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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Ouse who on Tuesday 09 January 18 16:33 GMT (UK)
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My wife's convict ancestor John Johnson was assigned to Felix Wakefield, Norfolk Plains on his arrival in VDL in 1838 and I have been attempting to find precisely where Wakefield lived then. I know from many articles about the surveyor or authored by him that he was living with his family in Longford around that time, but I haven't seen (or overlooked) which farm he owned or rented. Can anyone help please?
This fascinating map is 20 years too early! http://oa.anu.edu.au/entity/12452 >:(
Kind regards, O.
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"At Chateaurais, on the Lake River, the residence of Felix Wakefield, Esq."
1838 'Advertising', Launceston Advertiser (Tas. : 1829 - 1846), 18 January, p. 2. , viewed 10 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84756084
This book says the farm was 65 acres, so I'm not sure it was the same land as mentioned below, but both are on the Lake River
"Felix continued working principally for the survey department in the Meander District and also bought a 65-acre farm at Longford, south of Launceston, which he named Chateau Rais after his father's home in Blois"
A Sort of Conscience: The Wakefields
https://books.google.com.au/books?isbn=1869405684
Descriptions of two approx 200 acre land parcels conveyed from William and John Griffiths to Felix Wakefield
1841 'GAZETTE[?]', The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), 21 May, p. 2. , viewed 10 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2956286
1834 Tasmanian archives map showing position of these land parcels (in Griffiths' names)
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/default.aspx?detail=1&type=I&id=AF398/1/457
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Thanks so much for all those very helpful links!
I had been aware of the name Chateaurais but hadn't been able to establish its location so the link to the fascinating Wakefield book is very helpful. I also hadn't realised the import of the 1841 newspaper article about the Griffiths land transfer; it and your link to the 1834 map are very valuable.
Our convict's arrival seems to have coincided with the decline in Felix Wakefield's fortunes in Tasmania, documented in "A sort of Conscience; the Wakefields", so I am now wondering whether he was assigned to someone else.
Thanks again. O
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Part of his conduct record reads "July 23 1838 Wakefield/returned to government recommended to be assigned in the interior...Launceston for assignment in the interior only vide Lieutenant Governer's decision 28 July 1838"
I'll see if I can locate that decision to see what it says
:)
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Thank you for the line from John Johnson's conduct record. My poor (and incomplete) transcription of his record had made no sense of that entry! It does tie in nicely with my speculation about him be being reassigned - though to whom/where to has eluded me so far. :-\
Thanks again. O.