Convicts of Mangles (6)

[Megan Roberts]

Until today I thought that this was just one of the many who disappeared after getting his freedom never to be heard of again.

As a repository for the information collected I use FTM, although of course there is no tree as such, just a large collection of names, and every so often I sync with Ancestry, and then those pesky shaky green leaves appear ................

Well today one of those nagged at me, and I dug some around on other sites as well, and lo and behold that shaky green leaf that said that London convict boy had ended in Norfolk (England, not the convict island) in the 1851 census was correct; as evidenced by the article below:





Now he married he a lady called Louisa, and they had 2 daughters; Elizabeth and Jane, and I have found them in the 1871 census. Henry died in 1877. I can also find the ladies in the later censuses. However, I cannot find any of them in the 1861 census, and I am hoping someone out there might spot what I can't see.

I particularly interested as there are a series of newspaper articles in 1866 about "The Great Yarmouth Election Commission", which seems to be investigation into "cash for votes" in the late 1850s, and I think Henry was handing it out before he went bust! Presumably he backed the wrong candidate.

I haven't be able to work out how much money he was left by his Aunt, but I think that it must have been between 1846 when he married and was a baker, but his father was a gentleman and 1851 when he was an annuitant. Reading between the lines he then took on a pub. Its not clear if the Govt got the inheritance. By 1871 he was a labourer, but after his death his wife as of independent means.

Any help as usual will be appreciated.

[Megan Roberts]

Farrow was a broom maker from Nottingham, who was serving 14 years. He had a cast in his eye which earned him the nicknames of "Rolling-eyed Tom" or "Blind Tom", when he turned to bush ranging in the late 1830s, for which he ended being transported for life to a penal settlement. Firstly I think to Norfolk Island and then to Van Diemen's Land.

There are some very colourful, but perhaps not terribly accurate articles written about this chap, including one in 'Smith's Weekly' in 1928, which asserts that he was hung, but the actual records don't seem to back that up. This is a link to the "Story" https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ar...||l-title=1229


The purpose of this post is to ask for some help in deciphering his conduct record from the Tasmania Authorities; in particular the following elements:

Was his sentence reduced from Life to 12 years, and if so when?
What was the name of the ship that took him to VDL? - There were 2 convicts of the same name in Tasmania at the time, and the way of identifying them is through the ship name.




Thanks as always.

[helachau]

Henry's insolvency procedings, Nov 1860 have him as "residing Howard Street (No. 59), keeping the Radical Hat beer house". He's not there come the 1861 Census.

FMP - 1861 Census Missing (M) or Incomplete (I)
Piece - 1194, City or Borough - Yarmouth, Parish - Yarmouth Northern (2), Ward - Great Yarmouth: Cobham Island, M/I - I

[Megan Roberts]

Was his sentence reduced from Life to 12 years, and if so when?
What was the name of the ship that took him to VDL? - There were 2 convicts of the same name in Tasmania at the time, and the way of identifying them is through the ship name.

I think that I have answered at least one of my own questions – Thomas Farrow arrived in Tasmania aboard the Lady Franklin, and according to the Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston) 5 June 1852 his sentence had “expired”, which suggests that it had been commuted from Life to 12 years. But there is no mention of a “pardon” or a “certificate of freedom”, which are terms used for convicts in New South Wales, so do others agree with my interpretation?

The other convict Thomas Farrow arrived on the Palmyra in 1846 from Portsmouth and was aged 21 and sentenced to 10 years. Using the “Tasmanian Names Data Base Index”, he is the only one I can find listed departing Tasmania; which he did in 1854 bound for Melbourne.

In 1858 a whole series of newspaper articles appear about a former convict called Thomas Farrow who had served time in Tasmania, who was charged and ultimately found guilty of kidnapping a 14 year old girl in Victoria. This convict was said to be aged anywhere between 40 and 50 years old and had a squint on one eye.

Thomas Farrow from the Mangles was born about 1806, so in age terms is a better fit, and he was known to have a defective eye. Does the fact that I can’t find a departure record for him in Tasmania rule him out as the kidnapper?

[Megan Roberts]

Route was a soldier who had deserted from the Grenadier Guards and was sentenced to 14 years transportation.

I had previously found on FMP their data set "Army Deserters 1828-1840", which is described as follows:
This index of army deserters includes more than 17,000 born in England, Wales or overseas, also includes over 5,000 born in Scotland, and over 12,000 born in Ireland.

It does not include any original documents and was compiled by the Manchester & Lancs Family History Society, who do not have any further information.

From this data set I found 4 entries for Route:
3 Feb 1830
28 Aug 1830
13 Apr 1831
20 Mar 1832

The first 3 concern the 2nd Battalion and the last one the 1st Battalion. Other than his name, his age, and place of birth there is no other information.

Ancestry has a data set "UK, Naval and Military Courts Martial Registers, 1806-1930" which comprises the Judge Advocate General's Office: District Courts Martial Registers, Home and Abroad; Series: WO 86; Piece Number: 1. Normally only a summary can be seen and there I have found 3 entries:

23 Aug 1830 London
18 Jun 1831 London
21 May 1832 London

London refers to the location of the court or the trial.

The original documents are available through Fold3 or the National Archives. As it's a free weekend I have taken advantage of it to get the 3 documents and having got them am hoping that people can help me understand them:

1830



Can anyone read what it says after Absence?

1831

The sole charge he faced was "violence" for which he was imprisoned for 6 months. Where would soldiers have been imprisoned?

[elsinore]

Looking at the whole page, the phrase occurs a few times. I think the first part is '& Losing'.

The second word is more difficult but seems to begin with N (as in Norwich) and looks like 'Necs'. At first I thought it might be 'Vics' but the V in Violence is different and, elsewhere, all the 'i's' are dotted.

Three lines above Route's entry, the phrase is written as a separate offence, so just 'Losing Necs'.

I can't think what Necs (or Vics) might be!

Peter

[Megan Roberts]

I have finished my book, it has been printed, and tomorrow it is published!!!


It is now called "Transported", a little bit snappier than "Convicts of Mangles (6)"!




Without the help of all those who have helped me here it would never have happened, and to them I owe a debt of gratitude and thanks that words don't fully express.

Hopefully my book will be available in both paperback and e-book form from all good booksellers from tomorrow and if anyone is interested the ISBN references are:





I also have a small stock of paperback versions to sell privately, so if anyone is interested please PM me for details.

Once again thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Lesley Robertson]

Congratulations, Megan.

[David Tuson]

Well done Megan
David

[David Tuson]

Well done Megan
David