Ann Parsley (c. 1772–?)
Ann Parsley (c.1772- ) and Phoebe Flarty were found guilty on 21 February 1787 at the Old Bailey, London, of shoplifting: they stole three muslin shawls from a shop. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, the women arrived at Sydney aboard the Prince of Wales in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.
Parsley had a son with marine 1st Lieutenant James Furzer, who was baptised on 24 October 1791. Furzer took his son back to England with him when he returned home on the Gorgon in December 1791. Although her sentence had not yet expired it is possible that Parsley received a pardon so that she could return to England with her son. Several marine officers took their children home and sometimes their mothers as well. No further colonial records have been located for Parsley.
* information from Mollie Gillen, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet (1989), p 277
Additional Resources
- proceedings of trial, Old Bailey, London, 21 February 1787 (pdf)
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Furzer, James (partner)
- Podmore, Phoebe (criminal associate)
Citation details
'Parsley, Ann (c. 1772–?)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/parsley-ann-31027/text38396, accessed 1 December 2023.