Mary Collits Pierce Collits married Mary Hardwick in London in 1795. He was later sentenced to fourteen years transportation for receiving stolen goods. He was able, with friends, to raise enough money for Mary and their two children to travel to Australia. They arrived at about the same time.
Mary Collits received a grant of 70 acres on the Nepean River in 1803, and her husband was assigned to her. Mary had another six children, learned to write at some stage, and opened a school for her and other neighbourhood children. The school room was built behind the kitchen of the Collits' slab hut.
Source: Murray, Robert & White, Kate (1988). Dharug and Dungaree: the history of Penrith and St Marys to 1860. North Melbourne: Hargreen. P.47