Category: Transported Convicts (1831-1833)

James Hayman was born in Devon in 1804 and lived in Alyburton where he worked as a labourer and was married with children. On 7 April 1826, he stole half a sack of potatoes from William Parry of Sheepscombe and was sentenced to three months in prison. On 13 April 1831, he was sentenced to 3 months in prison for stealing 20 pounds of hay valued at 6d the property of William Till in Thornbury.

On January 1836, at the age of 32, he was sentenced to be transported for 7 years stealing 2 sacks of potatoes, value 7s in Thornbury the property of John Hodges. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to Prince George which set sail for New South Wales on 20 December 1836 and arrived in Australia on 8 May 1837. He obtained his certificate of freedom on 30 January 1843.

He married Ellen Sullivan on 3 April 1848 at Castle Hill, Dooral, Dural, NSW and died on 24 May 1886.

William Cowmeadow was born in 1820. He lived in Ruardean and worked as a collier. On 9 November 1835, at the age of 14, he was sentenced to three months at Littledean House of Correction for stealing apples. On 16 October 1838, at the age of 17, he was sentenced to three weeks imprisonment and flogged (12 lashes) for stealing a bag, a dish and a cloth. On 27 July 1840, he was sentenced to one month in prison for stealing potatoes with his sister Hannah.

On 30 October 1840, at the age of 19, Cowmeadow was sentenced to 21 years transportation for stealing the hat of John Jones, a local farmer, in St Briavels with his brothers Cornelius (17) who was sentenced to two years in prison and Cater (13) who was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The boys stole the hat from Jones while he was walking down a road and so they were charged with highway robbery. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Somerset and set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 20 December 1841 and arrived on 30 May 1842.

He received a conditional pardon on 26 Nov 1852. He married Ann Needham in January 1856 and went on to have four children and many grandchildren. Ann Needham, who was born in Wiltshire and moved to Middlesex, was also a convict who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in 1856. Cowmeadow settled in Franklin and worked as a bushman, splitter and gardener. The couple moved to Hobart in 1885. William Cowmeadow died in 1906 at the age of 87.

James Young was born in 1800 and lived in Westbury-on-Severn where he worked as a labourer. On 30 June 1835, at the age of 35, he was transported for life for the theft of one sheep. After a spell on the hulk, the Ganymede, he was transferred to the Asia which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 8 Nov 1835 and arrived on 21 February 1836. He was flogged on board during the journey for stealing another prisoner’s sugar.

In June 1845 he received a conditional pardon on the basis of the following report:

“Having had two masters one of whom he served from the time of his arrival until he obtained his ticket of leave and the other from that time, both of whom speak highly of him; and only one trivial charge  having been made against him.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.