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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Periwhinkle on Thursday 02 April 15 07:29 BST (UK)
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Abraham Sharples, I believe arrived in Tasmania aboard the Oriental Queen in 1852 as a convict, and then married Ann Armstrong in Emu Bay in 1855. A few years later he is, however, a constable in the gaol in Hobart...and starts to use the name Thomas Sharples, dropping the Abraham. Any thoughts on this? I am thinking it might be because he was once "behind" the bars...and now is on the "other side" and so changes his name because of this?
Besides this, if it is indeed the Abraham that arrived as a convict in 1852...there seems to be a few Abraham Sharples back in England. I thought it might not be as common as it looks...so is proving hard to find which one is him.
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Some questions, if I may
Do you have the marriage cert?
http://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-17p67j2k
It seems Ann ARMSTRONG's bridegroom was already a Constable when they married 23 July 1855.
Have you checked out RChat's various Resources Boards?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/australia-resources-offers/
Have you read through the following thread?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=368728.0
Cheers, JM
Abraham Sharples, I believe arrived in Tasmania aboard the Oriental Queen in 1852 as a convict, and then married Ann Armstrong in Emu Bay in 1855. A few years later he is, however, a constable in the gaol in Hobart...and starts to use the name Thomas Sharples, dropping the Abraham. Any thoughts on this? I am thinking it might be because he was once "behind" the bars...and now is on the "other side" and so changes his name because of this?
Besides this, if it is indeed the Abraham that arrived as a convict in 1852...there seems to be a few Abraham Sharples back in England. I thought it might not be as common as it looks...so is proving hard to find which one is him.
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Yes, I have the marriage already from Family Search. Just wondering thoughts about him becoming a constable...
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He was already a constable when he married, as per the image I linked.
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On one of your earlier posts on another thread you mention you're a professional genealogist. Does that include research for the convict era in any of the penal colonies in Australia?
Cheers, JM
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Yes he was a constable when married...I wonder what other people's thoughts are on this? Is it often people go from being a convict (if it's the same Abraham) to a constable?
I'm not sure I understand your questioning Majm? My research takes me to all kinds of places, and in this instance it seems to be during the convict era in Tasmania.
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Abraham's indent shows that he was a native of Preston, parents John and Alice, brothers Alfred(?), William, Thomas, John and Richard all at his native place (NP).
Page 1 http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON14-1-47,231,110,L,80
Page 2 http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON14-1-47,231,111,L,80
It was not unusual for convicts to be appointed as constables as there weren't enough 'free' police to go around. They were still under bond and had to adhere to the rules. It was a better job than digging roads or sweating it out on a farm (is it possible to sweat in Tasmania ;D )
His conduct record shows that he was appointed constable on 12 March 1853 at Hobart.
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON33-1-114,296,234,F,60
Not much else on there so he must have behaved himself.
Debra :)
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These may be of some interest from TNA website but available from Lancashire RO
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r/?_q=abraham+sharples
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Yes he was a constable when married...I wonder what other people's thoughts are on this? Is it often people go from being a convict (if it's the same Abraham) to a constable?
I'm not sure I understand your questioning Majm? My research takes me to all kinds of places, and in this instance it seems to be during the convict era in Tasmania.
I would expect a professional genealogist, so a person with qualifications in family history research, to already have at hand the resources to locate the info that Dundee has kindly posted for you. Tasmania's online resources for Convict Research are well recognised as among the best in the world, and are freely available, no subscription needed. So your clients can in fact conduct their own research. I would also expect that you would not be asking anyone in the forum to look up information for you, which in turn you were then going to use for your client, in your commercial operations.
On the other hand, if this chap is your own ancestor, then you seem to be at a hurdle that many volunteers at RChat have previously faced and have found the digitised images at the Tasmanian websites including those on RChat's Resources board.
I am not intending to cause offence, but I am concerned that I or any RChatter gives of our own time and resources, to help each other without seeking any financial gain from our efforts.
Cheers, JM
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Thanks for answering my initial question Dundee, that's interesting.
Thanks Rosie, I already have all the records.
And although you didn't mean to Majm...you have caused offence. I'm not sure why you gave all these answers and links to things that I didn't ask.
Cheers, as you say over there.
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Yes he was a constable when married...I wonder what other people's thoughts are on this? Is it often people go from being a convict (if it's the same Abraham) to a constable?
I'm not sure I understand your questioning Majm? My research takes me to all kinds of places, and in this instance it seems to be during the convict era in Tasmania.
This may help with your Convicts to Constables question, it is from a 1999 paper by Dr Dr Stefan Petrow University of Tasmania, Tas (AIC as in Australian Institute of Criminology)
http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/conferences/hcpp/petrow.pdf
Cheers, JM
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As Abraham was a boatman I wouldn't be surprised if he was a constable in the water police which I think was established very early on.
Debra :)
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Hiya Annalies, whoops, so sorry, Periwinkle. How come a professional counselor with so much experience tracing family trees for people, needs to get on a free chat forum to get answers?
Seems a bit rich charging people and getting others to do the work? I am just saying......
Neil
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Thanks Debra, that sounds interesting...I don't know much about the water police but will look into that.
Neil???
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And although you didn't mean to Majm...you have caused offence. I'm not sure why you gave all these answers and links to things that I didn't ask.
Some questions, if I may
Do you have the marriage cert?
http://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-17p67j2k
It seems Ann ARMSTRONG's bridegroom was already a Constable when they married 23 July 1855.
Have you checked out RChat's various Resources Boards?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/australia-resources-offers/
Have you read through the following thread?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=368728.0
Cheers, JM
These two live links to RChat's threads are, in my view, very informative.
The Australia-resources-offers has child boards, one for each of the various jurisdictions that form the nation, Australia .... so there's one there for Tasmania, and lists many live links for family history researching.
The one where I asked have you read through the following thread is a thread stickied to the main Australia board and is headed "HOW TO REQUEST A LOOK UP".
Cheers, JM
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Buried Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart ...same plot ....l / 178....C of E
SHARPLES Ann 79y 12 Jun 1915
SHARPLES Thomas 72y 8 Oct 1900
IGI Cornelian Bay burials
SHARPLES Thomas https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-41916-7888-0?
SHARPLES Ann https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-42048-13757-35?
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Thank you Wivenhoe, I have that information...however what is your opinion and thoughts about convicts becoming pioneers? Or even law makers?
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May I mention that once a person has served the sentence for which they have been transported beyond the seas, or they have otherwise become emancipated, then they are accorded all the rights of any other British Subject.
Cheers, JM
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Yes of course they did, good point. If only it were that easy for some of them coming out of jails here today...ah but that is another sad story no? Hmmm...it never ceases to amaze me this stuff; from loom spinner to convict to constable...fascinating!
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I have an ancestor who came out as a convict in 1820 having been charged with passing a forged Bank note. By 1823 he is listed on the Convict muster assigned to Public Works. Occupation: Turnkey at Goal, and in 1837 he became a Sheriff's Officer, a bailiff for the court. So it seems a convict past was no impediment to gaining employment with the law keepers.
cheers Janine
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Hi Periwhinkle,
I have just sent you a PM :)
Regards
Sarah