Cobcroft, John Frederick

Sometimes referred to as Cockcroft, he was convicted of assault and highway robbery and sentenced to death on 7 May 1788, which was commuted to transportation for life. While he sailed aboard Scarborough his common law wife, Sarah, was offered free passage to the colony on Neptune. Cobcroft was granted a conditional pardon in 1794 by Francis Grose. In July 1795 he was granted 30 acres of land at Wilberforce. He and Sarah had 10 children together and married in 1842 when Cobcroft was aged 79.