Samuel LEAR from Bitton to Tasmania to Victoria

A Samuel LEAR travelled as a free man on the Morley (V3) which landed him at Hobart Town in May 1820 before the Morley went on to Sydney to discharge convicts including his mother and young brother. 

He is listed as arriving on the Morley in the 1822 VDL Muster of Free Men (HO 10/18, reel 65 pp. 2-31)

The Ships Surgeon on the Morley V3 authored a book relating to his journeys “Two Voyages to VDL and NSW” providing some insight into the voyage but no detail on the LEAR family.

A Samuel LEAR is listed in Tasmanian Archive records as a passenger on the Elizabeth traveling on 21 May 1825 from Hobart to Port Jackson (CSO63/1 p141). It is possible he went to Sydney to assist his mother move to Hobart as she first appears in Tasmanian records in 1826.

Saumel LEAR and Sarah DAVIS (Convict) applied for permission to marry in Hobart in 1831. The marriage does not appear to have occurred as DAVIS married someone else later in 1831. It is not known if Samuel later married or had a family.

Samuel LEAR arrived at the Parkins Mine near Bendigo presumably to work with his brother on 10th October 1851 and died in the mine on 11th October 1851 - Coroner’s Report states he died of Apoplexy which was a term for a Stroke in the 19th Century.

Further data and some documents relating to the life of Samuel LEAR can be accessed below.