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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Worcestershire => Topic started by: tedscout on Friday 18 February 11 04:13 GMT (UK)
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Richard CORBETT (b 1806 according to death cert) was sent to Australia for life after being convicted of robbing Benjamin HALFPENNY in 1836.
From the Worcester Assizes I have this information.
One of the witnesses is Thomas HARDMAN who states that he knew CORBETT - "He is a relation of mine; he married my sister. I saw him at (a cider shop) on the 22nd of February. He told me of a child of his who had died." The person robbed was CORBETT's uncle Benjamin HALFPENNY.
The places mentioned in the court case are Mamble, Rock and Bewdley, looking on Google these places are very close together (you will know this better than me though). Benjamin HALFPENNY is said to live in both Mamble and Bewdley.
Richard's wife Mary's maiden name was HARDMAN and I think she was born in 1800. I don't know his mothers maiden name.
I would like to find out more about Thomas HARDMAN and Benjamin HALFPENNY and hopefully prove the relationships.
Thank you for reading this. Please don't hesitate to ask me questions. I am in Australia and don't know how to search very well prior to the censuses.
Cheers Ted
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Ted, this looks to be a really interesting puzzle for everyone to get their teeth into.
I don't have the time now (I have to pop out) but will return later when I can concentrate and spend a bit more time sleuthing. ;D
Some things to look for:
The marriage of Richard Corbett and Mary Hardman.
The birth and death of the child of Richard and Mary Hardman in c.1836.
How Benjamin Halfpenny is uncle to Richard Corbett. (I'm a bit befuddled already, but have distractions at the moment)
... I will return later .... ;)
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Thanks Ruskie for replying
Will try and answer what I know!
Richard and Mary married on 5 Sept 1828 in St Martins Birmingham - this is on IGI her maiden name is mistranscribed as Hamus
These are his and Mary's children: Sarah Corbett 1829 – 1890, John Corbett 1831 – 1894, Emma Corbett 1834 – 1835, William Corbett 1836 – 22 Feb 1836, Jane Corbett 1837 – 1910
The baby that had just died was William according to the dates.
Mary managed to bring Sarah, John and Jane out to Australia to join Richard.
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OK, I've had another think and drawn out a little diagram. ;) I think I understand.
Richard Corbett's father was X Corbett.
Richard Corbett's mother was X Halfpenny. Her brother was Benjamin Halfpenny, (thus making him Richard Corbett's uncle).
So we need to find (or do you already have any of these?)
Richard Corbett's birth?
Richard Corbett's parent's marriage?
Richard Corbett's mother's parents and siblings (one of which is Benjamin Halfpenny)
I think that's right ... and hope I've explained it clearly enough.
It might also help to locate Mary and the children on the 1841 census, if she was still in England. Do you know the date she and the children came to Australia?
All this might be incorrect of course if Benjamin Halfpenny was a great uncle, or a husband of his father's sister (ie uncle by marriage) ... :-\ Gee I hope not. ;)
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Can I just ask what leads you to believe that Mary Hardman was born about 1800? (28 is quite old to marry in those days ...) There appear to be loads of them on the IGI, my first port of call. ;)
Do you have a dob for Richard Corbett?
What church would families living in those places have used? Genuki doesn't help much with this ... :-\
Just found:
Mamble - St John the Baptist
Rock - St Peter and St Paul
Bewdley - St Annes, St Leonards, St Andrews(?)
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Hi Ruskie,
From Richards death certificated he died on 13/9/1865 aged 59 (giving him a birth year of 1806)
And from the Worcester Assizes on 21/7/1836 he was aged 31 (giving him a birth year os 1806).
From Mary Corbett (nee Hardmans) death cert she was 62 when died on 19/1/1862.
Death cert says she was married at 28 to Richard Corbett, her parents are stated as John and Sarah Hardman (no maiden name).
From Richard's death certificate his parents were William and Mary Corbett (no maiden name)
There is no information about first marriage on Richard's death certificate.
I thought I had Richards 2nd marriage certificate but I dont.
Mary and the 3 children arrived on The Orissa on 10/5/1840 into Port Phillip so we won't find her and the children on the 1841 census.
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Richard was married twice? ???
Was Mary his second marriage or first?
So Richard's parent's are William Corbett and Mary Halfpenny?
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both his wives were Mary - Mary Hardman married her in England and Mary Walsh married her in Australia
I think thats what we need to find out was Richard's mothers maiden name Halfpenny? ;D
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Even if we find Richard's birth entry it won't give his mother's maiden name at that time (1806ish). Just for completeness, have you looked for his birth/baptism?
The next best thing would be to try to find William Corbett's marriage to Mary probably some time before 1806 to see if her maiden name is Halfpenny.
Do you know if Richard b 1806 had any older siblings, so we can try to get a rough idea of years to look for this marriage?
As Benjamin Halfpenny is not a very common name, it might be worth chasing up his birth (even though we have no idea of years to search) - if we find this and any siblings, maybe one will be a Mary. :)
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I think I found Benjamin Halfpenny on the census yesterday. I will have to find my notes and put up some details.
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I have more information - haven't seen them yet but the State Library of Victoria is holding letters written by Richard Corbett and his son John home to England.
Richard wrote one to his brother John in 1849 and one to his sister Mrs E Pope in 1853.
John wrote one to his uncle James in 1858.
And I never came back with the census information about Benjamin Halfpenny in 1851 he was a widow living in Mamble b abt 1779 in Jenting, Worcestershire.
Any help on this would be wonderful, thanks for reading this and thanks for helping in the past Ruskie.
Cheers Ted
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Billings Directory has
Benjamin Halfpenny listed as farmer at Hunt House.
That fits with the census in 1851
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Hi!
There were 2 Benjamins Halfpenny living in mamble 1851.
Father :Benjamen Halfpenny
Birth 28 Oct 1778 in Sutton, Worcestershire, England
Death 23 August 1869 in Mamble, Worcestershire, England
His wife Mary died 1849.
Son: Benjamin Halfpenny
Birth 16 August 1818 in Tenburry, Worcestershire, England
Death 22 November 1902 in Lindridge Works,Worcestershire, England
married to Anna/Hannah Maria Humphries (1828-1902);
Richard Corbett
Birth 1806 in Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Death 13 August 1865 in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia
Son of Mary Halfpenny (1780-), sister of Benjamin (1778- ) and William Corbett (1775-).
Aa far as I remember it was Richard Corbett who was sent to Australia for stealing from his uncle Benjamin Halfpenny
( sorry).
Best wishes
E.
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Dear E,
Welcome to Rootschat! Thank you for your input to my question.
Can I please ask where you got Mary's (married to William Corbett) surname as Halfpenny from please. I have never found it.
Yes Richard did get sent to Australia for stealing. He made good here and became a prominent citizen of the town he settled in.
Cheers, Ted
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Hi Ted,
I am descended from Thomas Pye, who was indited when Richard Corbett.
I had copies of Richard Corbett's letters to his sister and brother and also one that John Corbett wrote to his uncle (however all the documentation that I had on the Corbetts including certificates went missing when I moved house five years ago). The good news is that I transcribed the letters as best I could and I have those transcriptions if you would like to receive them. One letter states that Richard was spending money back to "Mr and Mrs Halpenny".
I was looking at a London newspaper article regarding the trial and it described Richard Corbett as "a good-looking countryman, aged 31" and Thomas Pye "who was also a man of very respectable appearance". Benjamin Halfpenny stated in the article that "the prisoner Corbett is a relative of mine and had been at my house."
Liz
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Dear Liz, Welcome to Rootschat.
Wow another relative of Richards. I have photos of the letters that Richard wrote to his family in UK that are in the VSL, if you want a copy of them.
I also have many more things. I have just put his box on the shelf so I can concentrate on other relatives and he's gone it again. He always makes me find a reason to get it down again.
If you post 3 times I can send you a pm with my email address, and then I we can swap futher information.
Cheers, Ted
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Hi Ted
I am not related to Richard Corbett, but to Thomas Pye who he was convicted with. I had corresponded with some descendants of Richard and obtained copies of information regarding Richard whilst researching Thomas Pye.
Sounds like you have a lot of info on Richard and probably already have the information that I have.
Liz
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Dear Liz,
I forgot that Thomas and Richard were just partners in crime. I feel like they were brothers (obviously just Brothers in crime).
It is a family joke that every time I put my file on Richard on the shelf, something will make me get it down again.
I am trying to write Richards story. There are a few gaps. One of them is what happened to him and Thomas Pye when they got to Australia. If you can help I would really appreciate it.
Do you know why Richard committed his crime?
Luv Ted
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Hi Ted
We can only speculate why Richard and Thomas committed their crime. (And there was the third accomplice "Reynolds" - I wonder if he was ever caught?). Did Richard resent the disparity of the financial position of his uncle Benjamin Halfpenny? Halfpenny was a rich man and Richard had no money to buy a coffin for his child.
I have fully researched Thomas Pye's life and written it up. His employer wrote about Thomas in his book "Old Melbourne Memories" referring to him as "Joe Burge". This book can be read online - the author is Rolf Boldrewood.
I have not looked into Richard Corbett in much detail. I believe he was assigned to the Ryrie brothers (of Yarra Glen?), but how he obtained the station Rutherford? on Western Port Bay is not known by me. He committed suicide - it appears his second marriage was not a happy one.
Liz