Benjamin Bowater 1862 arrival Aust - convict or free settler?

[heaven]

Benjamin Bowater was born 1820 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, parents Benjamin Bowater and Hannah (nee Pitt)
Married 1844 in Sedgley, Stafford to Phoebe Rhodes b: 1824.They had nine children, not all surviving to adulthood
They are on the 1851 and 1861census records, Benjamin listed as a"Miner"1871  census Phoebe is listed as a Widow.
                ______________________________________________________

I have records for allof the above, the next record I have for a Benjamin Bowater is the NSW Gaol discriptiom and Entrance Books, this record states - Arrival 9th October 1862 on ship "Donald McKay, Birth year 1820, age 42, "A Dangerous Lunatic"

Newspaper - found in Trove on 24th October 1862.

 - Today, sadly another death occurred in Maitland Gaol. A man named Benjamin Bowater in a fit of depression cut his own throat on the 19th of October. He was takento Hospitaland was progressing favourably and was returned to Maitland Gaol.

My quetion to you is -  1.Why was he on the ship Donald McKay,  2, was he a Convict or a free man)
The Donald McKay to my knowldge was not a convict ship. 3.Where was he buried.
If anyone can help me clear up this mystery I would be very grateful.

Judy

[sparrett]

Convict transport from England had ceased in NSW by 1840's.
It was no longer in place in Australia by 1868, the last state to finish being WA.

Arrival of ship Donald Mckay. Not a convict ship.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13235157?searchTerm=%22donald%20mckay%20%22

Sue
 

[maddys52]

Beat me to it Sue!

A nice description of the voyage:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66327808

[sparrett]

This may help with your burial question

https://www.facebook.com/maitlandgaol/photos/a.10150968512200277/10163585544165277/?_rdr

Sue

[sparrett]

For interest, here is a fuller account of his attempted suicide  whilst living in Wallsend

It was acknowledged he had a wife and family.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18691391?searchTerm=%22benjamin%20bowater%22

Sue

[judb]

An AI overview, attributed to the ABC, suggests:
Maitland Gaol, Burials - Prisoners who died, were generally buried in the nearby Maitland Cemetery, not within the gaol walls themselves.

However, I couldn't see a record of his burial in Maitland cemetery records online - which may well be incomplete, and I would assume his burial would have been paid for from the 'public purse' so may not have had a separate plot.

Interesting that he arrived in Melbourne, 9 October, 1862, and by 19 October 1862 he is "residing at Wallsend" (newspaper report https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18691391) Sad end.

Judith

[heaven]

Many thanks to all who replied to my post, I have seen the article about hBenjamin living in Wallsend and having a family.
I am beginning to wonder if the Benjamin born in England and the one who came on the Donald McKay are one and the same as I haven't been able to find a shipping, or, immigration record to confirm that.

However I have his first born son Joseph born 1841 in Dudley, Worcestershire on the "City of Hobart" passenger list, departing the Port of Otago and arriving in Melbourne, Vic, on the 28 of May aged 20. He settled and married in Ballarat and died in Queensland.
 

[sparrett]

The Gaol Description  record clearly shows, ...

Arr. Donald McKay in 1863
Born 1820
Native place Staffordshire  ( abbreviated.)
Occ. A coal miner.
Died 24th Oct, 1862.
His death record (NSW BMD) (Reg 4351/1862) shows mother Anna which is very commonly a variation of Hannah.

I do not think it is a person other than The man in your Original Post.

[sparrett]

However I have his first born son Joseph born 1841 in Dudley, Worcestershire on the "City of Hobart" passenger list, departing the Port of Otago and arriving in Melbourne, Vic, on the 28 of May aged 20. He settled and married in Ballarat and died in Queensland.
 

According to the GRO index of birth registrations, of the 2 births of boys in 1841 named Joseph Bowater born in Dudley, neither  has the mother's maiden surname RHODES. (which you have given in your OP)

The maiden  surnames are RULLER and PARSONAGE