Birth Samuel Owen

[gbugden]

Hello
My Australian convict ancestor was from Shropshire. I believe he was born in the first 5 months of 1802. He was aged 25 when he gained approval to marry in NSW in May 1827. This means he must have been born in the first 5 months of the year 1802.

The only IGI Shropshire birth/christening for a Samuel Owen in this period was a christening on 21 Feb 1802 at Hodnet Shropshire, father John Owen, mother Mary Sudlow Owen.

This might be him but I wonder if I an trust IGI? Could there be other records? Are there any suggestions about how I can link my ancestor to this IGI entry? I have his marriage and death certificates but they do not mention parents.

Any scrap of information or advice will be appreciated.
Cheers
Greg

NSW AUSTRALIA

[Gadget]

Hi Greg

Do you know when he was convicted and transported?  The Criminal records and local newspapers might give information that could help.

Also, was the baptism that you found an extracted (usually a C or P  Batch number)? If so, it is fairly reliable but would be best to check against the parish records.

Also, have you tried locating the 1802 baptism with  1841/51 census entries or marriages/burials in UK - if he appeared, you could rule out that entry.


gnu

[Gadget]

There's an entry in the Prison hulk register (Leviathan moored at Portsmouth) for a Samuel Owen, aged 19. Found guilty of Felony at Warwick and sentenced to Life (31 March 1821) - sent to NSW 22 Aug 1821.

Would this fit?

Quite a lot of the Shropshire cases were tried at Warwick.


gnu

[Gadget]

I've just checked the 1851 census.

There is an entry on the 1851 census that looks very much like the baptism that you found:

Stanton Heath, Wem, Shropshire
HO107/1995/251/13

Samuel Owen, 48, Tailor, b. Hodnet, Shropshire
Hannah, wife, 46, b. Stanton Heath, Shropshire

So, I'd not think that the Hodnet one is yours 

gnu

[garstonite]

Hiya Greg....I agree completely that the Hodnet baptism is the only one in those available months - BUT - how do you know that your Samuel Owen was baptised in the first 8 months of 1802...it was pretty common for poor families to have 2 / 3 children all baptised on the same day - when they had the money to do so...
so , your Samuel Owen may have been any age really when he was baptised....
GNU has confirmed that Samuel b Hodnet 1802 is still local in 1851....
sorry mate but this may prove a difficult find....good luck
allan

[gbugden]

Gnu and Garstonite,  hello and thank you for your research and information. I'd not expected so quick and comprehensive a response.
It certainly looks like the IGI entry for the 1802 christening is not my Samuel Owen. This is a bit a a disappointment, but it at least eliminates a possibility and that is a consolation.

Additionally, I do come away with the knowledge Samuel was on the the Leviathan Hulk before his transportation, so thanks for that gem! Samuel Owen's trial was indeed at Warwick Assizes, 31 March 1821.

I still believe his birth date was in 1802 however. If he was 19  when he was on the Leviathan in 1821 then that makes him born in 1802. He claims he was 25 in 1827 when he applied to marry which corroborates the 1802 date. However, his death cert for 1857 says he was 56 making his  DOB 1801, though IGI says no Samuel Owen was born in that year.

A problem still to Solve!
Thanks for you help
Greg

[bristolloggerheads]

How about this baptism?

Samuel Owen 01 AUG 1802 Saint Mary, Shrewsbury

Peter

[MargP]

Hi Greg

This may be of interest

The set of Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books dates from 1802 to 1849 and includes the records of almost 200,000 people incarcerated in giant floating prison ships. The collection includes details of each inmate's name, age, the year and place of their conviction and the offence that they allegedly committed, as well as character reports written by prison officers. The hulks, moored on the Thames and in Plymouth Harbour, became an increasingly common form of internment as efforts were made to ease chronic overcrowding in conventional prisons. Each ship held between 200 and 300 inmates and, although many of its passengers were awaiting transportation to Australia, the hulks themselves had been extensively modified and were unable to go to sea. Conditions were often appalling, and one in three inmates are estimated to have died on board. The second newly-available collection features records of more than 4,000 female convicts who were granted parole between 1853 and 1877. Although sentenced to imprisonment or transportation, the lack of space in prison meant they were allowed to walk free.

The set can be searched by the criminal's name, the place and date of their conviction and their estimated age. Images of the records are also available, which feature a range of further details including the apparent crime, terms of sentence, reports on prison behaviour, any letters written by the prisoner and a physical description.

These records are available from the National Archive Kew England

Margp

[MargP]

Hi Greg

Can you give us a list of all his children, to see if we can pick up on a family with similar names on the 1841 census

Margp