Analysis: Was Mary Ann's surname Bugg or Brigg?
Copyright Carol Baxter 2011

In view of the fact that this website refers to Mary Ann as Mary Ann Bugg, it is no doubt obvious that her surname was Bugg. So why have some Thunderbolt writers referred to her as Mary Ann Brigg?
     As it turns out, these are generally researchers who have done little primary-source research. They have seen references to her convict father that list him as James Brigg, and have assumed that Mary Ann’s surname was also Brigg. But they are wrong.
     Bugg and Brigg can be almost indistinguishable in old handwriting. Brigg is a common surname while Bugg is rare. When a word is difficult to read, transcribers default to the most obvious (as I know from my experience transcribing early colonial musters, convict indents and shipping records – see Me). Evidently, while James Bugg was in the British justice or penal systems, his surname was misread as Brigg and thereafter – in his dealings with the convict authorities at least – he had to answer to James Brigg. Where possible, however, he continued to use his real surname Bugg.
     Some writers suggest that he “later changed his name to Bugg”[1], as shown below:

Mary Ann Bugg - as at 20 Jun 2011 [1]

    This is incorrect. James' surname was always Bugg. The evidence? Proof that he didn't "change his name to Bugg" is found in the newspaper notice of his British trial, as shown below:[2]  

Morning Chronicle 22 Jul 1825 [2]

    Poor James was called Samuel in this notice, the abbreviations for James and Samuel (Jams and Saml with the final letter superscript) often being misread as well. But he was named correctly in the Surgeon Superintendent's Journal during his transportation on the Sesostris a short time later:[3]

Journal of Surgeon Superintendent Dulhunty on board the Sesostris transport, 1825 [3]

    As for later records: James name is shown as Bugg on his Marriage Certificate, his Death Certificate, all the certificates for his children (see James and Charlotte Bugg), and all other post-convict references (see Timeline: James and Charlotte Bugg and their family). Moreover, Mary Ann is listed as Bugg in her own Baptism and Marriage entries.
    Therefore, the claims that Mary Ann's surname was Brigg are clearly wrong. Her father's surname was Bugg and so was hers.

Sources:
[1] Mary Ann Bugg – information provided by Barry Sinclair – sighted 20 Jun 2011 [http://www.thunderboltsway.com.au/resources/thunderbolt_mary_ann_bugg.pdf]
[2] Morning Chronicle (London) 22 July 1825
[3] Journal of the Convict Ship Sesostris - Mr Dulhunty, Surgeon and Superintendent [http://www.dulhunty.com/html/Dpc21.htm]