Hi all,
I am stuck with this one. I am seeking this lady's children in England - or elsewhere - hopefully in census or BDM parish or civil 1830 - 1852.
Ann/Anne Orton daughter of John (presumably John Orton but no guarantees) said she was born in Northampton in 1819 (or 1817), but in 1851 her father, brother James and sister Margaret were in Coventry, Warwickshire. This from Anne's convict transport record. She was a shoebinder and laundress. She was apparently a widow.
She had six children (several sources reference this) and at least some of them were surnamed Hingley. The father's name was given as Samuel Hingley.
A newspaper report (Coventry Herald 04 July 1851) says she was committed on 20th May 1851 in Coventry which matches convict records, for stealing clothing from a child. She was listed as Ann Orton alias Ingleby.
She made a plea for leniency due to having "six darling children". She is reported in the paper as being a "big, hardy-looking Irishwoman". Her plea did not help as she had previously been remanded in Birmingham for abandoning her children in Wolverhampton. While detained for this earlier offence she committed a felony and now the new theft was a second confirmed conviction. No dates provided. Earlier offenses are recorded on her convict record too but no dates again.
Four children travelled to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia with her arriving Jul 1852 , being - according to convict record - Denis born 1843, Caroline (really Catherine) born 1845 (or 1843 or 1841 marriage and death records respectively), James born 1847 and John born 1849, all with surname Orton. Upon arrival in Hobart 3 of the children were admitted to the Queen's Orphanage with surname Hingley but mother's surname Acton. Their father was given as Samuel Hingley.
Ann never settled as a convict. She was constantly assigned to a post and returned routinely every three months as disobedient, disorderly, sometimes drunk, always neglectful of duty. She completed several stints of hard labour, had an illegitimate child (no idea what happened to that one), had an application to marry refused and her application for ticket of leave was also refused.
Denis the eldest was apprenticed to a businessman in Hobart and absconded in 1858. He probably left the state and may have returned to England. Ann absconded later in the same year and possibly they went together.
I have not located James or the little one John who most likely did not survive the voyage, but Catherine the daughter is my ggg grandmother and remained in Hobart.
Ann could read but not write.
I believe the 1851 census was taken on 30 March and Ann was in court on 20th May so I was hoping to locate her, either in gaol waiting for trial or loose near Allesley or Coventry. The children, I thought, would be in the workhouse if they were abandoned not long ago. They were clearly located before she set sail.
I can't find any of the above - three generations worth - in the 1851 or the 1841 census or birth or death records, except possibly Samuel Hingley in 1848 in the deaths.
Does anyone have any tricks for finding people in Warwickshire/Staffordshire? I notice Hingley is a name from towns called Dudley and Tipton but no Samuels amongst them. Not sure if the Northampton data is valid or not.
All ideas welcome!
Irene
