British Genealogy Forums - Black Sheep http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/ en Tue, 21 May 2013 09:13:23 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png British Genealogy Forums - Black Sheep http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/ Transportation, Prison Hulks and Free Pardon http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php/77769-Transportation-Prison-Hulks-and-Free-Pardon?goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 04:33:39 GMT
My wife has an ancestor, Thomas Tutbury, who was convicted of Grand Larceny at Nottingham Assizes in January 1824. He was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and sent to the prison hulk "Ganymede" at Woolwich. In 1826 he was transferred to the "Captivity" moored at Devenport. In 1828, having served over half his sentence, he was granted a free pardon.

Does anyone know the procedure at that time for release of a prisoner in such cases? Would he have been rowed ashore and left to his own devices as a free man (complete with criminal record, no home, no job and, presumably, no money) or would he have been repatriated by the authorities to his former parish, in this case Nottingham?

I cannot find Thomas Tutbury in the 1841 census and cannot find any record of his death.

Many thanks for any ideas which fellow researchers may have.

All the best,
Malcolm Webb
Lincoln UK
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