Categories
Transported Convicts (1789-1826) Uncategorized

Oliver Woore

Oliver Woore was born in 1803 and lived in Coleford where he worked as a stonemason. In September 1826 he was charged, with Mary Wheeler, of stealing two hives of bees and the honey therein from Thomas Hobbes but the evidence was not sufficient to indict them. On 2 April 1828, at the age of 25, he was sentenced to death commuted to life for the theft of one cask and 2 jars containing rum, brandy and peppermint from William Smith of the Rising Sun in Bream. After a spell on a hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the Vittoria which set sail for New South Wales on 1 Sept 1928 and arrived on 17 Jan 1829.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

William Henry Williams

William Henry Williams was born in 1807 and lived in Woolaston where he worked as a papermaker. On 2 April 1828, he was sentenced to six months in prison for stealing two geese. On 7 April 1830, at the age of 23, he was transported for 7 years for the theft of potatoes from Philip Davies of Woolaston. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Burrell which set sail for New South Wales on 27 July 1830.

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

Richard Williams

Richard Williams was born in 1805 in Newland where he worked as a labourer. On 28 June 1831, at the age of 26, he was sentenced to 7 years for the theft of one cotton gown valued at 4s. After a spell on the hulk the Justitia, he was transferred to the Isabella which set sail for New South Wales on 22 Nov 1831 and arrived on 15 March 1832.

He was given his certificate of freedom on 22 August 1840. On 3 March 1854, he was sentenced to 6 weeks in Goulburn prison.

Categories
Transported Convicts (1826-1831)

Charles Williams

Charles Williams was born in 1807 in Chepstow and lived in St Briavels where he worked as an agricultural labourer and ploughman. On 10 August 1833, at the age of 26, he was sentenced to be transported for life for the theft of a horse belonging to James Evans from a field belonging to Bearse farm. After a spell on the hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the Moffatt which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 7 January 1834 and arrived on 9 May 1834.

He was initially detailed to work on public works. He obtained his ticket of leave on 3 November 1842 and conditional pardon on 2 December 1845 and 23 November 1846. He died on 30 October 1884.

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

John Webb

John Webb was born in 1806 and lived in Woolaston where he worked as a clock and watchmaker. On 11 Aug 1832, he was sentenced to be transported for life for burglary and the theft of clothes. After a spell on the hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the Jupiter which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 31 January 1832 and arrived on 28 May 1833.

 

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

Charles Vaughan

Charles Vaughan was born in 1809 and lived in Tidenham where he worked as a labourer.

On 27 August 1834, at the age of 26, he was sentenced to be transported for life for the theft of sheep. After a spell on the hulk, the Fortitude at Chatham, he was transferred to the Marquis of Huntley which set sail for New South Wales on 7 March 1835 and arrived in on 5 July 1835.

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

William Selwyn

William Selwyn was born in 1810 and lived in Westbury-on-Severn where he worked as a labourer. On 26 September 1829, he was sentenced to six months in prison for the theft of onions from a garden in Westbury. In June 1835, at the age of 24,  he was sentenced to be transported for life for the theft of one sheep, the property of James Clifford, of Newnham; one sheep, the property of James Hill, of Westbury; one sheep, the property of Joseph Lloyd, of Abinghall; one pig, the property of the Rev. H. Borkin, of the Forest of Dean; one lamb, the property of John Scudimore, of Flaxley; eight fowls and seven ducks, the property of Robert Smith, of Newnham; and one drake and four ducks, the property of John Palmer, of Flaxley. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Asia which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 8 November 1835 and arrived on 21 February 1836.

Selwyn obtained his ticket of leave on 20 March 1844 and conditional pardon on 15 July 1847. He married Mary Ann Boutler on  7 May 1850 in Launceston and had two children born in 1859 and 1843. At some stage, during this period he started to work on his own farm. He died on 26 September 1880 of bronchitis in Sidmouth.

 

 

 

Categories
Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

Sophia Robins

 

Sophia Robins was born in 1794 and lived in Lydney. On 11 March 1813, at the age of 20, she was sentenced to three months in prison for the theft of clothing from John Morgan.  On 15 October 1814, at the age of 21, she was arrested but acquitted for the theft of plumbs with a basket and cloth. On 3 April 1816, at the age of 22, she was sentenced to be transported for 7 years for the theft of two gold guineas, two half guineas, two gold rings, a silver coin and other articles from the Lydney house of Sarah Bethel  After a spell on a hulk, she was transferred to the Lord Melville which set sail on 15 September 1816 and arrived in New South Wales on 24 February 1817.

Between 1850 and 1856 Sophia Robins regularly appeared in front of the courts in Sydney charged with drunkenness, vagrancy, using obscene language, prostitution, etc. During this period she was sent to Darlinghurst prison on about 20 occasions.

 

Categories
Transported Convicts (1789-1826)

George Reeks

George Reeks was born in 1798 in Woolaston where he worked as a labourer. On 13 August 1828, at the age of 30, he was sentenced to death commuted to life for the theft of one sheep from John Gwatkin Powles. The Morning Chronicle  16 August 1828 reported the case:

“CHARLES WILLIAMS and GEORGE REEKS were indicted for stealing, at Woolastone, in this county, a wether sheep, value two guineas, the property of John Gwatkin Powles. Mr RICHARDS was for the prosecution and Mr JUSTICE for the defence.

From the evidence, it appeared that the prisoners were traced to their cottage, which is upwards of two miles from the field in which the sheep were penned, by the peculiar manner in which the nails were fixed in their shoes. The carcase of the sheep was found in the bedroom, the only one in the cottages and in which the prisoners slept with their wives and families. The skin of the sheep had been left in the field, but on comparing certain marks of awkward butchering exhibited on the mutton with certain other awkward marks upon the skin, there could be no doubt that the skin belonged to the carcase found in the prisoners’ house. This fact, together with the marks made by the shoes, also found in the house, satisfied the Jury that the prisoners were guilty, and The LEARNED JUDGE, although he permitted sentence of Death to be recorded, gave the prisoners hope of having their lives spared, but they should quit the country forever. Sheep-stealing was, he observed, a very bad offence, of very frequent occurrence, and the prisoners might consider their lives to have been spared, merely because they were not known as old offenders.”

After a spell on a hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the America which set sail for New South Wales on 8 April 1829 and arrived 18 August 1829. In 1846 he was recommended for a conditional pardon which was granted on 30 July 1847.

George Reeks died in Balmain, New South Wales in 1869

 

Categories
Transported Convicts (1826-1831)

Francis Reeks

 

Francis Reeks was born in 1806 in Woolaston where he worked as a labourer. On 30 January 1831, at the age of 14, he was imprisoned for one month for misdemeanors and failure to attend his service with John Wade. On 9 April 1927, he was sentenced to one year in prison for the theft of a number of harnesses. On 28 March 1833, at the age of 27, he was sentenced to be transported for life for the theft of money. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Lloyds which set sail for New South Wales on 19 August 1833 and arrived on 18 December 1833.

He was given a ticket of leave on 14 May 1844 and a conditional pardon on 20 December 1848.