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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: dtcoulson on Friday 16 December 16 11:25 GMT (UK)
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Hi folks,
this question is an outgrowth of a discussion I have had recently on the Wiltshire page of the UK forum.
I have seen this phrase on the birth transcript for one ancestor (1833):
"...husband transported. Not father of child."
This could mean a lot of things.
But I wonder whether "transported" in 1830s England could mean transported as a convict to Australia?
Any suggestions on how I could investigate this further?
My ancestor is William Woodham from Wiltshire UK, and if 'transported' this would have happened 1829-1833.
Cheers
David C (in NZ)
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"Transported" would mean transported to Australia.
Find My Past (uk) has three possible entries for William Woodham - none of which has a link to the original image. The are all transcription of entries in the Wiltshire Quarter Sessions Calendar, the first dated 28 April 1829, the second dated 20 October 1829 and the third 12 January 1830. All refer to Devizes New Prison and read "Destination: upon orders".
The information is copyrighted by Wiltshire Family History Society: it may be worth contacting them.
Edited to add: You may find this link to a previous link useful - it seems that Wiltshire Records Office may be able to help you with further details. http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=162132.0
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For information - this is the link to the other thread
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=761088.0
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The Australian "Claim a Convict" website http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/claimaconvict/ throws up this chap who might fit:
Convict Name: Henry Woodham
Trial Place: Middlesex Gaol Delivery
Trial Date: 11 April 1833
Sentence: 7 years
Notes:
Arrival Details
Ship: Stakesby
Arrival Year: 1833
There's also a Charles Woodham from 1822 and a couple of other Woodhams from 1818 and 1819 but they might be a bit early for your ancestor
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Not sure about that, djct59 as he was William, not Henry. Far more likely to be tried in Devizes as well rather than Middlesex.
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NSW State records has a William WOODHAM, tried in Wiltshire 9/3/1799, 7 years, age 45, ship Royal Admiral 2.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01j2j/
I guess this is far too early??
Ros
adding : Yes far too early - sorry getting late for me (and have just read other thread)
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Okay....there are eleven Woodhams on "Claim a Convict", but none of them is called Wiliam.
I tried.... ;)
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Thanks for the thorough search, people.
It occurs to me that a fellow sent to Australia might not have arrived in Australia. On-board death for example.
If 'transportation' did indeed occur then departure must have been between Jan 1829 and March 1833. Is there a list of ships for this period? It might be worth reading the logs of these journeys, if they exist.
-DC
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We need to remember that Britain also sent convicts to Bermuda. :)
http://convictvoyages.org/expert-essays/convicts-in-Bermuda
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=531876.0
http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/stories/convict-hulks
JM
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On 'Genes Reunited' it shows William Woodham b 1798 Wiltshire being in 'Institutions' from 1819 and again 1829-30 (Wilts).
Also shows a possible death for this William Woodham b1798 Wiltshire in 1853 at Marlborough (Wilts) - same place as one of his Prison locations.
Valerie
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Thanks Majm. Interesting reading in these links. -DC
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I have to ask the question:
did convicts transported to Australia (etc) for seven year sentences ever return to their homes in England? I always assumed that a trip back from the other side of the world would be too expensive for the typical ex-con to afford. Would this be the case or did folks frequently make it back, to appear in the census years later in life?
-DC
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Some returned, but they had to pay their own fare back, and they were NOT eligible to return if they had received a Conditional Pardon as the condition usually was that they did not return to Britain.
Here's a reliable link :
http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/res-11.html
Leaving the Colony
Convicts could leave the colonies after their sentences were completed or after being granted an Absolute Pardon. Departures were announced in the Sydney Gazette's 'Notice of Intent' column. Some went to work on trading, whaling and fishing vessels while others returned to England. Those released on Conditional Pardons were not allowed to return to England or Ireland.
JM
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According to England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 a William WOODHAM was tried at the Lent Assizes, Wiltshire (held in Salisbury) 1829 for larceny and received a sentence of 12 months imprisonment. This is probably the conviction mentioned by Valerie Kehoe above, Reply#9.
It's probable that the information on the baptism record (re William, the husband, having been 'transported') would have been supplied by the child's mother or have been known by the minister; possibly the fact that William had been convicted, imprisoned and (perhaps) not returned to Easton led to a belief that he had been transported rather than imprisoned in England.
I can see the baptism for James on FamilySearch but only as an index entry. I am not seeing it on FreeReg. Is it actually on FindMyPast?
Judith
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Here is the source of the 'transported' remark:
http://www.wiltshire-opc.org.uk/Items/Easton%20Royal/Easton%20Royal%20-%20Baptisms%201801-1837.pdf
Easton Royal - Baptisms 1801-1837
Baptism record says (of James' parents) "husband transported,not father of child"
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https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3RM-JYM baptism 10 March 1833.
Yes, only the index entry, not an image of the original parish register :-\ :-\ .
JM
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Thanks for the link to Wiltshire OPC - I forget to look for OPC records as they can be a bit hit and miss, but this particular transcript is excellent. And I should remember as I did quite an amount of transcribing for Mere some time ago :(
Judith
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Re : William WOODHAM and the Application to Marry and further info
The image shows the application was dated in 1842. The application was granted. They married 21st March 1842. The groom’s age was 23, and the bride’s age was 24.
Re William's bride : Her name was recorded as Bridget McGRATH. She had arrived per the ship Margaret in 1839, under a sentence.
Re William
He had arrived per the ship Hope.
They were married at St John's C of E, Parramatta, Rev H H Bobart. William WOODHAM was a bachelor, and he signed his name. Bridget McGrath was a widow and she made her mark.
The bride’s 27 July 1845 Certificate of Freedom shows as wife of William WOODHAM her living with her husband, in King St, Sydney, NSW.
The municipal electoral rolls for King Street, Sydney for 1845 show William WOODHAM in King Street Sydney.
http://www.bda-online.org.au/
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=369703.0
JM :) Posted same on the other thread too.
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I have again posted on the other thread. The chap 'transported' circa 1830 turns out to be a William WOODHOUSE, who married at St Johns C of E Parramatta in December 1829. Ancestry have transcribed the Application to marry as WOODHAM. That is a mis-read. Here is the link to the other thread.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=761088.0
JM
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At the Lent Assizes 1829, County of Wilts
William WOODHAM, Larceny, 12 months Imprisonment. Others on same page received 7 years transportation.
A sentence of 12 months would NOT result in transportation to any of the penal colonies in the Antipodes. This was in the era of sailing ships, not steam ships. In the late 1820s it took around four to five months to get from Plymouth, England to Port Jackson, New South Wales.
JM I posted same message on the other thread.
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I agree, JM, which is why i suggested (reply#13) that possibly the person who supplied the information for the baptism record thought that he may have been transported as, perhaps, he never returned to Easton Royal.
Judith