Richard Barnes was a convict who was transported to the Colony of New South Wales and arrived in 1803. He subsequently married Mary Whitton, daughter of convicts Edward Whitton and Anne Slater.

Family legend has it that Richard was the only son of Lord Barnes of Winbur Castle and that when he was thrown off his horse and died he was on his way to meet his sister who had just arrived in the colony.

Richard Barnes is listed in the calendar of prisoners for the Easter Sessions of 1801, at Reading, Berkshire, England.

The entry appears in a list of prisoners remaining pursuant to their sentences and reads -:

He was subsequently transported to New South Wales on the "Glatton" which departed on September 23rd, 1802 which meant that Richard may have spent the previous 20 months on the infamous prison hulks. These ships with their interiors substantially removed to hold more prisoners were moored on the Thames River and other places.

His sentence of seven years did not include any preliminary custody time or transportation time to the colony.

The "Glatton" was a vessel of 438 tons built in 1800 at Shields and was originally armed with 56 guns but was only able to carry 18 guns on her upper deck due to the cramped conditions. The vessel carried 271 males and 130 females. Capt. Jas. Colnett R.N. was Master and J.B.Mountgarret was Surgeon.

The route was via. Madeira, an island belonging to Portugal but located 850 km. off the coast of Morocco, and also via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The voyage took 169 days and claimed seven male and five female lives, the bodies of which were unceremoniously buried at sea. The "Glatton" arrived in Sydney on March 11th, 1803.

Musters were the early form of census in New South Wales where the details of every person in the Colony were recorded showing the place of residence, occupation, married, children etc.

The term indented meant that he was assigned to a person to work and that person had the responsibility for supporting and disciplining the convict.

The Register of Conditional Pardons 1791- 1825 reveals no mention of a pardon awarded to Richard Barnes. With a sentence of only 7 years, it is highly unlikely that he would have received a pardon and it is therefore believed that there is an error in the 1806 Muster.

In the early days of New South Wales good behavior was encouraged by various rewards, the most prized being an absolute pardon, which restored a convict to freedom before his term, had expired. Alternatively, a governor might issue a conditional pardon, which conferred similar rights provided the recipient remained in the colony until his original sentence had elapsed. Other cases were awarded a ticket of leave which, without affecting their status as convicts, allowed them to work for themselves until their sentence was complete and to hold property rights.

The Register of Pardons and Ticket of Leave, vol. 1, Colonial Secretary’s Letters state that Richard Barnes received a Certificate of Emancipation in July 1810.

Richard Barnes married Mary Whitton at St. Matthews Church, Windsor on August 19th, 1811. Witnesses were James Sherrard, Matthew Hughes and Eliza Thompson.

"Barnes, Richard, arrived by "Glatton", 11-3-1803, sentence 7 years, free by servitude, off stores, landholder."

"Barnes, Mary, born here, free, off stores, wife to R.Barnes, one child off stores."

At Thompsons Square, Windsor on Saturday 7th October next at 12 o'clock precisely, the Provost Marshall will cause to be set up for sale by public auction 15 acres of land being one half or moiety of a certain farm known by the name of Whiting (sic) farm situated in the district of Wilberforce. It is at present leased for the term of 7 years at the annual rent of 25 Pounds.

This would have been the sale of the 15 acres of land left to Mary by her father Edward Whitton.

In 1816, Richard received a grant of 50 acres of land at Airds, which is near Lower Minto, from Governor Macquarie. It had a frontage to Bunbury Curran Creek opposite Denham Court Estate. Ingleburn railway station is now close to the grant.

The following year on April 14th, 1817, he mortgaged the property to Thomas Rose, baker of Sydney for Seventeen Pounds, Sixteen Shillings and Two Pence plus Two Shillings per annum.

The Provost Marshall will cause to be set up and sold by Public Auction at the premises of the defendant Richard Barnes in the District of Airds by virtue of execution at 10 a.m. in the forenoon.

and sundry household furniture the property of the defendant in this cause.

"Barnes, Richard, free by servitude, "Glatton", 1803, sentence 7 years, landholder at Minto."

This Muster also noted that Richard and Mary owned 50 acres,"thirty five of which are cleared, twenty acres of wheat, one of barley, one of vegetable garden and has twenty hops, six bushels of wheat and thirty maize in hand."

Licenses for the sale of ale, beer and spirits have been issued at this office for the following persons -:

A large bushfire on September 5th, 1825 destroyed a number of properties at Cabramatta, including the 80 acres granted to Richard Barnes.

A number of references are made in the same newspaper over a period of time as follows which indicate that the marriage was beginning to break down -:

Notice -: The undersigned hereby requests that those who stand indebted to him will come forward without loss of time and liquidate the same otherwise he will be obliged to proceed for the recovery of the same at the next sitting of the Court of Requests.

Caution -: The undersigned hereby cautions all persons from trespassing on his ground in any manner or driving cattle of any description after that date or they will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the law.

Richard Barnes warns all persons against the purchase of a mare and cart from his wife Mary Barnes.

Notice -: All persons are hereby cautioned against purchasing a mare, foal and cart from my wife Mary Barnes and any person making such purchase after this notice will be dealt with as the law directs the same being my property.

Caution -: Whereas my wife Mary Barnes has absconded from her home I hereby caution all persons against giving her credit on my account as I will not be responsible for any debts she may contract after this notice.

A man named Barnes, a Publican, near Campbelltown was killed when in a state of intoxication by fall from his horse at the top of Petersham Hill. Mr. W.C.Wentworth who saw the accident immediately rode up and humanly offered every assistance to the unfortunate man.

He was conveyed to Sydney on a cart and taken to the General Hospital but before he arrived there, animation had fled. Mr. Wentworth handed over to the Superintendent of Police 17 Dollars and a Rupee and some Coppers, which he found on the hapless man.

William Charles Wentworth who discovered the body of Richard Barnes led a very interesting life. He was apparently born on the "Neptune" during its voyage to New South Wales in 1790. He was described as the bastard son of a remittance man and his convict mistress and he spent the rest of his life trying to prove that this did not matter. In doing so, he became an explorer, a poet, a newspaper proprietor, a major landowner, a law reformer and finally a statesman.

He was a member of the expedition, along with Gregory Blaxland and William Lawson, which made the first crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813 which opened up New South Wales for settlement.

His father D'Arcy Wentworth who came from a titled English family was a rogue and considered to have been one of Australia's first con men.

Richard Barnes was buried in the Parish of St. James, County of Cumberland, and N.S.W. on October 13th, 1826, following a ceremony at St. James Church, Sydney.

"In the Supreme Court Sheriff's Office, December 14th, 1826." Underwood Vs. Barnes.

On Tuesday the 26th at 12 o'clock at the defendant's premises at Bunbury, the remaining terms of a lease of 50 acres of land (21 months) and the 12 acres of wheat growing harvest, 3 pigs, calf and horses and sundry articles and furniture late the property of the deceased defendant unless the execution be previously satisfied.

The 1828 Census states that the among the 36,598 white people living in the colony were-:

John Eccleston was an innkeeper and had the St. Patrick’s Inn at Lower Minto. He married Mary Barnes in 1827.

Elizabeth Barnes was born on August 28th, 1814 and baptised at St. Matthews Church, Windsor on October 16th, 1814. She married James Harding at Liverpool in August, 1837. She died in1842. They had one child who also died in1842.

Edward Barnes was born August 11th, 1816 and baptised at St. Lukes Church of England, Liverpool on February 23rd, 1817 by Rev. John Youl. He married Mary Brooker in Adelaide, South Australia, December 12^th, 1840. He died October 10^th, 1880 at Penshurst, Victoria. They had 10 children – Mary, Jane, Edward, Anne, Amelia, Richard, William, John, Joanna, Emma Isabella.

Jane Barnes was born August 11th, 1819 at Airds, now called lower Minto, and baptised at St. Peters Church, Campbelltown on January 21st, 1822, by Rev. Thomas Reddall.

Isabella Barnes was born on April 8th, 1821 and was baptised on January 21st, 1822 at St. Peters, Campbelltown with Jane. She married Isaac Dawson at Sydney on April 10^th, 1835. She died at Petersham, NSW on May 27^th, 1911. (Family tree of Isabella and Isaac). They had Seven children – Sarah Jane b1838, Mary Anne 1840-1845, Emma 1842-1907, Isaac b1844, Mary Anne 1846, Richard 1849, Jane 1852-1911(Family tree of Jane).

Amelia Barnes was born on May 19th, 1823, at the Lower Minto property and baptised at St. Lukes Church, Liverpool on February 3rd, 1824. She married William Bolger on August 12^th, 1839. She died in 1888. They had 11 children – William b1840, Jane Maria b1842, Edward b1844, Amelia b1846, Richard 1846-1849, John b 1848, Mary Winifred b1851, Richard b1854, Michael Henry b1856, Joseph b 1859, Johanna 1862-1884.

Richard Barnes was born July 15th, 1825 and baptised on August 14th, 1825 at St. Lukes Church, Liverpool. He married Mary Egan at Cooma, NSW on September 24^th 1855. He died at Dalgety, NSW in 1912. They had 13 children – Imelda Francis, Richard b1856, Mary b1858, Eliza b1862, Ada b1865, Georgina b1867, Josephine b1869, Alice b1871, Louisa Mary b1873, Edith b1875, Amelia b1877, Violet b1880, Hilda b1884.

This entry shows that Mary Barnes had married John Eccleston and had a son to him by the time of the 1828 census

EDWARD WHITTON					ANNE SLATER
MARY b1796 d2-11-1855					WILLIAM b
m Richard Barnes 19-8-1811 mJohn Ecclestone 5-3-1827
Elizabeth b1827 d1842 m James Harding		Edward b1816 d1880 m Mary Brooker		Jane b1819 d m John Kinselagh		Isabella b1821 d1911 m Isaac Dawson		Amelia b1823 d1888 m William Bolger		Richard b1825 d 1912 m Mary Egan
Mary b1862	Jane b1863	Edward	Ann b1848	Amelia b1850	Richard b1852	William	John	Joanne b1859		Emma Isabella b1862
	m Patrick Duncan Baxter 14-2-1861
Elizabeth Jane b6-7-1891	Mary b19-8-1863	Andrew Edward b4-4-1865	Robert Leys b15-7-1868	Duncan b1869	John b1873	Charles Farquarson b27-5-1874	Irene Annie b1862		Beatrice Millicent b1883	Angelina Mary b
m.Eugene John O'Halloran		m Geoge William Brookes		m. Sarah Jane Sheppard		m. Jessie Millsom		m. H. George William Spedding
Emma Jane b6-7-1891	Robert Louis b25-6-1893		Andrew Duncan b12-3-1895		Alice Mary b22-3-1897	Frederick Ernest b22-2-1898		Charlotte Irene b5-7-1901	Verda Mary b13-6-1912
							m Alf Cochrane		m Thomas Francis Lane
Gerald Francis b11-10-1931		Geoffrey Joseph b8-12-1932		Margaret Mary b26-11-1936		Raymond John b25-9-1941		Neville Francis b2-10-1943
						M Grace Spiteri
Craig Francis b11-10-1967			Warren John b8-12-1970				Andrea Jane b1-10-1973