George Best
- Born: 1758, Rampisham, Dorset England
- Christened: 28 Aug 1791, On board the 'William and Ann' on way to Australia as a convict
- Marriage (1): Martha Chamberlain on 17 Sep 1797 in St Johns C of E, Parramatta, Sydney, NSW Australia
- Died: 3 Jul 1836, "Loongaliley", Seven Hills, Sydney, NSW Australia at age 78 258
- Buried: 6 Jul 1836, St Johns C of E Cemetery, Parramatta, Sydney NSW Australia
General Notes:
George Best was convicted at Maidstone, Kent, on the 15th March 1790 for stealing a watch. He was sentenced to death but this was later changed to transportation for life, he arrived in New South Wales on the 28th August 1791 on board the "William and Ann".
George spent his early years in the colonyon a prison farm at Toongabbee where he became overseer and seedsman, after only five years of service he was granted a pardon on the 1st May 1797.
George's wife Martha was also a convict who had arrived on the "Indispensible" in May 1796, they married in 1797, and settled on a 30 acre grant along Seven Hills Road which was purchased in the early 1920's for the construction of the Masonic homes, this building is still being used by community groups in the district.
George and Martha raised a large family, all born in wedlock and all soundly educated. Although uneducated themselves they sent some children to a boarding school in Sydney and engaged private tutors for the others. Such luxuries were possible because George was one of the most successful farmers in the colony.
In 1832 the family had established a pastoral station on the south bank of the Murrumbidgee River where Wagga Wagga now stands, working it in conjunction
with the properties at Seven Hills and Yass. This station along with others in the area in 1835 were in trouble for illegal "squatting" because the region was beyond the Nineteen Counties, the "limits of location" prescribed by Governor Darling in 1829.
George also participated actively in the life of the colony, as a leading emancipist he gave evidence before the Bigge Commission, 1819-21, and returned to England in 1823 on the schooner "Sally" to give further evidence.
Records show that when George died in 1836 he owned 3155 acres, some at Seven Hills and the rest in the Yass district.
Noted events in his life were:
• source.
• fact.
• connection. 561
George married Martha Chamberlain on 17 Sep 1797 in St Johns C of E, Parramatta, Sydney, NSW Australia. (Martha Chamberlain was born on 6 Nov 1776 in St Giles, London, Middlesex England 258, christened in May 1796 on board the 'Indispensible' (Convict), died on 14 Mar 1833 in Seven Hills, Sydney, NSW Australia and was buried in Mar 1833 in St Johns C of E Cemetery, Parramatta, Sydney NSW Australia.)
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