Ann Gordon

Ann Gordon born Ann King (1795 – June 6, 1868) was a British born Australian female factory superintendent at the Parramatta Female Factory in the Colony of New South Wales. She ran the factory, nicknamed "Gordons’ Villa", for women convicts, from a riot in 1827, until she was dismissed in 1836. Life Gordon was born in Portsmouth in about 1795. Her parents were Ann (born Ovey) and her husband James King - who was a courier employed by the government. She and her sister both married in 1812. She married an Irish soldier, Robert Gordon, at the local parish church on Portsea Island St Mary's Church. She ended up in Australia as her husband enlisted in the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot when they were in Ireland. He and the regiment were sent to the colony of New South Wales. Ann went with him, but their baby daughter Letitia was left in Ireland with her grandparents. They had two more children in Newcastle before her husband left the army. They became settlers and in 1825 they were granted land in Burragorang, New South Wales but they did not work it as in 1827 Ann was employed and her husband became "the keeper". Parramatta Female Factory