In that year she was travelling back home to St Ives by horse-drawn stage-waggon. Whilst in Biggleswade, Mary raided Mr Niven's beehives. She drowned the bees and stole 40lbs of honey. Mr Tuplin's tub came in handy to hold the honey. Mary also stripped Mr Niven's vines of grapes, using a pail to carry them off. A box of barley meal also disappeared, and Mr Conquest's engraving and other tools.
Suspected of the theft, the local constable caught up with Mary at Buckden. All the goods were in her possession. How could Mary have got away with such a load? She claimed a perfect stranger helped.
For Mary, stealing honey was a speciality. Previously caught for the same offence, she had spent 14 days in prison. This time, it was transportation for life to Tasmania. Mary boarded Lady of the Lake in May 1929. She was one of 81 female prisoners with 17 children, as well as 10 free women with 19 children.
They set sail at 10am 12 June 1829. Mary suffered from dysentery en route in July 1829. William Evans, Surgeon, described Lady of the Lake as the smallest ship ever taken up to convey convicts. Sailing through a hurricane in October must have been terrifying. After five months at sea, the passengers landed at Tasmania 6 November 1829.
On arrival, the authorities described Mary as Single. Character bad. Former course of life bad. She was 5 feet 2 inches tall and could read but not write. Chin medium length, complexion dark. Hair brown, eyes grey. Projecting forehead, round head, medium wide mouth, medium length nose.
Assigned to Mr George Aitcheson, Mary's skills were Servant of all work. Can wash and iron. Cannot milk. By September 1830, Mary was a servant of Dr Turnbull.
That month, Mary was absent from service without leave for two consecutive evenings. She got bread and water rations for six days. A couple of weeks later, Mary was charged with gross misconduct and being drunk. The report stated she is labouring under hysterical affections, which arise back for several days. Mary went to the correction institute hospital. In January 1832, she was again generally disobedient during the last week, particularly last night. Another six days of bread and water rations followed.
Mary married John Lamb at Green Ponds, Tasmania on 18 December 1832. John was also a convict, given a conditional pardon. Mary signed the marriage register with a cross.
Mary gained her ticket of leave in February 1845. The authorities revoked this when she absconded in April 1850. The couple settled and farmed at a remote location some 200 miles away, near Wynyard, Tasmania. Mary died in 1894 of liver cancer, aged 88 years.
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