Benjamin Bowen: transported or not?

[Blackwater Park]

Benjamin Bowen, who was born in 1827 in Great Witley, Worcs. was sentenced in October 1850 to one month's hard labour for stealing some silk handkerchieves. Then in June 1851 he was convicted of stealing some chickens and sentenced to seven years transportation.
If he went, he came back again because in July 1860 he got a further three years for stabbing and wounding to do grievous bodily harm, with the result that in the 1861 census he is in Portsea prison in Hampshire. His subsequent activities are also somewhat eccentric (at the age of 40 he married a 76-year old woman, for example).

So what I want to find out is whether he actually went and did his seven years transportation - how can I do that? I can't find him on any of the convict records of people who were transported to Australia, so could he have gone somewhere else, and if so how would I find out?

[Spangle]

America seems to be another favourite port of destination for convicts and for some odd reason I vaguely recall that Pensylvania was a particular favourite. I'm sure that other members can offer far more help but meantime I'll search Google web and books for your man and see if I can come up with anything which you might have overlooked. They say two pairs of eyes are better than one... sorry I can't offer more.

[spison]

In July 1860 he got a further three years for stabbing and wounding to do grievous bodily harm, with the result that in the 1861 census he is in Portsea prison in Hampshire. So what I want to find out is whether he actually went and did his seven years transportation - how can I do that? I can't find him on any of the convict records of people who were transported to Australia, so could he have gone somewhere else, and if so how would I find out?

The transportation date for both is too late for NSW and I think too late for Tasmania too. He may just have scraped into WA after the 2nd trial but transportation for less than 5 years to Oz is unlikely. Someone else may have a better idea and I don't know WA records well.

Jane

[Kerrywood]

Benjamin Bowen, who was born in 1827 in Great Witley, Worcs. was sentenced in October 1850 to one month's hard labour for stealing some silk handkerchieves. Then in June 1851 he was convicted of stealing some chickens and sentenced to seven years transportation. ... what I want to find out is whether he actually went and did his seven years transportation

It seems he was released on licence in 1855. Have a look at this item (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=-5638133&CATLN=7&Highlight=%2CBENJAMIN%2CBOWEN&accessmethod=0) in the TNA catalogue (PCOM 3/22/2241).

Kerrywood

[Blackwater Park]

Fantastic! Problem solved! Thank you very much Kerry - evidently he only did three and a half years and only got as far as Portsmouth.

Incidentally when I said he was given another three years in 1860, that was three years imprisonment, not three years transportation. Looks as though they sent him back to the same prison though.