William AYLETT - Convict

[jenay]

The first of my surname to arrive in Australia was a transported convict, William John Aylett, born 1826 Thundridge(?) Herts. He arrived in Van Diemans Land (now Tasmania) on the Mt Stewart Elphinston in 1845.  Is anything known about the family in England?  I don't know where he was tried and convicted, can anybody advise me on where would be the best place to start looking?

[majm]

Hi Jenay,

Welcome to Rootschat.

Have you tried the Tasmanian Archives online for information about your chap, including his convict records?

http://www.archives.tas.gov.au/nameindexes hopefully this should show where he was tried, what the charges were, and his sentence, as well as a physical description and much more...

The ship left London 7 March 1845, so perhaps there's some UK based RChatters who can find him in 1841.

Do you have the names for his parents? 
I can see from one of the various online indexes that the Tasmanian Archives holds a submitted record giving details for his 1853 marriage and his children.

Cheers,  JM   

[trish1120]

Welcome Jenay,

1841 Census
Thundbridge, Hertfordshire
HO107/435/2/Thundbridge
Hannah AYLETT, 30, Independant
WILLIAM, 14
John, 10
Emma, 8
Thomas, 6
Fredrick, 4
Rose Ellen, 2
All born in County

Christening;
William AYLETT, 02 Sept 1827, Thundbridge, Hertford, England
Parents JAMES/HANNAH

Someone has a Tree for him with this description;
5 feet 6.5 inches tall; fresh complexion; clean shaven; brown hair; dark brown eyebrows; dark eyes; medium nose, mouth & chin; small scar on upper lip; scar centre of forehead.
(must be from his Convict Records)
They have him convicted fro stealing 2 Bee Hives

Hertford Qtr sessions have him Convicted 16 October 1843  and Transported for 7yrs

Trish

[jenay]

Wow, thanks Trish and majm - were you just hanging around your computers waiting to pounce on obscure questions?  I have some stuff from Tasmanian convict records, but this is much more detail than I had.  Interesting that although William was only transported for 7 years, Mother England didnt bring him home again at the end of his sentence.  I wonder how many transportees made it back?

I have another couple of convicts to track if you're looking for things to look up!

[[Ray]]

Hi

Come on, we are waiting to pounce.

Post them and be d...............ed!   

Ray

[benzon]

Have you tried HALS at Hertford.  If born in Thundridge, you may find a report of the trial in the Herts Mercury or the archives section may even have the full trial report.  Think some records show name as Aylett and others Aylott.  There were Aylotts at Albury, Herts.  James Aylott and his wife Ann and two children Sarah and John were bounty immigrants on the Robert Small, May 1856.  Think there may have been a Thomas Aylott and family too but cant find my reference at present.

I am not sure whether any actually returned to the UK.  Even when they got their ticket of leave they had to get permission to marry.  We do have one that was sentenced to transportation but it seems feasible that he may have received a reprieve as he is in later UK census returns.  But perhaps as he was already married he saved his fare to return to his family.

Hope this helps

[jenay]

Thank you benzon and Ray - William didn't return to England, he married the daughter of convicts and settled down to produce 11 children.  I wouldn't think many convicts could have afforded the fare for passage from Australia back to the to UK.

Re the other convicts - I'll start you off gently, with the ones I have information on.  William's parents-in-law were:
Samuel Hite b approx 1801, Colmworth Beds.  Convicted for term of life Bedford Assizes (possibly burglary, don't know year or circumstances). Arrived Van Diemans Land 21/10/1821, on Malabar from Gravesend.

Mary Ann Pendrill b either 1815 or 1823, don't know where. Convicted Central Criminal Court to term of 7 years, don't know what crime.  Arrived VDL 25/4/1836 on Arab II (a female convict ship).

Samuel and Mary Ann married 10/7/1837. On the consent to marry document Samuel is named as a free man.

Anything to pad out these bare facts would be appreciated.

Benzon, what is HALS?

[[Ray]]

HALS .........................

https://www.hertsdirect.org/ufs/ufsmain?esessionid=2&formid=HALS_INDEXES

[[Ray]]

Hi

Are you saying that MaryAnnP (may have) married at age 14? (b1823 m1837)


Central Criminal Court
Trial Date    11 May 1835
Mary Ann Pendrill    20    abt 1815 Middlesex
Alleged Crime Fraud   
Could read and write (RW)
Untitled column = "IB" (?)
Sentence "(?) next session"

Then 18 June 1835 "from last session"
Transportation 7 years.


AND
Bedford January 1821 (Lent 1821)
Samuel Hite
Burglary
Sentence:    Death


Ray