Thomas Howard

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Maureen Withey on 29th September 2025

Secretary’s Office, Sydney, 23 Dec 1818. Sir, In answer to your letter of the 10th inst, this day received, and in order to close all correspondence for the future in regard to your sentence of Transportation, I now transmit you a correct extract of your sentence from the Indents. Andrew Stewart, tried at Edinburgh Circuit Court of Justiciary in 1809 - sentence, Transportation for Life. John Macintyre tried at the same time, and place, and Thos. Howard, tried at Glasgow in 1808 had the same sentence of Transportation. These three persons in the Indents are circumflexed thus - John Macintyre } Andw. Stewart, } Thos. Howard } The Contractors to have their services for seven years from the 5th day of July 1810. As you have received a Conditional Certificate (as you term it) under date the 26th August 1817- whereby you are exempted from all service to the Government or restraint, save that of not being permitted to leave the Colony – a restraint necessarily implied in your sentence of Transportation for Life – You have no ground of reasonable complaint whatever, and your frequent troublesome applications and misrepresentation of facts will only tend to prove you undeserving of any relaxation of the existing restraint on you from this Govt. Altho’ I address this letter to ;you, I shall send it, under cover, open to His Honor Lieut. Governor Sorell and request him to read it previous to your receiving it. I am… (Signed) J. Campbell, Sec. To Mr Andrew Stewart, Hobart Town.

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iain Frazier on 31st October 2024

Family connections for Thomas (Howard) are: HOWARD Charles (Howard/Howarth) married Ann (Jackson her first marriage). He died in 1778. Ann (Jackson) married secondly William (Teal) in May 1779 at St Michael le Belfry York Yorkshire. [William (Teal) died <1790. .. Charles (Howard/Howarth) & Ann (Jackso) produced perhaps 1child: 1.Thomas (Howard) was born on 4 2 1776 at York Yorkshire. He was apprenticed to Luke (Smith) whitesmith at St Michael le Belfry in 1790. He became Freeman of city of York on 23 4 1799. He married firstly Catherine (Rowley) on 29 8 1797. He started a hardware business until he lost a thumb. He then became landlord of Freemasons Arms at the Shambles of York. He was tried for thefts at York in 1803, sentenced to 7years & sent to hulk at Portsmouth Harbour Hampshire; he was 5'7" dark sallow complexion dark brown hair hazel eyes. He was employed to do some repairs on Portsmouth docks & escaped to York to his wife & family & then to Glasgow Lanarkshire Scotland, where he seems to have changed his name to Charles (Jackson). As Charles (Jackson) he was again tried for multiple charges of stealing at Glasgow Court of Justiciary in January/February 1808 & sentenced to death. He then admits to his real name & history. His sentence was reprieved to Life & he arrived in NSW as a convict on 16 12 1810 after a voyage of 5.5months on INDIAN.>>> ..[Some details taken from this Website] ..Catherine (Rowley) was daughter of John (Rowley) coachhmaker of London. She apparantly moved with her husband & perhaps family to Glasgow Lanarkshire Scotland about 1803. ..Thomas (Howard) & Catherine (Rowley) produced 3children: ..1.-3.??? (Howard)-born probably at York. They apparantly moved with their parents to Glasgow Lanarkshire Scotland about 1803. .. >>>Thomas (Howard) became a blacksmith & is known for his work making quality skeleton keys & agricultural implements. He was a blacksmith when he married secondly Ann (Williams) on 5 10 1811 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He was issued his Conditional Pardon on 31 1 1818. He was Free by Servitude by 1822. He died on 3 10 1841 age65 father of 16children. ..Ann (Williams) was born on 17 6/7 1794 on Norfolk Island. In 1794 she was taken to Sydney by her parents & lived at 28 Cumberland St The Rocks until 1803. She is recorded with her parents in 1806. She may have worked at Simeon (Lord)s tanning or soap factory at Botany. She is recorded in 1828 with her family at Cornwallis. She died on 14 11 1855 age61. ..Details of Ann (Williams)s family are given in entry for Rachael (Watkins NEPTUNE 1790) on this Website. ..Thomas (Howard) & Ann (Williams) produced 13children: ..1.Charles (Howard) was born on 3 2 1813 & baptised on 25 12 1813 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Cornwallis. He died on 10 11 1878 age65. ..2.Eleanor (Howard) was born in 1815. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Cornwallis. She died on 10 6 1860 age about44. ..3.Rachel (Howard) was born in 1818. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Cornwallis. She died on 17 6 1848 age about29. ..4.Catherine (Howard) was born in October 1819. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Cornwallis. She died on 18 1 1881 age59. ..5.David (Howard) was born in 1822. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Cornwallis. He died on 26 10 1875 age about53. ..6.Johnathan (Howard) was born in 1822also. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Cornwallis. He died on 10 10 1886 age about62. ..7.Susannah (Howard) was born in 1823. ..8.Hiram (Howard) was born in 1826. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Cornwallis. He died on 2 10 1895 age68. ..9.Samuel (Howard) was born on 14 12 1828 & baptised on 18 1 1829 at St Matthews CofE Sydney. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Cornwallis. He died on 13 11 1868 age39. .10.-13.??? (Howard) REFERENCES Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'

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Denis Pember on 3rd June 2015

On the 5th October 1811, Thomas married Ann Williams, at St Philip's, by William Cowper. Thomas declared himself a widower and was aged 35 at the time. Ann was the daughter of the First Fleet marine James Williams and the Second Fleet convict, Rachael Watkins (Neptune, 1790). Ann had been born on Norfolk Island in 1794 and was aged only 17 at the time of the marriage. Over the next 20 years they had thirteen (13) children, most of whom reached adulthood and raised large families of their own.

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Denis Pember on 3rd June 2015

Thomas arrived in Australia aboard the 'Indian', master Andrew Barclay. Catherine and the three children were left in England. One wonders what became of them, but they did survive! There are members of the family from that branch doing genealogical research today. Thomas worked as a blacksmith in the colony. He was clearly a talented craftsman as his ability in crime (making numerous skeleton keys) and making agricultural implements in Australia testify. There are several letters to this effect which were presented 4 December 1817 in his appeal for a conditional pardon. These letters, from William Cox, John Jamison and R Jenkins, mention things like "implements of useful husbandry" and "beneficial machinery" The Pardon was granted 31 January 1818.

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Denis Pember on 3rd June 2015

Thomas Howard was the son of Charles Howard (Howarth) and Ann (nee Jackson) of York. His father died in 1778, when Thomas was very young and his mother remarried one William Teal, May 1779 at St Michael Le Belfry, York. Ann must have beocme a widow again fairly soon thereafter because when Thomas was apprenticed in 1790, his mother is shown as Ann Teal, widow, of the city of York. Thomas was apprenticed to Luke Hick. Whitesmith, of St Michael Le Belfry, York on 1st May 1790. (He would have been aged 14) He completed the seven year apprenticeship and was admitted as a freeman of the City of York on 23 April 1799, aged 23. Thomas had married Catherine Rowley, 29 August 1797. Catherine was the daughter of John Rowley, the coachmaker, of London. Catherine and Thomas had three children, baptised over the next few years. Sometime after completing his trade, Thomas started a hardware business, but unfortunately lost his thumb in an accident and was forced to change his business. He became the landlord of "The Freemason's Arms" in the Shambles of York. It was here that the opportunity to receive and deal in stolen goods became apparent. In 1803, Thomas was arrested for the theft of a quantity of goods and subsequently sentenced to 7 years transportation. As mentioned previously, he escaped from the prison hulk and was at large until 1808. Thomas is described as being 5'7" tall, with a dark, sallow complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

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Denis Pember on 2nd June 2015

On the 5th March 1808, he realises that the death sentence that he has been given is likely to be carried out so he 'comes clean' as it were. He now does admit his real name, his trade and whom he was apprenticed to. However, he now raises a further matter. He admits to being tried at York in 1803 before Sir Giles Rooke, and being convicted and sentenced to Transportation for 7 years. He then states that he had escaped from the 'hulk' whilst in Portsmouth. This of course raises the matter of precedent and the charges have to be re-valuated. This previous trial has been located ASSI 44/118. And indeed he is at last telling the truth. He was considered a 'trustworthy' felon and put onto the docks to do some repairs. On the third day, in his own words; "Seeing there was no guard anywhere, I decided to make good my escape." He did this, managed to get away to York, pick up his wife Catherine (Rowley) and go to Glasgow where he remained at large for a further 5 years. However, his attitude about other peoples belongings got him into trouble again. It is interesting to note that when he escaped, the Portsmouth press seemed very uninterested. They stated that he was 'missing' but was not considered in any way to be dangerous. Sort of like they may have misplaced him.

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Denis Pember on 2nd June 2015

The Records from the Glasgow Court are very extensive. 82 pages of handwritten declarations and witness accounts etc. Very hard to read and lots of Latin phraseology used. As Charles Jackson, he made three declarations; virtually admitting to the huge number of thefts that he had carried out. He made these declarations on 27th January 1808, 3rd February 1808 and 4 February 1808. He never divulged his full name or anything personal (which was true). Copious listing of stolen articles are made. In the third declaration he only speaks about a trunk which he has sent to Liverpool to have sold, and the huge amount of contents therein. It is quite clear that others are involved in these crimes but he does not divulge their names. (JC26:337)