Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Gill 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 248. UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners to 1885. UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Wakefield Gaol; Registers of Prisoners; Undated. Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8). Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registe |
| 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
FOOTNOTE: NEWSPAPER report of the trial: At the Wakefield intermediate sessions, Thursday last, two notorious characters of this place, namely, Hodgson Dawson and John Gill, were tried for breaking into the dwelling house of Mr. George K. Kenton, on the 20th ult... After occupying the attention of the Court they were found guilty and sentenced to be transported beyond the seas for fifteen years. They had been previously transported and were out upon tickets leave; they had also been convicted of various other offences since their release; they had not followed any employment, and soon recommenced their old practices, and were very much dreaded in the district. One evening last week, prior to their trial, Mr. Kenton's servant girl was violently attacked by three men whilst she had gone out to the adjoining yard for some water. They attacked her, seizing her by the throat and otherwise ill-using her. No motive can be assigned for this attack except that it was by some friends of the above two prisoners, so as to prevent her giving evidence against them. She was known to be an important witness for the prosecution. It was a very dark night, and she is not able to identify any of the parties. She did not recover from the effects of the attack until some days afterwards." (Bradford Observer, Thursday 13 March 1856, p5 at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: GILL, John; #4516, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1825 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Wakefield, Yorkshire, England Crime: House breaking Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket of Leave Date: 25 Jan 1860 Conditional Pardon Date: 7 Oct 1862 Certificate of Freedom Date: 15 Mar 1871 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/).
10 September, 1857: He was sent from Portland to Chatham, in Kent, for transportation aboard the Nile to WA. On the record of “male transports” from Portland he was listed as 31 and single; all other details match those on his Wakefield record. His behaviour in separate confinement and in public works was listed as “good” and "very good" respectively (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). --00--
12 March, 1857: He was admitted to Portland gaol, in Dorset, listed as inmate #6763 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1875). Opened in November 1848 as the first male convict public works prison, Portland received prisoners who had already undergone periods of separate confinement at Millbank, Pentonville and specially contracted local prisons (https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/portland-prison/). --0--
1 August, 1856: John Gill was admitted to Millbank, inmate #3096. At Wakefield he had served 4 months 26 days in separate confinement towards what was called the mandatory “probationary term”. He would complete another 7 months 11 days in separate confinement at Millbank. At Millbank, he was listed as 31, single, illiterate and a labourer. Next of kin was his mother, Mary Gill of Yeadon. --0--
TRIAL AND JAILS: 5 March, 1856: The pair was tried at Wakefield, convicted and sentenced to transportation for 15 years. They were returned to Wakefield jail but were split up less that 5 months later, when John Gill was sent to Millbank Gaol, at Westminster in London. Dawson's story continues on his bio page. --0--
John Gill and Hodgson Dawson -- who was also transported aboard the Nile, but died during the voyage -- were well known to each other, sharing crimes and convictions: JAIL: 26 February, 1856: Both were admitted to Wakefield jail — Gill as inmate #3594; Dawson as #3593. They had been committed for trial by T Horsfall, Esq, on a charge of breaking and entering a dwelling house and stealing a writing desk at Yeadon, Leeds (about 22 miles north of Wakefield). In Wakefield, detailed physical descriptions were recorded. John Gill was 31, 5’4¾” tall with brown hair, dark grey eyes, fresh complexion, with a pockmark on the left side of his forehead. He was illiterate, had no religion (although CofE is given on another record), a labourer, born near Harewood and living at Yeadon. Hodgson Dawson's description is on his bio page (https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/dawson/hodgson/60968). Both men had previous convictions, the most recent and shared one being a sentence of 7 years’ transportation, handed down at Bradford on 25 November, 1851, for breaking and entering a shop and stealing beef. --0--