Convict John Mackley arrived 1813

[Christine Cramer]

There was another convict John Mackley, came out on the David Clarke in 1841, so that 1844 letter may be his:

Details for the convict John Mackley (1841)
Convict Name:   John Mackley
Trial Place:   Norwich General Sessions of the Peace
Trial Date:   31 July 1840
Sentence:   7 years
Notes:   
 
Arrival Details
Ship:   David Clarke
Arrival Year:   1841

[Jomot]

According to the newspapers Peter Bramley was convicted at the same sessions for stealing watches and other items from his father's shop at Market Harborough.  He was just 17 and initially sentenced to death.

John was convicted of stealing money at Saxelbye, so the two weren't connected.

[Jomot]

There was another convict John Mackley, came out on the David Clarke in 1841, so that 1844 letter may be his:

I did consider that and then dismissed it as the annotation seemed very specific to the Earl Spencer, but having looked again there's something in the Hobart Town Gazette, 1844 (I'll have to dig around for a more specific date) saying:

John Mackley, David Clarke, to ditto (to Allan M'Kinnon, Dalness)

But then what has 1838 got to do with anything if this man only arrived in 1841?

The reference 44/2540 in the register of letters received was dated 28 Mar 1844 from the Royal Engineers and says (I think!): Appl[ication]n from Lt Hamilton RE Norfolk Island for use of Govern[men]t House, so doesn't seem to connect to either man!

No 44/2540 dated 6 Mar 1844 has to refer to something, but what?  And where?

[Christine Cramer]

I think it's possible that the reference is to the Colonial Secretary's Letters which are indexed in this way, but searching under Mackley doesn't bring up any results:

https://mhnsw.au/indexes/colonial-secretary/colonial-secretary-letters-received-1826-1896/

[Jomot]

I agree, I think its something to do with those records, but what? 

The details I posted about the Royal Engineers are from the Colonial Secretary's Letters (Register of Letters Received) but that particular letter doesn't seem to have anything to do with John Mackley, either by name or otherwise.

I suppose I was hoping some wise, wonderful person knew their way around the various records and could magic something up, but alas no 

In the absence of anything definitive in Australia I think I'm going to have to go back to the records in England and see if I can find anything new there instead.  My gut tells me its him, but I just need to prove it!

[maddys52]

As it says in the "Searching the Index ... Limitations" section about the Colonial Secretary's Letters "The index is not a complete list of all material within the series NRS 905". Perhaps an email to the NSW Archives might help? Looks like you need Reel 2934 Item (5/2400) .
https://mhnsw.au/articles/922/

I also notice there is a record for a "John MACK" in 1844 (with ref no 44/263) at Sydney Hospital. Not necessarily related to your man.

[Christine Cramer]

His death record has his abode as "Cecil Hills".  Here is a link to some information on it:

https://colonialheritage.stqry.app/en/story/30168

There is reference to a database which I tried to access, but the link keeps timing out.

[Jomot]

As it says in the "Searching the Index ... Limitations" section about the Colonial Secretary's Letters "The index is not a complete list of all material within the series NRS 905". Perhaps an email to the NSW Archives might help? Looks like you need Reel 2934 Item (5/2400) .
https://mhnsw.au/articles/922/

The reel you mention is just an Index to the register of letters received, ie it gives a surname or subject and then the reference number, nothing more.  You then need to go to the actual register of letters received to get more details, which I've already done - 44/2540 was dated 28 Mar 1844 from the Royal Engineers, ie Appl[ication]n from Lt Hamilton RE Norfolk Island for use of Govern[men]t House

I've been through the Index for the letter M, Jan-Jun 1844, and there's nothing at all for Mackley or anything similar.

I also looked up 44/2546 in case it was bad handwriting, but this relates to John McCurdy of Penrith regarding his wife Sophia, and is dated 26 Mar 1844.

I think you could be right though and that an email to the archives may be needed.

Thanks also to Christine for the Cecil Hills info - I'd done a little bit of searching but had planned to come back to it, so hopefully the database will be up and running again by then