Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

The Old Bailey trial record in Jan 1808 states her name to be "Mary Shearing alias Metcalf' suggesting that she and John Metcalf were not formally married.

Mary Sheering, one of 278 convicts transported on the ship Eolus or the ship Aeolus, July 1808.
Sentence details: Convicted at Middlesex Gaol Delivery for a term of 7 years.
Vessel: Admiral Gambier and Eolus.
Date of Departure: July 1808.
Place of Arrival: New South Wales.

BARNET BENJAMIN, JOHN METCALF, and MARY SHEARING, alias METCALF, was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 27th of November a box, value 1 s. six shirts, value 3 l. four handkerchiefs, value 4 s. five handkerchiefs, value 5 s. two towels, value 1 s. two pair of stockings, value 2 s. a night cap, value 6 d. and a table cloth, value 6 d. the property of Jeffrey Hart Bent ; - five shirts, value 2 l. 10 s. four pair of stockings, value 4 s. and a table cloth, value 7 s. the property of Ellis Bent.
Second count the property of James Swain.
The case was stated by Mr. Gleed.
JONATHAN MILLER. Q. You are the butler belonging to Lincoln's-inn. - A. I am.
Q. On the 26th of November did you pack up any linen belonging to Mr. Ellis Bent. - A. I did; which linen I took to Mr. Jeffrey Hart Bent, about eight o'clock in the evening; Mr. Jeffrey Bent packed up some linen in the same box, and locked the box. I took the box to the Spotted Dog in the Strand; there I delivered it, and it was booked.
GEORGE LEDDIS. Q. You keep the Spotted Dog in the Strand. - A. I do.
Q. On the 26th of November did you receive a box from the last witness. - A. I did; I delivered it to Littlefield, he drives the Chertsey cart, about nine o'clock in the morning of the 27th.
RICHARD LITTLEFIELD. Q. You are a carter, you drive the Chertsey cart. - A. Yes.
Q. On the 27th of November did you receive a box from the last witness. - A. Yes; I put it in the cart, and drove the cart to the White Horse cellar. When I got there I took the box out of the cart to make room for a cask of liquor, and left it on the pavement; I went down the White Horse cellar for the cask; when I came up again the box was gone.
Q. What time did you get to the White Horse cellar. - A. About ten o'clock. I had taken the box frequently before; it was directed to 'squire Mosely.
PETER MASON. Q. You are an officer - on the 27th of November last, did you in company with Armstrong and Bishop, go to the house of Metcalfe. - A. I did; between eleven and twelve o'clock. We went to a house in Red Lion market, leading out of Whitecross-street into Golden-lane; Metcalfe acknowledged it was his house. Mr. Armstrong went in first; we went through the first room into the back room, and there Metcalfe, the woman, and Benjamin, the three prisoners, were all standing in that back room, and a quantity of linen was laying in the middle of the floor. Armstrong asked who the linen belonged to; they all denied it belonged to them. Mr. Armstrong said as there were none of them that owned it, he would take and see if he could find an owner. Bishop, I believe, found something in the bed; we took them and the linen to the office.
JOHN ARMSTRONG . Q. You are an officer - you have heard what Mason said. - A. Yes; I shewed every article to each of the prisoners; they all denied it being theirs. Benjamin said he had not bought them. I found a shirt in the bedding.
DANIEL BISHOP. Q. You are an officer. - A. Yes; I went with Mason and Armstrong. On searching the back room where the prisoners stood, I found these two shirts hanging over a chair by the fire; I found a shirt and neck handkerchief; I then held them up, and asked the prisoners separate if they belonged to them; they all denied it.
(The property produced and identified.)
John Metcalfe's Defence. On Friday morning, when I went out, my wife was out on an errand; when I returned I found these things had been left by two men, the girl told me, for Mr. Benjamin.
Shearing's Defence. I went out to pledge a watch on Friday; I was out two hours. When I came home the girl told me there had been two men, and they had left the linen for Mr. Benjamin; she said she did not know them.
Court. Some of them were left in the bed, you know's the men would not have left them in the bed.
Benjamin's Defence. The girl fetched me to look at the things; I was looking at them when Mr. Armstrong came in. I was sent for to go and look at them, and it any body sends for me I am to go.
METCALFE, GUILTY, aged 55.
SHEARING, GUILTY, aged 25.
BENJAMIN, GUILTY, aged 30.
Transported for Seven Years.
Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.

The ship Aeolus arrived in NSW 26 Jan 1809

Edward Burnham, free, of the parish of Parramatta
and Mary Sheering, free of Parramatta
were married in this church by banns
this 15th day of Jan 1821
Edward and Mary both made their X marks in the register
in the presence of Edward Evans of Parramatta who made his X mark in the register
and Ann Smith who signed the register

Burnham, Edward, free by serviude, Royal Admiral, 1800, 7 years, landholder, Parramatta
Metcalf, Mary, free by servitude, Eolis, 1804, 7 years, wife of Edward Burnham, Parramatta

Burnham, Edward, 45, free by servitude, Royal Admiral, 1800, 7 years, settler, Prospect
Burnham, Mary, 46, free by servitude, Aeolus, 1809, 7 years
Burnham, Elizabeth, 5, born in the colony

Name: Mary Burnham
Death Date: 1838
Death Place: New South Wales
Registration Year: 1838
Registration Place: Parramatta, New South Wales
Volume Number: V18382761 22

Mary Burnham of Prospect age 56
Buried 26 Jun 1838
at Parish of St John's Parramatta

Mary Burnham of Prospect buried 26 Jun 1838 age 56