Jilks, as an alternative tellingly, together with protested-perhaps excessive-significantly less than cross-examination

The initial many years of Elizabeth’s existence just like the an assigned convict are uncertain, however, we all know the ones from 1825 she served section of the girl 14-12 months sentence given that a slave so you can Matthew ‘Matt’ Miller, a good widowed constable and pardoned convict living during the Windsor that has several students. Elizabeth’s project in order to Miller at this time would be significant to own several reasons, maybe not minimum of getting Miller’s raw bashing off his the partner inside 1828, whereby he was destined to hold.

It will be possible Jilks fabricated such situations in order to cover the truth out-of E and Rebecca’s former lifestyle to end sullying the character because the great upstanding residents regarding Parramatta

Throughout Elizabeth’s big date since Miller’s servant in the Windsor, it appears she had a kid together with friend and you can colleague, George Jilks. Birth info show that a young child called ‘William Bennett Jilks’ came to be on Windsor to your nine Oct 1826 to help you George Jilks, Chief Constable regarding Sydney, and a lady recorded simply as ‘Elizabeth’ – title away from Jilks’s mate are ‘e from Elizabeth’s partner is ‘William Bennett.’ What’s like notable, although not, is that William Bennett Jilks may not have become the brand new couple’s sole question and you will, a lot more truth be told, might not have started its first.

Many years afterwards during a legal proceeding, Jilks will say lower than oath he had identified E when you look at the England, well before often of them have been convicted and directed, and also said getting understood their child Rebecca ‘of the woman beginning.’ His claims had been probable, since Jilks try experimented with and you may found guilty given that ‘George Gilkes’ during the Middlesex where Elizabeth seemingly have had a beneficial past belief to have larceny during the 1812 and you will near to where she is apprehended into the 1818 on her mobile offense.

I was known as dad from [Rebecca], but I am not; I claim I am not; she never passed various other name than simply Bennett within colony; she never ever went by my personal name. wellhello…Robert Miller is actually this lady father, which, In my opinion, is becoming live inside the England; the guy married my personal sister, but she actually is maybe not the mother away from [Rebecca]; Mrs. Bennett is actually the girl mother…

Suspicions out-of Jilks’s hyperlinks so you’re able to E and Rebecca were elevated further when Jilks’s partner, ined and you may she paused somewhat just before giving an answer to practical question out-of if or not she had actually ever regarded Rebecca just like the Miss Jilks: ‘I would personally, maybe, have named their thus, inside my home, when talking to the kids, but never because she’s grown.’ Which have Rebecca’s delivery year estimated because 1813 and you can Jilks’s conviction during the Sep 1814 and you may transportation in-may out-of 1816 to your Mariner, Jilks has been the girl biological father since the someone else got definitely insinuated. The brand new legal proceeding indicated that the folks exactly who realized the fresh new parents really not only entertained the theory one to Jilks try Rebecca’s father in addition to spoken so it idea, apparently indicating it had been already well known one Jilks and you can Elizabeth got a masculine boy with her into the Windsor. Regardless, the partnership within Jilks and you can Bennett household is always strong as the a half dozen-year-old girl entitled ‘Margaret,’ a daughter regarding George Jilks, is actually a resident at the Bennett’s bakery at the time the 1828 census are taken.

So far, zero suggestions off Jilks’s English cousin otherwise this lady spouse Robert Miller have been discovered so you’re able to corroborate Jilks’s statements throughout the Rebecca’s genuine parentage from inside the Old England. In fact, you to newsprint stated that Rebecca ‘and her members of the family went regarding the middling family of community, & enjoyed a fair magnificence among their multiple family members.’

Fickle Swains and Volatile Future

Despite already been partnered since 1820, the newest Bennetts did not have the first guy together until 1829; a child christened Elizabeth Ann followed closely by a guy, William H. Bennett Jnr., created circa 1831 within Bennett’s Parramatta household and you will bakery.