Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Zenophon Hearn Basham was transported on the General Hewett, departing 31st Jul 1813 and arriving 7th Feb 1814 with 301 passengers.
The Windham and General Hewett left England the 24th of August, in convoy with the Wansted, Capt. Moore, who sailed from hence last Thursday for Batavia; the General Hewett arrived at Rio the 17th of November, and sailed again the 2d of December. Together with the military detachments, she received on board for this Settlement 300 male prisoners, of whom we are sorry to report the death of 35, whose names we shall endeavour to procure an account of, and publish in the next Gazette, for the information of their friends and families in Great Britain. Sydney Gazette, Sat 12 Feb 1814.
General HewettReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/2, Page Number 120 |
| 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
Zenophon Hearn BASHAM was indeed spelt thus on the only two legal documents we have: the indictments for the Old Bailey trials. Nevertheless, he was even in his day commonly listed as Xenophon, the modern spelling. Hearn is variously spelt. James Dally was bookseller, historian and publisher. He published books under the pseudonym Eustace Fitzsymonds and his Brady, McCabe, Dunne, Bryan, Crawford, Murphy… Sullivan's Cove, Adelaide, 1979, suggests Xenophon was popularly known as John. We do not yet know Dally's source for this assertion. Nevertheless, Xenophon was not the "John" who died in 1825. That was Xenophon's son, John, working as a shepherd. There is good documentation at National Library of Australia, MS3251, Box 2 Vol 2, 1826. This is available online at https://manuscript3251.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/43/
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 11 July 2020), January 1813, trial of ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM (t18130113-33). ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM, Miscellaneous > returning from transportation, 13th January 1813. 161. ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM was indicted for that he, on the 29th of May, at the Sessions for the delivery of Newgate, holden at Justice-hall, Old Bailey, in the City of London, in the 51st year of his Majesty's reign, was tried and convicted of felony, and was sentenced to be tranported beyond the seas for the term of fourteen years, and the indictment further states, that he, on the 4th of December last, was at large in this kingdom, before the expiration of the said term for which he was ordered to be transported . To this indictment the prisoner pleaded. GUILTY - DEATH . First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18130113-33
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 11 July 2020), May 1811, trial of ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM (t18110529-20). ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM, Deception > forgery, 29th May 1811. 400. ZENOPHON HEARN BASHAM was indicted for that he, on the 1st of April , feloniously had in his custody and possession, a certain forged bank note for the payment of 5 l. he knowing the same to be forged and counterfeit . To this indictment the prisoner pleaded GUILTY . Transported for Fourteen Years . London jury, before Mr. Baron Graham . https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18110529-20
Burial Record in parish of St John, Launceston, Cornwall, Port Dalrymple, 1827. https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD34-1-1p068j2k Xenophon Basham, abode, near George Town, buried 15 Sept 1827, age 55, ship General Hewitt, farmer.
Xenophon Hearn Basham died on 1 Apr 1827. His son, John, died on 31 Mar 1825, not December. John was not killed by bushrangers. He was killed by mistake by government soldiers, although the Rev. John Youl noted the cause of death in the St John's, Launceston, register as "Murder'd".
Basham became a servant to James Cubbitson Sutherland in northern Tasmania and was murdered there on 31 December 1825 by Thomas Jeffries, an escaped convict. Known as 'the monster', Jeffries killed or was party to killing six people, including a baby, and was hanged alongside the bushranger Matthew Brady on 4 May 1826.
His name is often spelt as Xenophon. He was originally sentenced to 14 years transportation in 1811, but he escaped from the prison hulks in Portsmouth on 31 Oct 1811. He was subsequently arrested and charged with being at large before the expiration of his term, for which he was sentenced to death.