Author: ian wright

Henry Price was born in 1804 the son of James and Elizabeth Price. James Price worked as a grazier in Wollaston and Henry worked as an agricultural labourer. Henry Price was convicted, at the age of 10, of the theft of underwood from the Duke of Beaufort, Lord of Tidenham manor. Price married Maria Croom in November 1826 and had two children. On 13 July 1830, at the age of 27, he was sentenced to be transported for 7 years for the theft of bark the value of 20 shillings from the Reddings near Woolaston. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the York which set sail for New South Wales on 4 September 1830 and arrived on 7 February 1831. He was assigned to work for John Earl at Patrick Plains.

Price obtained a ticket of leave on 18 March 1835 and was given his certificate of freedom on 27 Sep 1839. He married Eliza Johnson in Singleton in 1843 and had nine children. Eliza Johnson, also a convict, was born in 1809 in Louth, Ireland and died on 24 October 1891. Maria Croom remained in Woolaston working as an agricultural labourer, bringing up her children on her own. She had three more children but kept the name Price and remained single until she died in 1869.  Henry Price died in Singleton on 25 December 1877.

John Parry was born in 1801 and lived in St Briavels where he worked as a pit sawyer and ploughman. He was married with 3 children. He was convicted once for poaching rabbits and sentenced to three months in prison. On 10 August 1831, at the age of 30, he was sentenced to death commuted to life for breaking into a house belonging to John Hartland in St Briavels and stealing drapery. After a spell on the hulk, Justitia, he was transferred to the Katherine Stewart Forbes which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 27 February 1832 and arrived on 16 July 1832. On his arrival, he was assigned to work for G. Cawthorn and then to public works

Richard Marston was born in 1816 and lived Westbury-on-Severn where he worked as a lime burner. On 2 December 1833, at the age of 17, he was sentenced to transportation for life for the killing of a sheep with intent to steal a carcass. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Henry Tanner which set sail for New South Wales on 1 July 1834 and arrived on 26 October 1834. He was granted a ticket of leave on 10 November 1842 and a conditional pardon on 31 Dec 1847.

James Mapps was born in 1777 in Woolaston where he worked as a labourer. He married Elizabeth Parry in February 1802 and had six children. On 14 Oct 1828, he was sentenced to three months in prison for stealing oak timber. On July 1834, at the age of 57, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years for Theft of hay from a rick. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Lyton which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 29 Aug 1835. He became very ill on the voyage and died while still at sea on 24 October 1835

John Lowe was born Awre in 1784 and worked as a ‘rough carpenter and navy squarer’  in the Blakeney area. On 26 Aug 1829, at the age of 44, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years for the theft of part of an oak tree from the Crown. He had a previous conviction resulting in three months in prison. After a spell on a hulk, Justitia at Woolwich he was transferred to the York 1 which set sail for New South Wales on 4 Sept 1830. On 28 January, during the journey, he became very ill on the journey with severe pain in the abdomen. The York arrived on 7 Feb 1831 and he was transferred to a hospital where he recovered.

He received his ticket of leave on 6 April 1835 and a certificate of freedom on 19 November 1839.

Thomas Lewis (alias Jones) was born in 1798 in Ledbury and lived in Longhope where he worked as a farmer. He was convicted once for sheep stealing and sentenced to 18 months in prison. On 30 March 1831, at the age of 33, he was sentenced to be transported for life for the theft of an ass. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Strathfieldsay which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 2 Aug 1831 and arrived on 15th November 1831.

On 12 March 1833, he was convicted of being drunk and insolent and given 25 lashes. On 3 February  1834, he was convicted of being drunk with gross misconduct and using threatening language to his master. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour with the Constitution Hill gang. However, he absconded seven times in 1834.

He was given a ticket of leave on 1 June 1841 and recommended for a conditional pardon on 24 July 1844 which was granted on 7 July 1845. Thomas Lewis died on 6 December 1874 at the Brickfields Pauper Establishment, Hobart.

James Lewis was born in 1799 in Llangarron, Herefordshire and worked as an agricultural labourer in Lydney. On 4 April 1835, at the age of 36, he was sentenced to be transported for life for the manslaughter of his wife Hannah. After a spell on the hulk, the Justitia at Woolwich, he was transferred to the Aurora on 27 June 1835 which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 8 October 1835 and arrived on 27 October 1835. He was detailed to work as an assistant to R. Willis. He was granted a ticket of leave on 4 April 1844 but this was revoked on 18 March 1850.

Samuel Jones was born in 1820 and worked as a labourer. On 31 March 1840, he was sentenced to transportation for life for the theft of a silver watch, a sovereign and a coat from the house of Thomas Davis. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Eden which set sail for New South Wales on 10 July 1840 and arrived on 18 November 1840. The Eden was the last convict to arrive in New South Wales under the transportation system until 1849.