Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
William Henry Barber was transported on the Agincourt, departing 6th Jul 1844 and arriving 9th Nov 1844 with 224 passengers.
Agincourt (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 91, Class and Piece Number HO11/14, Page Number 107 (55). Tasmanian Archives - convict, conduct record http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON33-1-83,234,12,S,80 |
| 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 |
Claims
No one has claimed William Henry Barber yet.
Photos
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Convict Notes
In January 1844 a sophisticated series of frauds were discovered in the City of London that involved (unclaimed) Dividends held by the Bank of England (BoE) and the 'forgery of wills'. After enquiry with the BoE to ascertain what Dividends remained unclaimed, the accused used the information to procure a 'certificate of death' and create false wills to claimed the Dividends. City of London detective John Forrester undertook the enquiry and had the assistance of Edinburgh Police Superintendent William Haining to apprehended two of the accused - William & Lydia Saunders in Edinburgh. In April 1844 at the Central Criminal Court - William Henry Barber (solicitor, aged 36 years), Joshua Fletcher (surgeon, aged 50 years) William Saunders (fishmonger, aged 47 years), Lydia Saunders (married woman, aged 38 years) and Georgina Dorey (married woman, aged 33 years) - were charged with 10 cases of fraud. The Attorney General gave evidence of Government practice that 'BoE stock not claimed within 10 years was used for the Reduction of the National Debt'. William Saunders and Mrs Dorey were found Not Guilty, but the others convicted. Only Barber and Fletcher received transportation for life - see Scotsman newspapers 27 January 1844 p4 on 'The Late Will Forgers'; 3 April 1844 p2 on 'The Will Forgers' and 17 April 1844 p2 on 'The Will Forgers' that reports the CCC trial. See also McGowan, John (2022) Policing the Metropolis of Scotland, 1833-1861 (Edinburgh City Archives) Volume 1, p 475 and p1678.
BIRTH AND DEATH DATES are from http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai02838
William Henry Barber was charged & convicted at the CCC, London 08/04/1844 for inciting a person to forge and alter a Will. Life sentence. Transported to Australia on the 'Agincourt', arriving Norfolk Island (administered at the time by Van Diemen's Land) 09/11/1844. Gaol Report: 1st conviction. Single man; fair complexion; dk brown/grey hair; brown eyes. Station Gang: Norfolk Island, 30mths Probation. William strongly protested his innocence and made many petitions to the Governor and friends in England on his behalf. There are many news articles in the newspapers of the time. 21/04/1847 Conditional Pardon granted. Letter to the Editor, Hobart Courier 26 May 1847: "On the 21st of April, whilst at Impression Bay, I received an official notification of my conditional pardon. It is by a special warrant from the Queen, dated St. James, 12th January, 1846. I have thus, Sir, endeavoured to place before your readers, without the slightest reserve, as perspicuous a narrative of my case as contracted limits will permit. My tale of injury and suffering is briefly told in my advertisement. Sixteen thousand miles from my country and friends, I appeal to the inhabitants of Tasmania to assist me in my struggle for a full measure of justice to shorten the days of my sad exile to hasten my return to home to happiness to real liberty! I have the honour to be,very respectfully, Sir, your obedient humble servant, "WILLIAM HENRY BARBER."
There are claims he was found to be innocent of the crime and was granted compensation. I'll have to find the source and send it to you !
http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=921564 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12902316 Suggest you see if this is the same bloke.