Grace Plomer or Plummer Mary 1831

By Dianne Snowden

Born Grace Kean, Grace Plomer was tried in Truro, Cornwall on 5 April 1831 for stealing 'wearing apparel.' She was sentenced to transportation for seven years, arriving in Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mary on 19 October 1831. While her gaol report noted that she was 'Represented of depraved habits', the surgeon's report simply stated that she was well-behaved.

At the time of her trial, Grace Plomer was married, with four children. Her husband, William Plomer, was also transported: Grace's convict record states 'I left him at Davenport'. [1] Although Grace was sent to Van Diemen's Land, William was transported to New South Wales. He was tried as William Plomer in Cornwall in 1831, and was sentenced to transportation for seven years. Aged forty-two, William arrived in New South Wales on the Isabella 1 (4) in 1832.

Grace Plomer's convict description record reveals that she was a thirty-seven-year-old farm servant who was 5'2¾" tall. She had a fair complexion, dark brown hair and grey eyes. Her eyebrows were brown and 'far apart'. Her head and visage were of medium-size, and her forehead was perpendicular. She had a medium-size nose, wide mouth with thick lips, and a small chin. She had three initials on her left arm. The letters are difficult to decipher but look like 'G.W.P.' [2]

In Van Diemen's Land, Grace Plomer was first assigned, as a farm servant, to Mr Thomas Atkinson. [3] Little is known about Grace's life in Van Diemen's Land, and no colonial offences were noted on her conduct record. [4]

At some stage, Grace Plummer left Van Diemen's Land for New South Wales, where she joined her transported husband. Some of their children joined them in New South Wales. Their son, James Plummer, a forty-one-year-old miner, arrived in New South Wales from Cornwall on the Plantagent in 1857, with his thirty-four-year-old wife, Marianne, and four children: thirteen-year-old nursemaid, Elizabeth; twelve-year-old labourer, William; ten-year-old Grace; and six-year-old Marianne. The family were Wesleyan and could all read and write. [5] At least two more children were born in New South Wales: John, born 1858 in Orange, and Hannah Eva, born 1859 in Bathurst. [6]

Grace Plummer's Australian-born granddaughter, Hannah Eva Plummer, married a Cornish cousin, William Richard Plummer, on 5 June 1875, in a Wesleyan service at the home of Mary Ann Plummer at Hill End. William, a twenty-seven-year-old miner of Hill End, was the son of William Plummer, a miner, and Jane Lane. Witnesses were William Plummer and Priscilla E. Plummer. [7] It is likely that other members of the family arrived in Australia.

Grace Plummer's son, James Plummer, a fifty-seven-year-old gold miner, died of typhus fever on 23 March 1872 at Hill End. His death certificate contained little personal information, simply noting that he was married and was born in Cornwall. He was buried at Tambarooma. The informant was William Head, gold miner, of Hill End. [8]

Mary Anne Plummer, wife of James, died on 10 September 1913 at Bathurst. She was ninety-one-years-old, and died of chronic bronchitis and senile decay. According to her death certificate, she was born at Towerdreth, Cornwall, [9] the daughter of James Donnel, a miner; her mother was recorded as unknown. She had married James Plummer at Towerdreth at the age of nineteen. The informant for her death record was her grandson, Horace W. Pascoe, of 148 Seymour Street, Bathurst. Mary Anne was buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Bathurst. [10] Six living children were listed on her death certificate: Elizabeth A., aged seventy; William, aged sixty-nine; Grace, aged sixty-six; Mary A., aged sixty-three; John, aged fifty-five; and Hannah E., aged fifty-four. A son and daughter pre-deceased her.

Grace Plummer's husband, William, described as a 'superintendent' aged sixty-eight-years and nine months, died of 'decay of nature and disease of bladder' at Roxburgh, NSW on 21 October 1858. According to his death certificate, he was born in Cornwall, England, and was the son of Richard Plummer and Elizabeth (née Buckingham). He had been in New South Wales twenty-eight-years, and had married Grace 'Kaen' at St Ewe, England when he was about twenty-six. His children were named as James, aged forty-three; William, aged thirty-nine; Catherine, aged thirty-seven; Elizabeth, aged thirty-two; and John, aged twenty-three. One daughter pre-deceased him. The informant for his death was his son, James Plummer, a miner of the Cornish Settlement at Bathurst. William Plummer was buried at Kelso by a Church of England minister. [11]

Grace Plummer's death has not been located.

Grace (Kean) Plummer is the great-great-great-great-grandmother of my sons, Thomas, James, Alexander and Jack Gordon of Richmond, Tasmania.

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This story was originally published in 2004 by the Writers Group of the Hobart Branch of the TFHS Inc. in the publication PROS and Cons of Transportation A collection of convict stories.

Not only does this publication celebrate the cessation of transportation of convicts to Van Diemens Land, it also celebrates the work of the Family History Writers Group. This group was formed in 2003 to assist members who wanted to write their family histories. The monthly meetings stimulated great interest and enthusiasm.

The original introduction may be found here.