Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Alexander Arthur was transported on the Mermaid, departing 2nd Dec 1829 and arriving 7th May 1830 with 200 passengers.
Mermaid (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/7, Page Number 251 (128) |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
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Convict Notes
1832: He is listed as Alexander ARTHUR alias Thomas WINTER, tried at Edinburgh 14 November 1831, sentenced to life (see Tasmania, Australia, Convict Court and Selected Records, 1800-1899; Register; Comprehensive register of convicts (CORE SERIES) A - L, 1804-1841). 1832: Muster – listed as Alexander ARTHUR per K.S. Forbes – transported to Port Arthur (see NSW and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849; Tasmania, List of convicts (incomplete) 1832). 1833, 18 October: VDL Conduct Record – listed as absent from his gang [presumably at Port Arthur] (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-2$init=CON31-1-2p70). 1835, 2 February: Alexander Arthur, 38, per K.S. Forbes, was buried at New Norfolk. He was listed as an invalid (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD34-1-1p182j2k). Note: His age here is at odds with court and other records by 10 years.
ANOTHER COURT APPEARANCE: 1831, 14 November: ALEXANDER ARTHUR, alias Thomas Winter, was found guilty in the High Court at Edinburgh “in terms of own confession for the crime of returning from transportation at Dalkeith, Dalkeith parish, Midlothian [County of Edinburgh]”. He was sentenced to penal servitude for life. “Note: Escaped convict; originally convicted of theft at Edinburgh and sentenced to 14 years transportation on 11 May 1829 (see JC4/19, f.147r)”. 1831: Thomas WINTER alias Alexander Arthur, 24, was admitted to the Ganymede Hulk at Woolwich following his conviction on 14 November for returning from transportation. He was sent from the hulk for transportation on 11 February 1832 (see UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849; Ganymede Index 1818-1836). IN TASMANIA: 1832, 16 July: VDL Conduct Record – Alexander Arthur, alias Thomas Winter, transported for “returning from transportation. Gaol Report very bad… Hulk report ‘orderly’, single. Stated this offence… was transported to Sydney in the Mermaid, left there in 3 weeks in the Pacific to England, then sentenced 14 years”. His age on arrival is given as 25. He is recorded as Thomas Winter, a labourer, in the Description List (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-2$init=CON31-1-2p70; and https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON18-1-10$init=CON18-1-10p57).
1830, 14 June: The brig Pacific sailed for Liverpool from Sydney, under Captain Todd, with a cargo of colonial produce. Among the passengers listed in the Sydney Gazette were Captain Powell, Mrs Sturgeon, Mr George Sturgeon, Mr John Sturgeon, Miss Charlotte Sturgeon, Miss Ann Sturgeon and Master Alexander Sturgeon (see The Sydney Gazette and NSW Advertiser, Thu 17 Jun 1830, p2; Shipping Intelligence). Also on board, according to his VDL Conduct Record (below) was an escaped convict – Alexander Arthur. The Pacific arrived at Liverpool on 21 November 1830 (see The Sydney Herald, Mon 18 Apr 1831, p4). 1830, 3 July: Alexander Arthur, “in the service of the A.A. Company – absconded. Request by A.A. Company that Alexander Arthur be returned to his services as a blacksmith when he is apprehended” (see Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural company: Vol 1, December 1829 - June 1832; Letter no 154 at https://www.freesettlerorfelon.com/searchaction.php).
1829, 2 August: Alexander ARTHUR was admitted to the Justitia Hulk moored at Woolwich, as prisoner #3947. He was listed as aged 22, convicted of theft at Edinburgh on 18 May and sentenced to 14 years (see UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849; Justitia Register 1803-1836). 1829, 17 November: He was transferred from the Justitia “for transportation”. 1829, 2 December – 7 May 1830: Sailed to NSW per Mermaid, arriving at Sydney Cove. 1830: On arrival in NSW, prisoner #187 Alexander ARTHUR was listed as: 22, could read and write, Protestant, single and a native of Glasgow; a calico printer and blacksmith; transported for “stealing money from a shop”; tried at Edinburgh on 18 May 1829, sentenced to 14 years, no previous convictions; 5’7¾” tall with a ruddy complexion, dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a slight scar on the right hand side of chin. He was assigned to the Australian Agricultural Company at Port Stephens as a blacksmith (see NSW, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842; Bound Indentures 1829-1830). 1830, 11 June: Alexander Arthur, per Mermaid 1830, in the service of the Australian Agricultural Company at Port Stephens is listed as “Not returned to service with the A.A. Company. Detained in Sydney Hospital (see Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural company: Vol 1, December 1829 - June 1832; Letter No 134 at https://www.freesettlerorfelon.com/searchaction.php).
ALEXANDER ARTHUR per Mermaid in 1829 to NSW and per Katherine Stewart Forbes in 1832 to VDL: 1829, 10 April: The trial of Alexander Arthur, 21, William Strang, 20, and John Brown in the High Court at Glasgow was “deserted” on 13 April 1829. The three had been accused of “theft by opening lockfast places at Kirk Street, Calton, Glasgow and the Kings Arms, Airdrie” (see National Records of Scotland, Reference AD14/29/77). One month later, in a trial before the High Court in Edinburgh, John Brown’s name had disappeared from the charge record and was replaced by Robert Campbell. 1829, 18 May: William Strang, Robert Campbell and ALEXANDER ARTHUR were tried in the High Court at Edinburgh “for the crime of theft by opening lockfast places, habit and repute at Kirk Street, Calton, Glasgow”. They were described in Court records as: William Strang, student of medicine, 20 Jamaica Street, Glasgow – guilty, “sentence transportation 7 years. Note: Pannel [sic] recommitted under new warrant after trial deserted at Glasgow 13 April 1829”; Robert Campbell, gardener, Glasgow – not guilty, “sentence assoilized and dismissed. Note: Pannel [sic] recommitted under new warrant after trial deserted at Glasgow 13 April 1829”; and ALEXANDER ARTHUR, alias Thomas Winter, 21, calico printer, Glasgow – guilty, “sentence transportation 14 years. Note: Pannel recommitted under new warrant after trial deserted at Glasgow 13 April 1829”. The victims were: Andrew Scott, Falconer’s Land, Kirk Street, Calton, Glasgow and John Henderson, Kings Arms Inn, Airdrie, New Monkland, Lanarkshire (see National Records of Scotland, Reference JC26/1829/295). Note: Assoilize means to absolve; to free a defender or accused of a claim or charge under Scots law (see Chambers Dictionary).