Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Jane Elson was transported on the Lloyds, departing 23rd Jul 1845 and arriving 7th Nov 1845 with 170 passengers.
Built 1830 at London. Wood barque of 403 Tons.
Lloyds (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 91, Class and Piece Number HO11/14, Page Number 337 (170). --0-- Piper, AKS (2003), Chapter 2 “The dregs of a criminal population”, at https://eprints.utas.edu.au/8306/3/02_ch2_Piper_Thesis.pdf) |
| 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 Jane Elson yet.
Photos
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: See John Shell's bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/shell/john/63991
MARRIAGE: 19 February, 1849: Jane Elson per Lloyds and John Shell per Earl Grey (#8574, ToL) received permission to marry (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON52-1-3p147). 28 March, 1849: The couple was married at St George's Church of England, Hobart, by Rev Francis Brownrigg. Jane was 24 and John Shell/Snell was 28, a shoemaker. Witnesses: William Brown and Hariet [sic] Brown (https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-8p76j2k). --0--
14 October, 1852: Certificate of Freedom granted (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON41-1-7$init=CON41-1-7p54). --00--
29 June, 1847: In spite of her rheumatism, Jane Elson was slated to serve 6 months of “gang probation” before becoming a 3rd Class passholder. About the Probation System: “The Probation System was an experiment in penal discipline unique to Van Diemen’s Land. Introduced in 1839, it was modified several times from 1846 until it was abandoned altogether following the abolition of transportation to the colony in 1853… The system sought to punish with a just but dread certainty. It required all prisoners to be classified according to the severity of their offences, with the separation of individuals and classes employed to contain the corrupting influence of the more hardened offenders. All convicts were to be subjected to successive stages of punishment, commencing with a period of confinement and labour in gangs: at a penal settlement for life-sentenced prisoners, or at a probation station for all others. If they progressed satisfactorily through several stages of decreasing severity, they received a probation pass and became available for hire to the settlers. Gangs of passholders awaiting employment remained at the stations and continued to labour on public works. Sustained good conduct eventually led to a ticket-of-leave or a pardon. More than eighty probation stations operated in various locations, for varying periods, throughout the settled districts.” (https://www.utas.edu.au/) --0--
8 November, 1845: Admitted to hospital, as per Piper (2003) below. AKS Piper (2003) has studied the transportation of convicts—male and female—whose age or infirmity would be expected to exclude them from being shipped to the colonies. “Transportation spawned invalids directly and indirectly. Invalid prisoners, or prisoners likely to become infirm, were transported to Van Diemen’s Land… In relation to the Lloyds, the Principal Medical Officer reported to Matthew Forster, the Comptroller General, that with few exceptions they were healthy, although two women, Anne Gardiner and Mary Hamilton, had scurvy and required removal to the General Hospital. Three others, Jane Elson, Mary Halliday and Mary Murphy, who were respectively suffering from rheumatism, consumption (tuberculosis) and epilepsy, were also removed to the hospital. Another three, E. Palmer, Mary McDonald (or McDougal) and Anne Mulham (or Mulhern), all aged between 60 and 65 were described as being unfit for labour on account of being aged and infirm. A fourth woman, Mary Davis, aged 45, was also viewed as a potential liability as she had lost her right hand. From this one vessel alone it was likely that Van Diemen’s Land was to be lumbered with seven long term invalid cases… An investigation revealed that, with the exception of Davis, all the women had been healthy when they embarked and that their health and conduct in Millbank Prison [London] was not cause to detain them there. In the case of Davis, William Buly, the Medical Superintendent of Millbank Prison, wrote that while the regulations relating to the transportation of male convicts who had lost limbs had been amended in January 1845, no such instructions had been received for female convicts. On further inquiry… the Home Office [advised it] had no intention of changing this ruling. Loss of a limb continued to be perceived as not a barrier for the transportation of female convicts. The regulation had been changed for male convicts as the loss of a limb was seen as reasonable grounds to incapacitate a man from labour in a probation gang, but as women did not engage in such labour, the same objection could not be raised against their transportation.” (Piper, 2003, pp35-37, at https://eprints.utas.edu.au/). Note: Some corrections to the names above — Anne Gardiner was listed as Ann Gardner. She died in Hobart General Hospital, on 25 November, 1845, 17 days after her arrival in Hobart Town. Mary Murphy should be Margaret Murphy, aged 11½ years. Young Margaret had epilepsy and sailed on the Lloyds with her mother, Margaret, who did not suffer from epilepsy. E Palmer was Hannah Palmer. Mary McDonald was Mary Macdonald (convict #590), aged 16. However, Margaret McDonald (convict #589) was aged 60, born 1785. --0--
IN VDL: 7 November, 1845: On arrival, she was listed as convict #142, aged 21 when convicted, a house servant, single with an infant child, Church of England, able to read and write, native place Exeter. The surgeon's report described her as "Quiet but sly, has an infant" but makes no mention of any illness/infirmity (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON41-1-7$init=CON41-1-7p54). --0--
TRIAL: 14 October, 1844: Jane Elson was sentenced at Exeter City QS to transportation for 7 years for stealing money. She had a previous conviction for stealing an apron (14 days' jail) (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON41-1-7$init=CON41-1-7p54). --0--
National Archives. DM 101/43/31845 Medical journal of the Lloyds, female convict ship, for 19 July to 12 November 1845 by Charles K. Nutts, Surgeon and Superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed in a voyage to Van Diemen’s Land. (Described at item level). ADM 101/43/3/11845 Folios 1-2: copy of the sick list of female convicts, (names and details follow). Folio 13: case no. 8, Jane Elson, aged 20, convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatismus; put on sick list 5 November 1845, sent 8 November 1845 to hospital at Hobart Town.