Frederick Blades

Frederick Blades 1829 – 1896 Frederick was born and baptized in Stamford. He was the son of Abel and Christina Blades. He was baptized on the 17th May 1828 at St Michaels. The 1841 census has him aged 10yrs, (13yrs would have been the right age), and also in the house on the census night were Abel, Christina, William, Susan and George. By 1847 he was a Blacksmith/Labourer, of the parish of St John, in Stamford. He was 5’ 4’’ tall, light brown hair with blue eyes, oval face, fair complexion, of slight build. It has been noted that he was married with one child. He was married to Sarah Scott in 2nd Quarter of 1848 and they had a daughter Mary Ann who was baptized on the 31st of September 1848. On the 13th of September 1848 a Frederick Blades broke open a chest of draws in the house of Thomas Williamson and was accused of stealing 7l of gold, 5s in silver and a silver watch. He then left Stamford by train bound for London, a reward of two guineas was offered for his apprehension. On the 14th Oct 1848 he was tried at Stamford. The records show he was convicted of stealing 4 sovereigns, 6 half sovereigns, 2 half crowns and a silver watch worth 2 pounds, He was sentenced to 7yrs and transportation. It was said that on the 8th July 1848 he was lodging with Williamson at the Corporations Building, Scotgate, Stamford, together with his wife and child. An Archivist from Lincoln described Frederick Blades as being the 5th member of the same family to be transported, and he thanked the court for his sentence. He was also accused of stealing a steel chain worth 2d, a seal worth 1d and a watch key worth 1d. Reading the newspaper articles it appears his aim was to try and travel to Australia, not sure if that included his wife and child or to desert them and travel alone. He got his wish. He spent from Oct 1848 till Jul 1851 he was goaled then on the prison hulk Justitia, before he was transported on the 16th Jul 1851 aboard the Minden 1 of 302 convicts bound for Western Australia. His convict N0 was 718. He arrived in Perth on the 14th Oct 1851. On arriving in Perth he was granted his Ticket of Leave at the same time. His Conditional Pardon was granted in Nov 1853. His occupation was stated as self-employed. There was mention that he moved to South Australia, but checking records with the South Australian Pioneers, Genealogical Society of South Australia and the Maritime museum, they have no records of a Frederick Blades moving to South Australia within this time period. The maritime museum had a J. Frederick Blades disembarking in 1850 and a “Blades” disembarking in 1880 with family and servant. On Ancestry several people have a record of a Frederick Blades marring a Mary Chambers on the 16th June 1869, but they have Fredericks father name recorded as Joseph. (I believe this is more likely the J. Frederick Blades) I believe he bypassed South Australia and went straight to Victoria, landing in Warrnambool sometime in 1854. His death certificate states he was in Victoria for 42 years. After landing in Victoria I would say that he moved around in the western district, more than likely catching up with Francis and his family as they were living in the same area. Another twist in the Frederick Blades story is that a “Frederick Blades” arrived in New South Wales on the 9th Dec 1848 as an Assisted Passenger, the passenger list states he was a carpenter/blacksmith, came from Stamford and his parents are Abel and Christiana and they are both living. At this point in time I have been unable to work how this fits in. One theory is that John Sellers Blades his nephew used his name to travel to Australia. A story I was told by an older cousin, was that John Sellers Blades travelled to Australia with an uncle, but maybe he came to Australia using his uncle name? His final place of residence was Stawell where he died on the 29th July 1896 his occupation at the time of his death was a gardener and he was 67yrs of age. He died of chronic gastritis. His father was named as Abel Blades his father’s occupation was constable and his mother name was Christina. The death certificate also states he was in Victoria for 42yrs (arriving in 1854) and he was not married. Frederick was buried on the 31st of July 1896 at Stawell cemetery section 20 plot N0 4449. Subject* Frederick Blades (602) Father* Abel Lowe Blades (592) (b. 1787, d. 6 Jan 1872) Mother* Christina Sharp (593) (b. 1792, d. 20 May 1875) Birth* __ ___ 1828 Census* __ ___ 1841 Stamford, Lincolnshire, England; Listed on the census were, Abel, Christina William 15 Susan 10 Frederick 10 (If born in 1828 age should have been 13) George 5 Occupation* circa __ ___ 1846 Labourer, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England Child: circa __ ___ 1848 Mary Ann (793). Marriage* circa __ ___ 1848 Sarah Scott, Bourne, Lincolnshire, England; Criminal* 14 Oct 1848 Convicted at Stamford Courts, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England; Convicted of Larceny, sentenced to 7yrs and transportation Convict N0 718 Transportation* 16 Jul 1851 Transported on the Minden; 1 of 302 convicts transported Residence* 14 Oct 1851 Arrived in Perth, Perth, Western Australia, Australia Ticket of Leave* 14 Oct 1851 Granted Ticket of Leave, Perth, Western Australia; Must have been granted ticket of leave soon as he arrived in Australia Pardon* __ Nov 1853 Granted Conditional Pardon, Perth, Western Australia Occupation: __ Nov 1853 Records show he was self-employed, Perth, Western Australia Residence: circa __ Dec 1853 South Australia; Records in Western Australia state that Frederick moved to South Australia, but no records have been found at this stage, Oct 2012 Residence: __ ___ 1854 Victoria; On his death certificate it stated that he lived in Victoria for 42 years, which would put his arrival sometime in 1854 Death* 29 Jul 1896 Chronic Gastritis, Stawell, Vic; Information on his death certificate. Occupation – Gardener Father Abel Blades Mother Christina Fathers Occupation – Constable Time in Victoria - 42 years Marital Status - NOT MARRIED Burial* 31 Jul 1896 Stawell Cemetery Sec13 or 20 Plot 4449, Stawell, Vic, Australia