Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Best was transported on the Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Mary Ann, Matilda, Salamander And William And Ann, departing 31st Dec 1790 and arriving 9th Jul 1791 with 1265 passengers.
The Third Fleet consisted of 11 Vessels. Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Gorgon, Mary Ann, Matilda, Queen (from Ireland) Salamander and William and Ann. These vessels were provided by a private company; Camden, Calvert and King to ship convicts to the colony.
Active, Albermarle, Atlantic, Barrington, Britannia, Mary Ann, Matilda, Salamander And William And Ann (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 148 |
| 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
Family connections for John (Best) are: BEST John (Best) became a clerk. He was tried w/1other for stealing (for many years) traps & nets from warrens at York Assizes/General Quarter Sessions of the Peace Beverley East Riding Yorkshire on 15 1 1788, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 7years on Fleet ship MATILDA. He was sent to Norfolk Island (maybe on FRIENDSHIP) arriving on 17 3 1790. He had a first (1of3) relationship with Grace (Maddocks her first relationship).>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Grace (Maddocks/Maddox) was born about 1761. She was tried for receiving stolen property at Old Bailey on 9 1 1788, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 3 6 1790 after a voyage of 12months on Fleet ship LADY JULIANA-a ship with 228females who easily entertained the whole crew & also sailors at Teneriffe stopover. She was sent to Norfolk Island in August 1790 (recorded as arriving on 7 8 1790 & July 1791). She was returned to Sydney in September 1804 (recorded as leaving on 21 9 1809/04). She married secondly as an emancipist George (Woodward/head) emancipist blacksmith on 25 6 1810 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She died on 30 6 1823 age61 with no known children. [Some details taken from this Website] .. >>>John (Best) married secondly (2of3) Sarah (Wheeler). He was working as a clerk before 1794. He adopted the child Mary (Wheeler) to become her guardian. In 1796 he owned 30acres (plot no.65 in middle of the island southeast of Queensborough) on Norfolk Island; he also rented 60acres at Phillipsburgh. He left Norfolk Island in October 1810.>>> Sarah (Soan/Wheeler) was born about 1764. She married firstly John (Wheeler) on 29 5 1785 at St Giles Without Cripplegate London. It is recorded that she had 3children & was pregnant in October 1791. She arrived in NSW as a convict with her family on 18 11 1792 after a voyage of 10months on KITTY. She arrived on Norfolk Island with her children on 22 11 1792. She is recorded as off stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. She died in 1792 (Smees records) or 21 4 1804 age about28or39 on Norfolk Island mother of 6children. [Noted a Sarah (Wheeler) convicts wife from KITTY 1792 died age40 & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney] [A Sarah (Wheeler) is also recorded as leaving Norfolk Island in January 1810] Details of Sarah (Wheeler)s family are given in entry for John (Wheeler KITTY 1792) on this Website. .. John (Best) adopted Sarah (Wheeler)s 2children: 1.Mary (Wheeler) was born on 18 1 1795 on Norfolk Island. She is recorded as off stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. She left Norfolk Island on 18 4 1811sic with her stepfather, arriving on MERCURY on 13 4 1811. 2.Sarah (Wheeler) was born on 18 1 1795 also on Norfolk Island. She left Norfolk Island in March 1810. She died on 19 9 1853 age58. .. >>>John (Best) was recorded as Free by Servitude overseer settler on Norfolk Island in February 1805. He was told by doctor in 1811 he was not able to carry out his duties & should return to HQ at Port Jackson, which he did in April 1811 with Rebecca (Chippenham) & Mary (Wheeler stepdaughter) arriving on MERCURY on 13 4 1811. He married thirdly Rebecca (Chippenham/Chipman her second marriage) on 16 6 1817 at Christ Church Castlereagh. [Noted a John (Best) convict from MATILDA is recorded as dying on 4 9 1791 & buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney] Rebecca (Chippen/rham/Chipman) was born about 1770. She was tried at probably Old Bailey, sentenced to 7years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate. She married firstly Jonathan (Brown) on 10 6 1792 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She became housekeeper to John (Best) & apparantly moved with him to Norfolk Island. She is recorded as sentence expired in February 1805 on Norfolk Island. She returned to Port Jackson in October 1810/April 1811 with him, arriving on MERCURY on 13 4 1811. [Some details taken from this Website] Jonathan (Brown)=no information. References: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'
Digitised Indent of ship Matilda John Best, and John Gell, tried at Qr. Sess. for East Riding at Beverley, 15 Jan 1788, seven years. --------------------------------------------------------------- At the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace held for the town of Beverley on the 14th instant, …. John Best and John Gell severally took their trials at the above Sessions for stealing several traps and nets, the property of the occupiers of warrens in the said Riding, and each of them was convicted upon two indictments, and sentenced to be transported seven years. These offenders have infested and plundered the warrens and the property of the public in general in the said Riding, for a great number of years. Leeds Intelligencer, 29 Jan 1788