william johnson

[standing1]

My great great grandfather William Johnson b circa 1821 Haney staffordshire Potteries was convicted7.12.1842 special assizes Stafford for burglary of solicitor mr Griffin at Shelton also of being involved in" Chartist Riots" at Stafford 1842 ( he stated he was not at the riots) a friend Thomas Wagstaff also convicted at same riots and born in Hanley Stafford continued his friendship with William after they served their time. William was sentenced to 15 years transported on the vessel John Renwick sailed from the spithead arrived in Tasmania 11.4.1843. On records it states wife Sarah, on other records family relationships: m.sarah,np;m.anna;2b.james,joseph, married, protestant trade packer number of children 1 Not sure what the abbreviations mean
I would be grateful for any help in tracing him and his family from his birth to his conviction, as I have come to a dead end , not haveing his parents on any certificates here  has limited my research, he has consistently stated Hanley Staffordshire Potteries on Australian certificates, but no mention of another family in England. William was an interesting character who must have redeemed his self respect as his death notice says he was a well respected pioneer of the colony and he went on to have a very large family and was quite successful in the mining industry.
thank you again for any help
Kind regards Trish

[skylark]

I have found you William on the "Australian Convict Transportation Registers"
William Johnson
Vessel - John Renwick
Convicted date - 1 October 1842
Voyage date - 24 Nov 1842
Colony - Van Deimen's Land
Place of conviction - Stafford

ALSO

"UK Prison Hulk Register and Letter Book, 1802-1849"
William Johnson
Age- 21
Date received - 31 Oct 1842
Ship - York
Place moored - Gosport
Date convicted - 1 Oct. 1842
Place convicted - Stafford
- the original copy also states that he was married and his occupation was a packer.

I will now look to see who he might have married etc.

[skylark]

Do you know which wife he left behind in England?

[skylark]

Looking at the original -

M(arried) Sarah.  np (no pater)? M(other) or Mater Anna. 2B(rothers) James Joseph.

[standing1]

Hi, thankyou for your response, the first William Johnson on the Renwick is the correct one, as you can see there were others born circa 1821 named
William Johnson also transported to Australia it was very confusing and to make matters worse I have been researching the William Johnson on the vessel Jardine, only to find after many years and only in the last few weeks he was the wrong one.
The wife I believe he left behind was Sarah stated on his actual convict record.
I found a record with a Willliam Johnson bachelor married Sarah Cates spinster 14 July 1841,Lambeth St Mary (in 1754-1921) records then strangely in 14.4.1845 John William Johnson bachelor to Sarah Cates spinster? Lambeth St Mary.
My William Johnson is supposed to have married Ellen Mclean in 1850 in Launceston but it was a weird one as there are absolutely no records of this marriage but Ellen did marry a Thomas Ranger in 1849 and then it just seems she had a daughter  Ellen to him and then took off with William and the next thing we know is they arrive in N.S.W claiming Ellen is born to William Johnson and they then have another daughter who they name Sarah in 1853.
Following children were Esther Elizabeth, Elizabeth, William, Catherine, Edward, James,Louisa, Ellen (Helen) Margaret.
Don't  know what to make of abbrev eations,   if I look too long I think it might mean new partner or mother, don't they usually refer to father with F and why on his record does it only mention Sarah? Thank you again for your kindness in trying to make some sense of this elusive man. I just feel there has to be more when he was involved in the riots and a member of the Chartist movement.
Kind Regards Trish

[skylark]

I got my abreviation clues from the other entries on the page.

[standing1]

Hi Skylark,
Another Genealogist researching my William Johnson has him married to Sarah Nixon 6th March 1836 and their son Edward Andrew Johnson born September 1836. William is supposed to have been born 7th Sept 1821 they mention Audley Staffordshire,  I had Hanley Staffordshire Potteries where he eventually worked as a packer before he was convicted 7th October 1842 at the Special Assizes Stafford and sentenced to 15 years for burglary of Solicitor Mr Griffin at Shelton and for participating in the Chartist Riots.
So I guess what I am asking is if the above marriage is correct would there be any information on parents of either of them and how would I follow up on Edward as after William became a freeman he married ( no wedding certificate) Ellen Mclean and went on to have 9 more children but there was never a reference to Edward, so he just made a new life in Australia.
Would be very grateful if you or anyone else who sees this entry could help me to further my research.
Kind Regards Trish

[trish1120]

Edward Andrews Johnson Christened 25 Sept 1836, Lambeth St John the Evangelist, Surrey, does have Parents William/Sarah but Williams Occp is Hosier (Stockingmaker)

I dont think someone born c 1821 would have a Child born 1836.

It makes me wonder if he was Convicted in Staffs why you think he would be in Surrey?

Trish

[standing1]

Hi Trish,
Thank you for your response
I tend to agree with you, I couldn't see why Willliam would have a child so far away from Staffordshire, also the age just didn't add up. As you can see from previous correspondence I think we were all clutching at straws because on his convict records it states he had a wife Sarah and one child and that particular one seemed to be the only one we could come up with.
Such an awful surname to research as there seemed to be so many William Johnsons, it was only that a Thomas Wagstaff also convicted for the Chartist Riots ( both their names appear on list) and transported on the same ship  born Hanley Staffordshire Potteries was a connection I could follow as they both ended up in the Mine Fields in Victoria and both their wives tended to each other when their children were born there, if it wasn't for Thomas I would still be searching for my elusive William Johnson.
If you have any suggestions that might help I would be grateful, not knowing distances and areas living in Australia makes it a bit harder and I just hate the thought of just accepting what everyone else settles for without a bit of proof.
Kind Regards Trish