Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Henry was a convict who arrived in NSW aboard the ship 'Asia' which sailed from Portsmouth on Thurs 6 Jan 1825 and arrived in NSW on 29 Apr 1825. He was described as an iron founder with a fair complexion, brown hair and grey eyes and of 5 feet in height.
On arrival in the colony he was employed by George Suttor from Apr 1825 until Oct 1836 at 'Brucedale' in the Peel area near Bathurst. He was employed as a superintendent or overseer at a salary of 30 pounds per annum with full rations from 3 Nov 1836 until 1837 at 'Chelsea Farm' Baulkham Hills.

Henry Simms Peers, one of 200 convicts transported on the Asia, 22 October 1824.
Sentence details: Convicted at Southampton Assizes for a term of 7 years.
Vessel: Asia.
Date of Departure: 22 October 1824.
Place of Arrival: New South Wales.

Henry Sims Peers 1824 summer assizes, Hants, larceny, 7 years

"At Winchester Assizes, Henry Peers, a man who had a reputation of peculiar sanctity, was indicted for having stolen a quantity of brass rings, part of large chandeliers, and a cushion, with a variety of other articles, from a dissenting meeting-house, called Abbey Chapel, in the parish of Romsey, on the 1st of June. The jury found him guilty, but recommended him to mercy. Mr. Baron Garrow - I presume, gentlemen, you thought the crime was a capital one when you so recommended the prisoner. Juryman - We were of that opinion, my Lord. Mr. Baron Garrow observed that the crime was not a capital one, being distinguished from that of sacrilege, which consisted in stealing from the places of worship belonging to the Established Church. The sentence of the Court was that he should be transported for 7 years."

"WINCHESTER, SATURDAY, AUG 7.
Henry Peers was indicted for having stolen a quantity of brass rings, parts of large chandeliers, and a cushion, with a variety of other articles, from a dissenting meeting-house, called Abbey Chapel, in the parish of Romsey, on the 1st of June.
The evidence for the prosecution having been gone through.
The prisoner, on being called on for his defence, said he had nothing to offer, but threw himself on the mercy of the Court.
The jury found him Guilty, but recommended him to mercy.
MR. Barron GARROW. - I presume, Gentlemen, you thought the crime was a capital one when you so recommended the prisoner.
Juryman - We were of that opinion, my Lord.
Mr. Baron GARROW, in passing the sentence, observed, that the crime of which the prisoner was convicted was not a capital one, being distinguished from that of sacrilege, which consisted in stealing from the places of worship belonging to the Established Church. However, the case was one of great aggravation. The prisoner, very far from attending to the admonitions of the clergyman who gave instructions in the chapel, went on for a long time hypocritically affecting the appearance of piety, and in the basest manner availed himself of an opportunity which that assumed character enabled him to take advantage of, for the purpose of committing this disgraceful act. It was lamentable to think that there were respectable individuals in society, by whose unfortunate relation to the prisoner they would share, in some measure, in the disgrace of his crime and punishment. For the sale of these persons, for the sake of society in particular, and for the sake of the prisoner himself, who, if left under his own control, might at length do some thing to deserve the last ignominious punishment of the law, it was expedient that he should be removed from the country. The sentence of the Court was, that he should be transported for seven years."

Henry Sims Peers of Baulkham Hills
and Maria Jackman of Baulkham Hills
were married in this Church by banns
this 22 day of May 1837
Henry signed the register and Maria made her X mark in the register
in the presence of Bently Dewitt who signed the register and Elizabeth Kentwell who made her X mark in the register

Henry Simm Peers 41 per Asia (7 years) and Maria Jackman 23 per Diana (life) were granted permission to marry at Parramatta by H. Bobart on 26 Apr 1837