Author Topic: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?  (Read 4225 times)

Offline tedscout

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Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« on: Monday 26 August 13 13:31 BST (UK) »
Hello dear Rootschatters,

William George Freeman was a 15 year old convict who came to NSW on "The John" in 1832.

He got his ticket of leave on 19 April 1837 in New South Wales. The next time I can find him is in Adelaide on 15 September 1840 when he marries Sarah Ann Stacey.

I know most things about him before 1837 and after 1840. I know of all his children and most of his decendents.

I just want to know how he got from NSW to SA. There are family stories and information on various websites, but I want proof, and I am finding it hard to find.

Hope someone with better knowledge of SA than me, or with better resources, or just better at finding things will be able to help me.

Thanks for reading this, and thanks in advance for anything you may find.

Cheers, Ted
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Offline Neil Todd

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #1 on: Monday 26 August 13 22:49 BST (UK) »
Hi Ted, Do you know when he got his Certificate of Freedom? Also what was he doing 1837 and where?

Neil
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Offline Neil Todd

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #2 on: Monday 26 August 13 23:02 BST (UK) »
According to the records he actually got his certificate of freedom in 1837 Ref # 37/0339

Knocked off a bit of Cheese ;D Ensuring his Bone density was OK no doubt. ;)

Neil
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Offline majm

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 26 August 13 23:27 BST (UK) »
Ted & Neil

How can a Freeman be a Convict..... It takes a Big Cheese to do that.....

Now NSW c1837 ... to SA before 1840 ....  by sea down via Bass Strait .... perhaps with sheep and as shepherd accompanying a Supercargo in charge..

Some left from Eden NSW ...

TROVE should help but also back issues of Australian National Maritime Museum quarterly journal may have article.....

Cheers JM
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Offline Neil Todd

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 26 August 13 23:36 BST (UK) »
I am more worried by the fact that he came all the way from England on the "JOHN"  :o Dysentery perhaps ::)

Neil ;D
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Offline Dundee

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 26 August 13 23:46 BST (UK) »
Neil is quite right, he received his certificate of freedom in 1837, not his TOL, so he could do anything he pleased.  The 1837 muster shows that he was assigned to/working for J. HAWDON of Bateman's Bay.  He probably already had a TOL so was with HAWDON by choice.

Joseph HAWDON?  http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hawdon-joseph-2168

"In 1838 Hawdon and Charles Bonney drove cattle from a station near Howlong to Adelaide following the course of the Murray River for most of the way. This venture helped to fill in the map. Next year, with Lieutenant Mundy, he drove tandem over a more direct route between Melbourne and Adelaide".

So perhaps William went with him.

Debra  :)

Offline majm

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 27 August 13 00:45 BST (UK) »
 :) Well spotted Dundee  :)

HAWDON J   Two NSW chaps

Joseph is mentioned 1840-1848 in the NSW Col Sec’s LAND index at NSW SRO
John is mentioned many times across a number of indexes, seems to be associated with land in Victoria 1839-1848 and around Maneroo (ie The Monaro District) NSW

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/collection-search

Cheers,  JM  (Neil, the Big Cheese could have been handy on the John trip)
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Offline majm

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 27 August 13 00:49 BST (UK) »
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/70934477 18  Jan 1879  Australian Town and Country Journal

John Hawdon his life story in words  ;D and picture too  :)   ( :D Joseph was his younger bro  :D)

 ;D  ;D  ;D  Ted, Neil, Dundee .... JM is happy RChatter,  there's a mention of Bowman in one of the newspaper cuttings about John Hawdon  ;D at Trove, and it is confirming info I have had sitting in a too hard tray for decades  ::)  ::) :

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16600463 SMH 9 Nov 1929.   Fantastic article, mentions the letters of introduction used back 100 years and more ie in the then penal colony of NSW when some arrivals were free settlers who brought letters of introduction with them.     

Ted, many many many 'umble thanks from JM and my living rellies (some were adults when SMH article was first hitting the streets) .... your thread re William Freeman will be topic of the quarter in my next SCANDELL sheet I do up for my elderly rellies.    I had been trying to find a topic to focus on, and Ted, you have found it for me.     

Cheers,  JM (Assuming I can have Leave of Absence from RChat for a day or so  ;D to get my Bowman folders back up and re-read and thus central for my focus).
 
The information in my posts is provided for academic and non-commercial research purposes. 
Random Acts of Kindness Given Freely are never Worthless for they are Priceless.
Qui scit et non docet.    Qui docet et non vivit.    Qui nescit et non interrogat.   
All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Offline Neil Todd

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Re: Billy Freeman - Convict. What was he doing between 1837 - 1840?
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 27 August 13 01:05 BST (UK) »
No mean feat in those days Howlong to Adelaide (google Maps) shows approximate route, even passes over Cobb Highway (possible tie in) approximately 900klms at 10klms per day = 90 days. Phew :o

Neil ;)
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