Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
James Ford 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 243 (123). --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 |
Claims
No one has claimed James Ford yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for James Ford.
Convict Notes
IN WA: From his FREMANTLE jail record: FORD, James; inmate #4601, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1824 Marital Status: Widower 2 children [5 children stated on earlier jail record] Occupation: Farm labourer Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Wells, Somerset, England Crime: Manslaughter Sentence Period: 10 years penal servitude Ticket of Leave Date: 19 Aug 1861 Conditional Pardon Date: 28 Mar 1867 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the NILE for transportation to WA (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). --00--
18 July, 1857: PORTLAND PRISON -- inmate #7114. 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) Listed as James Ford, 34 when convicted, widower, 5 children; labourer; Church of England. Next of kin: Sister, Caroline Bees, Compton, Somerset. Health "good". --0--
19 September, 1856: LEICESTER GAOL -- served 9 months 2 days 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). Millbank, Wakefield, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails such as Leicester. --0--
JAILS: 1 August, 1856: TAUNTON GAOL Name: James Ford Criminal Admission Age: 34 Record Type: Register Birth Date: abt 1822 Occupation: Laborer Criminal Charge: Feloniously killing Sentence: Transported Criminal Admission Date: 1 Aug 1856 Criminal Admission Place: Somerset, England Jail: Taunton Gaol (Taunton Gaol, Somerset: Calendars of Trials At Sessions and Assizes For the County of Somerset). --0--
NEWSPAPER reporting of his trial: 10 August, 1856: From the News of the World: "WIFE KILLING James Ford was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Sarah Ford, at Publow, in this County. On the 30th July, Mr. Wait, the woman’s employer, was married, and he gave an entertainment to his workpeople on the occasion. The prisoner was annoyed at his wife’s going and used several threatening expressions respecting her. He went to the King’s Arms public-house, and drank to a considerable extent. One of the deceased’s sisters seeing the state of excitement the prisoner was in, sent for his wife to come and pacify him. She came accordingly and endeavoured to persuade her husband to go home. He refused, and struck her two violent blows. The woman got away from him and went into the tap-room. No other persons were present, but the landlady heard some violent talking, followed by two heavy blows, and the moment she got into the room she saw the deceased lying dead upon the floor with her head under the table, which was hooped with iron. The jury almost immediately found a verdict of manslaughter. His lordship sentenced the prisoner to transportation for life." (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4601.htm) --0--
TRIAL: 1 August, 1856: Convicted of the manslaughter of his wife Sarah Ford, and sentenced to transportation for life. --0--