Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Christian was transported on the Joseph Somes, departing 2nd Jun 1847 and arriving 24th Sep 1847 with 251 passengers.
Built 1845 at London. Wood ship of 780 Tons. The owner was Thomas Colyer of Kent, the son-in-law of Joseph Somes. Two voyages with transport convicts to Australia: 1845/1846: 1847: 248 male people (known as "exiles" landed at Point Henry, Geelong, Victoria and 1 went on to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Queen Victoria had decreed that all of these men (many of them youths from Parkhurst, Isle of Wight) should be treated as "free" upon arrival (significant backlash to transported criminals at this time).
Joseph Somes (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/15, Page Number 186 |
| 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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Convict Notes
6/1/1844 Norfolk Chronicle Norfolk, England CITY SESSIONS Christopher Watpole and James Christian, for stealing a silver tea spoon, the prop Mr. Page, St Peter Maneroft. - Christian, although only 14 years age, had been in custody five different times for felony and charged with various other offenes.__The Recorder sentenced him to seven years' transportation & Walpole to two months' imprisonment. Employed by the Coghill family in Loddon, Northern Victoria, as a shepherd.
The James Christian transported on the Joseph Somes, 02 June 1847 was not the James Christian born Wick, Scotland 1830, died Warrnambool Australia 1895. This James Christian arrived in Melbourne in 1852 or 1853 from England as an unassisted migrant. He settled in Warrnambool in 1853, where he lived until his death in 1895. The James Christian, Convict, was born in Norfolk in 1828 to parents James and Jimima Christian, according to the 1841 England census. I have been unable to find a record of the death of this James Christian in all available death registers in Australia.
PLEASE NOTE: The details relating to the "murder" trial and marriage to a Margaret PPRESTON refer to a totally different James CHRISTIAN, namely, one who was born in Wick, Scotland, and was NOT transported aboard the "Joseph Somes". THE ENTRY SHOULD THEREFORE BE DELETED.
James Christian was one of 85 'Parkhurst Boys' who arrived in Victoria on 10/9/1847 and were landed in Geelong on September, 24th. James was 14 years old when indicted for stealing a silver spoon, on 2or9/1/1844. James was now 17 and had been re-trained as a tailor. I found no records of James either on Linc, Tasmania or the NSW Convict Records. 15/10/1852: The Geelong Advertiser: Prisoners in H.M. gaol at Geelong for trial at Geelong Circuit Court - James Christian for Murder. 23/10/1852: Tried for the murder of Joseph Williams, who was his half-brother, at the Eureka diggins, on the 19/9/1852, he was tried with Joseph Ellis and George Nenly. A very lengthy trial, where the prosecution did a very unsatisfactory case (according to the jury) and all three were discharged. 11/6/1895: James died while standing in a garden conversing with a friend, when he fell to the ground and expired a few seconds later. He had been a Warrnambool resident for 42 years. James was 65 years old and a native of Wick, Scotland. 26/6/1895: The Argus, Melbourne: Probate of the last Will and Testament of James Christian, late of Warrnambool, in the Colony of Victoria, Stonemason, be granted to his wife Margaret Christian of Warrnambool.
james married a margret preston in 1856, they had 8 children. most are buried at the warrnambool (vic) cemetary