Martha, the sixth child of John Nichols, 'First Fleeter' and Ann Pugh, was born circa 1809 at Prospect Hill near Parramatta, west of Sydney Cove. Martha's date of birth has not been found nor any record of her baptism. Martha married William Windley at Christ Church, Newcastle on the 6 January 1829.
William, born in Essex, England was baptised on 21 April 1799 at St. Andrew's Church, Good Easter, Essex. At the age of nineteen, William was convicted for stealing, sentenced to be transported beyond the seas for the term of his natural life and arrived in the Colony on the 31 December 1818 as a convict aboard the General Stewart. Click on this link for an account of William's life in Australia.
[ Allen and Muriel Findlay visited the Public Records Office in Chancery Lane, London on the 28th October 1984 and found the original parchment record of William's trial and copied the details by hand.] The record was published in the John Nichols Family Society Newsletter No.3 in April / May 1985. A brief reference to William's trial is recorded on page 152 in the book 'The Story of John Nichols - First Fleeter' which was published in 1988.
Martha gave birth to nine children prior to her death circa 1850. There is no record of her date of death.
William married Charlotte Arnold (nee Thompson) at Stoney Creek, Jamberoo on 22 June 1855. This union produced a further three children.
William died in the Kiama district on 29 January 1885 and is buried in the Old Wesleyan Burial Ground at Jamberoo.
Martha and William WINDLEY's children
William (1829-1891) married Sarah Ann Knight on 3rd June 1850.
John (1833-1833) died as an infant at Patricks Plains in the Hunter Valley.
Ann (1834-1834) also died as an infant at Patricks Plains in the Hunter Valley.
Thomas (1836-1914) married Mary Jane McGillick on 3 May 1858.
Joseph (1839-?) no record of death.
Charles (1842-1869) unmarried.
Frances (1844-1922) married John Reuben Moon on 12 July 1865.
Elizabeth (1847-1922) married Robert Ryder Mudge on 29 May 1871.
George (1849-1914) married Maria Higgins on 3 November 1873.