. Samuel Marsden, “Principal Chaplain, Parramatta”, would not have signed James’ request for Governor’s consent to marriage if James had not assured him that he was single.

On 7 August 1819 James Williams was convicted of an offence within the Colony of New South Wales. He had been “selling liquor without a license”. He was sent to Newcastle for 3 years. He was, however, returned to Sydney one year early. This did not mean, however, that he was allowed to live with his family. He was still a convict serving a life sentence. He was at this time labouring for the Government and sleeping in the Barracks in Sydney. In May 1822 his wife Catherine petitioned Major Frederick Goulburn - Colonial Secretary, asking for her husband to be allowed to sleep out of barracks, as she is alone with her children and had no protection.

In May/June 1822 James was assigned to Rev. George Augustus Middleton at Newcastle. Catherine received permission to proceed with their youngest infant child, George Frederick, to Newcastle to join her husband. Her 5 year old eldest son, James Philip, was probably left with family until he could later join her.

Then in October 1826 Catherine petitioned the Governor, Lt.Gen. DARLING, for her to be allowed to take her husband off the stores, and, as she had came free to the Colony, for him to be assigned to her instead of to Rev. Middleton. Her petition contained some interesting information:
 * In 1822 in either May or June, James Williams had been assigned in Sydney to Rev. George Augustas Middleton. (Rev. Middleton was Assistant Chaplain, had been appointed 6 August 1819 by the then Under Secretary for State in England, and lived in the Hunter's River Valley at a Glebe Farm, "Glen Rose", Paterson's Plains.)
 * In 1823 Middleton had allowed Williams a ‘Clearing Lease’ of 20 acres of the Glebe Farm. (An unusual thing to have done, since Williams was assigned to him and Middleton could have used his services without leasing land to him.) Williams did clear part of the land, sufficient to permit him to erect a dwelling house and barn, but Catherine and the children did not reside on the farm.
 * Middleton agreed to rent to Williams another 40 acres of the Glebe Farm at a rental of £40 p.a. For another £50 p.a. Middleton allowed him the services of 2 Govt. Servants to be rationed from the Government Stores at Newcastle. There was also the added expense of £50 for three Working Bullocks.
 * Williams paid some of the rent, but could not make up the rest, his explanation being that his crops had been blighted and Bushrangers had robbed him of £90.
 * Relations were very much strained between Middleton and Williams. Catherine contended that Middleton was being very exorbitant in maintaining his demands to be paid the rest of the money due to him. At the same time, although Williams had the opportunity to go and work for other men on their properties for wages that would have allowed him to clear his debt, Middleton refused permission for him to go, claiming that Williams' assignment to him was for work only on his, Middleton's, farm, and to allow Williams to go, Middleton would be breaking his contract to the Government.
 * James & Catherine had 5 children to maintain; that 2 of the 5 were twins, only 3 years old, and that the youngest was but 13 months old. (James Philip, 11, & George Frederick, 7, twins Eliza Catherine & Julia Ann, 3, and Louisa Margaret 13 months.)

Catherine’s petition was strongly resisted, not to his credit, by Rev. G.A. Middleton to whom James had been assigned. This resulted in further correspondence and further petitions. Despite the objections James was finally assigned to his wife on 14 February 1829 by a “Ticket of Exemption from Government Labour” (from Middleton) on condition that he was “to reside with his wife, Catherine Williams, who came free to the Colony, District WALLIS PLAINS. Vide Petition No 28/10195 22nd Dec. 1828.” (Wallis Plains was soon to be renamed Maitland.)

Government records show that James’ “Ticket of Exemption from Government Labour” was renewed yearly until on 10 September 1833 James was granted a “Ticket of Leave”.

Then just 2½ months later, on 21 November 1833, James was granted a “Conditional Pardon” - “PROVIDED ALWAYS and on Condition that the said James Williams continue to reside within the limits of this Government for and during the space of his Original Sentence or Order of Transportation; or as if this Remission had never been granted.” Finally James was to all intents and purposes a free man. He would remain a free man as long as no one ever discovered his secret.

Changes of surname by daughters:


 * Catherine Hancy married James Williams in 1818


 * Ann Hancy (1798) married Thomas Woolley in 1816


 * Margaret Hancy married John McLeod in 1827


 * Elizabeth Jane Hancy married Thomas Pendergast in 1828


 * Sophia Hancy married James Pendergast in 1828


 * Charlotte Hancy married William Archibald Ashton about 1833

Establishing who William's children were, and their years of birth
When William immigrated to New South Wales with his family he is recorded as arriving with 3 children. In trying to establish who these 3 children were, and who were the additional children born in New South Wales, other documents need to be consulted. As William & his wife Sarah were Roman Catholic the process is a little more difficult. In the early days of New South Wales the only birth records came from a child's baptism, and baptisms of children into the Catholic faith were not included in the official records. Slowly this began to change, but this began first with the main Catholic Church in Sydney before records in Parramatta, near where William settled, were included. There are therfore no birth records for any of William's children born in the colony.

William & Sarah had 9 children in total

Records of all except one of William's children are found in the Musters & Censuses of New South Wales. That one child is the only child born in England for whom a baptism record has been found, and also the only child born in England who was not able to immigrate as he was already deceased. Little Simeon, William's second child, was baptised in at St Patrick Catholic Church in London on 27 March 1797, but died before the Minorca sailed on 21 June 1801.

Problems in the records

In the death registration for Sarah in 1859 it states that Sarah had 8 children still living when she really only had 7 children living in 1859. The information for her death registration was provided by her son-in-law William Ashton who had married her daughter Charlotte and he had made a mistake. Without the memorials that are referred to below, however, it would have appeared that this information in Sarah's death certificate had instead been correct and that William & Sarah had had 10 children in total, the 10th being a second daughter by the name of Ann botn in 1807. This is because the 1822 & 1825 Musters both have recorded such a daughter. The above records are incorrect. No such second daughter by the name of Ann existed. Errors like this, unfortunately, were common in the Musters.
 * Ann was recorded in the 1822 Muster. Recorded age 14 = YOB 1807.
 * Ann was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 17 = YOB 1807.

A memorial (a request for a land grant) that William wrote to the government on 18 August 1822 reveals the names of William's other 8 children

On 18 August 1822 William wrote a memoral where he stated that he and his wife had arrived free on the Minorca in 1801. They had brought there three children with them "namely Catherine, Ann and Thomas" and had since had another five more children "namely Margaret, Frederick, Elizabeth, Sophia and Charlotte". In a subsequent memorials dated 26 August 1824 he again stated that he had a wife and 8 children, and one of his independant referees also stated that he was the father of 8 children.

The Musters & Censuses of New South Wales reveal additional details about William's other 8 children

In the 1806 Muster of New South Wales William is recorded as having 5 children, suggesting 2 children had been born into the family in the period 1802-1805. Subsequent records, however, show that 3 children were born in this period, and that William had 6 living children at the time of this Muster. How can this be? It was common in the musters not to include infants, especially in the muster of 1805-1806. What was being counted in the Muster was children being sustained either on government stores or by the parent. An infant was being sustained at its mother's breast and was not counted. The youngest of William's 6 children was an infant.


 * (1) Catherine born 1795 in London.
 * Catherine was 1 of the 3 children aboard the Minorca in 1801.
 * Catherine was one of the 5 children counted in the 1806 Muster.
 * Catherine married on 21 March 1818 in an Anglican service in Parramatta. No age was recorded.
 * Catherine was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Catherine was recorded in the 1825 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Catherine WAS NOT recorded in the November 1828 Census.
 * Catherine was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * Catherine was recorded as 84 years of age at her death on 24 Octobber 1879. This suggests a year of birth of 1795. This agrees with Catherine being William & Sarah's eldest child, born in the year after they married on 9 November 1794.


 * (2) Simeon born in 1797 in about March in London. Deceased before 1801. Refer to above.


 * (3) Ann born 1798 in London.
 * Ann was 1 of the 3 children aboard the Minorca in 1801.
 * Ann was one of the 5 children counted in the 1806 Muster.
 * Ann married on 29 September 1816 in an Anglican Service in Parramatta at the recorded age of 18 = YOB 1798.
 * Ann was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Ann was recorded in the 1825 Muster. No age was recorded. (Muster also records born in Colony - this was a very common error in the 1825 Muster.)
 * Ann was recorded in the November 1828 Census. PROTESTANT. Recorded age 30 = YOB 1798.
 * Ann was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * No record of Ann's death has been found.


 * (4) Thomas born 1800 in London.
 * Thomas was 1 of the 3 children aboard the Minorca in 1801.
 * Thomas was one of the 5 children counted in the 1806 Muster.
 * Thomas stated on a amemorial dated 25 May 1820 that he was then 19 = YOB 1800.
 * Thomas was recorded in the 1822 Muster. Recorded age 20. Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. He would have been 21. (Muster records born in Colony - this was a very common error in the 1822 Muster.)
 * Thomas was recorded in the 1825 Muster Recorded age 22. PROTESTANT. Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. He would have been 25. (Muster born in Colony - this was a very common error in the 1825 Muster.)
 * Thomas was recorded in the November 1828 Census. Recorded age 28 = YOB 1800. (Census also records born in Colony - this was a very common error in the 1828 Census.)
 * Thomas married on 13 February 1832 in a Catholic service at St Marys Sydney. (His wife was Catholic.) Marriage banns state he was born in London. This was a time when marriages performed at the Catholic Church at Sydney were recorded in the official records. In January permission to marry his convict wife records his age as 31 = YOB 1800.
 * Thomas was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * Thomas was recorded born in London and 75 years of age at his death on 17 April 1876. This suggests a year of birth of 1800. This agrees with the age given in the 1828 census.


 * (5) Margaret born 1802 in New South Wales.
 * Margaret was one of the 5 children counted in the 1806 Muster.
 * Margaret was recorded in the 1822 Muster. Recorded age 19 = YOB 1802.
 * Margaret was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 23 = YOB 1802.
 * Margaret married on 25 December 1827 in a Presbyterian Service in Sydney at the recorded age of 25 = YOB 1802.
 * Margaret was recorded in the November 1828 Census. PROTESTANT. Recorded age 26 = YOB 1802.
 * Margaret was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * No record of Margaret's death has been found.


 * (6) Frederick born 1803 in New South Wales.
 * Frederick was one of the 5 children counted in the 1806 Muster.
 * Frederick was recorded in the 1822 Muster, but no name or age was recorded.
 * Frederick was "about 18" on 27 February 1823 when his father put an advertisement in the newspaper that he was a "Runaway". His father put the advertisemnt in not knowing his sons age. Frederick was "about 18" - he was 19.
 * Frederick was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 13. Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. He would have been 22.
 * Frederick was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 25 = YOB 1803.
 * Frederick married on 11 June 1832 in an Anglican Service at Field of Mars. (His wife was also Catholic.) No age was recorded.
 * Frederick was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * Frederick was recorded as 68 years of age at his death on 18 September 1872. This suggests a year of birth of 1803. This agrees with the age given in the 1828 census.


 * (7) Elizabeth born 1805 in New South Wales.
 * Elizabeth WAS NOT counted in the 1806 Muster. She was an infant.
 * Elizabeth was recorded in the 1822 Muster, but no name or age was recorded.
 * Elizabeth was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 19 = YOB 1805.
 * Elizabeth married on 5 May 1828 in a Catholic Service at St Marys Sydney. No age was recorded. (This was a double marriage with her sister Sophia. They were marrying brothers.) This was a time when marriages performed at the Catholic Church at Sydney were recorded in the official records.
 * Elizabeth was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 23 = YOB 1805.
 * Elizabeth was one of the 8 children living in 1859.
 * Elizabeth was recorded as 67 years of age at her death on 12 November 1874. Data given for death records is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. She would have been 69. A year of birth of 1805 agrees with the other data.


 * (8) Sophia born 1808 in New South Wales.
 * Sophia was recorded in the 1822 Muster. Recorded age 13 = YOB 1808.
 * Sophia was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 16 = YOB 1808.
 * Sophia married on 5 May 1828 in a Catholic Service at St Marys Sydney. No age was recorded. (This was a double marriage with her sister Elizabeth. They were marrying brothers.) This was a time when marriages performed at the Catholic Church at Sydney were recorded in the official records.
 * Sophia was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 20 = YOB 1808.
 * Sophia was recorded as 37 years of age at her death on 28 November 1845 = YOB 1808.


 * (9) Charlotte born 1811 in New South Wales.
 * Charlotte was recorded in the 1822 Muster. Recorded age 6. Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. She would have been 10 or 11.
 * Charlotte was recorded in the 1825 Muster. Recorded age 13 = YOB 1811.
 * Charlotte WAS NOT recorded in the November 1828 Census.
 * Charlotte married about 1833. No marriage record has been located. Probably married at St Patricks Catholic Church in Parramatta. This was a time when marriages performed at the Catholic Church at Parramatta did not make it into the official records.
 * Charlotte was one of the 7 children living in 1859.
 * Charlotte was recorded as 57 years of age at her death on 20 June 1867. Data given for death records is only a guide as it can be incorrect. In this case the age given cannot be relied upon. She would have been 55 or 56. A year of birth of 1811 agrees with the other data.

Estimating the years of birth for William, his wife Sarah, his older brother Michael, & his sister-in-law Hannah.
Their is not enough data available to establish a year of birth for the adults who immigrated on the Minorca.


 * William - estimated year of birth 1766.
 * William was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * William was recorded in the 1825 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * William was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 62 = YOB 1766.
 * No official record William's death on 6 June 1830 has been found. He had a Catholic funeral and was buried at St Patricks, the Catholic Church at Parramatta at a time when death records from Catholic funerals at Parramatta were not included in the official records.
 * Although census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect, the only estimate available is from the 1828 census.


 * Sarah - estimated year of birth 1768.
 * Sarah was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Sarah was recorded in the 1825 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Sarah was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 60 = YOB 1768. (Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. It is very plausible, however, that Sarah was 2 years younger than William.)
 * Sarah died on 17 November 1859 at a recorded age of 94 = YOB 1765. (Data given for death records is only a guide as it can be incorrect, and other data provided in Sarah's death certificate by her son-in-law has already been shown above to be incorrect.) Her burial was arranged by her son-in-law William Ashton who had married her daughter Charlotte. She had a Wesleyan funeral and was buried in the Wesleyan cemetery in Parramatta.
 * There is a 3 year difference between the estimated years of birth that come from the 2 sources. The estimate from the 1828 census had chosen for consistancy.


 * Michael - estimated year of birth 1761.
 * Michael was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Michael was recorded in the 1825 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Michael was recorded in the November 1828 Census. CATHOLIC. Recorded age 67 = YOB 1761. (Census data is only a guide as it can be incorrect. It is very plausible, however, that Michael was 5 years older than William.)
 * Michael died on 25 May 1833 at the recorded age of 76 = YOB 1756-1757. (Data given for death records is only a guide as it can be incorrect.) His family gave him an Anglican funeral at St Phillips Church in Sydney.
 * There is very little difference between the estimated years of birth that come from the 2 sources. The estimate from the 1828 census had chosen for consistancy.


 * Hannah - estimated year of birth 1763.
 * Hannah was recorded in the 1822 Muster. No age was recorded.
 * Hannah's inquest was held on 1 February 1824. She had died the same morning. No official record for Hannah's death exists. She had a Catholic funeral at St Marys Church in Sydney at a time when death records from Catholic funerals at Sydney were not included in the official records.
 * The only estimate that can be made for Hanna'h year of birth is to take 2 years of the estimate for her husband Michael.