Convicted felons transported to Colonial America. 18 century.

[Mowsehowse]

I have read that some 50,000 British were transported mainly to Virginia and MARYLAND during the 17th and 18th centuries.

I am fascinated by this fact and would like to hear from anyone who has found this in their own family tree.

I would also dearly like to know if there is anyone out there who can access the Maryland Archives so that more of this social history can be discovered.

[jorose]

I haven't run into it with relatives but did see some references in Cornish quarter sessions records etc. while researching some of mine who got in trouble.  Some records can be found on the A2A search on the National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/default.aspx ), which indexes various records from local archives.

e.g.
1774, Lostwithiel Sessions:

Stephen Richards of Redruth, labourer; stealing one iron saw and other goods, value 2d., from Thomas Daniell and others: to be transported to America for seven years.

Here's an interesting one from Surrey:

Bond: Thomas Liversidge of Kent Street, St Mary Newington, grocer, to Richard Williams, esq, Clerk of the Peace. Thomas agrees to see that his brother, William Liversidge (who was convicted to one year's imprisonment but who has opted for 4 years transportation to America) is placed on board ship and so transported.  QS2/6/1752/Eas/60  1752

And one last one from Chester just because I've always loved the term "incorrigible rogue"

Bond from William Stevenson and William Randulph of Bristol, merchants, to Thomas Brock, esq., Clerk of the Peace for the City of Chester, in the penal sum of £50. to secure the transportation to America for the term of 7 years of Sarah Powell, wife of William Powell, convicted of being 'an Incorrigible rogue' at Chester General Sessions on 15 September last.  QRTB/12  15 Jan. 1773

[Mowsehowse]

 A female "incorrigible rogue" even!

And Cornwall were harsh!!  + Goods to the value of 2d.   

[jorose]

Yes, they seem to have been incredibly harsh for quite minor offences - and then you might see someone fined a shilling for assault!  I don't know what my ancestor did exactly, but he was in the bridewell and subsequently discharged with a public whipping - possibilities seem to include minor theft or begging (and similar 'public nuisance' offences).

It could have been something like this - I hope they were nice shoes!

William Williams; convicted for taking one pair of shoes, the property of John Trengove, value 1d.: continued in custody for one month, and then taken to Poldice mine to be publicly whipped until his body is bloody.

[sallyyorks]

I can remember reading somewhere that the first convict ship to the colonies was a shipment of children from one of the London jails , Newgate ? , in the early 17th century . This was just before the first ship of slaves from Africa arrived.
One line on my tree has the unusual name Bruerton and i came across a convict reciept online of a John Bruerton on the list of "malefactors" ( Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Ship Gilbert ,Newgate (prison), London to Maryland departure October 1720) but wether there is a connection with my Bruertons from Staffordshire , who seem to have been itinerant metal workers at that time ,  i don't know . The reciept for the transportation of the convicts is a payment to Jonathan Forward the slave trader .
 There are other ships lists transcribed too but i would imagine the vast majority of these type of records did not survive but still worth a look at the ones that have , some are online.
Public records office at Kew , England . Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild

[Mowsehowse]

Re: Bruerton...........
I am sure I have read that felons from Nottingham were taken down to the Thames and shipped with prisoners from the London gaols, so it may be worth some digging at your local Quarter Sessions for a start??

[sallyyorks]

Thankyou for info mowsehowse , will look into that.

[Mowsehowse]

From COLDHAM's "Bonded Passengers" I found a BREWTON (Bruerton) John. S Oct T Oct 1720 Gilbert to Md. [i.e. Maryland].  Which supports your finding.

In COLDHAM's "Kings Passengers" he is there too - the Captain was Darby Lux, reg. Anapolis May 1721 "Brewington, John, aged 18, fair." He is listed as being from Middlesex.

Bingo I think??? 

[sallyyorks]

Bingo ! ,
I did find a John Bruerton sentenced to death in the nat archives abt 1713 , a captain who had beaten two (of his ?) soldiers to death on the Isle of White but with your finding that John was 18 in 1721 it cannot have been him . Probably not one of  "our lot " of Bruertons in Staffs but it is still fascinating to read about transportation to America and it is still quite a hidden part of history . I  found this googling dates
" The arrival of peace in 1713 (the Treaty of Utrecht) after twelve years of war with France sparked a sudden upsurge in serious crime. Military demobilization set loose thousands of toughened young men in the London area needing employment (this happened again at the end of the Seven Years War and at the close of the American Revolution)............. the punishment of transportation was applied so arbitrarily. In some senses, the system went underground, to become a dark underside of Imperialism."
from ...http://www.danbyrnes.com.au/blackheath/thebc8.htm

 
I have tried searching for the ship Gilbert 1720 list but not sure if it is online anymore as i cant seem to find it .
This one , link here , is a different list to the one i have on printout , but could list names for anyone who comes across these posts 
http://www.laurahenderson.com/genealogy/corder/ecsmemoriallibrary/docs/inprogress/1721Jan_GilbertShipList.pdf