Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
William Cardwell 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 237 (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 |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
From The Daily News (Perth), Thursday 3 September, 1896, p2: "NEWS IN BRIEF. Mr. W. Dale, superintendent of the Mount Eliza Depot, reports that since August 20 the following deaths have occurred at the institution:— William Cardwell, 60, heart disease; John Williams, 67, general debility; William Farrand, 62, heart disease; Richard Perkins, 75, general debility; and Alfred Leach, 83, senile decay. The number of inmates at the present time is 200, and the general health is reported to be good." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/84461073). --00--
From the "Convicts associated with Toodyay" database: Cardwell, William (1827-1896) #4553, arrived 1858-01-01 per Nile Convict Records WA: Mar; 5 chn; farm lab; illit Prot; burglary & theft 15 yrs. BDWA: CARDWELL, William b.?1827 d. 20.8.1896? Arr. possibly 1.1.1858 per Nile. Wife & 5 chd. U.K., m. 2nd 20.5.1888 (Irwin) Mary Frances DEE b. 1858 d. 1921, dt. of William & Ellen (wid. of Frederick Josiah Brady). Chd. [two]. Employed 2 Ticket of Leave men Toodyay 1870-1871. Farmer, overseer, Irwin, Dongara (1884-6 AIm). Entry in RRR p27. DN, 1896 Sept. 3: Died in Mt. Eliza Depot (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/). --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: CARDWELL, William; inmate #4553, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1827 Date of Death: 20 Aug 1896 Place of Death: Mount Eliza Marital Status: Married 5 children Occupation: Farm labourer Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Preston, Lancashire, England Crime: Burglary & theft Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket of Leave Date: 24 Oct 1859 Conditional Pardon Date: 13 May 1862 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the Nile; convict #46/6917. Behaviour on voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
6 April, 1857: Admitted to Portland prison, Grove Road, Portland -- inmate #6917; other details as per Pentonville. Portland, Portsmouth, 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) --0--
14 April, 1856: Received at Pentonville prison, Caledonian Road, London -- inmate #6615. Listed as William Cardwell, 31 when convicted, married with 5 children, illiterate labourer, Church of England. Described as 5'5¾" tall, brown hair, grey eyes, fair complexion; contracted 2nd, 3rd and little fingers of left hand. Next of kin -- his wife, Grace Cardwell, North Clifton Street, Lytham, Lancashire. Behaviour "very good" -- served 12 months 20 days in public works (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Cardwell; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1854-1856). --0--
18 March, 1856: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London -- served 27 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good". --0--
JAILS: 14 February, 1856: Held at Preston House of Correction / Preston County Gaol, Ribbleton Lane, Preston -- served 1 month 3 days in separate confinement; behaviour "indifferent". “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. --0--
TRIAL: 14 February, 1856: Convicted at Preston Assizes and sentenced to transportation for 15 years for burglary and stealing five sovereigns, the property from Thomas Miller, at Lytham. He had a previous conviction in 1855 for felony. --0--
Nile 2 built at Sutherland (1849) Ship stopped in Bahia, Brazil (around Nov. 3 1857) He arrived Western Australia (Swan River Colony) Jan. 1, 1858 (spent about 3 mths. at c, not sure if this is correct) 15 years jail for burglary and theft