William
Snow had been sentenced at Hicks
Hall 18th January 1845 for
stealing a cheese and a bladder of lard at Leather Lane, London. He had two
previous convictions for shop-stealing and had been imprisoned for periods
of three months and six months on these occasions. The sentence for his third
conviction was transportation for seven years.
In
1842 the probation system for convicts began in Van Diemens Land. Under this
scheme prisoners were no longer assigned to government departments and free
settlers, but were kept at various probation stations to labour on government
projects before being given a pass to offer themselves in the open labour
market. To succeed this system needed a prosperous economy, however a trade
depression had commenced in Van Diemens Land in 1841 and was worsening.
A
scheme known as "assisted-exile" was then imposed. Under this scheme
convicts served their probationary time in penitentiaries in England or other
penal colonies and were transported to Van Diemens Land having gained their
Ticket-of-Leave. The supposition was that they were not transported as convicts
but as reformed exiles. It was originally intended that they would repay the
cost of their transportation from money earned after arrival in Van Diemens
Land.
William
Snow was transported as an "assisted-exile". he served his probationary
period in Bermuda and arrived in Hobart 11th July 1848 aboard the "Bangalore"
holding a ticket-of-leave.
He
received his Free Certificate, shortly before his marriage to Sarah
Magee.
The
experience of Sarah and William Snow is a reflection of the time. On the birth
records of their eight children, born between 1851
and 1871, William's occupation changes continually. At various times he was
a ginger-beer maker, miller and labourer, he took work where and when it was
available. Similarly their place of residence varies between different streets
in central Hobart, they lived in rented accommodation and moved often.
Sarah
died at the age of 53 in Hobart, after a long and painful illness" according
to the death notice published in the "Mercury". William obviously
had some money at this time because he respectfully invited friends to attend
the funeral.
William
died sixteen years later, a senile pauper aged 72 in the Charitable
Institute in Newtown (St.
John's Park). Since he was an ex-convict the British government would have
been responsible for his maintenance in this institution and his funeral expenses.
The Australian authorities refused to accept responsibility for "Imperial"
invalids and prisoners.