William Church (c.1759- ) was found guilty on 21 June 1785 at Dorchester, Dorset, of the theft of two milch cows, and a cow valued at £7, from two owners. His death sentenced was commuted to 7 years transportation. He was sent to the Dunkirk hulk, where he remained until he embarked for New South Wales on the Charlotte in March 1787, arriving in Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.
Church was sentenced to 300 lashes on 16 February 1789 at Port Jackson after being found guilty of stealing pease and flour, and a large platter from David Richards and John Hill. There are no further records for Church.
* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), p 70
'Church, William (c. 1759–?)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/church-william-30543/text37863, accessed 8 October 2024.