Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
William Charlton Gregory 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 232. --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 |
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: William Gregory's accomplice Charles Hall, alias Williams, was also transported to WA. He arrived six months earlier, on 3 July, 1857, aboard the Clara (1). His bio is at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/hall/charles/16008.
From CONVICTS ASSOCIATED WITH TOODYAY database: Gregory, William Charlton (1829-1880) #4520 1858-01-01 Nile CWA: Mar; 2 chn; smith; lit Prot; rob with violence 20 yrs; Champion Bay, Toodyay, York; smith, worked for self 1863-1864. BDWA: GREGORY, Willlam Charlton. b. 1829, d. 21.11.1880 (Greenough) (expiree), son of Thomas & Ann, arr. 1.1.1858 per Nile. wife & 2 chd UK. married 20.12.1862 (Geraldton) Eliza JONES. b. 1848 d. 9.1923, dtr. of Charles & Eliza, sister of Mrs Youard. Chd. 6 young chd. at time of William's death including Martha Ada bp. 1871. Champion Bay. Blacksmith. Gwalla. Employed 4 T/L men 1863-1873. Lit. Prot. His widow went to Northampton in 1884 & applied for poor relief rations. She was nurse & midwife in the district & lived in her parents' home (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/).
IN WA: From his FREMANTLE jail record: GREGORY, William; inmate #4520, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Alias: CHARLTON Date of Birth: 1829 Date of Death: 21 Nov 1880 Marital Status: Married 2 children Occupation: Smith Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Chester, Cheshire, England Crime: Robbery with violence Sentence Period: 20 years, commuted Ticket of Leave Date: 6 Sep 1861 Conditional Pardon Date: 22 Oct 1864 Comments: Smith, self-employed, 1863-1864 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the NILE for transportation to WA; listed as #13/6773; behaviour on voyage “very bad” (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). —00—
13 March, 1857: Admitted to PORTLAND prison, Dorset—inmate #6773. 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) William Gregory was listed as 26 years old on conviction, married with two children, a smith, Church of England, literate, with 3 previous convictions. Next of kin—Thomas Gregory, 26 Old Acres, Bolton, Lancashire. Health "good"; behaviour "very good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; to 1875). —0—
14 June, 1856: Admitted to MILLBANK prison, Westminster—served 8 months 26 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. —0—
JAILS: 16 February, 1856: Admitted to KNUTSFORD jail, Chester—served 3 months 28 days; behaviour “good”. —0—
NEWSPAPER report of the trial: 5 April, 1856: From the Cheshire Observer, p5: "BURGLARY WITH INTENT TO MURDER. Charles Hall [Williams], 34, labourer, and William Charlton [GREGORY], 26, striker, were charged with having, on the 9th of February, at Tabley Superior, broken into the house of Emma Gleave and taken therefrom seven shillings in money, two bottles, and other articles; also breaking into the dwelling-house of James Lloyd, and assaulting him and his wife, with intent to murder them, at Highland, on the 8th February; they were further charged with stealing eight fowls, the property of Robert Armstrong, at Tabley Superior, on the 9th of the same month. The charges were fully proved against them. His Lordship carefully summed up the whole of the evidence, and after a short consultation the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Sentence, transportation for life. The elder prisoner seemed fully aware of his awful position, and held down his head during the whole of trial; the younger prisoner, however, seemed to treat the affair with great effrontery, and made a long rambling statement to the jury in his defence." (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) --0--
TRIAL: 29 March, 1856: William Gregory alias Charlton -- convicted at the Chester Assizes, Cheshire, and sentence of death recorded for "burglary with violence"; previous conviction also noted; commuted to transportation for 20 years (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Cheshire; 1856). --0--
TICKET OF LEAVE details: Date: January 14, 1854 Description: Licence number 387: William Gregory. Convicted of Stealing a watch and money from the person at the Quarter Sessions at Bolton, Lancashire, 3 October 1850. Then aged 20 years and by trade a Collier. Sentence: 7 years' transportation. Licence granted: 14 January 1854, for early release from Warrior hulk prison (PCOM 3/4/387, https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10127805). --00--