Snippet 20 - "Third Time Lucky?"

 

1767-1856: “INEVITABLE? OR THIRD TIME UNLUCKY? OR LUCKY IN HINDSIGHT?”


Lydia Letitia Munro[1] was born deep in Poverty in London 1767. By an early age, probably less than 6 years, she was “living on the streets”, assisting in petty thefts. Both her parents had died by the time she was 5.

By 12 years, she earnt some of her living through street prostitution. By 17 years, she spent some time in the Brothels for young children (then named “lodging houses”), and other time with a gang of young females who shared the earnings from shop-stealing.

Lydia was tried for 3 offences in 1787. None of them related to Prostitution as this was not a Transportable offence. But stealing bolts of cotton or lace was!

The first 2 cases were dismissed for lack of reliable witnesses. The last (before the same Judge) hit the jackpot and Lydia was given 14 years Transportation.

The next 3 years were undoubtedly “living Hells of survival” in the Newgate Prison, the Convict hulks, the 8 months voyage to Port Jackson, and the initial “work deployments” allocated.

Lydia was lucky and met/married the First Fleet Convict, Andrew Goodwin. Together on Norfolk Island and in Van Diemen’s Land, they raised 11 children and created better outcomes for each of them than ever imagined in Lydia’s “Streets of London”.




[1] Lydia Munro (1767-1856) and Andrew Goodwin (1767-1835) are linked through 2 family generations to Celia Chaplin, a paternal half 2nd Great Aunt of Maloney/Testro/Smith Generation

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