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 on18 November 1840.
George Wright was born in 1797 and lived in Littledean where he worked as a nailer. On 31 March 1818, at the age of 21, he was sentenced to be transported for 7 years for the theft of clothes and other articles from Robert Williams in the parish of Oddington. After a spell on the hulk, Justitia, he was transferred to the Lord Sidmouth which set sail for New South Wales on 20 September 1818 and arrived on 11 March 1819.
He did not settle well and was brought before the authorities and punished on a number of occasions. He was given his certificate of freedom on 31 March 1825. However in the following years up to about the late 1850s he was in and out of prison on numerous occasions for minor offences such as theft.
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.
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
Peter Payne was born in 1760 in Westbury-on-Severn where he worked as a labourer. He was married to Jane and had two children one of whom died in childbirth. On 13 January 1789, at the age of 28, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years for the theft of 17 pounds of new copper, the property of John Hopkins of the Verdy Grease Works. After a year on a hulk, he was transferred to the Scarborough which was part of the Second Fleet which set sail for New South Wales on 19 Jan 1790 and arrived on 28 June 1790.
The Second Fleet was a convoy of six ships carrying settlers, convicts and supplies to Sydney Cove, Australia in 1789. It followed the First Fleet which established a European settlement in Australia in the previous year.
The Second Fleet has achieved notoriety for the poor conditions aboard the vessels, and for cruelty and mistreatment of its convicts. Of the 1006 convicts transported aboard the Fleet, one quarter died during the voyage and around 40 percent were dead within six months of arrival in Australia. The captain and some crew members of one vessel were charged with offences against the convicts, but acquitted after a short trial.
Peter Payne’s wife, Jane, died in 1802.
Samuel Niblett was born in Stroud in 1791 and lived in Westbury-on-Severn where he worked as a labourer. On 3 April 1816, at the age of 25, he was sentenced to be transported for 7 years for the theft of a pig from Joseph Mountjoy. After a spell on the hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the Shipley which set sail for New South Wales on 18 December 1816 and arrived on 24 April 1817. He was detailed to work at Grose Farm which had been granted to Lieutenant-Governor Francis Grose in 1792.
Niblett gained his certificate of freedom on 1 December 1825. He applied to marry Marth Potts in August 1826 but this was refused because her husband was a potter in Staffordshire and her 7 years separation had not elapsed. He married Mary Ann Murphy, aged 22, in October 1828 and had eight children. Murphy was born in Cork in 1806 and was also a convict. She was transported from Cork and arrived in Sydney Cove on 17 May 1826.
Thomas Jeynes was born in 1789 and worked as a travelling razor grinder and a brazier of gypsy heritage. He married Penelope Rose in December 1818 in Minchinhampton and had at least three children including a son Henry Jeynes born in 1820 in Cheltenham. In November 1839, Thomas, Henry and Penelope were arrested in Coleford for the theft of two asses, a saddle and a bridle in Chedworth on 25 October. Penelope was discharged but on 31 December Thomas, age 50 and Henry, age 29, were was convicted and sentenced to be transported for 7 years. After a spell on a hulk, the Warrior at Woolwich, Thomas was transferred to the David Clarke which set sail for Van Diemen’s Land on 7 June 1841 arriving on 4 October 1841. He obtained his ticket of leave on 18 April 1845 and a certificate of freedom on 10 January 1848.
The fate of Henry James is unclear. He is listed as being held on the hulk the Warrior arriving on 17 January 1840. He then appears again being held on hulk the Warrior arriving on 15 November 1843. It is possible he had escaped and was later captured. However, there is no record of his actual transportation. A Henry Jeynes is recorded marrying Mary Baldwin in Newent in 1851.
Thomas James was born in 1799 in English Bicknor where he continued to live and worked as a tailor. On 9 April 1827, at the age of 27, he was convicted of the theft of one sheep owned by Richard Bennett and was sentenced to death commuted to be transportation for life. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Florentia which set sail for New South Wales on 15 September 1827 and arrived on 3 January 1828.
Robert Hyett was born in 1805 in Awre. On 2 June 1817, he absconded from service as an apprentice and was sentenced to 21 days in prison. 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. 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.
He was employed in public works. He received a ticket of leave on 13 April 1831 but absconded on 2 December 1842 and 24 March 1843. His ticket of leave was revoked on 12 April 1843. He received a new ticket of leave on 12 August 1848 and a conditional pardon on 28 April 1851 and 10 July 1852. He married Margaret Robertson and had a daughter born on 28 June 1852.
He possibly returned to Gloucestershire.
William Hulin was born in 1810 in St Briavels where he worked as a labourer. At the age of 22, on 13 Oct 1832, he was convicted of the theft of a gander valued at 3 shillings, the property of John Burton, and sentenced to be transported of 7 years. He had been discharged from court on two occasions before having been found not guilty or no evidence presented. After a spell on a hulk, he was transferred to the Asia I which set sail for New South Wales on 4 February 1833 and arrived in Australia on 27 June 1833.
Hulin married Mary Donohoe, also a convict, on 21 April 1840 in Maitland, and went on to have five children. Donohoe was born in County Donegal Ireland somewhere between 1814/7 and was transported on the Margaret (2) arriving in New South Wales on 5 January 1839.
William Hulin died on 19 February 1877 in Singleton.