Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
William Cullum was transported on the Mermaid, departing 30th Dec 1850 and arriving 13th May 1851 with 210 passengers.
Mermaid (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/16, Page Number 382, --00-- https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/ --00-- London, England, Newgate Calendar of Prisoners, 1785-1853 for William Cullum; Piece 56: 1849 |
| 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
NOTE: Year of Birth is taken from official records (Court and Jail) but day and month are not known. The latter dates have been entered as 01/01 because the site does not allow those fields to be left empty.
DEATH OF WILLIAM CULLUM: 1852, 1 June: William Cullum [called Cullam] died from TB/Phthisis (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for William Cullam; Convict Establishment, Receipts and Discharges; Receipts and Discharges, 1855 - 1859 (Rd1 - Rd2). “In the medical writings of Europe through the Middle Ages and well into the industrial age, tuberculosis was referred to as phthisis, the ‘white plague’, or consumption—all in reference to the progressive wasting of the victim’s health and vitality as the disease took its inexorable course.” (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Tuberculosis) --000--
OTHER: Birth: 1823 Death: 1 June 1852 at Fremantle, Western Australia; phthisis. Convicted: Burglary with violence and sentenced to [death, remitted to] 20 years on 26 February 1849, at Central Criminal Court, London, London, England. Literacy: Semi-literate Family Status: Unmarried Occupation: Baker Transported: To WA on the Mermaid arriving at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 13 May 1851. He had been collected from Portland prison. Convict No.: 236 (https://waconvicts.fhwa.org.au/g0/p10.htm#i236). --00--
IN WA: FREMANTLE JAIL RECORD: CULLUM, William; inmate #236, arrived 7 May 1851 per Mermaid Date of Birth: 1823 Date of Death: 1 Jun 1852 Place of Death: [not stated]; [cause] Phthisis Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Baker Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Date: 1849 Sentence Place: London, London, England Crime: Burglary with violence Sentence Period: 20 years (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
VOYAGE OF 123 DAYS: “The Mermaid, with 209 convicts and about 40 pensioners, sailed from Torbay on the 16th January, and put back in consequence of the small pox having broken out on board. According to private letters, she was lying at Plymouth on the 22nd Jan 1851.” (The Inquirer, 23 April 1851, p3 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65738865). “The Mermaid, with 209 convicts and a detachment of pensioners with women and children, 60 in all, arrived yesterday.” (The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News, 16 May 1851, p1 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3172472). --00--
1850, 28 December: William Cullum (24) and George Digby (18) were sent from Portland to board the Mermaid for WA. The latest report on their behaviour listed Cullum’s as “very good” and Digby’s as “indifferent”. Both were deemed to be in “good” health, while Francis Pike’s health was said to be “indifferent” and he remained at Portland (England, Criminal Lunatic Asylum Registers, 1820-1876; Quarterly Returns of Prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons; 1850; December; image 11). --00--
1850, 6 March: William Cullum, George Digby and Francis Pike were sent from Millbank Prison, Westminster, and admitted to Portland Prison; listed as inmates #1190, 1189 and 1191 respectively. In a report for the March quarter, each was listed as of “good” behaviour (England, Criminal Lunatic Asylum Registers, 1820-1876; Quarterly Returns of Prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons; 1850; March; image 36). --0--
1849, 5 May: William Cullum, George Digby and Francis Pike were sent from Newgate to Millbank Prison, Westminster. They were listed as: Cullum #17395, Digby #17396 and Pike #17397. William Cullum was described as 5’8” tall, 24, single, semi-literate, a baker from Pimlico; previous criminal history unknown (UK, Criminal Records, 1780-1871; Prison Registers and Statistical Returns; 1848-1850; HO 24/4; image 246). --0--
JAIL: 1849, 3 March: NEWGATE Prison, London NAME: William Cullum AGE: 24 BIRTH DATE: 1825 ARREST PLACE: Middlesex TRIAL OR COMMITTAL DATE: 3 March, 1849 TRIAL OR COMMITTAL PLACE: London, England JAIL: Newgate CHARGE: Burglary, Assault, Wounding, Stealing SENTENCE: Death recorded; transported for 20 years OCCUPATION: Baker (London, England, Newgate Calendar of Prisoners, 1785-1853 for William Cullum; Piece 56: 1849). --0--
TRIAL contd/4 JOHN BENJAMIN LEE. I live at 20, Cadogan-place, Chelses. On the afternoon of Sunday, 11th Feb., I picked up this lantern in my garden, which is separated from No. 19, by a wall about six feet high—I examined it, laid it down again on the garden chair, and left it there—I beard on the Tuesday that the prisoners were taken, and told the servant to fetch the lantern in—she did so, and gave it to the policeman—I can undertake to swear it is the same lantern—I examined it carefully. Cullum's Defence. There was a chisel found, the policeman says he found it; and before the Magistrate a cook from 19, Cadogan-place came forward and said that she found it; and as to the footmarks, the policemen say they took the shoes from us on the Sunday afternoon, instead of that it was Sunday morning about eight or nine o'clock, and it was not found out for a fortnight after that Digby's shoes fitted as well as ours; there is nothing particular in my shoes more than there would be in another persona buying a pair at the same shop. Pike's Defence. On the Saturday night, as I was going home I was taken short, and went down this Mews, which is not connected with any gardens; the policeman came down and prevented me; I did not think I was obliged to give him my proper name and address, as I did not want any bother about it; next morning I was in bed, and the policeman came and took me; I asked what it was for, and they said for putting Cullum over the wall; I denied the charge, but I did not deny having been that way; that ia a falsehood of the policeman's; they asked me what time 1 was at home on the Friday night, and I said half-past twelve, which I was; as to my shoe resembling the marks, there are plenty of shoes the same size; it is false what the policeman says about meeting me with these two men at half-past one on the Friday night; I was in bed at half-past twelve, as my landlady, and the young woman I lived with can prove; I had no cap on that night; I wore a hat; I do not associate with these men; I certainly know them, by having lived about Knightsbridge a good many years, and I own that Cullum lives in the same house with me, but I have no intimacy with him; I am perfectly innocent of what I am accused of. MATILDA MOORE. I live at 2, Pine Apple-court—the prisoner Pike lived with me—he was taken out of bed from me on Sunday morning—he had come home on the Saturday night about half-past twelve—he had come home early all the week—on the Friday night we both went home together about half-past twelve—he did not go out again. Cross-examined by MR. ROBINSON Q. What time did he come home on the Friday? A. We left the King's Head, Knightsbridge, about a quarter or ten minutes to twelve, went home together, and went to bed—he was not out at all afterwards—we have lived together about seven months—I was in bed first on the Saturday night—he was at home by half-past twelve, and did not go out afterwards—we were at the King's Head on the Saturday night, and went home early, because neither of us were very well—I had been with him all the Saturday evening, except about an hour—he went out before I did—we did not go near Cadogan Mews on the Saturday night—I was at home at twelve, before him—I parted from him about twelve, and went home, and he came home about half-past—he was with me the whole of Friday night. CULLUM— GUILTY Aged 24. DIGBY— GUILTY Aged 20. PIKE— GUILTY Aged 18. Death recorded. (There were two other indictments against the prisoners.)” Note: The death sentences for all three men were commuted to transportation for 20 years. -- Other information from the Old Bailey records: Born 1825. Gender male. Height 5' 8". Occupation Baker. Religion Protestant (unspecified). Has tattoo no. First recorded 1849. --00--