Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Thomas Butler was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 245 (124). --00--Edgar, W. (Bill). (2018). “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. |
| 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
FOOTNOTE: 1851 Census: At the Beccles County House of Correction in Newgate Street, Beccles -- Thomas BUTTLER [sic], prisoner, 25, unmarried, net maker, born Halesworth, Suffolk (1851 England Census for Thomas Buttler; Suffolk; Beccles; ALL; 4c). The 1851 Census was taken on 30 March, so this would have coincided with his jail term of 1 month for larceny, handed down at the General Quarter Sessions in Beccles on 17 March.
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: BUTLER, Thomas; #4621, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1826 Place of Birth: Halesworth Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Tailor [Clerical intervention?] Literacy: Semi-literate Sentence Place: Ipswich, Suffolk, England Crime: House breaking Sentence Period: 15 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 3 Apr 1860 Conditional Pardon Date: 24 Feb 1865 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
18 September, 1857: Sent from Portsmouth to board the Nile, convict #19/3980, for transportation to WA. Listed as 27 when tried, net maker, 15 years' transportation. Behaviour on voyage - "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
16 May, 1857: Portsmouth prison, Cumberland Street/ Gloucester Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire—inmate #3980. Portsmouth, Portland, Chatham and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) Listed as Thomas Butler, 27 when convicted, single, no children, Church of England, netmaker, reads only. He served 3 months 4 days, behaviour "good". Total of 1 year 1 month 14 days in prison before transportation (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Thos Butler; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0--
28 August, 1856: Millbank prison in Westminster; inmate #3412. George Butler, 27 when tried, single, netmaker, twice convicted, three times summarily. Next of kin -- mother, Sarah Butler, Alms House, Halesworth. Visited on by his mother, sister and uncle on 15 April, 1857. He served 8 months 8 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Thomas Butler; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners to 1885). --0--
29 July, 1856: Ipswich County Gaol and House of Correction, St Helens Street, Ipswich -- served 1 month in separate confinement; behaviour "good". “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Wakefield, Millbank, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails such as Ipswich. --0--
JAILS: 17 July, 1856: At Beccles, committed to stand trial for housebreaking. [Beccles is about 33 miles north-northeast of the county town of Ipswich, and 7 miles north-east of Ilketshall St Lawrence.] --0--
OCCUPATION: NET MAKER not nail maker, which was the only option offered beginning with "n" and ending in "maker"!
Newspaper coverage of the trial: From the Bury and Norwich Post, 6 August, 1856, p4: "Thomas Butler and Henry Chipperfield were charged with breaking into the dwelling-house of John Codling, of St. Lawrence, Ilketshall... On the [illegible] of July, Mrs. Codling left her house about half-past nine, placing the key in shed, the door of which was fastened by a hasp; on her return at six she found the house had been entered, and three coats, and a loaf of bread, a pair of gloves, and knife stolen therefrom. About four o'clock the day in question, the prisoners were seen by the prosecutor’s son near the premises, and on his return in about half-an-hour found that the house had been broken into. The prisoners were seen coming the direction from the premises, Butler with something under his coat, and Chipperfield with a bundle in a basket. Butler also gave the knife and pair of gloves to a woman [he] knew; which his defence said were his own. —The Jury found both prisoners guilty, and a previous conviction having been proved against them His Lordship said Butler had been times before convicted, and he would sentence him to 15 years’ transportation. Chipperfield had been five times before convicted [and was sentenced ]... to four years’ penal servitude." (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) --00--
TRIAL: 26 July, 1856: Thomas Butler, 27, was convicted at Ipswich Summer Assizes of housebreaking and larceny and sentenced to 15 years' transportation, a previous conviction for felony being taken into account (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for Thos Butler; England; Suffolk; 1856). Previous convictions: 17 March, 1851, at Beccles General Quarter Sessions -- larceny, 1 month. 9 January, 1852, at Ipswich Assizes -- larceny from the person, 4 months. --0--