DENNIS VOWLES, born abt 1809

[shaygriff]

In my search for the family, I've been given the following information about, who could be my ggg grandfather, Dennis Vowles, born abt 1809 in Birmingham Warwickshire:

There is an entry for a Dennis Vowles who was convicted on 27.3.1839 in Warwickshire and sentenced to 10yrs imprisonment. He was sent as a convict to New South Wales Australia on 10.10.1839 aboard the vessel Woodbridge

I've checked on the "Convicts to Australia" resourse pages and found out that the Woodbridge arrived in Sydney with 229 people disembarking (230 embarked in London). I am hoping Dennis was not the one who didn't arrive.
Could any of you wonderful people help me out with info about my naughty forefather?

shaygriff

[Geoffers]

The National Archives at Kew has the Convict Transportation Registers in document class HO11 - Have a look at this research guide and scroll down until you get to HO11. You'll see a link to the Queensland Goverment web-site

Search for Dennis VOWLES and you'll get one hit, showing that he was convicted at Warwick Assizes for a term of 10 years and transported on the Woodbridge, departing 10 Oct 1839.

[Wilkes_ml]

also, a copy of the criminal register of Warwick county assizes shows Dennis Vowles age 27, date tried 30th July 1836, offence: house breaking, sentence: 12 months imprisonment

So his conviction in 1839 was not his first offence!

[Wilkes_ml]

For some reason it looks as though he is down as Dennis Nowles in the Criminal register : County of Warwick, date 27th March 1839 Dennis Nowles age 30, offence: Larceny before convicted of felony, sentence: 10 years transportation

[ChristineR]

I have found various indexes and images on Ancestry.

Convict Pardons, 1842-1845
Dennis Fowles, convicted Warwick
arrived per Woodbridge, 1840, New South Wales
Piece: HO 10/53
looking at the image, it is Vowles. Just careless transcription as there is another V not far away for comparison.
a specific date of his pardon isn't obvious.

Australian Convict index
says that Dennis Vowles was 29, born Worcestershire, a widower with 3 children (2 male, I female)
Arrived New South Wales 1840, ship Woodbridge.
Occupation: Cabinet maker

List of Convicts with particulars 1840-1842
Standing number of Convict: 40.001
Indent no: 178
Vowles Dennis, 29, R & W, Protestant, Widower, 2 m, 1 f, Worcestershire, Cabinetmaker
Stealing a plated cup, Warwich Assizes, 27 March 1839, 10 yrs, no former convictions
Height: 5' 5", ruddy complexion, Brown hair, Chestnut eyes.
Particular marks, scars, comments: Mole on right cheek, another on right side of chin, large raised mole on back of neck, four blue dots inside lower right arm, scar on ball of right thumb, D V and anchor inside lower left arm, scar back of left hand, another on knuckle of forefinger of same, mark of a burn outside left knee.

I'll have a look at the newspaper digitalization project by the National library - might find a mention. Also the NSW BDM index is free online to find if he married.

R&W = read and write
and the dots, etc, in his description would be tattoos.

[Procat]

Also the NSW BDM index is free online to find if he married.

I had a look on there to see if I can find a marriage or death and drew a blank. I wonder what happened to him.

[Keyboard86]

Well Shay will be pleased, I know I could not find him on Shays other thread in 1841, but he was a Coal Miner born in Birmingham.
Lucky escape Shay I will await PM!
Keyboard

[shaygriff]

ChristineR. Thank you for this information. I never thought I would get a discription of my ggggf. Now I just have to find out where he went to.

Shay

[shaygriff]

Sorry, I forgot to say thanks to all of you who have helped here. Keep up the good work

Shay

[ChristineR]

He might have gone back to England? after all, he had children there. He may have changed his name to do so, as his early pardon might have been on the conditon that he stayed in the colonies. BUt is it him, a cabinet maker?