He was convicted at Horsham Sussex England on 24 Mar 1806 and sentenced to hang for stealing a sheep. His sentence was commuted to life and he was transported to the Colony of New South Wales, leaving England on 26 Feb 1807 and arriving on 26 Jul 1807 on the 523 ton ship Duke of Portland. Note the ship is shown as having arrived on 10 Nov 1807 on Convict indent records. He was described as being 5'8½" tall with hazel eyes, brown hair and a fair ruddy complection when conditionally pardoned on 31 Jan 1818.
On 4 Mar 1817 he married Mary Hancox at St Lukes Church of England Liverpool. They are recorded as a Bachelor and Spinster and Mary has her name shown as Mary Ann Cox. Mary is shown in the indent records for the ship Aeolius that arrived on 26 Jan 1809 at Sydney. She was serving 7 years for stealing cloth and armed robbery. She is later shown as Mary Hancocks, wife of James Eldridge, on the 1822 General Muster. Mary was shown as Mary Eldridge free by servitude and age 48 the 1828 census. No further record of her is known. James died at Cooks Vale Creek Peelwood on 22 Jul 1860 and his death certificate shows his age as 89 years.
They had four children with the first three having the same names as James first three children to Ann.
- James born 12 Jan 1814 - died 17 Jul 1884
- William born 6 Nov 1815 - died 25 Dec 1900
- Harriet born 22 Jan 1821
- Maria born 19 Sep 1822 - died 12 Dec 1899
James was born at Airds and was Baptised on 6 Nov 1814 at St Phillips Sydney. He died at Monks Gully on 17 Jul 1884 of asthma and was buried at Limerick on 19 Jul 1884.
William was born at Cobbitty and baptised on 18 Feb 1816 by the Reverend Samuel Marsden at St John's Church of England Parramatta. He married Jane Cramp on 7 Mar 1842 and he died on 25 Dec 1900 of influenza at Cresent Farm Tuena and was buried at Numby on 27 Dec 1900.
Harriet was born at Cowpastures and was baptised with her younger sister Maria at St John's Church of England Parramatta on 3 Aug 1824. She was shown as aged 7 on the 1828 census. No further record of her is known.
Maria was born at Cowpastures and baptised with her older sister. She was married to Thomas Arnall on the same day as her brother William. Thomas Arnall died on 13 Mar 1848. She then married Thomas Connelly on 17 Jan 1850. Thomas Connelly died on 6 May 1856. Maria then married William Harrison on 21 Jan 1857. Maria died at Sapling Creek, Laggan on 11 Dec 1899 and was buried at Binda on 27 Dec 1899.
James Jury Eldridge
grandson of James Eldridge
William Henry Eldridge grandson of James
Eldridge with wife Margaret nee Cummings