| Name: | Paul Benson |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | m |
| Date of Birth: | 1814 |
| Occupation: | - |
| Date of Death: | 8th October, 1898 |
| Age: | 84 years |
Life Span
Male median life span was 57 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to 7 years
| Crime: | Stealing a handkerchief |
| Convicted at: | Surrey (Town and Boro' of Southwark) Quarter Session |
| Sentence term: | 7 years |
| Ship: | Lady Harewood |
| Departure date: | 15th October, 1830 |
| Arrival date: | 4th March, 1831 |
| Place of arrival | New South Wales |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 215 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/7, Page Number 514 |
| 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 Project. |
Phil Hands on 3rd May, 2018 wrote:
On 16th November 1829 Paul was aprehended outside a shop in Southwark, accused of feloniously stealing a cotton handkerchief to the value of 10 pence, from the goods and chattels of Daniel Burt. This was his 2nd offence.
Paul went on trial at the Epiphany Quarter Sessions. Town and Borough of Southwark on 8th January 1830. He was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for the term of seven years.
He was transported on the ‘Lady Harewood’, which sailed from Sheerness 17th October 1830 with 216 other prisoners,of which 2 died during the voyage.
Ships indent records him as:- a native of Cork, protestant and single.He was a tailer by trade and able to read and write. He was 4ft 7inches, ruddy, freckled, light brown hair and grey eyes.
On arrival in Sydney on the 4th March 1831, he was housed at the Carters Barracks for young offenders and later assigned to Thomas Cowper, son of the Reverend William Cowper.
Paul was taken to Ballalaba, in the Braidwood District, his job was to clear the virgin land and generally work there. He stayed there until 1837 when he was given his freedom. The certificate dated 14th February 1837.
Paul gained his apprenticeship with a wheelwright called Richard Kippax in Parramatta.
He married on 8th February 1841, Charlotte Wicks (daughter of convict Robert Wicks, ‘Perseus’ 1802 & his wife Sarah Weavers) at St. Annes Church North Ryde.
A letter dated 28th September 1841 was sent to Paul saying that his brother John and his family had sailed from Cork on 5th September 1841 for Sydney. John Benson and Mary became licensee of the St. Johns Tavern in Church Street, Parramatta by July1844. By 1849 John and Mary lived at 1 Druitt Street, Sydney and his profession was a Horsehair Manufacturer, amongst other things.
By 1857 Paul owned vineyards and orchards in North Ryde, he had good crops of oranges, apples, pears plums apricots and peaches. He bought several plots of land. Some plots were divided into smaller plots and sold off and others were to extend his farming.
Paul and Charlotte had 13 children between 1842-1867. Paul was well respected in North Ryde and on his golden wedding anniversary, a stained glass window was put in St. Annes Church, North Ryde, to commemorate the event.
Paul died on 8th October 1898 at Ryde NSW age 84.
Charlotte died on 19 November 1902 at Ryde NSW age 80.
Phil Hands on 3rd May, 2018 made the following changes:
date of birth: 1814 (prev. 0000), date of death: 8th October, 1898 (prev. 0000), gender: m, crime
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
