Edward Griffiths’ life story is written by his great, great, great grandson, Sam Koch.

Our family skeleton has just been all hearsay, but now we have discovered the truth. Edward was sent to Australia as a convict prior to becoming a “Free Settler”. Read on…

Edward Griffiths was born on 25 November 1818 in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales and christened on the 5 December 1818 in the Wern Independent Church, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales. He was the son of John Griffiths and Margaret Evans.

My grandmother, prior to her death, had mentioned that one of her great grandfathers was a convict, and believed it was Edward Griffiths. This was a story passed down to her. It was said that Edward shot a pheasant on neighbouring lands. Only now the details have come to light.

At the age of twenty-two years, Edward was charged at Warwickshire, England and was sentenced to seven years at the Central Criminal Court on the 20 October 1840 at the Old Bailey Court House, London, England. Edward sailed on the “Garland Grove” destination Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land). Later Edward transferred to Moreton Bay, Queensland (St Helena Island) on the 1 June 1849, sailing on the “Mount Stuart Elphinstone”.

In the 1851 Wales Census, Edward was listed as thirty-two years old, living with his parents, siblings and two other family members. John Griffiths was the head of the home, and listed as a framer with 100 acres, employing four labourers.

At the age of thirty-three, Edward married his first wife Amelia Owens on the 27 September 1851 in Ruabon, Denbighshire, Wales, having six sons. On the 17 January 1853, Edward (33 years old), his wife Amelia (21 years old) and son Charles, migrated from Wales to Australia, sailing on the “Parsee”.

Edward first gained his colonial experience on Dr Dorsey’s station, and afterwards with Mr R J Smith at the Town Marie boiling-down works. He arrived at Redbank Plains in 1856. His first purchase was only twenty-five acres, but by careful industry, frugality, and good management, he soon increased his holding to 468 acres, and acquired 2000 acres in other parts of West Moreton for his sons. He gave his attention chiefly to maize growing, and, like most farmers on the Plains, grew cotton and sugarcane successfully, besides carrying on dairying and cattle breeding.

After the death of his first wife, at the age of forty-eight, Edward married his second wife Mary Jane Buchanan on the 15 May 1866 in Ipswich, Queensland, having five sons and six daughters. He died 1 May 1898 at Redbank Plains, Ipswich, Queensland and is buried in the Ipswich General Cemetery.

Note: Information about Edward Griffiths and family has been contributed by Sam Koch, with additional research by Lee Butterworth of the Harry Gentle Resource Centre.

Citation: Sam Koch, ‘Edward Griffiths (1858-1939)’, Life Stories, Harry Gentle Resource Centre, Griffith University, 2025, https://harrygentle.griffith.edu.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=4794&action=edit&classic-editor [date accessed].