Thomas Bennett b.1827

[Anthoula]

I am hoping to discover some information about Thomas Bennett who was christened on 29th July 1827 in Chillingham.  Family records show his parents were a Thomas Bennett and Elizabeth Oliver

When he was christened his father`s occupation is recorded as "farmer" and the family lived at Hepburn Bell, Chillingham.  I believe his christening took place at St. Peter, Chillingham.

Online Convict Record of 1851/54 shows that Thomas was transported to Tasmania in 1851 (one of 250 convicts), leaving Portsmouth on the 5 February  on the Lady Kennaway, and arriving in Tasmania on the 28 May.  He had been convicted at Northumberland Assizes at Newcastle upon Tyne, on 3 August 1848  of stealing 3 bullocks from a Mr Pringle of Edinburgh and sentenced to 10 years transportation.

There is plenty of documented information regarding Thomas`s life/descendents after his arrival in Tasmania,  but I really need help to discover anything about his life and parents pre 1851.  I have not found any record of Thomas Bennett Sen. marriage to Elizabeth Oliver,  and both names seem fairly common in Northumberland in the early 1800s.   

Any help/advice will be warmly welcome.

[2zpool]

Found a Thomas Bennet and Margaret Oliver marriage in 1822 Kelso, Roxburgh

My Chillingham index shows no Bennet's or Olivers pre 1812 in Chillingham

Janis

[Michael Dixon]

Newcastle Courant Edition of 3rd Aug 1848
A summary............
 Thomas Bennett, a butcher of Tyne St, and John James Hansen, assistant charged with stealing two oxen and one heifer from field in Elastic Lane, belonging to Mr Baron of Cattle Market Inn. Hansen has confessed.

 Newcastle Courant 8th Sept 1848.
Summary....
Convicts recently left the town for the Milbank Penitentiary..Thomas Bennett

Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh) 22 June 1848
summary...

Thomas Bennett and John James Hansen, butchers, charged with beast stealing, one quey, two steers, belonging to James Pringle of Pathead.

[Anthoula]

Thank you very much indeed for this information - extremely interesting and greatly appreciated.   

[ConvictAus]

I am a descendant of Thomas Bennett, who married Elizabeth Cartledge in Victoria.  Thomas was born 1827 and baptised 29/7/1827 at Chillingham.  Thomas arrived in Tasmania (Hobart Town) in 1851 on board the Lady Kennaway II.  He spent 5 years in Hobart Town with very good behaviour which earned him an early release.  He married Mary Ann Long (also a convict) and they had two daughters.  Mary Ann died and Thomas remarried Elizabeth.  They went on to have a successful marriage with another 6 children born in Melbourne.  Thomas earned his living as a butcher, working in the Flemington, New Market area of Melbourne.  He died in 1904 in Williamstown, Melbourne.  He kept his convict past a secret.  I have a lovely full size portrait of him. 

I too have tried to find information on Thomas' beginnings, potential siblings etc without much success.  I wonder if his parents did not marry and his mother, Elizabeth Oliver, married another person? 

[Anthoula]

Thank you for getting in touch.  It is great to learn of another of Thomas Bennett`s descendents.  My partner is a great grandson of Thomas.  Since originally posting here in January I have discovered more about Thomas`s convict past, but sadly nothing about his parents & earlier years.  My research has shown that Thomas & Elizabeth had 8 children of their own. 
I have also been trying to discover anything about Elizabeth Cartledge prior to her arrival in Australia.  Of course I know she had also been married before - to Thomas Brown & they had a son who died in infancy. Do you have any more information about her past?
My partner would be thrilled to see a picture of Thomas Bennett if you would be prepared to email a copy. 

[peter brownlee]

There is an entry in the 1841 census for Street house near Prestwick about 10 miles NW of Newcastle on the road to Scotland much used by droves of cattle; Elizabeth Bennett 40 b in county and Thomas Bennett 14 b in county which might be them.
Tyne Street was an industrial part of Newcastle by the riverside. The Cattlemarket Inn Geo Barron proprietor was at the other edge of the town in Forth Place near the Live Cattle Market. A Thomas Barron was a butcher in the New Market. Cattle for slaughter were often fattened close at hand to the market so perhaps Elastic Lane is a misprint for Elswick Lane which stretched into the fields from the Forth area.
Peter

[Michael Dixon]

 Because of the " Elastic Lane" doubt, I browsed the Newcastle Courant again.

 An article dated 23 June 1848 has it that Thomas Bennett " of North Shore" was accused of stealing beasts from a field in Elswick Lane ( as Peter deduced). His butchers business was in Tyne Street.

 An article dated 11 Aug 1848 has Thomas aged 20 yrs, James Hansen/Hanson 21 yrs. Thomas guilty 10 yrs. James not guilty.

 Michael

[amancestor]

Hi, I'm a Great Great Granddaughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Bennett and would love to communicate with my relatives.Have spent a few hours at Newcastle Upon Tyne Library researching, and a few hours walking in Thomas' footprints. I live in Australia.