Hannah Rigby ( – 10 October 1853) was an

Australian convict Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The British Government began transporting convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 18th century. When ...

who was notable for serving three separate sentences of

transportation Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...

. By remaining in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

when the

penal settlement A penal colony or exile colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general population by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory. Although the term can be used to refer to ...

closed in 1839, she became one of the first permanent settlers in what is now

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

.Richardson, Jan (2013)
Queensland's Female Convicts: Tragedy and Resilience
Female Convict Research Centre. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Rigby was born in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England, and worked as an

embroiderer Embroidery is the craft of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a sewing needle, needle to apply yarn, thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, emb ...

. She was convicted of larceny by a court in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

in October 1821 and received a seven-year sentence of transportation. She reached

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

in February 1823 aboard the ''Lord Sidmouth''. A son, Robert Frederick, was born in 1824, fathered by free settler Robert Crawford. The following year, Rigby married George Page, a fellow convict. In September 1826, Rigby was arrested and charged with "absconding from service". She was subsequently confined to the

Parramatta Female Factory The Parramatta Female Factory, is a National Heritage Listed place and has three original sandstone buildings and the sandstone gaol walls. The Parramatta Female Factory was designed by convict architect Francis Greenway in 1818 and the only fem ...

for three months. Rigby obtained a certificate of freedom in 1828, by which point she had moved to Newcastle and given birth to a second son, Samuel.Harrison, Jennifer (2005)
Rigby, Hannah (1794–1853)
''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

''. Retrieved 30 November 2017. In 1830, Rigby was charged with armed robbery for the theft of ribbon worth £1. She was again sentenced to seven years' transportation, and sent to the penal colony at Moreton Bay (present-day Brisbane). There, she was initially one of just 26 women, although the colony had over 1,000 male residents. Rigby gave birth to a third son, James, in 1832. She served her full sentence, returning to Sydney in February 1837 and obtaining another certificate of freedom the following month. However, three months she was convicted of stealing two hats and received a third sentence of transportation. Rigby arrived back in Moreton Bay in October 1837. The penal settlement was closed in 1839, but she was allowed to remain there as a servant of David Ballow, the district medical officer. Ballow successfully petitioned for her freedom in 1840, stating she had "conducted herself in the most exemplary manner". In 1842, when Moreton Bay was opened to free settlement, Rigby was "the only female convict remaining in the district". Little else is known of her subsequent life until her death from apoplexy in 1853. Her death was reported in the ''

Moreton Bay Courier Moreton may refer to: People Given name * Moreton John Wheatley (1837–1916), British Army officer and Bailiff of the Royal Parks Surname * Alice Bertha Moreton (1901–1977), English sculptor, draughtsman and artist * Andrew Moreton, a ...

'', which did not mention her status as an ex-convict.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rigby, Hannah 1790s births Year of birth uncertain 1853 deaths Women convicts transported to Australia People from Brisbane Criminals from Lancashire English emigrants to colonial Australia Convicts transported to Australia Colony of Queensland people British people convicted of theft 19th-century Australian women 19th-century Australian people British embroiderers Australian embroiderers