Transportation sentence, but was he?...

[Cavair]

Hi,

Im searching for my wifes ancestor Charles WALKERLEY who was convicted at Ely in April 1843, sentenced to 7 years transportation, and was received at the prison hulk HMS Warrior at Woolwich in May 1843. But as yet we dont know if he was actually transported. Have searched some databases but no record yet.
Are there UK records for the convicts / ships leaving England, or just the arrivals in Australia?

Ten years later Ely records show he was convicted again of larceny with his brother in April 1853. He was in Cambridge Workhouse in 1881 and died 1890.

Does that indicate he may never have been transported? Or Were convicts able to return after their sentence, and how? did they have to pay to return to England.?
Any advice / suggestions appreciated!
Thanks
Richard

[Richard1955]

Hi Richard, it's Richard here!
1851 census has a Charles Walkerley in Ely born 1824.
HO107 1764/337/30 compliments and copyright of TNA
No records of transportation on FMP but passenger lists started 1890.

[Coromandel]

Many convicts who'd been sentenced to transportation never got beyond the prison hulks: some died on the hulks, others were were pardoned. The National Archives has quarterly lists of convicts on the prison hulks, so you should be able to follow through what happened to your man by checking the lists for the Warrior from 1843 onwards. The last list on which a convict appears should show his (or her) fate: the date and place of transportation, or details of pardons, transfers and deaths. Search the TNA catalogue for Warrior, restricting the search to catalogue ref. HO 8, to get the references. These documents aren't online (there are some hulk records online on Ancestry, but I think they're from HO 9).

[spison]

This is too late for NSW and I can't find this surname or close variations in Western Australia or Tasmania. Transportation was costly so by this stage 7 year sentences were less likely to be sent. Additionally the general population (including the descendants of early transportees) were objecting to criminals being sent to Australia.

Jane

[davyr]

Hi,
Were convicts able to return after their sentence, and how? did they have to pay to return to England.?
Any advice / suggestions appreciated!

My convict ancestor managed to make his way back to London after completing a 7 year sentence in NSW in 1838. He was a 14-year-old "labourer" when convicted of larceny in 1831, but on his marriage certificate in 1844 he gives his profession as "Mariner". I take this as a good indication that he worked his passage back on board ship(s).

I'd guess this to be the likeliest way back for freed convicts that didn't want to stay on, unless some managed to save sufficient money from paid work after their release.

[spison]

I take this as a good indication that he worked his passage back on board ship(s). I'd guess this to be the likeliest way back for freed convicts that didn't want to stay on, unless some managed to save sufficient money from paid work after their release.

Yes! The government didn't assist them in returning 'home'. Working your passage back was the only way back although I do have a freed woman who returned to Liverpool with her pardoned husband. Circumstantial evidence suggests that he had built a prosperous trade in native birds and cage making so he could afford to pay both their passages. She then returned to Australia with a new husband. The other alternative, that was far more common than the government wanted to admit, was to stowaway on a ship leaving port. A surprising number of convicts did this. Unfortunately no records exist for those leaving Australia until quite late in the 1800s (can't remember when) - either stowing away or free to leave.
Jane

[Cavair]

Many thanks for all your reples! All helps to understand the system

I will try the hulk registers year by year when i can get to TNA!
Looks like he prob never went to Oz and obviously returned to Cambs area, certainly by 1851 !

Cheers
Richard