Transported for life!

[kellysmith1976]

Hi
I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction!..
I have a JOSEPH TWITCHETT born c1800 Suffolk, He was in trouble with the law a few times, and was transported for life in April 1838..
He was aboard the ship Lord William Bentinck 2, Bound for Tasmania..

The interesting thing is that his wife at the time of his transportation had at least 2 children, Her name was Susan, I have found her a Pauper in the 1841 census In suffolk..

Joseph had a Ticket of Leave, ANd he appears to have sent for his wife and children, As i have found a record of Susan Dying in Australia in 1851, And his children lived there too..

How would this have worked?.. If she was a pauper, How would she have been notified?.. Would Joseph have paid for her voyage?

I didnt know if there were any records i would be able to view online?.. He appears to have been transported for stealing 2 lambs..

[-tmm-]

The Tasmanian Archives have some documents available for free that might interest you.

Follow this link http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON31-1-44,180
Convict surnames beginning with T ( Feb 1836 - Sep 1843) and U (Apr 1830 - Feb 1841) and V (Jul 1830 - Sep 1843)

Joseph is on page 63 - Good luck trying to read it :)

[-tmm-]

Also try this one:
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON18-1-14,244

This contains a physical description of each prisoner. I don't know what page Joseph is on though.

[kellysmith1976]

Thank you so much... I have found his physical description now... after much searching!!..
Have you ever heard of the wife and family joining their convict partners?

[-tmm-]

Yes, one of my distant relatives Robert Mutimer got transported (also for sheep stealing), and his wife went over there to join him. They had quite a large family together, and when he died she came back to England - I think leaving all the children behind. Though I think most, if not all, were grown up by this time.

The recent BBC program 'Who do you think you are' with Jason Donavan sheds a bit of light into this. It was suggested that after a time in prison, they were given a type of parole and given jobs in the local community. It was also suggested that most cases of families following them over we paid for by the people they were working for. They also commented that it was very rare overall for this to happen due to the cost. I havent yet had a chance to do my own research into it though. The episode should still be available on iPlayer, so I recommend you watch it.

Incidentally, my relative was made a police constable. He was eventually discharged after a few years for several counts of being 'drunk and disorderly'. Viewing his record was quite enlightening reading. You couldn't make this stuff up!

[Elwyn Soutter]

" It was suggested that after a time in prison, they were given a type of parole and given jobs in the local community."

In my limited experience, parole (or a bond or licence) was the norm. Only the really troublesome prisoners were imprisoned, often in places like Norfolk Island. The majority seem to have been sent off to work somewhere, as soon as they arrived. I think labour eas in short supply at that time. In my case I had a female relative who was transported for 7 years in 1830. According to my Australian researcher, as soon as she arrived she was placed on a farm belonging/rented to another convict who had been transported for 14 years in 1823.


Elwyn

[spison]

Hi kellysmith,
I don't know whether you've seen this site which does a good job explaining many situations involving convicts.
http://www.convictcentral.com/

I can't remember who paid for convicts spouse and children to accompany them AFTER their transportation. Occasionally they went on the same ship or close to the event but don't know who actually paid here either. There are cases where the convict husband was assigned as indentured servant to his free wife (he had to work for her.) Someone else may have more info on this.

If you have trouble interpreting the conduct record on the Tasmanian archives, I have access to a book that explains all the numerous abbreviations they use.

The only hit for Joseph on the NLA TRove was on the archived website 'First Families' on Pandora and you may like to contact the contributor.
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10421/20041220-0000/www.firstfamilies2001.net.au/firstfamily21a5.html?id=Twitchett1893471347


Jane

[Philippa_Harvey]

Don't know about English convicts, but the ones from Ireland were given the opportunity to apply for their families to come to "the colony" to join them after the sentence had been served. This was at "government expense" but I have yet to find out which government footed the bill. :eek6:

Not all families accepted the invitation to travel to the other side of the world, I have to say, and I'm quite sure that not all convicts took the opportunity to apply either. :smile5:

One of my Irish convicts (the one who ended up in Branxton, Jane) applied in 1829 (the year before he was due for release) for permission for his wife and family to join him. This was granted, but it took until 1836 and 1837 for the actual reunions to take place. His wife and one daughter came in 1836, his son arriving one year later.

My only English convict married here, as did the other Irish convicts, so I don't know if they had left families at home or not so haven't found the need to research that side of things.

Philippa

[Hilda Woodley]

Hi Kellysmith, you might like to look at
www.
convictrecords.com.au very informative site.
Regards
Hilda

[Sandra Parker]

There's also:
****australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/convicts-and-the-british-colonies
****slq.qld.gov.au/info/fh/convicts
****members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/index.html
Best of luck
Sandra

[Guy Etchells]

Consider the fact that it may have been cheaper for the parish to get rid of the convict's wife and family by making a one off payment of the fare to Australia than to keep them for an unknown length of time.
Much could depend on the age of the children.
Cheers
Guy

[Twitchett]

Joseph was my g.g.grandfather and was transported to Van Dieman's Land for stealing 2 lambs! When he got his ticket of leave the Parish Council of his home village (Cavendish, Suffolk) paid the fares for his wife and 2 younger sons to join him (leaving his eldest son, my g.grandfather) with his grandparents.
Best Regards

Mary