Joseph Perks.

[Sandiehawk]

Hello, I'm helping a friend with his search and am hoping some-one can help me with Joseph Perks. The information I have so far is as follows. Born 1821 in Birmingham,Warwickshire.
Parents Samuel Perks and Anne Jones.   Baptised 1830. 
Convicted of larceny, 3 months and whipped in 1838.
Living with his parents on 1841 census as a brass founder perhaps. 
In 1845 convicted again for stealing. Sentenced for 7 years, jailed for two years then granted a "Royal Pardon to Exile" in 1846. Transported on the Sir Thomas Arbuthnot, arriving in Melbourne in 1847.  Married Mary Crees in Geelong, Victoria  in 1854 and died at Ararat in 1864. He Mary had Eliza Jane b Steiglitz, Victoria 1863 and Richard Millington b 1863 in Ararat.

[Dundee]

Hi sandiehawk,

What information are you looking for?

Debra 

[Sandiehawk]

Hi Dundee, anything that tells me I have the correct information. I'm not sure whether Joseph had a criminal history and If he didn't, then I would like to know how and when he came to Australia.
All suggestions will be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Sandiehawk.

[Dundee]

Are his parents' names and birthplace taken from his marriage certificate?

Debra 

[Dundee]

Joseph PERKS had three previous convictions (was this two as he was acquitted on the third or was there another?) in Yorkshire and the news article which mentions the third trial says that he was well known to the court and the police officers of Sheffield.  He was warned that the next time he would be sent out of the country and he obviously wanted a free cruise because it was only a month later that he was sentenced to seven years.  It is hard to know if he was the same person who was tried in Warwickshire in 1838.  He was the same age but there was a Joseph PIRKS aged 18 living in Sheffield in 1841, the son of Richard and Mary.

A few suggestions of records to follow up which may mention your Joseph's ship of arrival, if you haven't already done so.

He was in the Ararat hospital for two weeks before he died from his injuries; have the hospital admission registers survived?

Do the inquest and subsequent trial records provide any personal information?

Your Joseph was presumedly in Geelong in 1859 when his daughter was born so there is probably a good chance that he is the same person who was sentenced at Geelong to a year's hard labour in December 1859.  PROV have digitised the prison records for those who went through Pentridge but I assume his records would have been created at the Geelong Gaol.  They usually contain lots of personal info including the prisoner's history and ship of arrival so you should make enquiries about whether those registers have survived.

Debra 

[Dundee]

He was the same age but there was a Joseph PIRKS aged 18 living in Sheffield in 1841, the son of Richard and Mary.

Debra 

I have just seen a family tree on Ancestry which suggests that this Richard was baptised in Warwickshire in 1799, the son of Richard Millington PERKS.

Here are the details on FamilySearch

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3QYT-YT8

I think that one quotes the wrong baptism for Richard - this might be the right one:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ1K-TZT

Debra 

[Sandiehawk]

Thanks Debra for your help. I would love to know where you've been able to search for the information. I'm an amateur at this and don't know of all the different places to search. I don't have any certificates but have looked into several Ancestry tree's and that's where I'm confused. I believe that Joseph was born and lived in the Birmingham, Warwickshire area. The other Joseph Perks who also had several criminal convictions apparently lived in Yorkshire. I'm not familiar with how close these places are but presume people didn't travel as widely in those days. i didn't know Joseph was in the Ararat Hospital or what he died from but I believe his daughter was born in Steiglitz not Geelong. The two places are about 30-40 miles apart. I guess what I want to know is that Joseph either was or wasn't a convicted criminal and was transported here to Australia.
Cheers,  Sandie.

[ScobieDrom]

The Joseph Perks who was transported to Australia in 1847 was the son of Richard Perks 1799-1866 and Mary Elwell 1801-1859.  Joseph Perks 1821-1842 (The brass founder) the son of Samuel Perks 1797-1865 and Ann Jones 1798-1864 died in 1842 and was buried at St Paul, Birmingham 17 August 1842. Source: Parish Register, Abode: Lichfield Street, Age: 21. The detail given on several trees on Ancestry is not correct. Samuel Perks 1797-1865 and Richard Perks 1799-1866 were brothers. If you would like details of the ancestors and families of both of these Josephs please send a personal message.

[Sandiehawk]

Thank-you ScobieDrom,  I was gathering information for a friend on their family tree and have now written out what I have and passed it on to them so I won't take up your kind offer of more details just now.
Kind regards,
Sandiehawk.