Mary Putland

Mary Putland (née Bligh, later O'Connell) (1783–1864) was the Lady of Government House, New South Wales, Australia during the period her father William Bligh was the Governor of New South Wales.

Mary Bligh was born on 1 April 1783 at Douglas, Isle of Man, the daughter of William Bligh and his wife Elizabeth (Betsey) Betham. In 1805, she married John Putland, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy who had served in the victory of the Battle of the Nile under the command of Horatio Nelson.

When her father William Bligh was offered the post of Governor of New South Wales, her mother Elizabeth did not wish to accompany him, fearing the long ocean voyage. Instead, Mary agreed to accompany her father to act as the Lady of the Government House with her husband John Putland to serve as William Bligh's aide-de-camp.

On 28 January 1806, Mary Putland and William Bligh left England on the convict transport ship Lady Madeline Sinclair while John Putland travelled as the first officer of the escorting vessel HMS Porpoise (1804) under the command of Commander Joseph Short. Bligh and Short disagreed continually through the voyage as each believed he was in charge of expedition. When Bligh ordered a change of course of the transport ship, Short responded ordering Putland to fire warning shots at the transport containing his wife and father-in-law. In great distress, Putland complied with the order. When the convoy arrived in Sydney Harbour on 6 August 1806, Bligh assumed the governorship of the colony. He retained the Porpoise to act as its principal naval unit, ordering Short to return to Britain on HMS Buffalo in disgrace. Bligh then appointed Putland to command the Porpoise.

On arrival in Sydney, Mary Putland took charge of Government House. This was the first Government House in Sydney, built originally for Governor Arthur Phillip although extended on numerous occasions and subsequently demolished in 1845-1846.

...
Wikipedia