General Chat

Greenock Prison, Renfrewshire.

Does anyone know if these are available? I have no idea where to look.

1851 census, Greenock Prison, one of the inmates was John Robertson age 41, a slater, born in Hamilton Lanarkshire.

I can't find John after that (don't know where he went, and it's no easy task to pick a particular John Robertson in Scotland!), but I know he died before 1889, because he was deceased when his 2nd wife died in November 1889.

Yes, he's a relative.... my gg grandfather's brother.

Looks like they are held here at the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh

http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/crime-and-criminals

There is an Article in the Greenock Advertiser on April 30, 1850 relating to a Felix Thomas and John Robertson pleading not guilty to theft from a brokers shop in Bridgegate St. They had previous convictions. The jury found both guilty and they were sentanced to 10yrs transportation

Edit - In 1851 there is a Felix Thomas
Birth: 1831 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire (Glasgow), Scotland
Residence: Portland Convict Prison, Dorset

*Chortle* Join the club!
The first crim I found in my tree was my gg grandfather's brother!!! :-D

My gg grandfather was a policeman! :-S

I'll check the census record, see if Felix is in the same prison.

Transportation? to where? If Oz, he's my first rellie to be a convict in Australia!

DH is behind me yelling out........... Boat Person! Boat Person!


I'll have to investigate.

Thankyou so much Maggie & K.

The 1850 article could be unrelated but was the only one I could see on the FMP newspapers that might fit.

I wonder if this is a possible

Name: John Robertson
Vessel: Sea Park
Convicted Date: 25 Apr 1850
Voyage Date: 30 Dec 1853
Colony: Western Australia
Place of Conviction: Glasgow, Scotland
10 year sentence - no age listed

It wasn't far into my search that we realised a William Garratt had been arrested for stealing and transported to Tasmania. Harsh sentences for crimes of stealing wool, a wooden post and wheat. He was there for the best part of fourteen years. This story is in the Bedfordshire Council Archives as 'William Garratt, a transported man' :-0

I found his wife on 1851 census, took me a while to find John.... so many John Robertsons!

They had both been married previously, he had 4 children from his first marriage (his 1st wife died before 1841, the children were living with his parents, on 1841 census), she had 3 children from 1st marriage. They had one child together, John born 1850. 1851 census shows Elizabeth age 38 born in Greenock, living at 77 Ann St, Greenock, with 7 children (3 of John's, 3 of hers, and 1 of theirs). Poor woman, she had all those children, her husband was in jail, and he was probably transported.

Felix Thomas isn't listed on 1851 census at Greenock Prison... I'll have to look for him.

This is intriguing.

I think this could be Felix In 1851 - there aren't many :-)

Felix Thomas
Birth: 1831 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire (Glasgow), Scotland
Residence: Portland Convict Prison, Dorset :

I found the Western Australia website.

NOT helpful at all! I registered, got a password etc..... found the ship Sea Park 1853..... but I can only view documents if I go to Perth in Western Australia! There's nothing online.

Perth is at the very west of Australia.... I'm about 12 kms north of the most easterly point!

I found this: http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/con-wa12.html

His name is on the list, but there's no mention of his crime.

I looked up the free website for birth, death & marriage for WA... there is one John Charles Robertson listed, but that's not him.... My gg uncle didn't have a middle name.

Frustrating!

I'll keep looking.:-)

I just found this...

John Robertson "Sea Park", 30 Dec 1853 to WA, Glasgow Court, 10 years, aged 25

That's not "my" John, he would have been 41-43 years old.

Oh Dear!! Back to Square one :-(

The John Robertson who was on the Sea Park was age 25, and a tailor, not mine, he was about 42 and a slater.

I kept looking, and found another John Robertson ...

The ship "Dudbrook" Departed Plymouth – 22 November 1852
Arrived in Swan River Colony – 7 February 1853
Robertson, John? Convict Untraced Crime Central Crimal Court 16 December 1850 10 years.

That sort of fits, as he was in Greenock jail on 30 March 1851.... I wonder if this is him?


So many John Robertsons!!

Now I'm really confused

I found some records...

Two John Robertsons..

BOTH age 21 or 25, BOTH tailors, one arrived on the Sea Park, the other on the Dudbrook. Nope, mine is a slater, age about 42.

Maybe the records got mixed up? I don't think I'll ever know :-(