Pre-convict life
Due to the fact that Mary was convicted at the age of 14 and transitioned to Australia for her punishment, she had a very short life before conviction. Mary’s parents died when she was still very young after which she was raised by her grandmother up to the age of 13.

Experience as a convict

After arriving in Sydney on the Royal Admiral in October 1792 Mary was designated as a nursemaid in the household of English soldier and lieutenant governor, Major Francis Grose. At the time of her transportation she went on to meet a young Irishman (that was on the same vessel) named Thomas Raby, (the spelling ‘Reibey’ was adopted in later years). Thomas Reibey was an aspiring merchant and the junior officer on the store ship Britannia. Two years later in 1794 Thomas returned to Sydney on the Britannia.

Experience when emancipated …show more content…
Soon after their marriage the couple moved to Windsor and farmed on the property Thomas was granted, located on the Hawkesbury River. Thomas then set up a business and became a trader constantly running his three small vessels to and from the Hunter and Sydney. These ships carried bundles of produce, grain, coal, timber, furs and skins. In 1796, the first of three sons and four daughters was born. Following the development of his business Thomas later acquired land in Sydney town near the Harbor in what converted into Macquarie Place and built a house for him and Mary. By this stage he had attained numerous farms on the Hawkesbury River and his business was