[from Noel Wilkinson]
There is some confusion as to Rebecca’s date of birth. The details on her death certificate calculate that she was born in 1835. There are 2 entries for her baptism in the official records of NSW Births. Some of the entries are very faint and difficult to read.
Rebecca could have been baptised firstly as Church of England and then Roman Catholic when the Colonial Government allowed this - OR - the first Rebecca in 1835 could have died and another Rebecca born in 1837. No death certificate for 1835 has been found so it is more than likely that she was baptised twice.
Pat MILLAR in Tasmania researched the RANDALL family, of which she is a descendant. She notes that the death of Rebecca WELLER at Clarence Town in 1887 was registered by her son-in-law. He declared that Rebecca's parents were Thomas RANDALL and Mary FITZGIBBON. He gave her age at marriage as 21, but she was in fact 17, so he may also have been mistaken about her mother's maiden name, for there is no record of a Mary FITZGIBBON/Thomas RANDALL marriage. Most probably she was Mary GIBBONS, whose marriage in 1834 has been sent to you by Rochelle. Full date 20 Dec 1834 at Ch. of England church in parish of Parramatta. Thomas signed his name but Mary made a mark. The officiant was the Rev Samuel MARSDEN, a significant man in the history of NSW.Pat's research showed that both Thomas RANDALL and Mary were convicts. Mary was born in 1803 in Ireland. She had been a farm servant and was convicted for stealing a sheep. She was married to John MARA, a farmer of County Tipperary. At her trial in Tipperary in 1827 Mary was convicted and sentenced to be transported for seven years. She went on the City of Edinburgh in 1828. She is described as being five feet tall, having brown hair, brown eyes, and a 'ruddy and freckled' complexion.She was not a model prisoner! She received 'six weeks third class' at the Parramatta Female Factory for repeated insolence, and three further convictions. She also gave birth to a son, John.Thomas RANDALL was born in London about 1805, and joined the Royal Navy, probably before he was 15. He was convicted for stealing a handkerchief from an unknown person in Fleet Street, London. For this dastardly deed he was given a life sentence at his trial in Newgate Prison in 1825. He was transported on the Marquis of Hastings in 1826. His record states he had brown complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, and was 5ft 6 and 3/4 inches tall.Their children were:John 1830-1857.Rebecca 1835-1887. (Pat's ancestor.)Mary Scholastica 1838-1879.Bernard Thomas 1842-1897.William 1844-1920.Henry born 1846.[from Rochelle Haines]
Rebecca Randall(1835) married George J B Weller in 1853 NSW.They had the following children:
10448/1865 WELLER EDWARD. parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. MAITLAND9793/1875 WELLER EMILY parents: GEORGE J REBECCA. CLARENCE TOWN9465/1857 WELLER ELIZA parents: GEORGE REBECCA. PARRAMATTA11670/1867 WELLER CHARLES parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. MAITLAND12850/1871 WELLER ALICE parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. MAITLAND15047/1882 WELLER CLARENCE parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. CLARENCE TOWN8218/1860 WELLER LAURISTINA parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. MAITLAND9448/1861 WELLER GEORGE parents: GEORGE J B REBECCA. MAITLAND
The deaths of the following children:5645/1875 WELLER EMILY. GEORGE J REBECCA. CLARENCE TOWN12671/1888 WELLER CLARENCE. GEORGE I B REBECCA. WALLSEND4108/1896 WELLER GEORGE. GEORGE J B REBECCA. STROUD30808/1942 WELLER EDWARD. GEORGE REBECCA. WEST MAITLAND
Birth of Rebecca Randall:V1835145 19/1835 RANDALL REBECCA born to THOMAS and MARYDeath of WELLER REBECCA in 1887 daughter THOMAS Randall and MARY CLARENCE TOWN
(Rebecca Randall(1835) is Pat Miller’s ancestor)