Mary Haydock was born to an educated Yeoman family in Blackburn, England in 1777. In 1790 she escaped from an orphanage but was later convicted of horse stealing and sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay.
In 1794, while still serving out her 'seven years' in Sydney Town, she married Thomas Reibey and together they took up a small grant of fifty acres on the Hawkesbury River. The Reibeys became very prosperous and bought properties in Sydney, while establishing a successful boat-building business.
In 1811 Thomas Reibey died, leaving Mary to support seven children. She worked hard and instigated clever business deals both in New South Wales and Tasmania, finally becoming known as Australia's first merchant lady. By 1838 her shipping, agricultural and business interests prospered and eventually her sons and grandsons became involved and continued her work. Mary Reibey died in 1855.
In 1994, a picture of Mary Reibey was inscribed on the new plastic Australian twenty dollar note.
