John Boxall was born in Blakeney in 1786. At the age of 16, he joined the 90th Foot Soldiers, 2nd Battalion and then returned to Blakeney where he worked as a labourer. On 15 April 1817, at the age of 31, he was convicted of breaking into a waggon belonging to George Playne while it travelled from Minchinhampton to Bristol and stealing a quantity of woollen cloth while it was in Thornbury. He was sentenced to be transported for 7 years. After a spell on the hulk, the Justitia, he was transferred to the Batavia which set sail for New South Wales on 1 November 1817 and arrived on 5 April 1818.
Boxall obtained his certificate of freedom on 15 April 1824 and died in Sydney on 15 June 1839.