Category: Transported Convicts (1826-1831)

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.

Richard Jones was born in 1807 and lived in English Bicknor where he worked as a pit sawyer. On 3 Jan 1832, at the age of 23, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years for breaking into a granary and stealing six bushels of wheat. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Jupiter and set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 31 Dec 1833 and arrived on 28 May 1834. He was detailed to public works and then in December 1835 as an assistant to T M Fenton.

Stephen Evans was born in 1811 in English Bicknor and lived in Clearwell. He worked as a blacksmith and ploughman. He married Harriet Frowen on 11 May 1833 and had one child. He was arrested two months after his marriage for stealing a lamb, the property of Richard Ebborne, with Richard Dew. Consequently, on 10 August 1833, at the age of 21, he was sentenced to transportation for life. On 28 Aug 1833, he was transferred to the hulk, the Justitia, and then to the ship, the Moffatt which set sail on 4 January 1834 and arrived in Van Diemen’s Land on 4 September 1834. He was assigned to H G Hackett and in 1841 he was assigned to W G Walker at Norfolk Plains.

Evans was granted a ticket of leave of 16 June 1842. He married Elizabeth Copping in October 1842 and had two children. In April 1833, Elizabeth Copping was also a convict having been sentenced by the Middlesex Assizes to transportation for seven years for receiving stolen goods. Evans had a history of absconding but was granted a conditional pardon on 20 October 1845 and full pardon on 23 November 1846.

Meanwhile, in 1851 Harriett was recorded as being in the workhouse in England. In 1863 Evans married Mary Ann West in 1863 with whom he had three children. Mary West was also a convict having been sentenced to transportation in April 1832 for the theft of a bonnet, a shawl and two gowns. Stephen Evans died on 25 March 1896.