Daniel New convict

[gbugden]

Hello
I have hit a brick wall in my research for this Berkshire ancestor. I can't identify his parents or exact location in Berkshire.

I know that he arrived in Sydney Australia as a convict April 9 1835 aboard the "Lady Nugent". From the Indent of Convicts, his number was 35/965. He was aged 26 (ie born c.1809), he could read and write, he was a Protestant and single. His native place was Berkshire where he was a farm servant and shepherd. He was found guilty of stealing grain at the Berkshire Assizes 25 Feb 1834 and sentenced to 7 years transportation. He had no former convictions.

Jackson's Oxford Journal, Saturday, March 8, 1834
BERKS ASSIZES
Sentenced for seven years...
Daniel New, charged with having stolen a quantity of barley and beans, the property of J. Webb.

The ship sailed 4 December 1834  from Sheerness and then from Deal December 7.  Jos. H. Fawcett  was master and Oliver Sproule was the surgeon.

Is anyone able to  use this information to help me locate his family or birth place? Would a trail record be available which might give me more information than the newspaper report?

Any scrap would be of assistance

Regards
Greg Bugden
AUSTRALIA

[Vicwinann]

Hi Greg,
The English Assize Court records are at the NRO. Berks FHS has a page on their site telling how to access them.
http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/berkshire/AssizeRecords.htm
Unfortunately, from where you are, you would need to hire a researcher which is not cheap.

National Archives guide leaflets can be accessed from page http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?WT.hp=Research%20guides%20A%20-%20Z&j=1

Click on one of the categories. This page would be probably the most useful for you
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=347

I hope these links work. If not, the National Archives site is http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.htm  click on "research guides"

Daniel New may not, of course, have originated in Berkshire. The IGI has a possible Daniel,  bap 21 Jan 1816 Childrey, son of Daniel and Jane.

Yours
Vicwinann

[newburychap]

The English Assize Court records are at the NRO. Berks FHS has a page on their site telling how to access them.

Assize records are a bit hit and miss - you will be able to find basic information (ie what you already have from the paper).  Detailed trial records are scarce, though some do exist.

You might do better to follow the case before it reached the Assizes - local petty or quarter sessions would have committed him for trial at the assizes. He would have been held in gaol pending trial - probably in Reading. These records are at the Berks RO - and can be very detailed.

You could also check the Berkshire Mercury/Chronicle which may give a little more info than Jackson's Oxford Journal. 

You could check the 1841 census to see where the chap he stole from is living - might give some idea of where he was from.
Sadly you need to be in England to follow up these leads.


Did Daniel stay in Australia?  The News of Newbury included a Daniel or two - some of then emigrated to Oz 1900ish.

[gbugden]

Thank  you both for this useful advice. It gives me some useful leads to consider.  Daniel did in fact remain in Australia after he served his sentence. I hope to avoid paying a researcher for as long as possible in  order to minimise expenses. I'll certainly contact Berkshire RO and see if his records are there in any detail. The tip about the Berkshire Mercury/Chronicle is a good one too. Are you aware of online records for this?
Cheers
Greg

[newburychap]

I'm afraid the BRO may charge a fair bit for checking the court rolls - but its worth checking with them to see.

The Mercury is not available online - Reading Local Studies Library is the place to try. As you have the date of the Assizes (quick and easy to find) they may do a lookup for you for free.

[gbugden]

Thanks for the prompt reply.
I have sent inquiries to both the library and the BRO as you suggest. Perhaps I will have a response by the end of the week.
I'm very grateful to you for your constructive advice!
Regards
Greg

[janjim]

I have to throw my two bob's worth in, my GGG Grandfather was Daniel New b. 1.5.1792 Ashbury, Berkshire.    There is much history on the New family around Newbury, Greater Faringdon, Ashbury which goes back as far as Thomas Nue b. 1650. The family around Greater Faringdon were Servants,
Yeoman, Shepherds.  Our Daniel New was one of 11 children, his parents Joseph New and Elizabeth (nee Hide)  Your Daniel could easily be one of any of the children of Daniel's siblings.

Check out  website www.rootsweb.com . go into World Connect Projects - then Family trees, you may find information there that can help you.

Our New family eventually migrated to Australia in 1912, having come from Newbury, Daniel & his wife Lucy moved there from Ashbury around the 1820's or so.

This may help you in some way, I'm only a novice on this website, but could not resist making contact.

jan

[gbugden]

I am glad of the reply Jan, and your contribution. Any sort of information can be of use to me to solve the problem of Daniel's birth.

I have had a reply to my inquiry to the Berkshire RO (Thanks Newburychap!). They noted in a newspaper report of the time that DANIEL NEW was working on a farm in HURST, Berkshire, when he committed his crime. Is that  near the places where your NEWs lived? The newspaper report also indicated his age in 1834 was 24, so he must have been born c.1810.


Cheers
Greg

[janjim]

Greg,

I really don't know much about Berkshire really, but looking at a map, Hurst is east of Reading,
how far that is from Newbury or Ashbury, I'm sure Newbury Chap will be able to give you more
information on that.   

jan