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Saturday, 09 April 2005
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I can proudly lay claim to 10 ancestors ("Greats") and two step "Greats" who were convicts . The two step Greats were English and out of the 10 direct "Greats", 7 were English and 3 were Irish. Another "Great" may have been a convict but I have not proven the correct man to claim him as "came free" or by the "King's invitation". I also have one ancestor, Edward Jones, who claims to be born in Sydney but of whom I can find no info on, he also may have convict parents but at this stage it is unknown.
My first convicts arrived with the Second Fleet and the last (a step great) arrived in 1839, just one year prior to transportation ceasing. It was interesting to note that the trend in my family seems to have been that the convicts intermarried or in one case, married a child of a convict. Only one convict (the same previously step "great") married a free settler. It was not until the second generation that the convict descendants intermarried with the free settlers.
James Becket, my 5th
Great Grandfather, born abt
Radnor, UK. Married Ann Calcut (also a convict) on 30 Jan 1791 at Rose
Hill. Died abt 1808.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 26 July 1790 per Surprize - Second Fleet.
Indictment
File
The
Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath present that James Becket
late of the Parish of Holy Cross and St Giles in the Liberties of Town of
Shrewsbury in the County of Salop Labourer on the tenth day of June in the
twenty eighth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third of Great
Britain &c with force and arms at the Parish aforesaid in the County aforesaid
in the King's Highway there in and upon one Joseph Tipton in the peace of God
and our said Lord the King then and there being feloniously did make an assault
and him the said Joseph in corporal fear and danger of his life in the King's
Highway aforesaid then and there feloniously did put and one hamper bag of the
value of one shilling one Linsey waistcoat of the value of four shillings one
cotton handkerchief of the value of two shillings one silk handkerchief of the
value of two shillings and nine shillings in monies numbered of the goods
chattels and monies of the said Joseph from the person and against the will of
the said Joseph in the King's Highway aforesaid then and there feloniously and
violently did steal take and carry away against the peace of our said Lord the
King his Crown and Dignity
James
Becket - Examinations
The
Examination of James Beckett of the Parish of Holy Cross and St Giles in the
Town and Liberties of Shrewsbury , in the County of Salop, Labourer, taken
before me one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said Town
and Liberties the seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and eighty-eight. The said James Becket being charged before me
for that he the said James Becket on Tuesday night in the King's Highway in the
said Parish did upon one Joseph Tipton feloniously make an assault and him the
said Joseph Tipton in bodily fear and danger of his life in the said highway
then and there feloniously did put and eight shillings and two sixpences in
silver a hamper bag a cotton handkerchief a silk handkerchief and other things
of the goods and chattels of the said Joseph Tipton in the highway aforesaid
then and there feloniously and violently did steal take and carry away. Says he
was in Shrewsbury all Tuesday last - was at Mr Pugh's in the said Town from six
o'clock in the evening till half past eight, then went to his Mother's opposite
Mr Pugh's eat his supper and went to bed and lay there til five in the morning.
That his sister lay in the same bed all the time and that Mr Pugh and Mr Yeomans
of the same Town saw him while he was at Mr Pugh's.
The Mark of James Beckett
The Information and Complaint of Joseph Tipton of the Parish of Westbury in the
County of Salop, Shoemaker, taken and made before me one of his Majesty's
Justices of the Peace in and for the said Town and Liberties this 17th day of
June One thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight who upon his oath saith that on
Tuesday night last between the hours of ten and eleven o'clock on the King's
Highway in the Parish of Holy Cross and Saint Giles in the Liberties of
Shrewsbury aforesaid he was knocked down by James Beckett of the Town aforesaid
here present and robbed by him of eight shillings & two sixpences in silver a
hamper bag, a Lindsay waistcoat, a cotton handkerchief, and a silk handkerchief
Joseph Tipton
The Examination of Penelope Sheppard of the Parish of Saint Chard in the Town
and Liberties of Shrewsbury in the County of Salop, Spinster, taken and made
before me one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said Town
and Liberties this 17th day of June One thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight
who upon his oath saith that on Tuesday night last between the hours of eight &
nine o'clock at night she saw James Beckett here present at Mr George's at
Norton in the Parish of Wroxeter in the County of Salop and also Joseph Tipton
here also present when they both left the said House and went towards Wednesbury
The Mark of Penelope Sheppard
Ann Calcut,
my 5th Great Grandmother, born abt Hadsworth, UK.
Married James Becket (also a convict) on 30 Jan 1791 at Rose Hill. Died
abt 1821 Toongabbie, New South Wales.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 26 Jul 1790 per Neptune - Second Fleet.
Indictment
File
(Special note - words in blue are missing from the document, but from our
experience are those which would have been used)
The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath present that Ann Cocut
late of the Parish of Handsworth in the County
of Stafford Spinster on the fifth day of March in the twenty
ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord
George the Third King of Great Britain with force and arms at the Parish
aforesaid in the County aforesaid one cotton
gown of the value of five shillings one black silk basinett of the value of two
pounds (few
words missing) of the value of one shilling one linen apron of the value of
eighteen pence one pair of (missing - shoes?)
of the value of two shillings three linnen
caps of the value of three shillings one black silk (missing)
of the value of
(missing) shillings one pair of plated shoe buckles of the value of three
shillings one (missing) of the
value of nine shillings one silver table spoon of the
value of seven shillings (few words missing) of the value of eighteen shillings
one muslin handkerchief of value of (few words missing) handkerchief of the
value of two shillings and one fan of the value of ten
pence of the goods
and chattels of Charles Sowter in the dwelling house of the
said Charles Sowter then and
there being found feloniously did steal take and
carry away against the Peace of our said Lord
the King His Crown and Dignity
George Best, my 5th
Great Grandfather, born abt1758 in Kent, UK. Married Martha Chamberlain
(also a convict) on 17 September 1797 at Parramatta. Died 6 July July
1836.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales on 1791 per William & Ann - Third Fleet.
Indictment
File
The
Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath present that George Best
late of the Parish of East Peckham in the County of Kent Labourer on the twenty
fourth day of November in the thirtieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord
George the Third now King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain &c with force
and arms at the Parish aforesaid in the County aforesaid one watch with an
inside case and an outside case both made of silver of the value of five pounds
one steel watch chain of the value of one shilling one grass watch key of the
value of one penny and one steel seal of the value of two pence of the goods and
chattels of William Cheeseman the Elder in the dwelling house of the said
William Cheeseman there situate then and there being feloniously did steal take
and carry away against the Peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity
John Dalton, my 5th
Great Grandfather. Did not marry but had a child with Elizabeth Morris
(also a convict).
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 13 Oct 1791 per Albermarle.
Elizabeth Morris, my
5th Great Grandfather, did not marry but had a child with John Dalton (also a
convict).
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 1791 per Mary Ann - Third Fleet.
Felix Farley's Bristol Journal
April 10th, 1790
BRISTOL ASSIZES
The General Gaol Delivery for this City ended on Wednesday last, and the
following is a complete list of all the prisoners that were tried, with their
respective crimes, and sentences:
..................Elizabeth Morris, for stealing a woollen cloak, the property
of Davis Lewis - Imprisoned six months
(NB- Sentence is incorrect, as I verified Elizabeth's entry on the Mary Ann)
Martha Chamberlain,
my 5th Great Grandfather, born abt 1775 in Middlesex, UK. Married George
Best (also a convict) on 17 September 1797 at Parramatta. Died 14 March
1833.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 1796 per Indispensible
Sessions
Paper
331.
JOHN JONES and MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN were indicted for feloniously and
burglariously stealing, breaking and entering the dwelling house of John Cox,
about the hour of ten in the night, on the 23d of May, and burglariously
stealing therein, a man's cloth coat, value 6s. a pair of mens velveret
breeches, value 7s. a man's cloth waistcoat, value 1s. a man's hat, value 10s. a
woman's cotton gown, value 10s. a black silk bonnet, value 6s. and a stuff
quilted petticoat, value 7s. the goods of the said John Cox.
JOHN COX sworn.
I did live at No. 22, Compton-street, at the time that I was robbed, the 23d of
last month, the Saturday before Whitsuntide.
Q. Were you a housekeeper? - No, a lodger.
Q. Whose house did you lodge in? - Mr. Bennett's; he lives on the opposite side
of the way.
Q. Who lived in the house? - All lodgers.
Q. Are none of Bennett's servants in the house? - None at all.
Q. What part of the house did you lodge in? - The two pair of stairs, front
room.
Q. Did you lodge by yourself there? - My wife and myself.
Q. No strangers lodge in the room? - No strangers at all.
Q. What was it you lost? - A coat, waistcoat, breeches and hat.
Q. When did you miss them? - When I came home, about half past ten at night; I
had seen them at half past nine the same night.
Q. Where were they placed? - In my chest; it was not locked. My wife and me went
out together.
Q. Who had you left in the room when you went out? - Nobody at all.
Q. How was the door of the room left? - Locked, and we found it open when we
came home; my wife locked it, I stood by.
Q. How did it appear to be opened? - There was a deep impression on the side of
the door, next the stairs, it is marked both ways, and likewise on the posts of
the door.
Q. Did the lock appear to be forced or not? - No, the hinges appeared rather
damaged; so that the door drags on the ground, but nothing to signify much.
Q. Did you miss your things immediately? - Immediately, when I came into the
room.
Q. How was the chest when you came in? - The cover of the chest was down.
Q. You missed nothing but these things? - Nothing to signify else of any
consequence. I found them at different pawnbrokers. The coat and waistcoat was
in Bow-street, at Mr. Paine's.
Q. When did you find them there? - Monday, the 25th of May. I found the breeches
at Mr. Dubree's, in Holborn, either the Monday or Tuesday following. I cannot
say which. Chamberlain was stopped at the pawnbroker's.
Q. Do Jones or Chamberlain live in the same house? - No, neither of them.
JANE COX sworn.
On the 23d of May, my husband and I went out, about half past nine o'clock, and
we came home about half past ten; and when we came home our room was open, and
all that was in the chest was taken out; my things were a gown, a petticoat, and
a bonnet.
Q. Were they in the chest? - Yes.
Q. When had you seen them there? - About nine o'clock; because I had two or
three things to put in before I went out.
Q. Did you ever see them afterwards? - Yes. I was advised to go to the
pawnbrokers on Monday morning, and the first pawnbroker I went to was Mr. Lee,
in St. Giles's, and there I found my gown; on Tuesday there were two women
detained at Mr. Harrison's, with a petticoat and bonnet.
Q. What was the gown? - A cotton gown.
Q. What was the petticoat? - A stuff quilted petticoat.
Q. The bonnet? - A silk bonnet.
GEORGE DOBREE sworn.
I have a pair of breeches that I took in of the prisoner Jones (I am a
pawnbroker, in Holborn) on the 27th of May, for seven shillings; I never see him
before to my knowledge, but I am sure he is the person that pledged them.
Q. To Cox. Are these the breeches that you left in the chest when you went out?
- They are, and they are my breeches, and these are the breeches that I missed
when I came home.
SAMUEL ABINGDON sworn.
Q. What is your business? - A pawnbroker. On the 23d of May, the women at the
bar pledged a coat and waistcoat at our house, with me; I am apprentice to Mrs.
Paine, Bow-street, Bloomsbury, about half an hour after nine in the morning. It
was on Monday, the 25th, I beg your lordship's pardon.
Q. Had you ever seen her before? - Yes, but not lately.
Q. To Dobree. What day was it Jones brought the breeches to pawn? - The 23d of
May, about ten o'clock at night.
Q. To Cox. Look at that coat and waistcoat. - They are my property, left in the
chest, and took away by the time that I came back; one waistcoat produced is not
mine.
ROBERT BARBER sworn.
I am a pawnbroker; I live at Mr. Harrison's, No. 5, Tottenham-court road; I have
got a petticoat and a bonnet that I stopped.
Q. Who brought them to you? - Two young women; one of the name of Spencer, and
the other of the name of Lilly; on Tuesday, the 26th of May.
Prosecutrix. This is my petticoat and bonnet that I left in the chest when I
went out.
Q. And missed when you returned? - Yes.
ELIZABETH SPENCER sworn.
That young man that stands at the bar now, I met him in the street, and he gave
me the bonnet and petticoat, and asked me to pawn it for the young woman that
lodges in the house, the other prisoner; he used to come backwards and forwards
to her.
Q. When was it? - Tuesday, the 26th of May.
Q. In what street did he meet you? - In Bambridge-street, St. Giles's. He said
that his wife was in trouble, and he would be glad if I would go and pawn them,
and get as much as I could on them; I carried them to the corner of
Hanover-yard, I don't know the name, and he went away while I was in, and went
to a public house.
Q. Where is Hanover-yard? - Tottenham court-road.
Q. Did any body go with you to pawn them? - Yes, Elizabeth Lilly; she and I were
going along the street when we met him.
Q. Then you were both together? - Yes.
Q. You say Jones lodges in the same house with you? - The young woman, Martha
Chamberlain, did, and I have seen him come backwards and forwards to her.
Q. Where is it you lodge? - No. 3, Bambridge-street.
ELIZABETH LILLY sworn.
I know no otherwise than that Jones gave us the things to pawn, as we were going
down the street.
Q. Where did you carry them to? - To the pawnbroker's, the corner of
Hanover-yard.
Q. What were the things he gave you to pawn? - A petticoat and bonnet.
Q. Do you know them if you see them again? - Yes. These are them, both of them.
EDWARD TREADWAY sworn.
I am a constable. On Tuesday, the 26th of May, the prisoner Chamberlain was
brought down to Bow-street; on searching of her, I found the duplicates on her
of the gown and breeches; with that she said it was a young man that had gave
her the duplicate; and by the description Mr. Cox thought it was one of the
persons that lived in the house. We went to the house, and that was not the
person; in the mean time Mr. Harrison's man came and said he had stopped two
women, and I went to the two women, and Spencer said she had the things of one
Jones, and I went and took Jones into custody; but before that I went to
Bambridge-street and there found this crow in the room; then I went with it to
Cox's room, and this instrument fits one part of the impression against the
door; there had been two instruments used, and this fits one impression. Spencer
took me to Jones's lodgings, thinking to find him, for she said his wife was in
trouble, and when we came to Bow-street there she was in custody.
Q. When did you apprehend him? - About an hour after this, the same day, at the
Turk's Head, in Dyot-street.
Q. To Spencer. Were these the lodgings of Jones to which you carried Mr.
Treadway? - It was the lodgings of Martha Chamberlain; but I see him come
backwards and forwards many times to the room; I had seen him there the night
before.
THOMAS MUMFORD sworn.
I went with Treadway to Dyot-street, to apprehend the prisoner. I know no more.
Prisoner Jones.
On Saturday night, the 23d Day of the Month, I happened to go up to this young
woman's room, and I sat down for the space of five or six minutes, and she was
then doing something to that petticoat, which she said she had given her that
night, and the bonnet, by one of her young men; and he had left there a pair of
breeches for her to pawn, and she asked me if I would be so kind as to go and
pawn them for her? which I went and pawned them, it was between ten and eleven
o'clock. The pawnbroker asked me where I lived? and I could not rightly
recollect the street where she lived, and I said, Tottenham-court-road. I went
to her and gave her the money and ticket, and slept with her that night. Sunday
morning this young man came and knocked at the door, and we both got up and put
our clothes on, and when he came in he said, I think, ma'am, you do it; what he
meant by it I don't know; He then asked her whether she had done what he
desired? she said, yes; and she gave him seven shillings, which I received from
the pawnbroker; and we sat down all three and had breakfast; and then I went,
and I never see him since. On Monday I went again, and slept there that night;
on Tuesday morning this young woman got up about nine o'clock, and I had but
three halfpence in my pocket, I had two waistcoats and I said she might take the
under waistcoat and pawn it, to get a breakfast; I was still in bed; and after
she had been out some time, she sent an elderly woman to me (I was still in bed,
having the head ache with drinking too much, it being holiday time) to desire me
to pawn a petticoat and bonnet; and I thought it was an odd thing for me to go
and pawn, and I saw these two young women, and I asked them to pawn them for me,
as my wife was in trouble; and this young woman came out and said the pawnbroker
had stopped them, and I went to the public house, and told the young woman where
I was, and they came with the constable and took me.
Prisoner Chamberlain. James Thompson gave me the property on Saturday night, the
coat, waistcoat, petticoat, and bonnet.
Q. To Cox. Was it light or dark when you went out? - We had a candle in the room
before we went out.
Q. Was it light enough to distinguish a person's face? - It was not
John Jones, GUILTY, Of stealing to the value of 39s. but not of the burglary.
(Aged 22)
Martha Chamberlain, GUILTY, Of the same. (Aged 21.)
Transported for seven years.
Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice LAWRENCE.
Morgan Power,
my 5th Great Grandfather, born abt 1760 in Dirrellossery, Wiklow, Ireland.
Died Dec 1826. Married to Bridget Byrne (also a convict) about 1804 at
Parramatta, NSW.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales 27th Mary 1797 per Brittania II.
Bridget Byrne, my
5th Great Grandmother, born abt 1772, Co Meath, Ireland. Died 25 November
1820. Married to Morgan Power (also a convict) about 1804 at Parramatta,
NSW.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales on 12th May 1803 per Rolla.
William Petty, my
4th Great StepGrandfather, born abt 1801 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.
Married to Elizabeth Wall Higginbottom (also a convict) on 12 May 1832 at
Liverpool, New South Wales. Died 11 Jul 1860 at Yass, New South Wales.
CONVICT arrived 12 February 1821 per Prince of Orange.
David Rourke, my 4th
Great Grandfather. There are two possiblities of this man which needs
further research!
David Roarke per Lord Sidmouth 1821 native of Cappoquin, Tipperary. Sentenced
July 1820 for Seven Years. Labourer aged 25. 5 foot 7 3/4in Dark Sallow skin,
Brown hair & Hazel eyes OR
David Rourke, more likely the correct man, Nov 1828 Census show aged 22, came
free, Morley in 1828, catholic, Appin. Son of ROURKE, Michael. Per
"Three Bees", 1814; of Appin.
Elizabeth Wall, my
4th Great Grandmother, born abt 1808, Warick, England. Married (1) Edwin
Higginbottom 15 April 1827 Edgbaston, Warwick, England (2) David Rourke, Appin,
(not actually married) (3) William Petty (also a convict) 12 May 1832 Liverpool,
New South Wales.
CONVICT arrived 29 November 1829 per Lucy Davidson.
Minute Books
Tuesday 7th April 1829
Conf. Judgmt. Recorded
Elizabeth
the wife of Wm. Higginbotham
Uttering a counterfeiting sovereign after having been convd. as a common
utterer of false money
(NB - Elizabeth's was the first case heard on the 7th April. The word "Conf"
indicates she "confessed" i.e. pleaded Guilty - as a result, no evidence would
have been heard, and they would have gone straight to the sentencing. The minute
books contains the names of the Jurors, but I have not transcribed these here.
"Judgement recorded" means she was sentenced to Death, but then immediately
reprieved)
James Reardon,
my 3rd Great Grandfather, born abt 1815 Tipperary, Ireland. Married Sarah
Rourke Petty (daughter of a convict) on 26 April 1852 at Collector, New South
Wales. Died 5 February 1890 at Manton's Creek, Yass, New South Wales.
CONVICT arrived 6 Sep 1836 per Waterloo.
John
Cheeseman, my 3rd Great StepGrandfather, born abt 1813 at West Hythe,
Kent, England. Married (1) Mary Hobday 17 June 1832 Folkestone, Kent, UK
(2) Christina McDonald Stewart (free settler) 10 October 1853 at Wagga Wagga New
South Wales. Died 1 August 1888 at Wagga Wagga.
CONVICT arrived New South Wales on 22 March 1839 per John Barry
Ship's Surgeon's log of the John Barry
Nature of disease: Pneumonia
Name etc: John Cheeseman 25 a convict
When and where taken ill: Nov 17th 1838 Downs
History: Of a fair complexion spare habit of body and rather debilitated
constitution. Complained yesterday evening of pains all over the body, more
particularly in the limbs, back, and loins, pain in the chest, difficulty in
breathing, heat of skin, quick and full pulse, soreness in the throat, and some
difficulty in swallowing, belly costive, tongue dry.
Vend Sectio ZXii
Hydragyor Chloride
Pulvis Rhoei
Flannel to be applied to the throat, and barley water ordered for drink
This morning he feels better, belly open, but is still costive, breathing
relieved; sound on percussion healthy, difficulty in swallowing continues the
same
Sulphate magnesia zi salve in aqua ziv (unclear)
The linimintum ammonia to be applied to the throat, sago ordered for diet, and
barley water for common drink continued
Nov 18th
Belly twice open, pain and difficulty in swallowing the same, cough, no pain in
the chest
Nitratis Potape
Antimonii Potepic-tartrates
Aqua Pura
(unclear)
Continuentor Liniment Ammonia
Nov 19th
Less Cough, throat easy, and less difficulty in swallowing, no pain in chest,
belly open
Continuentor Medicamenta
Nov 20th
Pulse soft and regular, throat better, some cough, bowels open
Continuentor Medicamenta
Nov 21st
Better, less cough, belly open
Continuentor
Nov 22nd
Continues to improve.
No Medicine
Nov 23rd 1838
Discharged Cured