Elizabeth Thackery

Who was Elizabeth Thackery?

Elizabeth Thackery born 1767, died 7 August 1856 age 89 years, is said to be the first white woman to set foot on Australia. She was from Manchester, Lancashire, England. She was tried on 4 May 1786, and sentenced to seven years' transportation for the theft of two black silk handkerchiefs and three white handkerchiefs to a total value of one shilling. She is the last-known survivor, male or female, of the First Fleet, and is said to have been the first female ashore at Botany Bay when she arrived on 18 January 1788 on the Friendship.

She left England on the convict transport Friendship in May 1787, aged 20 at the time. She was placed in irons a number of times during the voyage.

After arriving in Australia, she received 25 lashes on 14 July 1791 for coming in from her settlement without permission. She lived for a while with James Dodding and subsequently made her way to van Diemen's Land on the Porpoise. There she married Samuel King. They settled in the Derwent Valley.

Betty King is buried in the Methodist Chapel churchyard in Lawitta Road Magra, Tasmania, who died 7 August 1856, aged 89 years.