Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
William Carter was transported on the Scindian, departing 27th Feb 1850 and arriving 1st Jun 1850 with 77 passengers.
Scindian (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/16, Page Number 180 The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News 1850 Jul 26 p/4: List of convicts per Scindian given Ticket of Leave --00-- England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for Henry Sheppard; England; Worcestershire; 1847 |
| 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: WHAT BECAME OF HENRY SHEPPARD -- HIS CO-ACCUSED? Henry Sheppard was transported to Gibraltar and then to VDL, arriving in VDL per St Vincent in 1853. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/sheppard/henry/3125. --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: CARTER, William; inmate #8, arrived 1 Jun 1850 per Scindian Date of Birth: 1825 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Butcher Literacy: Literate Sentence Date: 18 Oct 1847 Sentence Place: Worcester, Worcester, England Crime: Horse stealing Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket Leave Date: 24 Mar 1851 Conditional Pardon Date: 29 Apr 1854 Certificate of Freedom Date: 19 Dec 1866 Comments: Self-employed, 1857 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
SCINDIAN TO WA: THE FIRST CONVICTS: 1 June, 1850: “On this day in 1850, the first convict transport ship Scindian arrived in Fremantle to great surprise, as she had managed to overtake the ship carrying news of her arrival. There was no prison capable of holding the convicts, so a local warehouse was rented and quickly converted into a temporary prison. Convicts remained there for five years, whilst building their new home, The Convict Establishment, later renamed Fremantle Prison.” (https://www.facebook.com/fremantleprison) —0— NEWSPAPER REPORT OF THE SHIP’S ARRIVAL: 7 June, 1850: “Arrival of the ‘Scindian’ with Convicts. The arrival of the Scindian with the first batch of convicts and the staff of officers for the formation of the Penal Establishment, took place on Saturday last, the 22nd anniversary of the foundation of the colony-a curious coincidence and a very fit day for the commencement of the new order of things. She has had a quick passage of 88 days from Portsmouth, which she left on the 4th March. The number of passengers is 277, of which seven are cabin, including Dr. Gibson, R.N., Surgeon Superintendent, Capt. Henderson, R.E., Superintendent of the Convict Establishment, lady and child, Mr. and Mrs. Dickson and two children. Mr. and Mrs. Manning and two children; steerage, 75 convicts, 54 pensioners with wives and families and 14 emigrant young women. The Scindian is the first of four vessels taken up by the Home Government for the conveyance of convicts hither, one to sail each month during the three following months… On Tuesday His Excellency proceeded to Fremantle, for the purpose of arranging, in concert with Capt. Henderson [Superintendent of the Convict Establishment], for locating the prisoners, and an agreement was made with Capt. Scott to take his premises upon lease for five years, at a rental of £250 per annum, to expend £1,000 in improvements for which interest at the rate of 4 per cent is to be allowed out of the rent. We understand, that after the erection of their own buildings, the first public work proceeded with will, in all probability, be the erection of a Pier to run out from Arthur’s Head, for the protection of Gage’s Roads. We also hear that the Scindian has on board 400 tons of Government stores, including tools, iron-work, and everything the establishment is likely to require for the erection of gaols, carrying on works, &c.” (The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News, p2 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3171648). --00--
28 February, 1850: William Carter was sent from Portland jail to embark on the Scindian for transportation to WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Carter; Portland Prison; Prison Records; Undated). --00--
1 May, 1849: William Carter, inmate #389, was admitted to Portland jail, Grove Road, Portland, Dorset; other details as below: Name: William Carter Marital Status: Single Criminal Admission Age: 23 Record Type: Register Birth Date: abt 1826 Occupation: Butcher Criminal Charge: Horsestealing Sentence: 15 Criminal Admission Date: 1 May 1849 Criminal Admission Place: Dorset, England Jail: Portland Prison Source Description: Portland Prison, Dorset: General Record of Prisoners [Record of Conduct During Imprisonment, in Registers Arranged (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Carter; Portland Prison; Prison Records; Undated). --00--
JAILS: 23 March, 1848: William CARTER, inmate #1734, 22 years old, was admitted to Pentonville prison, Caledonian Road, London. At Pentonville, male convicts served their probationary term of up to 9 months, after which they would be transported or sent to a public works prison (https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/pentonville-prison-2/). William Carter was listed as a butcher, single, no children; character “good”. Sentenced to 15 years for horse stealing, he was removed to Portland jail on 1 May, 1849 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1847-1849). --00—
NEWSPAPER REPORT OF THE TRIAL: 21 October, 1847: “Horse Stealing. —Henry Sheppard, 22, groom, and William Carter, 22, butcher, were charged upon two indictments with stealing a horse, value £10, the property of Thomas Burge, and a gelding, value £20, the property of W. Parsons, at Halesowen [south of Oldbury]. Mr. Huddleston prosecuted; the prisoners were defended by Mr. Streeten. The first case entered upon was that of Mr. Burge. The prosecutor deposed that he lived at Chilcompton, in Somersetshire, and that the 13th of July he sent his horse to his brother to put into a field, it was missing from its enclosure next day… The prosecutor’s brother proved that he left the horse safe in his brother’s field on the 13th of July. William Turvey, of Oldbury [100 miles north of Chilcompton], deposed that on the 16th July the prisoners applied for leave to place two horses in his field for a couple of days, as they wanted to take them to Fazeley fair [north-east of Oldbury]. Suspecting that all was not right, he went to Birmingham [east of Oldbury], for the purpose of examining the ‘Hue and Cry’, and finding these horses advertised in that publication, he gave the prisoners into custody on his return. The prisoners wanted… for the two horses; they were offered £40, but refused…” (Worcester Journal, p2, at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/). -- Note: To put the route travelled with the first horse into perspective, Chilcompton to Halesowen is 95 miles in a northerly direction. From Halesowen, where the second horse was taken, it’s 5 miles to the north to Oldbury. William Turvey’s trip, from Oldbury to Birmingham, was 6 miles to the east, one way. Fazeley, the site of the fair, is about 18 miles n-east of Oldbury. --00—
TRIAL: 18 October, 1847: Henry Sheppard and William Carter, both 22 and semi-literate, were convicted of horse stealing – two convictions – and each was sentenced to 15 years’ transportation after 1 month’s imprisonment (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for Henry Sheppard; England; Worcestershire; 1847). --0--