Researchers who have claimed this convict
There is currently one researcher who has claimed George Epping
Biographies
Various on line sources have revealed a George Epping was convicted of burglary and consequently transported for life in 1835. His case was given Police Number 464a. He was born 1807 in Streatham and at his conviction may have been married with one child at home. His file indicates that 'Epping' may have been an assumed name his correct family name being Hancock.. He was transported to Tasmania in the Barque Layton (II) departing Sheerness 29 August 1835 arriving in Tasmania 10 December 1835. Newspaper archives report George was awarded a Ticket of Leave 10 May 1843 vide Government Notice 105.
The online site Family Research reports that a George Epping married a Georgianna Marshall in St Andrews Presbyterian Church on 01 May 1845.
The Government's intent to apply for a pardon of George was announced in the the Launceston Examiner of 4 September 1847. The approval of the application was announced in the Examiner of 18November 1848.
The Courier of 17 July 1857 reported Stableman George Epping had been taken into custody in connection with a missing 40 pounds reported by a Groom presumably from the same or associated stables. The Launceston Examiner of 14 January 1862 reported George Epping pleaded guilty to a charge of theft and was sentenced to 18 months hard labour. The Cornwall Chronicle of 26 November 1862 reported G.W. Epping had been awarded 6 months hard labour.
The NZ Government's Births, Deaths and Marriages (NZBDM) site records the death of a George Epping in 1888 aged 82 years of age (Ref 1888/1317). This date and his age accords with the date of birth (1807) given in the police file. The newspaper Hawera and Normanby Star of 22 September 1919 records the death of a George William Epping aged 77 years, husband of Mary Epping. This indicates that the date refers to the passing of George Epping (II) and that his date of birth (in Tasmania) would have been 1842 at about when George and Georgianna (later Georgina) were married. George Epping (II) would have been about 20 years of age when the thefts were committed so he may have been the perpetrator of the crimes.
NZBDM record a Georgina Epping died in 1893 aged 89. (Reference 1893/5486). A funeral notice in the Hawera and Normandy Star of 17 July 1893 announce funeral arrangements to occur at George Epping's (II) residence in Hawera but does not advise the name of the deceased. It seems likely that it was his mother. NZBDM record (Ref 1871 5490) a George William Epping married Mary Wilson. An online family research blog states the marriage took place in a registry office in Hokitika (a gold rush town at that time located on the west coast of NZ's south Island) and that the bride was 17 years of age-a point of further possible correlation.
No objective evidence has been seen to verify that the Tasmanian, Hokitika and Hawera Normanby Eppings are the same or related but the circumstantial evidence makes it probable that they are the same. It seems that at about 1870 the family consisting of George William Epping (I) his wife Georgianna/Georgina and George William Epping (II) perhaps other children made a new start in NZ beginning perhaps in the goldfield of the South Island then travelling north to Taranaki where George Epping (II) became a successful agriculturist, dairy farmer and local notary in the Normanby area close to Hawera. He and his wife according to the scant record of NZBDM had about 12 children including my grandmother Ethel Florence who became the second wife of Harold and the mother of my father Allan. Two of Ethel's brothers appear to have served overseas in WW 1.
Submitted by Researcher (18924) on 19 February 2026
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There are currently no research notes attached to this convict. Sources
- The National Archives (TNA) : HO 11/10, p.126
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