Genealogy Chat

I have been in a rut with family history recently new leads coming very slowly then this morning I opened my E. mail and found a newsletter from a distant relative in Australia telling the tale of an even more distant relative who was transported to Australia for stealing a sheep.

The (police no), .......Charles, date 26 oct 1837 age 45 born Shepton Mallett. last abode Axbridge Somerset sentenced to 10 years in Australia for stealing one sheep. Description: Name : ....... Chas; b Shepton Mallett, trade- Mason; Height without shoes 5ft 6 1/2in age 44 Complexion - dark Head- Round Hair - Brown whiskers .. Black Visage - round forehead - low Eyebrows - brown Eyes - grey Nose - small Mouth '-small Chin - Broad. Remarks; Bald scar on inside ofthumb left hand gaol report has a very good description:

I've had two ancestors transported - one to Virgina for sheep stealing, the other to Australia. How fid yor Oz reli find out the details?

That's amazingly detailed information Ann! I'm glad your relie's head was round though, not triangular or cuboid! Sarah :-)

Paul. I am sorry she didn't say how she got the imformation. She does however include a piece from the Sydney Herald. Joseph (the son) was implicated in the stealing of the sheep and sentenced to one months gaol, 1 week in solitary. For seven months Charles was in the 'hulks' at Sheerness. The Hulks were large vessels without masts which may have been line of battle ships or frigates fitted up for the reception of male convicts sentenced to be transported. THese floating prisons were securely moored near a dockyard or arsenal, so that the labour of the convicts may be applied to the public service. It would be hardly credited that there were usually 3000 men in this country thus employed. On their arrival the convicts were immediately stripped and washed, clothed in coarse grey jackets and breeches, and two irons placed on one of their legs, to which everone must submit, whatever may have been his previous rank and station in the world. They were sent out in gangs of a certain number to work on shore, guarded by soldiers. Out of one shilling earned for the Government by the convict, he is entitled to one penny, which is carried to his credit. The strictest discipline is maintained on board the hulks and extreme cleanliness enforced in the vessels. The diet daily is one 1/4 lb of Bread, a quart of thick gruel morning and evening, on four days of the week a piece of meat weighing 14 ounces before it is cooked, and on the other three days in lieu of meat, a quarter pound of cheese, also an allowance of small beer, and on certain occasions when work peculiarly fatiguing and laborious was required, a portion of strong beer is served to those engaged in it. A correct chronicle is kept of the conduct of each individual, and the captian, jointly wth the chaplain has the privilege of recommending annually a certain number as fit objects for a mitigation of punishment ; so that it very frequently occurs that a convict sentenced to seven years transportation, only serves three and a half years. There are also other inducement to orderly conduct - such as having their irons lightened, and being promoted to little appointments. which relieve them from severer labour. ( Taken from the Hulks System England 1834 published in the Sydney Herald NSW 1834) Very sad as he probably stole the sheep to feed his family.

how wonderful to find all that info, shame he didnt steal it these days, he would have been rewarded with a Bucket of KFC a bottle of pop and Cigarettes.!!!!!!!

Unfortunately it had an unhappy ending After serving his 7 months in the Ganymede Hulk, Charles Clifford was put aboard the ship 'Coromandel 111, on 12 June 1838 and departed from Sheerness England, 27 June 1838, sailing for 123 days at sea, arriving at a Port in Van Diemans Land, (Tasmania) on 26 October 1838. One yeara later on October 28th 1839 He was in the Custom House Gang for misconduct. Reprimanded .Charles Clifford died December 1839 in Hobart

you are lucky for finding all that out, I have some rellies who sailed on a ship containing convicts but they were paying passengers, always wondered what it must have been like.