Susannah was charged and tried as Susannah Gough but appears in the convict indents as Susan/Susannah Garth.
Susanna was sentenced to seven years transportation at the Old Bailey on 10 September 1783 for stealing seven guineas from a man in London. She was taken from Newgate to embark on the Mercury on 30 March1784 bound for America. She was one of 66 convicts who scrambled down the side of the ship in Torbay, Devon when it had been brought to port after the mutinous convicts had taken control of it. Captured by Helena among those who tried to get on shore, Susannah was one who was held overnight on 13 April 1784 in a small boat moored beside Helena, and was sent to Exeter next day for committal to goal on the 16th. On 24 May the Special Commission remanded most of them to their former orders without trial, and Susannah was sent to the Dunkirk hulk, aged 20, where at 6 October 1786 she was behaving "better than formerly".
She was discharged to Friendship on 11 March 1787 when Ralph Clark recorded her age as 24. She seems to have caused no trouble on this ship. When she was one of the six women exchanged for another six from Charlotte at Rio on 11 August 1787, Clark regretted her going, one of "the six very best women we have in the Ship......they are the only women that can wash amongst them".
When the Fleet arrived in Port Jackson, Bowes Smyth, Surgeon of Lady Penrhyn nominated six women for the founding party to settle Norfolk Island. One of those chosen, Ann Yeates, did not want to join the party and was allowed to remain at Port Jackson. The fact that she was 7 months pregnant at the time probably played a part in her decision.
Susannah Garth's reputation caused her to be selected to replace Ann Yeates to go to Norfolk Island. The party left Port Jackson by Supply on 14 February 1788.
Her daughter Mary Anne was born 16 October 1789, probably fathered by Edward Garth with whom she was living with. It is tempting to wonder if they were related, or had known each other in London, she living in St Giles' parish, he well known in the Covent Garden area.
According to a statement Susannah made on oath in 1836 when aged 71, she was the first woman ashore at Norfolk Island, and that she was married to Edward Garth by Reverend Samuel Marsden when he visited the Island in July 1795. It is known that Reverend Marsden performed several Marriage and Baptism ceremonies during his visit but no records of them have ever been found.
With Husband and six children, Susannah left Van Diemens Land by Porpoise on 26 December 1807. A seventh child with two unnamed children came on the City of Edinburgh as the wife of William Jenner, who had been one of two butchers on the Island. This was Mary Ann as she is named on a list of people who boarded City of Edinburgh at Norfolk Island 3 September 1808 for the Derwent.
Susannah died on 24 June 1841 at Hobart, age given as 78 years.
Her known children were: Mary Anne (1789); James (1791); Edward (1795); John (c. 1800); William (c. 1801); Susannah (c. 1803); and Richard (c. 1807).
Reference: The Founders of Australia by Mollie Gillen, and
The Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land by Reg Wright
Susannah was convicted as Susan Gough at the Old Bailey but appears in the convict indents as Susannah Garth