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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 31 July 23 13:05 BST (UK)

Title: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 31 July 23 13:05 BST (UK)

I've finally admitted defeat. I'm putting my brick wall out there in the hope that one of you will be able help solve the mystery!

I'm trying to track down a William Butterworth Sharples. He was tried at the Lancaster Assizes in March 1815 (convicted of forging banknotes) and sentenced to 14 years' transportation. He sailed for New South Wales aboard the ship Ocean I and arrived in January 1816. (More info further down this post).

His post-transportation life is very solidly documented (he ended up in Tasmania). However, there is very scant detail about his pre-conviction life.

I've found no "X Butterworth Sharples" anywhere in the records for Lancashire (or England, in fact). The closest I've found is potential parent marriages, in which one parent was a Sharples and one was a Butterworth. I either excluded most of them, or none were leads strong enough to provide any further clues or links.

Given he was about 35 years old when he committed his crime (and given that he went on to have a bit of a troubled conduct record in Australia) I struggle to believe that this crime was his first. I smell a possible alias...

I really want to find out when and where he was born or baptised, ideally one or both of his parents' name (and of course, any other life information in between!)

Any and all help much appreciated!  :)

Background Details

• His crime was committed in Blackburn.
• Convict records online and/or other family trees suggest potential places of birth as being Manchester or Bury.
• In major convict records, William is usually referred to as William Butterworth Sharples, but sometimes as just William Sharples, or William Sharpless/Sharpley. Some records have referred to him as William Butterworth. One Australian record site notes that "William Butterworth" was his actual name, and the addition of "Sharples" was his alias.
• William has been noted as a brickmaker and/or bricklayer.
• There is no indication in any records that William was married or had children prior to transportation.

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Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: CaroleW on Monday 31 July 23 13:55 BST (UK)

Just a thought - he could have been born illegitimately as William Butterworth then his mother married Mr Sharples.

Birthyear approx 1780 at conviction - was that roughly the same birthyear when he died?

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 31 July 23 14:37 BST (UK)

Thanks so much for your reply Carole!

Unfortunately, the only record of his death is from a (very brief) newspaper article - it doesn't give an age or year of birth. The estimate of 1780/1782 is based on the age estimates throughout his convict records (and based on his recorded age of 35 at the Lancaster Assizes).

I may have forgotten to mention it in my post (oops!) but I searched all the combinations I could think of for parents and possible remarriages (e.g. the scenario you suggested, as well as the reverse - e.g. perhaps his mother died when he was young, and he took on her maiden name as a second middle name).

I found one Recognizance record for a Jonathan Butterworth who was allegedly the father of Sally Sharples' unborn child (in Hundersfield) in Nov 1780. But the only semi-related record I've found is the marriage of a Jonathan Butterworth and Sarah (not Sally) Sharples in 1781. Interestingly, there was a William Sharples born in March 1780 to a Sarah Sharples (no father recorded), in Hollingsworth. It seems that these two locations aren't compelling close together...and then there's the name difference...  :(

There are just so many Butterworths and Sharples that I don't know how to narrow them down any further   ???

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: Dundee on Monday 31 July 23 15:15 BST (UK)

Sally is a diminutive of Sarah, so it is the same name.

Debra  :)

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: hanes teulu on Monday 31 July 23 15:27 BST (UK)

Liverpool Mercury, 7 Apr 1815
William Butterworth Sharples (35) and James Davenport (45) for having forged notes at Blackburn.

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 31 July 23 22:38 BST (UK)

Hi Debra

I haven't come across that variation before - thanks for pointing that out!

I'll keep the Sally/Sarah & Jonathan parent idea on the table then...  :)

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: suzyf on Sunday 13 August 23 21:02 BST (UK)

Just a thought re parents .Hollingworth Fold Littleborough is part of Hundersfield. Where did you find the Hollingsworth info?

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 14 August 23 00:40 BST (UK)

Hi Suzy

That's really helpful! Thank you!

The record for this baptism is here:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:685R-PNTJ (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:685R-PNTJ)

The transcript page above doesn't show the name of the town, but the parish register image (attached to the same record) does:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-68KS-V5P?cc=3656808&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A685R-PNTJ (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-68KS-V5P?cc=3656808&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A685R-PNTJ)

The baptism record says "Hollinworth", but I looked up the place name and it appeared to be the same as Hollingsworth (a conclusion which may or may not actually be correct!) Perhaps/hopefully a spelling error when recorded?

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: sparrett on Monday 14 August 23 03:03 BST (UK)

Quote from: Kate-Birchtree on Monday 31 July 23 22:38 BST (UK)

Hi Debra

I haven't come across that variation before - thanks for pointing that out!

I'll keep the Sally/Sarah & Jonathan parent idea on the table then...  :)

I have an ancestor who was actually baptised in the name Sally but was in later life recorded always as Sarah. The name Sally never appeared again regarding her or any offspring.

Title: Re: William Butterworth Sharples - Convict - STUCK!
Post by: suzyf on Monday 14 August 23 09:43 BST (UK)

Can't actually see if baptism record is from particular chapel but there are several records on same page from Hundersfield area ,e.g. Chelburn, Featherstall, Blackstone Edge etc. Sue