Unfindable couple / Male was in Navy

[Neale1961]

Just touching the surface with this post – to add some leads.
Lots more work for you to do.

Marriage St James Clerkenwell
6 Sept 1847
Thomas FIELD, full age, bachelor, Sawyer, address 10 Paradise St. Father – Thomas FIELD a sawyer. He signs his name
Mary Ann DUCK, full age, spinster, address 8 Paradise St. Father – James DUCK a labourer. She makes her mark X


Thomas FIELD
Baptised 16 Apr. 1826 Saint Mary, Islington
Parents Thomas and Catherine. Abode Sidney Street. Father a Sawyer.


1841 census for Thomas FIELD with parents Thomas and Catherine and siblings
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQVL-JHZ?lang=en

Not long after this census Thomas Field senior is in the workhouse, and other members seem to follow.


Possible Marriage?
St Mary Islington 7 Dec 1823
Thomas FIELD and Catherine SUMMERS; both of this parish
He signs his name.

[Neale1961]

I guess we may never know why they changed their names to Brooks? Perhaps at the time both parents were dead the sisters had to look after them and as they were a brooks they gave them that name?

That was my thought too, and it is entirely plausible.
However, there is also the possibility that there was an intentional attempt to get rid of the surname Field because of its connection to a criminal / convict in the family.

[louisa maud]

Wow Neale, this is so interesting,  you have worked really  hard at this,  fantastic.

Happy hunting

LM

[bradwaterss]

@Neale1961

Sorry for the late response I was reading everything a few times including all the links and updating all my trees.

Thank you for all the detailed information this is amazing! To think what I knew 2 days ago vs now is brilliant!

Thomas Field is a rather interesting character!


I assume he came back from Australia and was reunited with family?

Thanks for all your help again 😄

Brad

[Neale1961]

Thomas Field is a rather interesting character!
I assume he came back from Australia and was reunited with family?

It is not likely. Most convicts could not afford the cost of a passage to England.
There were also more opportunities and a better life waiting in Australia.
Did you find him in the later English census?

[bradwaterss]

Perhaps I interpreted wrong when you said about in 1853 his conditional pardon was granted, I thought this was his ticket back to England!

Would be interesting to try and see what happened to him in Australia, perhaps my next move.

Thanks

[Neale1961]

Yes, well with a "conditional pardon", he was free, BUT with the condition he could not leave Australia.
Australia is a big place, and many ex-convicts went on to make a success of their lives - finding stable work, taking a new wife and having a family. It was not un-common for some of them to head for the gold fields to try their luck.

There are some mentions of Thomas Field in the WA newspapers during his ticket of leave time when he was fined for being out too late. Nothing too serious.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3174154?searchTerm=%22Thomas%20Field%22

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65484598?searchTerm=%22Thomas%20Field%22

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65484731?searchTerm=%22Thomas%20Field%22

After that, there is no further mention of him in Western Australia, so my guess is that he moved to another state in Australia. I haven't looked for him at all elsewhere in Australia.

I suggest you might start a new thread about Thomas FIELD on the Australian Board. Be sure to provide ALL the information (birth details, parents, wife and children, convict details) so that time is not wasted repeating research already done.


--------------------------
The other question that you might want to look into is what happened to Thomas' young wife, Mary Field (nee Duck). What was her family background? Did she marry again? We know (from her son's tattoo) that by 1873 she had died. What happened to her other children?

There are so many questions to research for your interesting family. Enjoy!

As this thread really started out finding the parents of Joseph Brooks born 1915, and has now become very long, it might be best to start new threads for other lines of enquiry. Remember to include a link back to here, and to provide all the information you already know, and what you want help to find.

---------------------------

I provided in above posts links to very good / important records for you, because I know they are not on Ancestry. Importantly, remember that not everything is on Ancestry.
You will find on Ancestry convict / prison records, etc; as well as all the Workhouse and Poor Law records, ships lists, but not Joseph Field's Navy record.
I would take your time to collect all those records, and read through them to get a real understanding of your family history.

We are always willing to help, so come back and ask, or let us know how you are going. 

[Neale1961]

By the way,
I did try to track down an exact birth for Joseph FIELD, but could not find a baptism or a birth rego.

Baptism for his sister at St Mary Islington;
Mary Ann, daughter of Thomas FIELD (sawyer) and Mary FIELD
Born 7 Feb 1848, baptised 25 Feb 1848
Abode – workhouse.

This is probably her birth rego.
FIELD, MARY  ANN     - 
GRO Reference: 1848  M Quarter in THE ISLINGTON DISTRICT  Volume 03  Page 287

The parents were married in Sept 1847, Mary Ann was born in Feb 1848, so Joseph must have been born before his parents married - perhaps in 1846, or very early 1847.


This will be birth rego for the illegitmate son, John.
FIELD, JOHN                         Mother - DUCK 
GRO Reference: 1852  J Quarter in WEST LONDON  Volume 01C  Page 48