Robert Ballard ²

   Cause of his death was Paralysis.⁶

  General Notes:

Robert and Sophia had four children prior to 1839 when they sailed to Australia on the Neptune. (Robert's brother Edward had married Mary Lewis and sailed to Australia on the 'Woodbridge' in 1838.)
The Neptune arrived in September 1839 with Robert (35) and Sophia (36) and only three of their four children. Sadly Jane the youngest who was 5 years old died during the voyage. The other children were John 14, Sophia 12 and Ann 7.
The Ballard family settled in the Hunter Valley near Morpeth.
Robert was engaged by Benjamin Cox as a farm labourer.
By 1853 he held a publicans license for the 'Wheat Sheaf' at Morpeth. Other publicans listed at that time were:
- Spencer Butler at Lochinvar 'Spread Eagle'
- William Chapman at Morpeth 'Hunter River Inn'
- William Cannon at West Maitland 'White Bear'
Robert Ballard held the license for the Wheat Sheaf Inn in the 1840's.(1) He had previously held the license for the Gordon Arms at Lochinvar
9291 Ballard Robert - 1843 7 October Lochinvar MM 'Gordon Arms'. Publicans license granted at Court of Petty Sessions
6484 Ballard Robert - 1843 11 February Maitland MM Member of Committee to elect A.W. Scott to represent Northumberland in Legislative Council Ballard Robert - 1843 3 March Maitland MM Committee member for the return of A.W. Scott to represent Northumberland in Legislative Council Ballard Robert - 1843 7 October Lochinvar MM 'Gordon Arms'. Publicans license granted at Court of Petty Sessions Ballard Robert - 1844 28 December Maitland MM Pigeon match at Wheat Sheaf Inn Ballard Robert - 1845 19 April Morpeth MM Wheat Sheaf. Granted publican's licence Ballard Robert - 1846 14 January Morpeth MM Edward Oliffe found guilty of stealing a blanket from Ballard Ballard Robert - 1846 24 January Morpeth MM Of Wheatsheaf Inn. Breach of Licencing Act Ballard Robert - 1846 21 March Morpeth MM Innkeeper Ballard Robert - 1846 22 April Morpeth MM Obtained Publican's licence for Wheatsheaf Inn Ballard Robert - 1846 16 May - MM Claim for inclusion on electoral list disallowed Ballard Robert - 1846 23 September Morpeth MM Subscriber for the Irish Relief Fund Ballard Robert - 1847 24 April Morpeth MM Granted publican's licence for the Wheat Sheaf Hotel
Ballard Robert - 1847 18 August Morpeth MM Made donation to the Irish and Scottish Relief Fund Ballard Robert - 1848 19 April Morpeth MM Granted publican's licence for the Wheat Sheaf Inn Ballard Robert - 1848 19 July Morpeth MM County Northumberland elector supporting Henry Dangar for the Legislatvie Council
Ballard Robert - 1849 18 April Morpeth MM Granted publican's licence for the Wheat Sheaf Inn Ballard Robert - 1849 28 April Morpeth MM Mrs. Hardwick injured when she fell from a window of the Inn Ballard Robert - 1850 11 September - MM Of the Wheatsheaf Inn. Purchased the 'Fly' omnibus. To commence from Morpeth to and from East and West Maitland twice daily Ballard Robert - 1850 6 November Sydney MM Marriage of George House to Miss Ann, youngest daughter of R. Ballard of Morpeth on 31 October at St. Phillips Church Sydney. Minister Venerable Archdeacon Cowper Ballard Robert - 1851 16 April Morpeth MM Granted publican's license for the Wheatsheaf Inn
# Surname First Name Ship Date Place Source 83899 Ballard Robert - 1851 11 June Maitland MM Just returned to Maitland from the Ophir gold diggings Ballard Robert - 1851 11 June Maitland MM Offering reward to any person who finds a remunerative gold field in any locality beneficial to the town of Maitland Ballard Robert - 1851 16 August Maitland MM Campaigning for George Robert Nichols to represent the Northumberland Boroughs in the Legislative Council Ballard Robert - 1852 21 April Morpeth MM Robert Ballard granted publican's license for the Wheat Sheaf Ballard Robert - 1852 2 June Collected in Morpeth MM Subscribed to Testimonial for E.C. Close Ballard Robert - 1852 2 October Maitland. Bounded by land sold to William Wallis and land sold to Henry Garrad MM Contemplating a visit to 'Old England'. Selling by auction land in Maitland - allotment No. 16 with 2 substantial brick built cottages and 1 weatherboarded cottage Ballard Robert - 1853 20 April Morpeth MM Granted publican's license for the Wheat Sheaf Inn Ballard Robert - 1853 18 May Morpeth MM Fined 20s for a breach of the Publican's Act by serving alcohol to William Davies out of hours Ballard Robert - 1854 25 February Morpeth MM Death of Alfred Maitland Cannon, youngest son of William and Sophia Cannon and grandson of Robert Ballard late of Morpeth. Aged 1 year and 4 months Ballard Robert - 1878 9 December Campbells Hill Burial Ground Maitland Burial Records Died age 75 Ballard Robert Neptune 1839 - - Maitland Family History Circle's Pre 1900 Pioneer Register Bailiff, Publican, Farmer. Spouse Sophia Hawkins. For more information see Pioneer Register Entry No. 38
171618 Ballard Robert Neptune 1839 26 September 1839 - State Records Online Shipping List Farm Labourer from Northam age 35. Employed by Benjamin Cox at Hunter River on arrival..http://tinyurl.com/lvsxgmu
In September 1850 he purchased the 'Fly' omnibus and commenced a service from Morpeth to and from East and West Maitland twice daily (2)
Robert Ballard was one of the many Maitlanders who tried his luck at the Ophir gold diggings.

John was the only surviving issue at the tine of their deaths. James Watson and George Blundel witnessed the burial. of Robert in the Church of England Section of the West Maitland Cemetery. ⁷

  Death Notes:

Age:74

  Burial Notes:

witnessed by James Watson and George Blundel at the Campbell's Hill Church of England Cemetery.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: bailiff & farm labourer, 1839, Northiam, SSX, England, UK. ¹

• Immigration: on the Neptune, 26 Sep 1839, Sydney. ⁸ Robert BALLARD, a bounty immigrant, arrived in Sydney, NSW on 26 September 1839 aboard the vessel, Neptune. They left on 1 Jun 1839, from Gravesend, England.
He was accompanied by his wife, Sophia HAWKINS, and their three children
John 14 yrs
Sophia 12 yrs
Anne 7 yrs
Jane, aged 5 yrs, had died on the voyage

• Education, Abt 1839, Sydney. ⁸ Able to read and write

• Religion: Protestant, Abt 1839, Sydney. ⁸

• Occupation: farm labourer, After Oct 1839, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. ⁹ Robert was engaged by Benjamin Cox near Morpeth.

• Occupation: Publican, 1853, Morpeth, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. ⁹ Robert held the publicans license for the 'Wheat Sheaf' at Morpeth.

• Occupation: Farmer, 1877, Maitland, NSW. ¹⁰

Robert married Sophia Hawkins, daughter of Jesse Hawkins and Sarah Watson, on 24 Apr 1824 in Northiam, SSX, England, UK.¹ (Sophia Hawkins was born on 9 Dec 1803 in Burwash, SSX, England, UK,¹ died on 23 Jun 1883 in Maitland, NSW ¹¹ and was buried on 24 Jun 1883 in Maitland, NSW ¹².)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Immigration: leaving on the Neptune from Gravesend on 28 May 1839 and arriving, 6 Sep 1839, Sydney. ¹³
1839 Sussex Emigrants to Sydney NSW

The 'Neptune' sailed with a compliment of Sussex emigrants from an area in Sussex which included the villages of Burwash, Salehurst, Hawkhurst, (Kent) Robertsbridge and others on the border of Sussex & Kent.