http://norfolkislandfirstfleetersandfamilies.blogspot.com.au
Thomas Kidner & Jane Whiting
 |
| Thomas Kidner information at HMS Sirius Museum, Norfolk Island. |
 |
| Thomas Kidner information at HMS Sirius Museum. |
 |
| Thomas Kidner's name is on First Fleet Wall at HMS Sirius Museum. |
 |
| First Fleet Wall at HMS Sirius Museum. |
13 May 1787 Thomas left Portsmouth on “Alexander” as part of the “First Fleet” and arrived at Port Jackson on 19 January 1788. At Port Jackson on 20 July 1789, Thomas was charged with 3 others for buying necessaries from a Private Marine, Mark Hurst. Thomas received 150 lashes and sent to Norfolk Island on "Supply" March 1790.
Jane Whiting arrived at Port Jackson on “Lady Juliana” on 3 June 1790 at the age of 14 years. She was transferred to Norfolk Island, arriving on 7 August 1790 on the “Surprize”.
Thomas Kidner (born 1759) and Jane Whiting (1775-1826) were married in 1795 on Norfolk Island by Rev Samuel Marsden.
They had 2 children - young Thomas Kidner was baptised in 1795 and Ann Whiting Kidner was baptised in 1798.
Thomas Kidner (born 1759) and Jane Whiting (1775-1826) were married in 1795 on Norfolk Island by Rev Samuel Marsden.
They had 2 children - young Thomas Kidner was baptised in 1795 and Ann Whiting Kidner was baptised in 1798.
Thomas Kidner and his son Thomas were relocated from Norfolk Island on “Lady Nelson”, on 9 November 1807 and arrived Van Diemen’s Land on 29 November 1807. Thomas received 30 acres Parcel No.11 at Sandy Bay. Their names are on the Memorial dedicated to the First Fleeters who went to Norfolk Island, located in St David’s Park, Hobart.
Jane Whiting and Ann Whiting Kidner are not mentioned on the Memorial as they were not “First Fleeters”, but they came to Van Diemen’s Land 26 November 1808. There is some suggestion that Jane formed an association with George Clark whilst on Norfolk Island. In 1817 George gave Jane a cottage and land in Hobart in lieu of 50 pounds for her services as housekeeper. It also seems that Jane and Thomas Kidner did not live together in Tasmania.
Extracts from First Fleeters & Google on Thomas Kidner
THOMAS KIDNER was committed to Newgate prison for feloniously
stealing four pieces of Irish Linen valued at £6, the property of Mr Wm
Overend, in the parish of St John, Bristol.
Sentenced to seven years transportation on 30 October 1782, he spent
time on the Censor hulk before being transferred to the Alexander on 6 January
1787.
Thomas was sent to Norfolk Island by Supply and at 11 July 1791 he was
subsisting himself on a Sydney Town lot and was sharing a sow, which produced a
litter of four. In 1792 he was settled on 15 acres and by October 1793 had four
of his seven ploughable acres cultivated.
Jane Whiting (Lady Juliana, aged 14 in 1789) married Thomas in
1795, by the Rev Samuel Marsden. They
had Ann baptised 1798 and Thomas 1795. The family departed Norfolk Island by
HMS Buffalo on 15 October 1805, disembarking at Port Jackson. Two years later, Thomas, with one child went
to VDL by Lady Nelson. There he held
land at Brown’s River, Queensborough and Sussex. Jane Kidner (Whiting) seems to have gone
separately to VDL as her burial was recorded at St David’s Hobart on 14
September 1826. Thomas Kidner’s death
has been untraced (though his wife stated that she was widow in 1826). Their two children Ann and Thomas survived.
THOMAS KIDNER, the son of James Kidner, agricultural labourer, and
his wife Mary née Ridon, was baptised at North Petherton, Somerset, on 16th
November 1765. He was convicted, under the name of Thomas Kidney, for stealing
four pieces of Irish linen valued at £6 in the parish of St John, Bristol, and
was sentenced on 30th October 1782 to transportation for seven years. He
remained in gaol in Bristol until early in 1786 and, having served four years
of his sentence was aged 21 when transferred to the hulk Censor, moored at
Woolwich. On 6th January 1787 he boarded the Alexander for the voyage to
Australia. After an 8-month voyage, the Fleet reached Botany Bay in January
1788, and landed at Port Jackson a few miles to the north.
At Port Jackson on 20 July 1789
Thomas was charged with three others for buying "necessaries" from a
private marine, Mark Hurst. Thomas was one of the two who received severe
punishment, sentenced to 150 lashes. In March 1790 he was sent to Norfolk
Island on the Supply.
In July 1791 Thomas was noted as
having felled 30 rods of timber, and with Robert Nunn and Mary Carter he shared
a nine-month old sow which produced a litter of 4 piglets in March 1792.
He was settled on 15 acres (Lot
No.14) in mid 1792, though his grant was dated 23 March 1796; by October 1793
he had four of his seven ploughable acres cultivated. He was employed as a
stone cutter, and living with Jane Whiting, who had been transported on the
Lady Juliana, aged 14, in 1789, and arrived at Norfolk Island on the Surprize
on 7th August 1790 (source: Norfolk Island Victualling Book). Thomas and Jane
were married by the Reverend Samuel Marsden in 1795, and had a daughter, Ann,
baptised on 14th October 1798. A son, Thomas, was born shortly after the
marriage.
On 15th October 1805 Kidner left
Norfolk Island with his wife and two children, Thomas and Ann, by HMS Buffalo,
and was disembarked at Port Jackson. On 25th May 1806 the Sydney Gazette
reported his permit to leave the colony: on 9th November 1807, with his son
Thomas, he went to Van Diemen's Land on the Lady Nelson. There, at 30th April
1809 he held 22 acres at Brown's River; on 20th September 1813 he was holding
30 acres at Queenborough. He also held 60 acres at Sussex. It is unlikely that
he lived in Tasmania with Jane, who appears to have formed an association with
George Clark whilst still on Norfolk Island. In 1817, George gave Jane a
cottage and land in Hobart in lieu of 50 pounds for her services as
housekeeper. Thomas's land grant at Sandy Bay was too far from Hobart for easy
commuting!
A land grant, dated 4th August
1827, relates to the sale of Thomas's property at Sandy Bay by his son Thomas
to one James Moody. Part of the deed reads: "Whereas the said Thomas
Kidner the elder by his last will and testament in writing bearing date on or
about the twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eighteen
hundred and thirteen bequeathed unto his son the said Thomas Kidner his heirs (etc.)
forever amongst other things the land and premises herein after mentioned but
which said will was not properly attested to - real estate nor has the same
ever been proved & whereas the said Thomas Kidner the elder sometime since
departing this life without revoking the said will...".
Jane's burial was recorded in the
register of St David's, Hobart, on 14th September 1826, age stated as 50.
It is known that daughter Ann Whiting Kidner (1 October 1798-18 January 1854) married Richard Larsom (25 April 1791-13 July 1849) on 24 February 1812 in Hobart. Ann was just 14 years old. (Refer to Richard Larsom & Ann Whiting Kidner Blog).
 |
| Memorial to First Fleeters and Norfolk Islanders in St David's Park, Hobart. Unveiled 1992. |
 |
| Thomas Kidner and his son Thomas Kidner were relocated from Norfolk Island to Van Diemen's Land on "Lady Nelson", arriving 29 November 1807. |
If you have any comments, corrections or additions to make, please contact the author of this blog, Joy Olney via email - joyolney@gmail.com
