Author: ian wright

William Evans (2) was born in 1824 in East Dean and worked as a farm labourer.  On 3 July 1838, at the age of 14, he was sentenced to 6 months in prison and twice whipped for stealing a pair of trousers.  In October 1845, at the age of 21, he was transported for 7 years for stealing a bar of iron and twelve scissors valued at 5 shillings from the Forest of Dean Coal Mining Company. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Joseph Somes which set sail for Tasmania on 22 December 1845 and arrived in Tasmania on 19 May 1846.

He was given his ticket of leave on 24 Dec 1849. He married Sarah Reavely on 29 December 1851 and had twelve children. Sarah was sentenced to transported for 15 years for arson in July 1849.

William Drew was born in Blakeney in 1815. On 12 April 1831, aged 16, he was sentenced to six months in the house of correction at Northleach and whipped for stealing a coat with the value of 4s. He moved to Alvington and gained work as a collier. On 8 October 1839, at the age of 24, Drew was sentenced to 10 years transportation for burglary with an intent to commit a felony. After a spell on the hulks, he was transferred to the Mangles which set sail for New South Wales on 29 November 1839 and arrived on 27 April 1840. The majority of the convicts were landed at Norfolk Island.

He gained work as  a shipwright

On 27 March 1860, he was convicted of armed robbery. He was sentenced to ten years of hard labour working on the roads with the first and second years in irons. This was his second offence in NSW. In September 1867 his conduct record showed that he had been punished ten times since conviction but his conduct laterally had been good.

William Creese was born in 1802 and worked as a butcher in Yorkley. On 4 April 1835, at the age of 33, he was sentenced to transportation for life for the theft of four sheep, the property of Walter Taylor, Daniel White and William Packer. After spending the summer on a hulk, he was transferred to the John Barry which set sail for to New South Wales on 21 Sept 1835 and arrived on 17 Jan 1836. On 1 November 1848, he received a conditional pardon.

Thomas Dalley was born in Newnham in 1753.  On 28 March 1787, at the age of 34, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years. After spending three years on the hulks, he was transferred to the Matilda of the Third Fleet which departed on 27 March 1791 and arrived on 1 Aug 1791.

Below is an extract from the Correspondence of Governor Philip to Lord Grenville regarding the state of health of the convicts of the Third Fleet:

Governor Phillip to Lord Grenville
Sydney, New South Wales
November 5 1791.

Of the convicts mentioned by your Lordship to be sent out, 1,695 males and 168 females have been landed, with six free women and ten children. It appears by the returns from the Transports that 194 males, 4 females and 1 child died on the passage; and, although the convicts landed from these ships were not so sickly as those brought out last year, the greatest part of them are so emaciated, so worn away by long confinement, or want of food, or from both these causes, that it will be long before they recover their strength, and which many of them never will recover.

Your Lordship will readily conceive that this addition to our numbers will for many months be a dead weight on the stores.

The surgeon’s returns of this day are: “Under medical treatment and incapable of labour, 626 … 576 of whom are those landed from the last ships”.

Samuel Dobbs was born in 1797 in Mitcheldean and lived in Coleford where he worked as a collier. He married Ann Gough in 1820 and had two children. On 14 August 1822, he was found guilty of the theft of 2s 5d from Margaret Yemm the wife of a collier in Ruardean. He had already served three months on remand and therefore was fined one pound and discharged. At the age of 31, on 30 March 1831, he was convicted of stealing one lamb valued at 20 shillings the property of John Bethell and sentenced to death which was then commuted to transportation for life. After spending a few weeks on the a hulk, the Cumberland, he was transferred to the Lord Lyndoch which set sail on 25 July 1831 and arrived in Van Diemen’s Land on 18 November 1831.

He had a long history of absconding and in most cases, he was caught by the police soon after and spent short spells in prison. He absconded on the following dates: 20 May 1832, 1 June 1832, 8 June 1832,           21 December 1832, 4 January 1833, 8 March 1833, 9 March 1836,      18 March 1836, 9 June 1837, 14 June 1841, 25 June 1841 and             21 October 1842.

He obtained his ticket of leave on 1 November 1845 and conditional pardon on 14 January 1848 and 29 January 1849.

Robert Hyett was born in 1805 in Awre. On 2 June 1817, he was sentenced to 21 days in prison for absconding from service as an apprentice. He then worked as a labourer in Blakeney. On 3 August 1826, at the age of 21, he was sentenced to transportation for life for the theft of three half-crowns and four shillings from Richard Peters, a labourer from St Briavels. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Andromeda which set sale on 14 Oct 1826 and arrived in Van Diemen’s Land on 23 Feb 1827.

On 13 April 1831, Hyett was granted a ticket of leave. On 12 April 1843, his ticket of leave was cancelled for misconduct. On 12 August 1848, he was granted his ticket of leave again. On 3 July 1852, he was granted a conditional pardon.

John Hewlett was born in 1822 Newnham and worked as a farm labourer. On 24 July 1934, he was sentenced to two weeks in prison for absconding from his service for 6 weeks. On 20 July 1840, he was sentenced to six months in prison for robbing potatoes from a garden. On 3 March 1841, he was sentenced to transportation for ten years for burglary and stealing 3 loaves of bread and a watch. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Tortoise which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 28 Sept 1841. He died in 1871

John Dee was born in 1813. He was born and lived in Westbury- on-Severn and worked as a ploughman. On 11 August 1832, at the age of 18, he was convicted at Gloucester Assizes of housebreaking and theft of a silver watch, two gold seals and two gold keys from the house of Edwin Palmer and was sentenced to transportation for life. After spending time on the hulk, Justitia at Woolwich, he was transferred to the Surrey which set sale for Van Diemens Land on 4 December 1832 and arrived on 7 April 1833.

He was assigned to work as an assistant to Mr Giblin from 1833 -1835 and then on public works. He received a ticket to leave on 7 April 1842 and conditional pardon on 4 July 1845 and 23 December 1846.

John Cutler was born in 1809 in Stanton Drew, Somerset. He moved to Lydney where he obtained work as a shepherd’s boy and then as a farm labourer and ploughman. At the age of 19, he was brought before the Gloucester Assizes for housebreaking and theft of a coat and shoes from the house of Henry Morse, a Yeoman of Lydney. 0n 2 April 1828, he was found guilty and sentenced to death which was later commuted to transportation for life.

He was transferred to a hulk and then to the Manlius which set sail on 18 July 1828 arriving in Van Dieman’s Land on 9 November 1828. He was employed as an assistant to Dr Garratt up to December 1835 and then on public works. He was given his ticket of leave on 11 Sept 1837 and conditional pardon on 9 December 1841 and 2 December 1842.

In October 1848, at the Cambell Town Agricultural Show, Cutler was awarded £2 for fourteen years of services as a general farm servant to Mr. Gibson of Pleasant Banks. In July 1854 he was awarded a similar prize £5 for the length of service and good conduct with Mr. Gibson.