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Gillis
DESCRIPTION
NameGillisConvictTransported 1839 aboard 'Barossa' for theft of a bible - 7 YearsDescriptionEdward Gillis is thought to have been born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England 1814.
In 1839, he was sentenced to transportation for seven years at the West Riding Quarter Sessions for the theft of a bible.
It was his second offence. In 1837, at the Rotherham Sessions, Edward (Galice) and Nathanial Akhurst were accused of stealing bacon and ham the property of John Seargill. They were acquitted.
Edward's convict indent lists him as 25, and a widower with one female child.
It is believed his wife was Esther Hinscliffe/Hinchcliffe whom he married at Barnsley, St George in 1834. Edward's marriage register lists him as Edward Gillise.
Esther was born 1816 (baptised Barnsley, Parish of Silkstone) to William and Mary Hichcliffe.
Edward and Esther had at least one child (Edward) - probably two
Edward b. 1835 (Galisse) (baptised St Mary's, Worsborough 22 Mar 1835 - parents Edward and Esther)
Possibly Mary Ann b.1838 (Gilliece) (baptised 10 June 1838 Darfield, Chapel of Worsborough - parents Edward and Esther Gilliece, buried 1839 Darfield, Chapel of Worsborough)
In the 1841 Census for Darfield, in the Parish of Worsborough, Esther (Easter) Galies, a weaver, aged 25 is listed as living at 'Pensioner Row'. The same year, at Darfield, Esther (listed as a widow) married Joseph Blades. Esther's father was listed as William.
Edward's convict indent describes him as 5’3’1/4, sallow complexion eyes blue to grey, scar of left side of forehead, ‘H’ on back of lower left arm, and he could read and write. He arrived in NSW on board the 'Barossa' 8 December 1839 and received his Certificate of Freedom 4 February 1846.
In 1844 he applied for an application for Banns of Marriage to Margaret Noud. Margaret was born c.1821 County Kildare, to John and Ann Noud. She arrived in New South Wales age 21, aboard 'Ann Milne'.
Edward and Margaret were married in a licensed house in the Parish of Butterwick, County of Durham, NSW 9 September 1844.
They had several children -
John b.1844 Hunter (married Mary Ann Ross, died 1909, Gympie)
Thomas b.1846 Sydney (married Mary Ryan, died 1906, Balgownie)
Mary Ann b.1848 Newtown (married Edward Dingle, died 1929, Sydney)
Margaret b.1850 Newtown (married James Lynch, died 1932,
William b. 1851 Wollongong (married Mary Walsh, died 1923, QLD)
Edward Joseph b. 1853 Wollongong (married Isszu////Elizabeth Lynch, died 1926, Wollongong)
Richard Stephen b. 1856 Wollongong (married Elizabeth Galvin, died 1932, Manilla))
James Henry b. 1860 Wollongong (married Mary Howard, died 1928, Newtown)
Edward was a farmer at Fairy Meadow/Balgownie.
Insolvency records (NSW State Records) reveal Edward owed money to his landlord James Brooker.
Edward was a shingler and revealed his reasons for insolvency -
'I attribute my insolvency to the following causes, that I am a married man with eight children and during my last twenty five months I have accidentally met with three several severe accidents, the first was a broken leg and sixteen weeks afterwards I dislocated my collar bone and nine weeks after that I was thrown out of a cart and my side was torn open - from these causes I was not able to attend to my business and had to pay Doctors Bills my stock was sold off and I am rendered quite unable to pay the debts I owe'. 'I have tried my utmost to meet my engagements and I have no doubt should eventually have done so, but my creditors are harassing me in the small debts Court and I am thus compelled to sequestrate my Estate for the benefit of my Creditors--'
Edwards first accident occurred at Minnamurra. He was at that time (1861) a tenant of Mrs. Hollings and splitting timber for shingles when a wedge struck him under the knee and broke his leg. A door was procured from Captain Grainger’s upon which he was transported home until Doctor Charles from Kiama came to attend him.
By 1872 Edward had moved on to 40 acres locally known as ‘Gillis Hill’ in the area we now associate with Balgownie. He leased a further adjoining 40 acres until 1882. In 1883 his son Thomas took over the property and presumably Edward lived with him for a time.
Margaret died in 1877. She was 56 years old.
Edward died 3 December 1899 aged 85 years.
Descendant of Edward, Kevin Gillis and his wife Dorothy, dedicated countless hours researching and recording Shellharbour's history as volunteers of Shellharbour City Museum and active members of the Tongarra Heritage Society.
In 2010, Kevin and Dot were named Shellharbour City Australia Day Citizens of the Year.
Sources
Ancestry.com convict records
Ancestry.com marriage/ baptism /death records - Barnsley, Darfield and Worsborough
NSW BDM
Trove
External LinkSingular Accident 1861Insolvency Proceedings 1863Elizabeth and Louisa Jane Moon vs GK Waldron 1866New Insolvent Edward Gillis 1863Marriage Gillis-Ross 1871Torn by a Dog 1872Death Margaret Gilliam 1877Committals for the Quarter Sessions Mr. Edward Gillis Jnr 1879Sundry Matters 1879Marriage Gillis-Galvin 1880Stealing 1887T Gillis Cottage 1888Death and Funeral - Edward and Dolly 1899Mr T Gillis Accident 1902Death Mr Thomas Gillis 1906Assault in a Mine - Edward Gillis Jnr 1911Balgownie The Mine 1919Balgownie 1921Death Mr Edward J Gillis 1926
In 1839, he was sentenced to transportation for seven years at the West Riding Quarter Sessions for the theft of a bible.
It was his second offence. In 1837, at the Rotherham Sessions, Edward (Galice) and Nathanial Akhurst were accused of stealing bacon and ham the property of John Seargill. They were acquitted.
Edward's convict indent lists him as 25, and a widower with one female child.
It is believed his wife was Esther Hinscliffe/Hinchcliffe whom he married at Barnsley, St George in 1834. Edward's marriage register lists him as Edward Gillise.
Esther was born 1816 (baptised Barnsley, Parish of Silkstone) to William and Mary Hichcliffe.
Edward and Esther had at least one child (Edward) - probably two
Edward b. 1835 (Galisse) (baptised St Mary's, Worsborough 22 Mar 1835 - parents Edward and Esther)
Possibly Mary Ann b.1838 (Gilliece) (baptised 10 June 1838 Darfield, Chapel of Worsborough - parents Edward and Esther Gilliece, buried 1839 Darfield, Chapel of Worsborough)
In the 1841 Census for Darfield, in the Parish of Worsborough, Esther (Easter) Galies, a weaver, aged 25 is listed as living at 'Pensioner Row'. The same year, at Darfield, Esther (listed as a widow) married Joseph Blades. Esther's father was listed as William.
Edward's convict indent describes him as 5’3’1/4, sallow complexion eyes blue to grey, scar of left side of forehead, ‘H’ on back of lower left arm, and he could read and write. He arrived in NSW on board the 'Barossa' 8 December 1839 and received his Certificate of Freedom 4 February 1846.
In 1844 he applied for an application for Banns of Marriage to Margaret Noud. Margaret was born c.1821 County Kildare, to John and Ann Noud. She arrived in New South Wales age 21, aboard 'Ann Milne'.
Edward and Margaret were married in a licensed house in the Parish of Butterwick, County of Durham, NSW 9 September 1844.
They had several children -
John b.1844 Hunter (married Mary Ann Ross, died 1909, Gympie)
Thomas b.1846 Sydney (married Mary Ryan, died 1906, Balgownie)
Mary Ann b.1848 Newtown (married Edward Dingle, died 1929, Sydney)
Margaret b.1850 Newtown (married James Lynch, died 1932,
William b. 1851 Wollongong (married Mary Walsh, died 1923, QLD)
Edward Joseph b. 1853 Wollongong (married Isszu////Elizabeth Lynch, died 1926, Wollongong)
Richard Stephen b. 1856 Wollongong (married Elizabeth Galvin, died 1932, Manilla))
James Henry b. 1860 Wollongong (married Mary Howard, died 1928, Newtown)
Edward was a farmer at Fairy Meadow/Balgownie.
Insolvency records (NSW State Records) reveal Edward owed money to his landlord James Brooker.
Edward was a shingler and revealed his reasons for insolvency -
'I attribute my insolvency to the following causes, that I am a married man with eight children and during my last twenty five months I have accidentally met with three several severe accidents, the first was a broken leg and sixteen weeks afterwards I dislocated my collar bone and nine weeks after that I was thrown out of a cart and my side was torn open - from these causes I was not able to attend to my business and had to pay Doctors Bills my stock was sold off and I am rendered quite unable to pay the debts I owe'. 'I have tried my utmost to meet my engagements and I have no doubt should eventually have done so, but my creditors are harassing me in the small debts Court and I am thus compelled to sequestrate my Estate for the benefit of my Creditors--'
Edwards first accident occurred at Minnamurra. He was at that time (1861) a tenant of Mrs. Hollings and splitting timber for shingles when a wedge struck him under the knee and broke his leg. A door was procured from Captain Grainger’s upon which he was transported home until Doctor Charles from Kiama came to attend him.
By 1872 Edward had moved on to 40 acres locally known as ‘Gillis Hill’ in the area we now associate with Balgownie. He leased a further adjoining 40 acres until 1882. In 1883 his son Thomas took over the property and presumably Edward lived with him for a time.
Margaret died in 1877. She was 56 years old.
Edward died 3 December 1899 aged 85 years.
Descendant of Edward, Kevin Gillis and his wife Dorothy, dedicated countless hours researching and recording Shellharbour's history as volunteers of Shellharbour City Museum and active members of the Tongarra Heritage Society.
In 2010, Kevin and Dot were named Shellharbour City Australia Day Citizens of the Year.
Sources
Ancestry.com convict records
Ancestry.com marriage/ baptism /death records - Barnsley, Darfield and Worsborough
NSW BDM
Trove
External LinkSingular Accident 1861Insolvency Proceedings 1863Elizabeth and Louisa Jane Moon vs GK Waldron 1866New Insolvent Edward Gillis 1863Marriage Gillis-Ross 1871Torn by a Dog 1872Death Margaret Gilliam 1877Committals for the Quarter Sessions Mr. Edward Gillis Jnr 1879Sundry Matters 1879Marriage Gillis-Galvin 1880Stealing 1887T Gillis Cottage 1888Death and Funeral - Edward and Dolly 1899Mr T Gillis Accident 1902Death Mr Thomas Gillis 1906Assault in a Mine - Edward Gillis Jnr 1911Balgownie The Mine 1919Balgownie 1921Death Mr Edward J Gillis 1926
Photo courtesy of Kevin and Dorothy Gillis.
CONNECTIONS
Gillis. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 09/09/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/738