Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Henry Hands 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 245 (124). --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
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Photos
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Convict Notes
DEATH and INQUEST: 26 February, 1885: From the West Australian (Perth), p2: "NEWS AND NOTES. AN invalid pauper named Henry Hans [sic], better known as 'Beaky', met his death at the Depot, Fremantle, on Wednesday morning. It appears from the evidence at the inquest, held at noon yesterday, that the deceased had been suffering from acute dyspepsia and had been very ill and vomiting the previous day. At 7-30 a.m. he was seen to go out into the balcony in a hurry, apparently to vomit, when, placing his hands on the railing to lean forward, he overbalanced and fell a distance of thirteen feet, sustaining severe injuries, from which he shortly afterwards died. Deceased was a tall man, and about 66 years of age. The jury returned a verdict of 'Accidental death'." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2995620) --00--
COLONIAL RECORD: HANDS, Henry; inmate #10098 Colonial Other No: 4752 Date of Birth: 1819 Date of Death: 25 Feb 1885 Place of Death: Killed accidentally at depot by a fall, Fremantle Marital Status: Widower 1 child Occupation: Farm labourer Sentence Place: Albany, Western Australia, Australia Crime: Stealing from the person Sentence Period: 3 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 6 Jun 1875 Conditional Pardon Date: 14 Mar 1876 Comments: Labourer, charcoal burner (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
IN WA: From his FREMANTLE jail record: HANDS, Henry; inmate #4752, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1819 Date of Death: 25 Feb 1885 Place of Death: Killed accidentally at depot by a fall, Fremantle Marital Status: Married 1 child Occupation: Waterman Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Newington, Surrey, England Crime: Stealing Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 6 Jul 1858 Conditional Pardon Date: 2 Aug 1867 Comments: Wood cutter, labourer, cook, quarryman, general servant, self-employed, 1859. Reconvicted in Western Australia (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the NILE for transportation to WA. Although not listed on the manifest for prisoners from Portland, both his jail record and his WA convict record agree he boarded from Portland; behaviour on voyage “bad” (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
ToL REVOKED: 28 February, 1857: As above, no grounds given for revocation. 30 March, 1857: Readmitted to PORTLAND jail from the Bow Street Police (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Henry Hands; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1875). --0--
TICKET OF LEAVE: 31 July, 1856: Granted a Licence (Ticket of Leave) #6173 Reference: PCOM 3/57/6173 Licence number 6173: Henry Hands. Caption order and prison record from when he was convicted of Stealing lead at the Quarter Sessions at Newington, Surrey 28 July 1852. Then aged [not given] and by trade a [not given]. Sentence: 10 years Transportation. Licence granted 31 July 1856, for early release from Portland prison. Licence revoked 28 February 1857, caption returned 31 March 1857. Revocation order only. Held by: The National Archives, Kew (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10346402). --00--
19 September, 1853: First admission to PORTLAND prison, Dorset -- inmate #6913. 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 Henry Hands, 33 when convicted, married with 1 child, illiterate, labourer, Church of England. Behaviour -- "very good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Henry Hands; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1875). --00--
20 October, 1852: Admitted to PENTONVILLE, Caledonian Road, London -- served 11 months in separate confinement; behaviour "tolerable". “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, Pentonville, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--
11 September, 1852: Admitted to MILLBANK prison, Westminster, London -- served 1 month in separate confinement; behaviour "good". --0--
JAILS: 22 July, 1852: SOUTHWARK Police Court -- committed for trial. --0--