Thursday, June 30, 2011

Convict research, by Suhail.

Life sentence for John Gray
John Gray was found guilty of illegally receiving goods a quantity of goods from Mr.Samuel Doubledays property. These illegal actions made it to a capital offence for which he received a sentence to death. Ann Gray wife of John Gray and James Price were charged as his members like his accomplicies in receiving the quantity if goods from Mr.Samuel Doubledays house. But amazingly Ann Gray and James Price were let of and not charged. But John Gray was sentenced a life imprisonment to Australia. ‘do you think that this was appropriate?’ Well back in those days little things could trigger of big offences.

Convict research, by Paul.

Mary Hyde was 17 years old when she was convicted of theft at the Warwickshire Assizes on March 21st 1796. She was sentenced to transportation, a sentence not carried out until 1798 when she arrived at Port Jackson aboard the Brittania II. She came under the protection of a young naval officer John Black (who had survived the mutiny on the Lady Shore in 1797). She and John had 2 children, John born in 1799 (who later became the first manager of the Bank of New South Wales) and Mary Ann (who were to marry Prosper de Mestre in 1822).
In 1802 John Black was lost at sea when his ship "The Fly" did not return from a voyage to India. Mary was left a widow with 2 children and no means of support. She came under the protection of one of early Sydney's great characters, a former convict by the name of Simeon Lord. In 1814 she and Simeon were married and she bore him 8 children both before and after marriage. Simeon Lord died in 1840 "an immensely wealthy man". Mary died on Dec 1st 1860 at her home at Botany.

Convict research, by Lydia.

Patrick monks                                 in 1836 Patrick MONKS of Dublin arrived in Sydney aboard the convict transport Waterloo, which had departed from Cork 108 days earlier. At thirty years of age he was older than many of his 224 peers, although a few were in their late thirties.

The Waterloo was a very old ship, so conditions were probably damp, poorly ventilated and inadequate. The number aboard was high for its tonnage. In general the standard of convict transports deteriorated in this era, as shipping was diverted to military purposes. Five years later, on another voyage, the Waterloo sank off the Cape of Good Hope, with nearly two thirds of her convict cargo perishing.

As well as being older Patrick Monks was taller than his peers, of dark complexion, his hair greying. He was a "poulterer" from Dublin, sentenced seven years for "stealing a book". He was literate, and like most of his fellows was Catholic.

According to the official records Patrick
s wife Maria Monks had been transported a year earlier, although it has not been possible to identify exactly when and how this occurred. Many relationships did not survive this type of disruption, even where both parties eventually reached Sydney. In Patrick and Marias case they seem to have renewed their association in the colony.

By 1836 convicts no longer enjoyed the latitude afforded in the earlier decades of the colony. The growing population of free settlers resented the competition for jobs, and there was strong pressure to cease transportation. In 1837 Patrick was employed by the Government in Sydney, probably on public works labour. By 1841 he was in Port Macquarie, by then no longer a penal settlement. He had probably been assigned to a settler.

In August 1841 he was granted a Ticket of Leave to remain in Port Macquarie. As well as ensuring that sentences were served according to strict conditions Tickets of Leave were a means of forcing an inexpensive labour source to remain in developing regional areas. A year later, when his sentence expired, it would seem that there was little to keep Patrick in Port Macquarie, and consistent with the family trend, he returned to Sydney shortly afterwards when he was at liberty to do so.

At the end of 1844 Mary Anne was born to Maria and Patrick. By then he had returned to his old trade, working as a poulterer at 17 York Street South. Seven years later he still had his business, although by 1858 he was no longer listed in the trade directory. When his daughter married in 1862 she was living with relatives in Clarence Street, and there is no information concerning Patrick's life between 1851 and his death in 1871.

When he died it is clear that no ties remained with other family

Convict research, by Carl.

William Henry Groom
William henry groom was born on the 9th of March 1883 in the city of Plymouth in England. William henry groom was transported to Australia for the charge of embezzlement just at the age of 13 and was in there for 7 years. Then he was released after his time then shortly he was again arrested for something almost the same as what he did to get in there in the first place. He had goal time in the goldfields which are now the colony of victoria.  

Convict research, by Daniel.

MARY WADE
Mary Wade was born on the 5th of October 1777 at Southwark, London to Mary English and George Wade of Westminster, Middlesex and then christened on the 21st of October, 1777 at Saint Olave, Southwark, and Surrey, England. Nearly all her life she was begging money and food on the streets of London until she was convicted of stealing cloths from a child, Mary Phillips (8 years old).  For this she was arrested and imprisoned at Bridewell Prison and later sentenced to death by hanging but instead was transported to Australia in exchange for her natural life.  She was transported to Australia at the age of 10 on the Lady Juliana which was the first convict ship to hold cargo made up of entirely women and children.  The entire 11 month voyage came to a halt on the 3rd of June, 1790 and was later sent to Norfolk Island on the Surprize and arrived on the 7th August, 1790.  She had 2 children, Sarah and Edward.  Sarah later came to have 21 children, 7 in which to have their own children.  She finally received her Certificate of freedom on the 1st of September, 1812.  During her dying days she had 300 living descendants and some are well known.  From this day forward her descendant, Kevin Rudd is a powerful and famous young man. Her name is Mary Wade, the youngest ever convict. 

Convicts research, by Robbie.

Convicted to 14 years for armed robbery!
Robert garrad was convicted to 14 years for armed robbery stealing 160 pounds worth of pig meat. Before being sentenced to 14 years he was originally sentenced to death. He then married Sarah Taylor in 1826 and they had 7 children. He was transported on the admiral Gambier and friends. He arrived in New South Wales to serve his sentence. Robert garrad was one of299 convicts transported on the admiral Gambier and friends on April 1811.