John and Ellen Crothers

Robert Jillett and Elizabeth Creamer

1-Convict Robert P. Jillett was born in 1760 in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England and died on 3 Nov 1832 in Back River, New Norfolk, Tasmania at age 72.

Robert was tried in the Lent Assizes, Surrey, for theft on 17 Mar 1795 and sentenced to transportation for seven years. He was placed on Fortunee hulk at Langston Harbour where he escaped and was, after capture tried on 11 Jan 1797 at the Old Bailey, London, England.  He arrived in Sydney, NSW, on the Hillsborough on 16 Jul 1799.  After spending some time in Sydney, Robert was convicted of further crimes and sent to Norfolk Island. Elizabeth Creamer, free widow of convict Thomas Bradshaw followed, and bought land there and had Robert as her assigned farm help. When they left in 1808, they had six children.

They were sent to Van Diemen’s Land on the Lady Nelson in 1808.  They settled in Hobart, then New Norfolk and owned land near Oatlands, and produced 4 more children. The three eldest were Bradshaw, the others were known as Jilletts.

By 1819 he had sold his land on the River Derwent and purchased 120 acres at Elizabeth Town (New Norfolk) where he was recorded as having 20 acres under wheat, 2 acres of barley, 1 acre of peas, and 3 acres in potatoes with the remaining 94 acres in pasture. He also had 30 cattle and 500 sheep.

Robert married Elizabeth Creamer on 8 Apr 1812 in St David's Church, Hobart. Elizabeth was born about 1775 in Milton Bryan, Bedford, England. They had a son: John.

2-John Jillett was born on 28 Oct 1819 in Hobart, Tasmania and died on 20 Nov 1868 in Oatlands at age 49. John married Phoebe Triffitt, daughter of James Triffitt and Elizabeth Barnes, on 1 Aug 1840 in St Matthews Anglican, New Norfolk. Phoebe was born in 1822 in New Norfolk and died on 19 Dec 1869 in Oatlands at age 47. They had a son: Robert Alfred.

3-Robert Alfred Jillett was born in 1840 in Hobart, Tasmania and died in 1921 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania at age 81. Robert married Sophia Susan Whiteway on 22 Aug 1867 in Bothwell, Tasmania. Sophia was born on 5 Aug 1850 in Bothwell, Tasmania and died on 22 Aug 1920 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania at age 70. They had a son: Walter Race.

4-Walter Race Jillett was born on 8 Aug 1876 in Campbell Town, Tasmania and died on 3 May 1959 in Launceston at age 82. Walter served in World War 1. He married Hilda Elizabeth Eales on 22 Apr 1914 in Nile. Hilda was born on 28 Jun 1888 in Evandale, Tasmania and died on 28 Aug 1983 in Launceston at age 95. They had a son: Tasman Albert.

5-Captain Tasman Albert Jillett was born on 23 Oct 1917 in 18 Mann St. Invermay, Tasmania and died on 7 Jun 1986 in Dodges Ferry, Tasmania at age 68. He served in World war 2. Tasman married Jean Crothers, daughter of William James Crothers and Gladys Irene Norton, on 3 Nov 1951 in Windermere, Tasmania.