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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: Keith Sherwood on Saturday 22 January 05 12:46 GMT (UK)
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Hi, Everyone,
I hope I'm posting this in the right place, but about a year ago when researching my ancestor John Gurner, who went out to Australia in 1816 with his wife Rebecca on the Lord Melville ship to work in the judicial service there, I came across the list of poor souls who were on this particular ship. There was a crew of 27 or 28 officers and men, about 9 passengers; and then a list of about 117 women, either wives of convicts already in the colony, or recently convicted of a variety of offences; plus about 38 children, accompanying their mothers.
What conditions were like I can only imagine - desperate, no doubt. I sometimes wonder what John Gurner thought of it all. Anyway, there is a list of approx 190 named individuals, and against the women's names is their place of origin - or possibly where they were tried and found guilty.
I'd be glad to look-ups for anyone on this list.
Examples:"Esther Sadler, alias Barton or Barrett/Barnett of Worcester
Hannah, wife of John Whiteley alias Wilkinson, of York
Keith
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Greetings from Canberra Keith. I'd like to take you up on that lookup offer. I'm looking for a Sarah, wife of Zenophon or Xenophon BASHAM who reportedly came to our fair shores aboard the Lord Melville to join her miscreant husband who arrived in 1811. My wife is a remote descendent of Z/X & Sarah.
see http://www.elaunceston.com/launcestonhistory/2004/basham.htm
many thanks, Alan
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Hi Alan,
At last! - It seemed as though my posting was disappearing without any takers, so here is the brief information I have. There were 27 or 28 officers and crew on The Lord Melville. Listed underneath are the names of 9 passengers, including Baron Field who was a bigwig in the judiciary system; then are listed under "wives of convicts already in the colony" 11 women and their 11 children. Thereafter there is a long list of 106 convicted women and 27 of their children
In many cases the places where the families are from (or possibly where the mother was convicted) are given, but not in the case of those wives going to join their already convicted husbands. Between a Johannah Desmond and a Mary Jones are: Mary Basham
Child Basham
Child Basham
Child Basham
Child Basham
So, the forename seems to be wrong for the mother, though there are all kinds of aliases for some of the other unfortunate women listed below. A pity, too, that the children's forenames are not known, therefore not their sex.
But at least you know they were on the Lord Melville in 1816 (arrived in 1817, I believe), and how many children set out.
I hope this has been of some help,
Best wishes,
Keith
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Hi again, Alan,
I was so busy sending you my information, it wasn't till afterwards that I had a look at the fascinating details on the website you gave. Sarah Basham is most clearly named, as are her four children.
Perhaps she mumbled her name to whoever was making the crew list, anxious at the time about how the whole venture would turn out...
Keith
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Thanks Keith. As it happens I just stumbled across the Sarah/Mary conundrum an hour ago myself. If you search the following for Basham, you'll find the 4 children (ages given) and Mary but no Sarah!
Ships Muster index. Passengers and Crew Departing NSW, 1816-1825
http://svc007.bne009i.server-web.com/catalogue/onlinebook/public/searchship.ehtml
regards, Alan
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Alan,
I imagine the error with the Mary forename was simply perpetuated when a database was put together - but at least in this case you know what the truth of the matter was - Sarah!
Keith
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Hi again, Alan,
Today I've received an e-mail from a man living in Brisbane, Australia who is in the process of writing about "The Lord Melville", following its voyage and subsequent fate/histories of everyone on board. He's doing the writing part-time, as he's pretty much fully employed on other things, but he hopes to publish the book next year, entitled:"In the Wake of the Lord Melville." I'll contact you off this site with more specific details, but maybe he still has room for your fascinating Basham family story, if he hasn't already come across your website.
Exciting news for us, anyway...
Keith
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Hi apa. Ive just stumbled about Xenaphon Basham. Loks like he is my 5 Great Grandfather. If you are still around in here and read this i would love more info
thanks
Minnie
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Hi I too have just stumbled onto here in search for more info on Zenophon BAsham and family. He is my great grandmothers great- great grandfather. If anyone has some info would love to hear from you
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Hi again, Everyone,
Just over three years have elapsed since the last post on this thread, and now I've discovered that Russell Kelly has finally had a launch of his book: "In the Wake of the Lord Melville", on 24th February 2014, in Sydney.
He eventually self-published 1000 copies of the book, and there's a Facebook page devoted to it. Can anyone tell me what is the cheapest, most efficient way of doing a direct transfer of money to him so that I can purchase the book and pay for its postage to here in England?
Regards, keith
Very exciting news all this, too!
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Hi there
I think I remember exchanging PMs with you re that book back all those years ago. I have been patiently waiting for advice on the launch of this book too. In fact I recall contacting the author during 2013, and I thought I was on a "wait list"....
I don't have a facebook thingy..... ::) so probably that is why I did not know of the launch. I will hunt out his Queensland phone number and follow up and let you know ASAP.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS/2014-02/1393212744
http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5009195
Cheers, JM
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JM, you can read the FaceBook Group page without being a member it gives his contact details, price etc:
https://www.facebook.com/LordMelville
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Thanks, I learn new things every day at RChat....
I had left a message on an answering machine, but no reply as yet.
Cheers, JM
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Hi there,
My copy of the book has arrived and it is fantastic. ;D
Cheers, JM
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…and my copy is now on its way to England, but it's going to take 3-4 weeks to arrive, and I can't wait, either…!"
Keith
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Hi Keith Sherwood,
I have recently joined Rootschat and was interested to see your offer to search for an ancester if we wanted. I would like to take up your offer and for you to look up my ggggrandmother Mary Ann Streeter/Allen a convict on the Lord Melville arriving NSW 24/2/1817. Her daughter Eliza Ann from her first marriage to George Thomas Streeter (a convict on ship"Granada" arriving 21/10/1819) was also on the Lord Melville.
Mary Ann was tried with her husband? Josiah Allen at the Lancaster Assizes.He, for forging bank notes and sh, for being in possession of forged bank notes. Both were sentenced for 14 years. Josiah came on the "Fame" in 8/3/1817. Mary Ann had several aliases: Ann, Streeter, Hunter, Nichols. She sounds like a very interesting character! I would appreciate any information you may have found.
Many thanks
Mariea
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Hi, Mariea, and welcome to Rootschat!
There is indeed a large section in the book dealing with your named ancestors, in fact pages 235-248, in the section entitled The Crew John Nicholson is described in great detail, with of course lots of references to Maria Ann and Eliza. Where exactly are you in the world, for I could copy and send you those pages. Please don't give me your personal whereabouts or address on here, but if you simply acknowledge this reply on this thread, then I think I can communicate with you by PM (Personal Message) on this site...
Very best wishes,
Keith
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You did know, I presume, that Eliza, the 17 year old daughter, married John Nicholson the First Officer of the Lord Melville almost as soon as the ship docked in Australia!
Keith
Actually, Mariea,
I've had another look at the book, and Maria Ann is listed under the surname ALLEN too, and there are at least 7 or 8 full pages on her there.
It might even be an idea to get hold of a copy of the book yourself as there is so much info in there about your family members, especially if you live in Australia, where it would be easier to get hold of one.
Though I am more than willing to take images/copy and send them to you, as I said...
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Hello Keith,
Thank you for replying so soon to my email. Yes, I believe Eliza married John 2 weeks after they arrived. Quick work indeed! Yes her mother Mary Ann, or Ann, Allen also known as Streeter (formerly married to another convict George Streeter who came out on the Grenada in 1819), Hunter and Nicholls sounds like a very interesting character wwith all of her aliase! She is a direct ancestor of mine having married Josiah Allen (my ggg grandfather, also a convict, sentenced together with Mary Ann but later came out on the Fame in 1817. I was trying to find information about his father William Allen a convict who came out on the Surrey in 1814. I live in Sydney and so will certainly endeavour to buy the book. Many thanks for your help. Cheers Mariea
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Hello Keith,
I am also trying to find out information about Samuel Beaman a convict who came out to NSW on the Captain Cook on the 26/8/1833 from the London Gaol Delivery. Is it possible to trace any family members who were left behind in England.I believe he was married to a Mary Humphries in Middlesex and had two Sons a Richard and a Samuel at the time he was transported. At some stage he applied to re-unite with them in the colony but I don't know whether they came.
Thanks again for any information you may offer. Mariea
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Samuel BEAMAN aged 32 years, arrived 26 August 1833 per the ship Captain Cook (2). (ie the second voyage of that vessel to bring convicts to NSW). Samuel was recorded on the indents as a Protestant, could read and write, married with 2 male children, and a native of Middlesex. His trade/calling was as a Coachman, Carman. He was tried at the London Gaol Delivery on 3 January 1833, and was found guilty of the robbery of a man. This was his first conviction, he received a sentence of seven years transportation. He was 5 ft 7 inches tall, with a dark ruddy complexion, his eyes were hazel, hair brown… See Convict no. 33-1686, Indent no. 081, NSW state archives.
He received his Ticket of Leave in 1837 (37/1483) and was allowed to remain in the Parramatta district. See reel 928 at NSW state archives.
I have not found Mary (nee Humphries) nor their sons Richard and Samuel in my NSW offline records, but I am still searching through these. I will check through my Bowman files too, for Beaman may well be mistaken for Bowman when either transcribing long hand NSW 19th century handwriting or even when spoken aloud from various accents... :)
JM (edit to correct spelling ! :-[ :-[ :-[ )
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Thanks very much for that Majm...
Now, Mariea, if you can get hold of a copy of that Lord Melville book too you'll have done very well out of your queries on this thread!
Will try and see whether there is a Mary Beaman and young family in the 1841 Census, but they might be elusive...
Keith
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Hello Keith,
Thank you soo much for all your efforts to find information for me. I really do appreciate it!
Do you know where Mary Ann Allen would have been sent when she arrived in the colony?
Did you find any information about Josiah Allen, Mary Ann's husband and partner in crime? He was transported on the "Fame" on 9th Oct 1816, arriving in NSW on 8th March 1817? Or his father William Allen, a convict transported on the "Surrey" tried at the Warwick Assizes on 14th August 1813 and transported to NSW, arriving on 28th July, 1814?
Many thanks
Mariea
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Hi there,
William ALLEN has an alias: Thomas ELDRIDGE. He was tried London. His ticket of leave in 1849 allowed him to remain in the district of Windsor, NSW. I have a lot of info on him. I will dig it out and share tomorrow (it is 7:47 pm here).
ADD a life sentence from London, plus additional colonial convictions.
JM
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The reporter has made the following comment:
Thank you for your information, however the Willaim Allen I am looking for was tried at the Warwick Assizes on 14/8/1813 and was transported on the Surrey arriving in NSW on 28/7/1814. Mariea
Posted on behalf of Mariea who clicked on the report to moderator button instead of the reply button ;) Sarah
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:)
Yes, the William ALLEN, alias Thomas ELDRIDGE, was tried at London Gaol Delivery, arrived per Surrey in 1814 and because of a colonial conviction was issued with a Ticket of Leave number 49/0077 by the Bench at Windsor.
Reel 961 at the NSW Archives will include the original butts.
He may have been a witness at the Newcastle NSW marriage of Robert YOUNG and Martha WILLIAMS 6 August 1818.
He was (as William ALLEN, per the Surrey) recorded in the NSW 1828 Census at Port Macquarie, serving a life sentence.
There is a burial registered at St Matthews Church of England, Windsor by the Rev Henry T Stiles, for a William ALLEN, aged 55, died 14 August 1851, Windsor Hospital, buried 15 August 1851.
The Convict Indents for July 1814:
William ALLEN alias Thomas ELDRIDGE, aged 21 years, born London, a Groom. 5 ft 5 inches tall, fair complexion, Dark Brown hair, Hazel eyes. Trial London Gaol Delivery 17 Feb 1813, sentenced to Life. Transported per Surrey arriving 28 July 1814.
Colonial Sentence:
2 August Sydney Criminal Court, sentence to Life, transported to Newcastle NSW
Ticket of Leave issued 1849, 49/77
Original Remarks noted "Transported for Life to Newcastle 2 August 1817 by the criminal Court Sydney, again 25 January 1819 for the remainder of the original sentence by the Sydney Bench for street robbery" NSW Archives, perhaps reel 940.
JM
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:)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2177526 Sydney Gazette 19 October 1817.
Robert Wilson, and Bernard or Borach Levy, were capitally convicted of a burglarious entry into the store of W. H. Moore, Esq. and stealing therefrom three casks of wine, his property; as was also, William Allen, as being accessary to and after the fact; and likewise, Alexander Thompsey, as receiver of part of the said wine knowing it to be stolen.-All remanded for sentence; and Charles Lunt, who appeared as a witness on the prosecution, was committed by the Court to take his trial for the crime of wilful & corrupt perjury.
JM
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Sydney
Sitting Magistrate R. Brooks Esq.
The following convicted of larcenies and other offences, were sentenced variously :—
William Cope, John Ducey. William Boxho, Robert Wilson, and William Allen—for life to Newcastle.
As an aside, that Magistrate was the same Richard Brooks owner of the Lord Melville.
JM
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The reporter has made the following comment:
Thank you for your information, however the Willaim Allen I am looking for was tried at the Warwick Assizes on 14/8/1813 and was transported on the Surrey arriving in NSW on 28/7/1814. Mariea
Posted on behalf of Mariea who clicked on the report to moderator button instead of the reply button ;) Sarah
http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/claimaconvict/convictDetails.php?convictId=44893
http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/claimaconvict/convictDetails.php?convictId=44787
JM :)
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Thank you for that extra information. This is perhaps a silly question but when you say thy were sentenced for life was that for the term of their natural life or for a set period of years? So if William Allen was originally sentenced for life why did he receive a Ticket-of-leave in 1849?
Regards
Mariea
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Hello JM,
Thank you for the great information about William Allen. Do you know if another convict Josiah Allen convicted at the Lancaster Assizes with wife Mary Ann Allen in 1816 for forging Bank Notes is related to William Allen. I thought William was Josiah's father but now am not sure. Josiah arrived in NSW
on The Fame on 8/3/1817 and Mary Ann came earlier on The Lord Melville on 24/2/1817.
Regards
Mariea
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Thank you for that extra information. This is perhaps a silly question but when you say thy were sentenced for life was that for the term of their natural life or for a set period of years? So if William Allen was originally sentenced for life why did he receive a Ticket-of-leave in 1849?
Regards
Mariea
A sentence of Life meant just that .... no set number of years, but of course the penal system did allow for the governors to reduce the sentences ....
Convictism to NSW effectively ceased in 1840.
JM
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Hello JM,
Thank you for your latest reply.
Cheers
Mariea
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Hi all,
Re: Zenophon Herne Basham
This is all new to me and I accidentally ended up here and glad I have. Im not sure if you will see this email but On the chance you do I have information about the Basham’s. I’m on holidays in a Tasmania at the moment and I have found Zenophon’s place of burial which I plan to visit. I have information at home regarding the Basham’s (my grandfather had spent many hours researching our family.) I also have court transcripts, news articles on reports pertaining to Zenophon and his children, from murder at the hands of the ‘Monster’ and being wounded by a soldiers bayonet as one of his sons escaped being held captive by Bushrangers and mistaken as one by the soldier. For those wanting to know about Sarah, his wife, from memory I have some information regarding her. I hope this does find some who are searching, please feel free to contact me here and I’ll try to help if I can. Cheers Sam.
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Hello All too
I have a substantial body of copies of documents and the like from going on thirty years' research.
SamGray implies that there is misleading stuff out there and he's quite right. There seems to be no record other than Rev John Youl's register entry ("Murdr'd") that John Basham (not Xenophon) was killed by anything other than a mistake. If, by the "Monster", people imply Jefferies, it has to be said he wasn't even at the scene.
I will happily help with copies of docs and stuff I've learned if people wish to contact me.
And I have two questions too, even after all these years:
Can someone give me the reference to the original authority that Xenophon's wife was a Sarah Ashby?
Can someone tell me from where "E.F." (Eustace FitzGerald, better known as James Dally) gets his information that Xenophon was "popularly known as John"? It sounds quite sensible to me but did Dally find another source I haven't?
Rhonda
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I forgot to say: Russell Kelly's excellent book was still available earlier this year.
Rhonda
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Hi guys (and Rhonda), I am also researching the Basham heritage, especially as it applies to the family in and around Victor Harbor/Port Elliot in South Australia and the subsequent link to the Gray family.
Info that may help:
On 27 March 1817 the vessel Cochin left Port Jackson, Sydney, and arrived at the Derwent in Tasmania on April 6/7 1817. Sources: Nicholson, Ian Hawkins, Shipping Arrivals and Departures, Tasmania, 1803-1833, Roebuck, 1983, p45.
Newspaper report The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter, Saturday 12 Apr 1817, p2.
The passengers on that vessel included Sarah Basham (nee Ashby) and her four children. Additional source: Tasmanian Immigrants List "B" surnames Basham Sarah (nee Ashby) and four children ship Cochin (1817) contact Erin O'Donnell.
Sarah Basham is also mentioned in the Trove digital newspaper The Southern Argus (Port Elliot,SA: 1866-1954) under DIED: On the 23rd September at her residence, Launceston, Tasmania, Mrs Sarah Basham, mother of Mr William Basham, of Port Elliot Mill, and grandmother to William and Charles Basham, of Port Elliot, and Jonathan Basham, of Hindmarsh Valley, aged 99 years (this refers to Sarah). A colonist of 51 years.
This Trove entry confirms Sarah's arrival in Tasmania (1817) and gives a birth year of 1769 for her. She would have been 48 on her arrival in Tasmania. And she is not listed as a convict. Someone else has mentioned that she originally went to Sydney to join her "miscreant" husband, who had been shipped off to the colonies after being found guilty of a crime in England (just cannot put my finger on this posting at the moment).
One of Sarah's grandsons, Jonathan Samuel Basham, was born in Launceston, Tasmania, on May 12, 1828. He sailed to Port Adelaide in South Australia aboard the vessel Fox, arriving in 1939. He took up farming in the Hindmarsh Valley area near Victor Harbor. There are two conflicting reports of his marriage to a Susan Paget by whom he produced 11 children, including Frederick Basham (1863-1939) who married Sarah Jane Gray (1864-1923). He died on April 1, 1902.
Hope this helps and I am always happy to receive "corrections". I have an Ancestry tree that I am happy to share.
Best regards
Dennis
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Hello Dennis (teddy3737)
Lovely to hear from you. About twenty-five years ago. when several people in Australia, were working on the Bashams, one of us contacted the SA branch of the family and we were told we weren't exactly welcome. We respected that. This was long after it had become "fashionable" to have convict relatives.
This was pre-Internet day. But young people grow up and, you have to admit, genealogical detective work can be thrilling. So younger generations join in, whatever their parents wish or don't wish.
Tasmanian Immigrants List "B" is not a source document. Neither is Trove nor HTG. If you slog, as many of us have, you will find no reference to this Sarah Ashby. We have trawled AJCP till kingdom come. And the Hammersmith parish records. I do not know Erin O'Donnell. I wish I did because the other half of me is Irish. Please link this to him if you have his contact details. It's my belief that Sarah (not "Mary") was indeed Sarah but I do not believe it's yet proved she was a Sarah Ashby. I do believe Xenophon was known as "John", but I have no evidence.
I have suspicions about who exactly Sarah was.
Rhonda