Benjamin Banks

Level 4

judith Oliver on 19th February 2014

Conviction & Transportation of Benjamin Banks Sentence Severity Sentenced to 7 years Crime: - Convicted at: Stafford Quarter Sessions Sentence term: 7 years Ship: Lady Harewood Departure date: 13th March, 1832 Arrival date*: 13th November, 1832 Place of arrival New South Wales Passenger manifest Travelled with 199 other convicts Benjamin Banks appears to be the eldest of child of Charles Banks and Sally Webb born on 9th June, 1805 in the presence of Sarah Anne Mullock. Other siblings located were Elizabeth who also became a convict, Mary and Joseph. It is quiet probable that there may have been more children. Benjamin’s place of birth was 10 George Street, Woolwich, Kent the home of his grand father John Webb and as he grew to adulthood he became Nonconformists choosing to join the Presbyterian Protestants. Persecution of these groups caused them to meet in secret their gatherings grew from strength to strength and by 1851 a quarter of the English population were nonconformists. Among these were the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Independents, Congregationalists and Quakers. The majority of people lived in abject poverty that existed through out Victorian England laws were harsh. Both Benjamin and Elizabeth felt the impact these conditions which removed them for England and brought them to Australia. Benjamin was twenty seven when he was convicted of Larceny, stealing money, at the Stafford Quarter Sessions on the 9th of October 1831. Sentenced to 7 years transportation to New South Wales he left England on the “Lady Harewood” along with about 200 other convicts. Benjamin was a short man only 5 feet 3 inches with a ruddy complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. He had several tattoos on his left upper arm a mermaid and small anchor lower down. On his right lower arm there was a small mole. Benjamin would have participated in preparing the Lady Harwood for its journey to New South Wales. This was the “Lady Harewood’s” third trip with Captain Richard Stonehouse and Surgeon John Inches. They set sail on the 15th of March only to encounter such boisterous storms in the Chanel their voyage was delayed a further ten days before setting out again on the 25th the prisoners below decks quarters were slightly improved in that hammocks were used instead of bunks. During the day they were pushed aside giving the prisoners a little room to move about if the weather prevented them from going on the deck. This was also for the benefit of Doctor Inches who examined the prisoners twice a week for any signs of scurvy They arrived at Port Jackson on 5th August 1832 their voyage had taken 138 days. Benjamin spent some of his time at the Hyde Park Barracks which housed 15,000 male convicts in government employment between 1819 and 1848. Typically, their lives were governed by rigid rules, discipline and hard, monotonous work although for some, good conduct or useful skills brought rewards, indulgences and positions of responsibility. By trade Benjamin was a groom and this brought him into the employ of Lieutenant Campbell, of the 39th Regiment he was quickly assigned and transferred between the 1st and 31 days of August, 1832. By December Lieutenant had been moved on and Benjamin was reassigned to Edward Randall. A certificate of freedom was given to Benjamin Banks on the 19th October, 1838 six years after his arrival. Eight years after his arrival in Sydney Benjamin married Jane Dunshea took place in 1840 at the Presbyterian St Andrew's Scots Church, Sydney. Jane was several years older than Benjamin aged 48 years Benjamin was 35. There is no record of any children born to them. By 1842, Benjamin and Jane were living in a house in Cumberland Street, Sydney. Benjamin died at the age of 71 years in 1876. His death was registered at Parramatta so that may have been where he was living at the time. England and Wales Christening Records 1530-1906 Name: Benjamin Banks Gender; Male Birth date: 16 June 1805 Christening Place: Woolwich, Kent, England Father: Charles Banks Mother: Sally Maternal Grandfather: John Webb Source Citation: Place: Woolwich, Kent, England. Collection: Dr. William's Library; Woolwich, Kent Nonconformist Registers; Date Range: 1805 - 1805; Film Number: 815946. Name: Benjamin Banks Gender: Male Birth: 16 June 1805 Place: Woolwich, Kent England Death: 1876 Place: New South Wales Australia Arrival Date: 1832 Vessel: Lady Harewood Province: New South Wales Title: General muster A - C Year(s): 1837 Place of Conviction: Stafford Estimated Birth Year: about 1806 Vital Records Index - British Isles 1805-1805 Note Additional Data in Banks Benjamin Birth date 16 June 1805 Birth Place 15168 Woolwich Kent England Recorded in Kent England Collection Dr. William's Library, Nonconformist Registers Father Charles Banks Mother Sally Webb Mother's Father John Webb Source Family History Library Film 815946 Dates Original Record England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers 1567-1970 Name: Benjamin Banks Birth: 16 June 1805 Birth Place: Woolwich, Kent, England Gender: Male Event Type: Birth Father Charles Banks Mother: Sally Webb Denomination: Presbyterian, Independent or Baptist Piece Title: Piece 154: Certificate nos: 15001-15502, Vol 30 (1837 July 29-31) England and Wales, Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8)* Name: Benjamin Banks Birth: 16 Jun 1805 No 10 George Street, Woolwich, Kent Parents: Charles Banks, Sally Banks England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970 for Benjamin Banks Convict Records Banks Benjamin Banks Benjamin of the County of Stafford transported for the Larceny of a person. 1831. Michaelmas Session. Information from Pro Reel 2784. Sentence Severity - Sentenced to 7 years - Benjamin Banks Benjamin Banks, one of 200 convicts transported on the Lady Harewood, 13 March 1832. Convicted at: Stafford Quarter Sessions for a term of 7 years on 19 October 1831. Sentence term: 7 years Ship name: Lady Harewood Departure date: 13th March, 1832 Place of arrival: New South Wales This was the Lady Harewood’s third trip with convicts to leave Portsmouth on 5th August, 1832 the Master was Richard Stonehouse. The vessel carried 281 passengers Source: Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/8, Page Number 283 (142) Details of Convict Ships to Sydney - Convict Ships to Australia NSW 1788-1800 NSW 1801-1849 New South Wales, Australia, Settlers and Convicts List< 1787-1834 Name: Benjamin Banks Arrival Date: 1832 Vessel: Lady Harewood Province: New South Wales Title: Convicts arrived Years: 1828-1832 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1809 General muster A - C Year(s): 1837 Place of Conviction: Stafford Estimated Birth Year: about 1806 Convict Barracks in Sydney. "General Muster of Male and Female Convicts in Colony of NSW and Norfolk Island on the 31st December 1837. No. 875 Name Banks Benjamin Age 26 Ship Lady Harewood Year 1832 Where Tried Stafford Master Wright & Long District Sydney Remarks Freed has become Page 32. Wagga Municipal Library “General Return of Convicts in NSW 1837 (Edited by N. Bullin, Cromwell & K Suthern) page 21. Roughly 50,000 convict men and boys passed through the convict barracks between 1819 and 1848. Most had been charged with property crimes in British courts and served terms of life, 7 or 14 years transportation. NEW SOUTH WALES RETURN OF ALL MALE CONVICTS, ASSIGNED AND TRANSFERRED BETWEEN THE 1st AND 31 DAYS OF AUGUST, 1832, INCLUSIVELY. 2693. Banks Benjamin, Lady Harewood, groom, to Lieutenant Campbell, 39th Regiment. The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) Thursday 29 November 1832 Name Benjamin Banks Age ... Occupation Groom Stat. Convict Date 28/11/32. Assignment M Ref.No. GP422 Ship Lady Harewood. Employer Lieutenant Campbell, 39 Regiment. (Charles Sturt University Convicts and Employers (NSW 1828, 1832-1833 Fiche 1 of 12) Page 26 Page 26 name Benjamin Banks Age Occupation Groom Stat. Convict 28/11/32 Assignment M Location Sydney Ref No. GP422 Ship Lady Harewood Employer Edward Randall: Reassigned. The 39th regiment arrived in the British colony of New South Wales toward the end of 1825. The regiment saw service in Hobart, Sydney, Swan River colony and Bathurst, leaving on July 5, 1832 to see service in India. *Nonconformists were those who did not conform - in other words, did not belong to the Church of England. The Church of England was established when Henry VIII broke with the Pope and the Roman Catholic church in the 16th century. However, it was not long before groups who disagreed with the beliefs and practices of the Church of England formed their own congregations. They were referred to as dissenters or non-conformists. Initially they were persecuted and often had to meet in secret or go into exile. They might be Protestants (among these were the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Independents, Congregationalists and Quakers) or Roman Catholics. By 1851, a quarter of the English population were nonconformists. http://www.devon.gov.uk Australia Convict Transportation Registers 1791-1868 Name: Benjamin Banks Vessel: Lady Harewood Convicted Date: 19 October 1831 Voyage Date: 13 March 1832 Colony: New South Wales Place of Conviction: Stafford, Staffordshire, England New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Name: Benjamin Banks Age: 23 Date of Conviction: 19 October, 1831 Place of Conviction: Staffordshire Estimated Year of Birth: about 1809 Vessel: Lady Harewood (20 Port of Arrival: New South Wales Date of Arrival: 5 August 1832 Ticket of Leave: No Pardon: No Certificate of Freedom: No New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Name: Benjamin Banks Age: 23 Date of Conviction: 19 October, 1831 Place of Conviction: Stafford Estimated Birth Year: abt 1808 Vessel: Lady Harewood Port of Arrival: Sydney Cove Date of Arrival: 5 August 1832 Certificate of Freedom: Yes New South Wales, Australia Historical Electoral Rolls, 1842-1864 about Benjamin Banks Name: Benjamin Banks Year Range: 1842-1843 District: Sydney Ward: Gibbs LIST OF CITIZENS In Gipps Ward, in the City of Sydney. SCHEDULE C. Banks Benjamin, house, Cumberland Street. Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950 about Jane Fleming Name: Jane Fleming [Jane Dunshea] Spouse Name: Benjamin Banks Marriage Date: 1840 Marriage Place: New South Wales Registration Place: Sydney, New South Wales Registration Year: 1840 Volume Number: V A Registration Year: 1840 Volume Number: V A New South Wales Settlers and Convict lists, 1787-1834 for Benjamin Banks 1241 Banks Benjamin 25 Lady Harwood 7th St. Campbell 31st Regt. New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom 1810-1876 Name: Benjamin Banks Age: 29 years Birth Year: 1809 Native Place: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Arrival Year: 1832 Vessel: Lady Harewood Certificate Date: 19 October 1838 Australian Vital Records Index, a Family History Resource File Banks Benjamin Index Year 1840 Reg Year 1840 Reg State New South Wales Ref Number V18403352 Parish: Sydney, St Andrew's Scots Church, Presbyterian Spouse: Jane Fleming or Dundee or Dunshea Charles Sturt University Archives Authority of New South Wales Australia Film AO Real 5027 Register of Baptisms, Burials and Marriages No.145 Event Date: 27 January, 1840 Benjamin Banks age: 27 yearsI "The Rev. John M. Garrie" of Sydney Minister of St Andrews Church do certify that Jane Fleming or Dunshea widow of Sydney and Benjamin Banks Bachelor of ???? place were joined together in Wedlock by me on the Twenty Seventh day of January 1840 at Sydney by Banns John M. Garrie Minister in the presence of Thomas Hughes, Margaret X Booty, Jane Hughes } of Sydney. Benjamin Banks Jane Dunshea X Australian Census New South Wales Colonial Secretary Population musters 1811, 1814, 1819 Records name, by what ship arrived, when and where Convicted free or convict, sentence. Alphabetically arranged in groups and districts No.0952012 item 1-3 Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 Name: Benjamin Banks Death Date: 1876 Death Place: New South Wales Registration Year: 1876 Registration Place: Parramatta, New South Wales Registration Number: 9291 Ancestry.com. Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. .