Notes
Note N1917
Index
2nd Land Grant
In 1820 William Mobbs petitioned the Government for a further 300 acres of land on which to run his 110 cattle. He petitioned the Government again in 1823, stating that he had 80 acres of land at the Field of Mars containing his fruit trees and was building his house. There was a well on the property and as can be seen on many maps, the road to Parramatta ran through the property.
Notes
Note N1918
Index
More land was needed and in 1826, William purchased the Dunlop grant on Pennant Hills Road near North Rocks Road, paying 1000 Spanish dollars for it.
Notes
Note N1919
Index
The story of William Mobbs begins in England with his birth in 1763. He was the son of Isaac Mobbs and Mary Ireland who were marred at St Mary's St Marylebone, St Marylebone Road, London on 24 December, 1763)
Little is known of William’s life until the 29th November 1790, when he married a lady two years his senior, named Ann Grover. The marriage took place at New Brentford which is in the western district of Greater London.
Around this time William Mobbs was employed as a servant to Mr Hale, a gardener at Twickenham. Twickenham is situated south of New Brentford and it is assumed that William and Anne’s children were born in this area. They were William Junior born 7th April 1791, Isaac in 1793, Ann in 1794 and George in 1795.
In the centre of London, at Long Alley, Moorefields, William Mobbs’ sister Mary Mobbs was living with her husband William Bateman. William Bateman’s occupation was that of a cutler, or a person who made knives and swords. He was also later described as being employed as a Grinder.
Early in 1796, both William Mobbs and his brother-in-law William Bateman were sentenced in the Old Bailey for the crime of stealing, with both men being transported to Australia as their punishment. It was their dealings in the December of 1795 that changed their and their families lives forever.
During the Autumn of 1795 William Mobbs had a labouring job digging gravel on the Hanworth Road at Twickenham.
William was no longer employed by Mr Hale, but by a man called Edmund Hill who owned the Hounslow Powder Mills at what is now known as Crane Park. These mills were responsible for manufacturing gun powder, an important industry along the Crane River at Twickenham, and were established around 1768.
Whilst working at the gravel pit in the middle of December 1795, William Mobbs approached a fellow worker and associate, James Medwin, and asked if he would assist him in moving some saltpetre for Mr Hill. On hearing that he would be paid for his trouble, James Medwin agreed.
James Medwin had been an apprentice baker to a Mr Euphrain Howard at Twickenham for about two years but left his employment with Mr Howard due to an unknown dispute. Mr Howard, who was present at the trial knew both William Mobbs and Medwin and stated that although he knew of no previous misdemeanours with regards to William Mobbs he did not in anyway believe James Medwin could be trusted and basically labelled him as dishonest in everyway.
According to Medwin, that evening or the evening after, when he and Mobbs had finished their work for the day, at the gravel pit, they walked the quarter of a mile to the Powder Mills of Mr Edmund Hill. The mills stood on approximately 100 acres of land, surrounded by trees and bushes. The reason for this being that explosions were frequent, and therefore the shrubbery and large expanse of land gave some protection to the surrounding neighbourhood.
Once at the mills, they went to the back of the coal house, where William Mobbs proceeded to climb through a hole where some boards had been removed. He then took out about 100 weight of saltpetre and passed it to Medwin who on Mobbs’ instructions he then placed the cakes into a basket. This portion of the trial is illegible in parts but the general gist of it seems to be that William Mobbs hid the cakes of saltpetre, possibly at his house. Medwin then called on a Mr William Birch of Twickenham and arranged for William Mobbs to borrow his horse and cart the following morning.
Mobbs picked up the horse and cart between five and six o’clock the next day, paid Mr Birch and he and Medwin made their way into the city of London. It is assumed they then picked up Bateman as his name can been seen clearly in this section, and then rode to a shed possibly at Essex Passage or Wentworth Street, where the saltpetre was then stored. The shed at Essex Passage where other saltpetre had been stored was owned by a William Gabriel.
William Gabriel was a Cheesemonger and Chandler by trade and had a shop at Loves Lane (or Lovat Lane) at Billingsgate. This is situated just east of the London Bridge and is now predominantly a fish market. A Chandler was usually a person who supplied provisions to ships hence the reason Gabriels shop being situated alongside the River Thames.
The shed of William Gabriel as stated before was situated on Essex Passage which according the trial was situated about a half a mile from William Batemans home at Moorfields.
At around the time that this saltpetre was being stored, William Bateman discussed with an associate of his, Charles Dickens, the possibility of Dickens being able to dispose of about five or six hundred weight of saltpetre.
Charles Dickens was a Grocer and Cheesemonger also with a shop on Loves Lane (Lovat Lane) and therefore knew William Gabriel as well. Dickens knew of Gabriels shed in Essex Street and stated in the trial that he had seen Mobbs and Bateman at the shed many times and had seen the Saltpetre here as well. He agreed to try and dispose of the saltpetre and went about obtaining a sample of it not from the shed at Essex Street but from a shop at Wellington Street near Whitechapel belonging to a Mr John Moore.
John Moore was a Tallow Chandler and Oilman who supplied candles to William Gabriel and had known both Gabriel and Bateman for several years. Charles Dickens collected the saltpetre sample (which was in pieces and not the whole cakes) and showed it to a man called Mr Macrae of Whitechapel. Mr Macrae informed Dickens that he would have an answer for him in a few days.
At some stage whilst all of this was happening, William Gabriel paid a visit to his friend John Moore and asked if he could borrow a copper for melting down saltpetre. Moore agreed to this and so Gabriel and Bateman began the job of melting the saltpetre at Moores residence.
Two days after Dickens had spoken with Mr Macrae, William Bateman paid Dickens a visit. Dickens explained his conversation with Mr Macrae about disposing of the saltpetre, when to the apparent surprise of Dickens, he was arrested. Dickens explained in the trial that at first he did not know why he was being arrested but on finding out later William Bateman apparently explained that the saltpetre belonged to William Gabriel and that he would get Gabriel to own it. Bateman then apparently went home.
By the time evening came, William Bateman had failed to bring Gabriel forward, and John Moore had had a visit from a Mr Fish who was an agent of Mr Edmund Hill. On finding saltpetre at Moores‟ house, Mr Fish urged John Moore to come with him to Bow Street and explain why this saltpetre, which Fish believed was that stolen from Mr Hill‟s Powder Mills and in turn stolen from the King was in his possession. The stolen saltpetre had been carbined specifically for the Sovereign and the Government, and therefore could not be mistaken for anything else.
Once at Bow Street, John Moore and Charles Dickens were allowed to leave and apprehend William Bateman for his part in the dealings. The two men found Bateman near his home and explained that he was going to be taken to Bow Street. Bateman apparently said he would go quietly but at the last minute made a run for it. A chase pursued but Bateman was captured and taken to the house of Charles Dickens where he stayed until an officer from Bow Street arrived the next morning.
Although the trial does not explain when William Mobbs was arrested one can assume that this took place at around the same time as William Bateman. As William Mobbs lived and worked at Twickenham it is possible that he had been arrested first which then led Mr Fish London to find the others who were involved.
Whilst in jail, William Mobbs wrote a letter, supposedly his confession but for reasons known only to William he retracted this letter, simply telling Mr Fish his circumstances had changed, but the letter was later shown in court.
The charges recorded against them were firstly that on the 20th December 1795, William Mobbs and William Bateman feloniously stole six hundred pounds weight of saltpetre, valued at 48 pounds, the property of the Sovereign Lord the King and secondly, laying them to be the property of Edmund Hill Esq.
After all the evidence had been seen and heard, Mr Justice Lawrence, William Bateman called nine witnesses to vouch for his good character but was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for fourteen years. William Mobbs called five witnesses to vouch for his good character but was also found guilty and sentenced to transportation for seven years.
On the 19th of February 1796, William Mobbs had stood trial at the Old Bailey, had been found guilty on a charge of stealing and was then sent to jail where he would stay, for the best part of seven months to contemplate an unknown future in a strange and distant colony known then as New Holland.
On the 30th August of that year, William Mobbs was moved by order, to the Hulks at Portsmouth. This disease-ridden, floating prison would be his home for a further fifteen months before finally boarding the 796 tonne ship “Barwell‟ .
Leaving his wife and four children behind to fend for themselves in London, William and 295 other convicted men set sail from Portsmouth on the 7th November 1797, under its Master John Cameron.
The journey began slowly having been detained for two weeks by calms and adverse winds, making it to the Cape of Good Hope seventy-four days after leaving England. The prisoners were detained again on the 19th March 1798 when the officers on board, fearing they would not find a profitable market at Port Jackson, „desired to dispose of their Europeon trade goods‟. This resulted in the “Barwell‟ not arriving at Port Jackson until the 18th of May 1798, with the entire voyage taking a total of 192 days to complete.
It is not known what William Mobbs did when he first arrived in the Colony but we do know that by 1800 his wife Ann and their children were preparing themselves for a long and arduous journey to be with their father and husband in Australia.
It is quite probable that Ann petitioned the Government to be allowed to accompany her husband to Australia, as other convict wives had done before her, but if this was the case, her petition was declined as she and the children left England as free paying passengers on board the „Earl Cornwallis‟ on the 18
th November 1800, almost two years to the day after William Mobbs had left England.
After a journey of 206 very long days at sea, the “Earl Cornwalls” arrived at Port Jackson on the 12th of June 1801.
Just twelve months after the family were reunited a “Currancy Lad” John Mobbs was born to William and Ann on the 20th of July 1802.
With the family now reunited, and a new addition to the family, William Mobbs wasted no time is securing a better life for he and his family. By 1802 he had already acquired his first grant of land. It was a 30 acre grant in the Field of Mars, of which 26 acres had already been cleared, even and a half acres where under wheat and maize and the family owned 44 sheep, 19 horned cattle, 15 goats and 2 hogs.
At around this time William Mobbs was fortunate enough to acquire land from another successful ex-convict farmer, Simon Taylor. Simon Taylor had been described as one of the best farmers in the district - that was until he beat his wife to death with a gum branch on the Pennant Hills Road. William Mobbs of course had the advantage of obtaining an already established farm. It is possible that this land is the land he was granted in 1802, possibly being reverted back to the crown and regranted to William Mobbs.
Whichever the case may be the Mobbs family were totally self sufficient, not having to rely on the Government Stores as many of their neighbours were.
As the family were growing up, William continued to put his gardening background to good use and with the advise given by John Macarthur (who held many hundreds of acres in the area) in the benefits of running a mixed farm such as cattle, sheep, wheat, maize, and vegetables etc it was not long before William had established all of the above along with a thriving orchard of oranges.
By 1815, William was able to supply the Government stores with 1500 pounds of meat, as was stated in the Sydney Government Gazette on the 25th of March of that year. His orange grove took pride and place in the district and continued to be for many years to come.
During the early part of 1820, John Macarthur relinquished his land in the Field of Mars/Pennant Hills district for land around Camden. Most of the land John Macarthur gave up came into the hands of the Mobbs family.
In 1820 William Mobbs petitioned the Government for a further 300 acres of land on which to run his 110 cattle. He petitioned the Government again in 1823, stating that he had 80 acres of land at the Field of Mars containing his fruit trees and was building his house. There was a well on the property and as can be seen on many maps, the road to Parramatta ran through the property.
Not only was William Mobbs successful with his cattle and orchard, he also excelled at growing wheat as in 1825 it was stated:-
„This day one of Mr Mobbs‟ sons at Pennant Hills calls into action the sickle, having one of the finest crops of wheat ever beheld in the colony‟.
More land was needed and in 1826, William purchased the Dunlop grant on Pennant Hills Road near North Rocks Road, paying 1000 Spanish dollars for it.
By 1828, the census records William as having 907 acres of land, 172 acres were cleared and 49 acres cultivated. He also had 18 horses and 30 cattle. This land was partially made up of the holdings of William, John, Mr Jennings, Mr Crawford and Mr Dunlops‟ farms. As for the orchard the Sydney Gazette stated on the 28th July 1828 that one of William Mobbs oranges measured 16 inches round the middle.
J.T. Bigge praised William Mobbs for his conduct in the Colony for his respectable character and unremitting industry:-
"The state of his farm and habitation attests, in a conspicuous manner of good conduct in New South Wales and of industry well applied."
The 1832 Post Office Directory mentions „Mobbs‟ house and gardens celebrated for the best oranges, apples etc in the colony‟. A Mr J.D. Lang commented that "Settlers who are now realising from their oranges incomes of two thousand a year" and that since "the orange tree takes a comparatively long time to come to maturity it is rarely found therefore on the farms of improvident settlers".
On the 5th August 1834, William Mobbs was visited by Baron Charles Von Hugal, an Austrian Diplomat who had spent a great deal of time in Australia during this year, collecting seeds and studying plants for his gardens back home in Europe. Baron Charles Von Hugal, was extremely impressed with William Mobbs‟ Orange Grove and garden that he made mention of it in his journal.
Baron Charles Von Hugel celebrated across Europe, during the mid-nineteenth century, for his magnificent gardens and his cultivation of exotic plants, including the fashionable “New Holland Plants‟.
In the course of several years travelling the world, Baron Charles Von Hugel spent most of 1834 in the young Australian colonies of Swan River, Van Diemans Land, Norfolk Island and New South Wales, observing flora and collecting the seeds for his gardens.
Below is what he wrote in his journal after a visit to William Mobb‟s Orange Grove. The three ladies referred to in this passage are the daughters of Captain John Blaxland (brother of Gregory Blaxland).
TUESDAY 5th AUGUST, 1834
"One of the notable features of the environs of Parramatta is „Mobbs‟ Garden‟, and as this is near Brush Farm (in the Field of Mars district), the ladies proposed that we should ride there, which I accepted with pleasure. And so I accompanied the three ladies, Jane, Louise and Eliza to the garden. This man, who was the first to grow {seville?} oranges on a large scale, has the finest orange grove I have ever seen from the point of view of magnificent trees. I was most interested to hear how he propagated them. His oldest tree - the oldest I believe in the colony - is 35 years old and still in full bearing, but the older the tree grows, the smaller the fruit.
He has picked 300 dozen oranges from several of his old trees, which have still not been picked bare, while those which have not yet been harvested display a mass of golden fruit such as I have never seen before. The trees have a quite different shape from those in Italy. Their crowns are completely round without any kind of support and form a compact mass, which would tend to indicate a colder or rather a more equable climate than that of Italy.
It is strange how much more slowly the trees grow here than in Naples, where a tree reaches in 14-15 years a height of 30 feet or more, and its slender branches are bowed down under the weight of the fruit. Mobbs propogates his plants (as is universally done in Australia) by layering without incisions - I do not think we could produce a root in this way in 20 years. Old Mobbs gets an income of 500 pounds from his trees, at from 10d to 3 shillings a dozen, according to the season.
After we had admired his garden, he led us into his little house and gave us some of his own wine to taste, made, he assured us, of nothing but pure grape-juice, with the addition of some sugar and Brandy. The resultant drink was as might have been expected. We nearly arrived late for dinner. "
It would seem from the types of things people wrote about William Mobbs and his land, he could do no wrong. He grew from strength to strength and after 40 years in the colony of New South Wales he was a well respected citizen with his past faults forgotten.
William Mobbs died at Pennant Hills on the 25th September 1839 aged 76. He was buried on the 28th September 1839 at St John’s Parramatta.
After the death of William in 1839, Ann remarried in the year of 1840. Although Ann was 81 years of age at the time, she did not let that stop her marrying a man of 28 by the name of William Smith. It is believed William Smith may have worked on the property and it would also seem that age made no difference as far as this couple were concerned, as they were married until the Ann’s death some ten years later.
Ann Smith, Late Mobbs, Nee Grover died at Pennant Hills on the 20th July 1850 at the age of 91. She was buried on the 24th of July 1850 with William Mobbs.
The land of which belonged to the Mobbs family is still referred to as Mobbs Hill at Carlingford with many streets in the area named in the family‟s honour.
~ Michelle Gilliver-Smith (maternal 4th great granddaughter of Williams Mobbs)
Taken from the Tomaree Tatler - http://www.tomareefamilyhistory.com/attachments/File/Tattler/Tattler_A ugust_10.pdf