GARDINER, Rebecca

1850 - 1934  (83 years)

• Name	GARDINER, Rebecca
  Birth	28 May 1850	Yass, New South Wales   [1]
  Gender	Female
  Reference Number	MP122209
  Death	13 Feb 1934	Hurstville, New South Wales   [2]
  	The Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 17 February 1934 MRS. REBECCA ROBERTSON.  Mrs. Rebecca Robertson, formerly of Queanbeyan, has died ather daughter's home in Hurstville, aged 84 years. She wasthe granddaughter of Captain Thomas Watson, who was thefirst licensed pilot to come to Australia as Harbour Masterof Port Jackson. Cootamundra Herald Wednesday 28 February 1934 DEATH OF PIONEER . Mrs. Rebecca Robertson, who died at the home of herdaughter, Mrs. A. Threlfall, Hurstville, aged 84, hadresided at Queanheyan for thre quarters of a century. Shewas a granddaughter of the late Capta!n Thomas Watson,Harbour Master at Port Jackson, and the first licensedpilot to come to Australia.  It has generally beencontended that Watson's Bay was named, after CaptainWatson, Who resided there for many years. The late Mrs. Robertson is survived by .five sons and threedaughters. Three sons are deceased; two served in the war,one being killed. The old lady was a keen student ofDickens's works and at the age of 75 wrote an inspirational"Mystery of Edwin Drood".  This was read at theDickens Fellowship Association, and although not published,'a copy was presented to the Mitchell 'Library. Brothers and sisters of deceased are Mr. G. Jarvis, ParkerStreet, Cootamundra, Mr. Joe Jarvls, formerly of Young, nowof Concord, Sydney; Mrs. O'Rourke, Queanbeyan; and Mrs. W.J. Wallace, formerly of Cootamundra, now of Wyong.
  Burial	Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales
  Notes	Goulburn Evening Penny Post Tuesday 20 November 1883 QUEANBEYAN. (Abridged from the Age).Quarter Sessions - THURSDAY, NOV, 15TH. Before his HonorJudge McFarland; Mr. J. C. Woore, P.M, representing thesheriff; and Messrs. J. J. Wright and C. H. McKeachnie,J's.P., occupying seats on the Bench. Mr. Backhouse, CrownProsecutor.  Mr. C. B. McKeachnie was sworn in as amagistrate of the territory. Rebecca Forrester pleaded guilty to an information chargingher with having committed bigamy by marrying one JohnRobertson, her former husband being then and now alive. Thelearned Crown Prosecutor stated the case for theinformation of his Honor.Mr. H. S. Gannon, who appeared for the prisoner, made aforcible address in mitigation of sentence, and read a hostof letters, showing the disreputable character ofForrester, and the general good character of the prisoner.Mr J. J. Wright and Mr. Gale bore testimony to theprisoner's good conduct in all respects, excepting herconnection with Robertson.Prisoner was then asked if she had anything to say whysentence should not be passed upon her. She made no reply.His Honor, in passing sentence, strongly animadverted onthe character and conduct of Forrester. Before his marriageto the prisoner he had led a notoriously bad life, and hadundergone imprisonment for mail robberies and other seriousoffences. Three or four years after marriage he desertedhis wife and the two children she had borne him andcommitted bigamy, forewhich he had also under gone asentence of imprisonment. Since then he had gone underseveral assumed names, and had led a very questionablelife; while, on the other hand, the prisoner appeared tohave borne an excellent character.Under a misapprehension, not uncommon to persons in herstation in life, that because of Forrester's bigamy she wasfreed from him, she contracted a marriage with Robertson,and thus committed bigamy herself, for which she had beencommitted for trial, and had very properly pleaded guilty.Forrester's desertion of his wife and his subsequentbigamy, his Honor characterised as very heartless. Theprisoner was not without excuse for her offence. The lawheld her guilty, but in his Honor's opinion her moral guiltwas comparatively light. Under this impression the sentenceof the court would be lenient, viz., one month'simprisonmnent in Queanbeyan gaol. On prisoner's applicationhis Honor directed that she should have her unweaned infantwith her whilst undergoing sentence.
  Person ID	I122209	Genealogy Connections | Monaro Pioneers Information
  Last Modified	3 Aug 2021

  
  

  Father	GARDNER, Henry,   b. 1798   d. 1850, Yass, New South Wales (Age 52 years)
  Mother	WATSON, Sarah Jane,   b. 1828   d. 2 Apr 1903, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 75 years)
  Family ID	F36259	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	FORRESTER, George James,   b. 1844, USA d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	21 Apr 1871	Round Plain near Lake Eucumbene, New South Wales   [3]
  	Presbyterian Rites.Bride's mother's consent was given as the bride was underage.
  Children	1. FORRESTER, Charlotte Isabella Emily,   b. 1872, Adaminaby, New South Wales d. 26 Apr 1964, Hornsby, New South Wales (Age 92 years)   2. FORRESTER, Frederick George,   b. 19 Jun 1873, Gundaroo, New South Wales d. 23 Mar 1957, Port Kembla, New South Wales (Age 83 years)   3. FORRESTER, Catherine Jane,   b. 1875, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 14 Jun 1965, St Leonards, New South Wales (Age 90 years)
  Family ID	F36258	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Nov 2015

  
  

  Family 2	ROBERTSON, John,   b. 1835, Parramatta, New South Wales d. 25 Nov 1911, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	19 May 1883	St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Queanbeyan, New South Wales   [4]
  	Rebecca married under mothers name of Watson
  Children	1. ROBERTSON, Edward Duncan,   b. 3 Jul 1876, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 22 Oct 1954, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (Age 78 years)   2. ROBERTSON, John Henry,   b. 1878, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. Yes, date unknown   3. ROBERTSON, Montague Watson,   b. 1879, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 5 Apr 1918, Villers-Bretonneux, France (Age 39 years)   4. ROBERTSON, Herbert William,   b. 1882, Irishtown Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 23 Oct 1949, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 67 years)   5. ROBERTSON, Walter Richard,   b. 1885, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 9 Oct 1960, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 75 years)   6. ROBERTSON, Emily Elizabeth,   b. 1888, Irishtown Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. Yes, date unknown   7. ROBERTSON, Harold William,   b. Dec 1889, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 5 Aug 1893, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 3 years)   8. ROBERTSON, Verner James,   b. 1892, Queanbeyan, New South Wales d. 16 Jan 1918, Queanbeyan, New South Wales (Age 26 years)
  Family ID	F35501	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Nov 2015

  
  

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  Birth - 28 May 1850 - Yass, New South Wales Marriage - 21 Apr 1871 - Round Plain near Lake Eucumbene, New South Wales Marriage - 19 May 1883 - St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Queanbeyan, New South Wales Death - 13 Feb 1934 - Hurstville, New South Wales Burial - - Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

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  Robertson, Rebecca nee Forrester nee Gardner

  
  

• Sources

  [S1] NSW BDM Index, V18501795 35/1850 (Reliability: 3). [S1] NSW BDM Index, 2706/1934 (Reliability: 3). [S1] NSW BDM Index, 2023/1871 (Reliability: 3). [S1] NSW BDM Index, 6814/1883 (Reliability: 3).