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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: Rhodie on Thursday 26 July 07 19:09 BST (UK)
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I am seeking any prison record for James Hammett circ 1835-39 in Australia. He was transported there in 1834 and went to work by a lottery for Edward John Eyre, a farmer at Molongo Plains, near Canberra. Rumour had it that he was in prison at the time of his pardon (he was one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs), but he was the last to come home. Cannot find anything here in the UK for this info, anyone out there in Australia with any info? He was first cousin to my 2xgrt grandfather and many of us Hammett relatives over here would like to have this long outstanding question answered.
???
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Hello thee
So from you query I take it that he returned to England? If so what year did that happen?
You want to know about his life here?
Regards Jenn
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Hi Rhodie
Have you tried the Tolpuddle museum - they have a little on your man, apparently the only one who returned to Tolpuddle and didn't write his story
http://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/mus_frms.html
There is probably information in the Colonial Secretary Correspondence, but there is no name index to your time period of interest
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/colonial_secretary_correspondence_contents_7424.asp
Trish
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Hi,
I don't have any further information on James Hammet, except that he is buried in the churchyard at Tolpuddle which I assume you know. However Edward John Eyre to whom he was assigned became famous as an explorer in Australia and Lake Eyre and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia are named after him. His property, a sheep station outside Canberra, was in a very remote area for those times. Do you have any details of James Hammett's pardon (I understand it was a Royal Pardon) or when he returned to England.
Also the lottery system for assigning convicts was instituted by the Government as the demand for labour to establish properties was so competitive and not enough workers to go around. When the convict ships arrived the names of all people wanting convict labour were put into a barrell and drawn out, hence the "convict lottery".
If your James Hammet did anything to earn himself a colonial sentence the information would be in the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence which, after 1825, has been indexed by Joan Reece on fiche. It is not online. I don't have access to this index but someone else may be able to look it up for you.
Andcarred
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Thanks for replies. I am known quite well to Tolpuddle Musuem (Jan & co there) and was there for the rally just a few weeks back. What we need to know is more about his time out there in Australia. He was the last of the Tolpuddle Martyrs to come home after the Royal Pardon. Some say he was in a jail out there for assault but there is no evidence to support this so far (on an assault charge at Windsor Sept 1837). He was a man of few words about his time out there, so hence the mystery. He came home in August 1839 (the others arrived 17/3/1838 on the John Barry) apparently he had been too far in the interior of Australia than they had and none had heard from him since they were arrived there in August 1834. There had been a 3 yr delay from the pardon being granted to them actually being told about it and released! Also wanted to know if anyone might know the name of the ship James Hammett came back on. Apparently he only learnt of the pardon from an old newpaper his master had (source his daughter in law). So all help in Australia gratefully appreciated.
:)
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From the convict records now available at Ancestry.com.au, it looks like James (and the others?) was granted a Conditional Pardon in 1835, followed by a Complete Pardon the following year. Not sure whether you have this information so thought I'd pop in and let you know, just in case :)
You may have to get in touch with the NSW State Records Office and have them dig through the Colonial Secretary's papers for some correspondence to do with James's case. The online name index for the papers only takes us as far as 1825.
Prue
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Hi Rhodie,
I have done a bit more digging on James Hammett and have found 3 references to him in the HRA (Historical Records of Australia). Two are about his conditional pardon and the other is a Government report. It is in Volume XVIII June 1835 to June 1837. These records are held in State Libraries in Australia so if you can hang on for a few days I'll see if I can get into the Qld State Library and look it up for you. I can also check out the Col Secs records as well.
I did a google search on E J Eyre and it said he sold his property in the Molonglo Valley a couple of years after he took it up so probably James Hammett has had to go back to the Govt (maybe to the Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney) and then be reassigned to another master. This might be how he ended up at Windsor which is nowhere near the Molonglo Valley. Windsor is about 50 miles west of Sydney and my convict was there at the time also. It was considered to be out in the bush in those days but is now nearly a suburb of the ever expanding city of Sydney.
I am particularly interested in the Tolpuddle martyrs as I may have a very distant blood connection 8) 8) 8) through the Vincent family of Dewlish. Jacob Vincent was my g g grandfather. He came to Oz in 1841 with his wife Mary (nee Brett). His brother Isaac Vincent and family also migrated, along with Henry Michel, son of Gen John Michel of Dewlish House. The Vincents were a large family in the area and married into many other local families from Tolpuddle and surrounding villages. I believe George Loveless' wife was a Vincent descendant. The Vincents are also related through the Standfields. Small world!
Could I re-post your query on to the Aus-Convicts Mailing list and see if anyone else comes up with any information?
Andcarred
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please feel free to post it, and thanks, it would be great if you could find anything further out. We all over here just wondered why he was the last to come back and if there was any truth in this prison spell for assault out there, cannot find anything on it over here.
Rhodie :D
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Not sure if this is the same information that Andcarred found
Three references to your man in the index of the NSW Gov Gazette. The first two are referenced as "Convict Indulgence" - no definition of what this means June & Sep 1836 & the last in Jun 1837 is referenced as "Postal". I may be able to check the actual entries.
Trish
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Hi Trish and Rhodie,
I think you will find the entries in the Govt Gazette under "convict indulgences" are the notification of his Conditional Pardon. The other one under postal could be anything, it might refer to the posting of the report to London.
If we can find the report this might hopefully give us some background into his time in Australia. I haven't found anyone with access to the HRA yet. I will probably have to visit the Qld State Library to get a copy. Will try and do this next week.
Andcarred
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Hi Rhodie,
Further information found at Kingswood Archives in Sydney (State Records of NSW) from the Colonial Secretary's correspondence. :D :D :D
It would appear that it took months to round up all of the 6 martyrs after the pardon. They all eventually arrived at Hyde Park Barracks but somehow after that when the boat was due to sail from Sydney James Hammet got himself arrested at Windsor (50 miles inland) and missed the boat. Even if he only got a short sentence for his assault charge it have been just enough to miss the boat Given the others arrived back in England in March 1838 and his letter is dated 26 Aug 1837 he can't have missed it by much.
Given he was reportedly sent back from the Canberra (south west of Sydney) area by E J Eyre to Hyde Park Barracks (Sydney), I don't know what he was doing in Windsor which is due west of Sydney. He would not have needed to pass through Windsor on his way back from Canberra.
12 June 1835
From Superintendant of Convicts
All the Dorchester lot ordered back to Hyde Park Barracks
14 Jan 1836-re all the Dorchester convicts
With ref to your letter of names and dated as per margin, respecting the undermentioned convicts, I now beg to annex the particulars of their cases and acquaint you, that their assignees have been written to concerning their conduct, each of whom have reported favourly of them with the exception of the matter of James Hammett (Mr E J Eyre) from whom there is no reply, which has occasioned the delay in not replying to your several communications referred to but against whom there is nothing predredicial (prejudicial??) on record in this office
3 Feb 1836
re order to return to Hyde Park Barracks -Stanfield brothers at Port Macquarie
1st May 1836 from Edward John Eyre
I have the honour to request that a man may be assigned to me in the place of the prisoner named in the margin (James Hammett) and who was sent in to the Hyde Park Barracks at the order of the Colonial Secretary
6th May 1836- re James Hammett
That the latter named convict has arrived at Hyde Park Barracks from Woodlaws in Argyle the residence of his assignee Mr Edward John Eyre
26 Aug 1837
To his Excellency Sir George Gipps Governor of NSW and dependencies
The Humble memorial of James Hammett there with
That your memorialist is one of the Dorchester labourers tried in 1834 and arrived in the colony by the ship "Surrey" under sentence of Transportation .
That memorialist received his pardon in 1836 with other labourers sent there under the same circumstances who obtained a free passage to England .That your memorialist would have obtained the same indulgence but he was unfortunely detained in Windsor charged with an assault when the labourers left the colony.
That your memorialist is now anxious to return to his native land and he trusts your excellency will take his case into humane consideration and order memorialist a passage to England which he unfortunely lost on the former occasion and your memorialist is in duty bound.
Will ever pray
James Hammett
27 Feb 1839
In compliance with the direction of his Excellency the Governor contained in your letter of the 23 rd instant the prisoner named in the margin has been provided with a passage for England in the ship "Ewuretta" under an agreement which I had already made for the conveyance of Invalids, She is reputed to sail the 8th proxima .
I have the honour to be your most obed servant,
? Miller
The question now is what did James Hammett do during the 2 years it took for him to eventually sail back to England. If he was detained in Windsor jail I think we are out of luck as I have been told all Windsor jail records have been lost. Is the spelling of the ship's name (Ewuretta) correct?
I will continue investigating and see if I can find out what he did in the 2 years it took to get him on another ship. Unfortunately a lot of Australian convict records were destroyed many years ago in Sydney but we may be lucky. It might just be that the length of time it took for letters to get backwards and forwards from Oz to England has caused the delay.
Andcarred
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Hi,
Ship named Uretta and Euretta come up in Google.
Nothing specific to this case though.
Sue
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Rhodie,
This link does not address your Mr James Hammett, but does give some idea of who and where he worked, and the county that he may have encountered.
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010346b.htm
Cheers
Robert
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Rhodie,
This link does not address your Mr James Hammett, but does give some idea of who and where he worked, and the county that he may have encountered.
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010346b.htm
Cheers
Robert
Wow :o THAT Edward John Eyre!
James Hammett kept some very interesting and important company, Rhodie ;) ;D
Prue
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Thanks for all the info. What a shame those convict records were destroyed, what gems of info might have been gleened from them. Like who James assaulted (was it actual or just heresay of someone more important than himself?) and where was he for those missing years? If anyone comes up with these answers, I would be very very grateful. Cheers :)
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Hi Rhodie,
Happy to help with James Hammett. I will keep an eye out for any other information which might appear and let you know if I come up with anything.
Andcarred
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I am seeking any prison record for James Hammett circ 1835-39 in Australia. He was transported there in 1834 and went to work by a lottery for Edward John Eyre, a farmer at Molongo Plains, near Canberra. Rumour had it that he was in prison at the time of his pardon (he was one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs), but he was the last to come home. Cannot find anything here in the UK for this info, anyone out there in Australia with any info? He was first cousin to my 2xgrt grandfather and many of us Hammett relatives over here would like to have this long outstanding question answered.
???
Curious if you ever found any more information.
I live in the area, and would love to precisely locate the Woodlands property, so as to try to arrange some kind of monument or memorial.
There is a property nearby called Woodlands, but it seems it was a common name, as it's not it!
Peter
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Hi, no sorry Irish Pete, have not found out any more information to his time in Australia, guess those records were among the destroyed ones. A memorial for James out there would have been great. I visit his grave over here in Tolpuddle from time to time. :)
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New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900) View title info Wed 22 Jun 1836 [Issue No.227]
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Sydney, 21st June, 1836.
HIS Excellency the GOVERNOR directs it to
be notified that the Right Honorable the
Secretary of State for the Colonies has signified
His Majesty's gracious commands that Absolute
and Conditional Pardons be granted to the under-
mentioned individuals, viz.—
Despatch dated 31st January, 1836, No. 101,
ABSOLUTE PARDON.
Farrell James, Surry.
Continued on Page 471Scroll to previous page
Despatch dated 12th November, 1835, No. 72.
CONDITIONAL PARDONS.
Brine James, Surry
Hammett James, Surry
Stanfield John, Surry
Stanfield Thomas, Surry,—
On condition of residing in New South Wales for
the term of two years from the day of their arrival.
Loveless James, Surry,—
On condition of residing in New South Wales for
three years from the day of his arrival.
Despatch dated 17th November, 1835.
Dickinson John, Siren,—
On condition of residing in New South Wales for
two years from the day of his arrival.
By His Excellency's Command,
ALEXANDER McLEAY.
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New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900) Wed 7 Sep 1836 [Issue No.238]
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Sydney, 6th September,1836.
HIS Excellency the GOVERNOR directs it to be
notified that the Right Honorable the Se-
cretary of State for the Colonies, has signified His
Majesty's Gracious Commands that Absolute and
Conditional Pardons be granted to the under-
mentioned individuals, viz :—
Despatch dated 24th March, 1836.—No. 131.
ABSOLUTE PARDONS.
Brine James, Surrey
Hammett James, ditto
Loveless James, ditto
Stanfield John, ditto
Stanfield Thomas, ditto.
Despatch dated 16th April, 1836.—No. 143.
Lydon John, Forth
Lydon Peter, ditto
Lydon Michael, ditto
Murray Edmund, ditto
Murray James, ditto
Rogers James, ditto.
Despatch dated 3rd March, 1836.—No. 121.
CONDITIONAL PARDONS.
Adnum William, Earl St. Vincent
Alabaster Thomas, Coromandel (3)
Banks Joseph, ditto
Bolder John, Elizabeth (2)
Bow Martin, Hadlow (2)
Butter William, Marquis Wellington
Coghlan Timothy, Guildford (3)
Corkery Timothy, Hadlow (2)
Creag William, Morley (1)
Dewhurst Elizabeth, Wanstead
Doyle Darby, Guildford (2)
Elliot Chalres, Prince Regent
Elliot Samuel, Agamemnon
Evans Thomas, Surrey
Fielding Abraham, Guildford (1)
Forde Patrick, Dorothy
Graham James, Earl Spencer
Green or Clayton Sarah, Minstrel
Handley George, Larkins (1)
Continued on Page 702Scroll to previous page
Hayden William, Ocean, (2)
Healy Nicholas, Minerva
Hollingsworth Michael, Isabella
Home William, Dromedary
Howlett Thomas, Larkins (1)
Irby George, Recovery (1)
Irby John, ditto
Jones or Wilkie William, Baring (1)
Keith John, Baring (1)
Kinsilla Michael, Earl St. Vincent
Lee Edward, Isabella (1)
Lowe Joseph, Canada (5)
Lyons Solomon, Tottenham
Maloney John, Fortune (2)
Murray Owen, Guildford (2)
McTaggart Walter, Baring (1)
Marshall William, John (2)
Newton Edward, General Stuart
Onslow George, Hindostan
Overton Thomas, Recovery (1)
Page William, General Hewitt
Parry Griffith, Speke (21)
Reed Patrick, Guildford (3)
Reilly Robert, Hadlow (2)
Reilly Thomas, ditto
Richardson Joseph, Minerva (4)
Ryan John, Friendship (2)
Scarr John, Surrey (1)
Scott John, Indefatigable (2)
Short James, Neptune (2)
Smith Charles alias Kimley, Isabella (1)
Smith James, Sir W. Bensley (2)
Smith Matthew, Fortune (2)
Thomas Joseph, Isabella (1)
Toole Daniel, Bencoolen
Townsend John, Fame
Tribe George, Marquis Wellington
Tunnicliffe James, Ocean (1)
Turner George, Earl Spencer
Turner Jacob alias Francis, General Hewitt
Waldron William, Three Bees
Walsh James, Earl St. Vincent
Warren Gilbert, Grenada (1)
Warren John, Shipley (3)
Wells William, Somersetshire
Westley Thomas, Baring (2)
Wheeler Charles, Somersetshire
White John, Fame
White James, Canada (3)
White Patrick, ditto
Williams William, Morley (1)
Wilson William, alias Morville Thomas, Fanny
Wood James, alias Woods, General Hewitt
Woodhouse Samuel, Larkins (1)
Williams George, General Hewitt.
By His Excellency's Command,
ALEXANDER McLEAY.
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21 citations in trove in the 1830s including the 2 previous Gazette notices and 19 newspaper references including Article identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71684695
Also there were historical references 100 yars after also on Trove which is free