Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Mark Jeffery was transported on the Eliza, departing 12th Dec 1849 and arriving 30th Apr 1850 with 60 passengers.
The Eliza was a 511-ton (later 538 ton) merchant ship built in British India in 1806. She made five voyages transporting convicts from England and Ireland to Australia.
Eliza (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/16, Page Number 106. TAHO, Convict Court & Select Records (CON127-1-4) Launceston Examiner Dated 19th July 1894 Page 6 Deaths of the District of Hobart No 1216 dated 17th July 1894 |
| 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
Supreme Court - Hobart Town, Prisoner convicted at the above Court, on the 13th Feb 1872. Mark Jeffrey, per Eliza, F.S., offence manslaughter, sentence Life. Tasmania Police Gazette, 23rd Feb 1872, p31.
POL709-1-1 page 197 (08 May 1862) Discharged from Port Arthur on the 8th instant POL709-1-1 page 159 (06 Oct 1863) Discharged from Port Arthur on the 6 October 1863 POL709-1-1 page 51 (21 Mar 1864) Discharged from Port Arthur on the 21 March 1864 POL709-1-1 page 189 (17 Nov 1864) Discharged from Port Arthur to Hobart Town on the 17 November 1864 POL709-1-7 page 194 (19 Nov 1870) Discharged from Port Arthur to Hobart Town on the 19 November 1870 - Pauper POL709-1-8 page 156 (22 Sep 1871) Discharged from Port Arthur to Hobart Town on the 22 September 1871 - Pauper New Town Charitable Institute: POL709-1-25 page 36 (21 Feb 1894 to 22 Feb 1894) Discharged to the General Hospital
In his autobiography "Mark Jeffrey: A Burglars Life" he states that he and his brother Luke learnt to be Cheap Jacks (hawkers) in 1840 and continued to travel around Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Sheffield hawking their goods until 1845. He was never a soldier. However, his brother William was a sergeant in the Royal Marines at Chatham.
Arrived in Hobart Town in 1850 but, a week later, was transferred to Norfolk Island where he was appointed to the position of sub-constable. He was 6ft tall and physically strong but had a bad temper and often quarrelled. When the settlement at Norfolk Island was closed in 1853, he was transferred to Port Arthur. Discharged to Pauper Depot at Port Arthur on 12 Nov, 1870.
FOOTNOTE: From his trial in 1848... 24 March, 1848: “NORFOLK CIRCUIT. Cambridge, March 22. (Before Mr. Justice Coltman.) John Hart, aged 26, Thomas Hart, aged 20, Mark Jeffrey, aged 24, and Luke Jeffrey, aged 21, were indicted for burglariously entering the dwelling-house of Henry Mitchell, on the 29th of January last, and stealing therein three 10/- notes, six 5/- notes, a quantity of gold and silver coin, a wedding-ring, and a variety of articles of wearing apparel; and Elizabeth Brightwell, aged 59, was charged with feloniously receiving one of the 5/- notes. The prosecutor is a jolly farmer living at Haddenham, in the Isle of Ely [Cambridgeshire], where he occupies a small farm, on which he had not been more than a year and half when the circumstance occurred out of which this charge arose. On the night of Saturday, January 29, the prosecutor and his wife and infant retired to rest at their usual hour, their establishment consisting of a servant named Preston, a girl, a boy, and three of their elder children. In the course of that day, two men had called at the farm, which is in a rather secluded situation, and pertinaciously pressed divers trinkets and razors on the mistress and on Preston, as well as a man threshing in the barn, down whose mouth one of them even offered to jump if he would but make him a bid. For once in the world the modern Autolycus** failed to befool his victim, and the two strangers went back to the house, where they said they would try and get some milk, after having made several very particular and touching inquiries after the welfare of Mr. Mitchell, the size of his farm, and probable wealth, which the labourer answered frankly enough and not unwisely either, for he said that he supposed as how no man could ever take a farm and carry it on without some capital in hand. [**In Greek mythology, Autolycus stole cattle from his neighbour, Sisyphus, and made them invisible to prevent Sisyphus from recognising them.] After this conversation the strangers went their way; but at the dead of night the family was disturbed by the crash of the hall door, which was deliberately kicked in. In a few moments four men came into the master's bed-room, with silk handkerchiefs converted into masks for their faces, and shirts over their persons, one of them being much taller than the others. The ruffians, who had a light and bludgeons, then demanded the money of the prosecutor, who ineffectually endeavoured to persuade them that his breeches' pockets contained all his worldly goods, and that his bank-notes were all in the bank; but it was of no use. A most inquisitorial investigation commenced which, aided by threats about ‘brains’ and ‘eyes’ and flourishes of bludgeons, had an effect which not even an impertinent income tax commissioner could exceed. In a trice the thieves possessed themselves of the valuables named in the indictment; and that done they went up to Preston's room, whence they took his money and clothes, and then obtaining the key of the pantry and cellar from Mrs. Mitchell, as well as her wedding-ring, they tied the hands of all the inmates behind their backs or to the bedposts and sat down quietly to regale themselves below, while their host and hostess sat looking sadly at each other, and anxiously awaited the dawn of day; about which time they heard the thieves make off, after dividing a lot of clothes among them, one man putting on a whole double suit. It being Sunday morning, unfortunately, the prisoners enjoyed a prolonged suspense till 8 o’clock, when they were all released from their ignoble situation by the wondering thresher, to whose communicativeness they in all probability owed their visitation. Information having been given of this very outrageous offence, a strict search was made after the offenders, and a most suspicious party of four men, among whom was one very tall man, having been recently noticed in the fens, and another recent burglary having been attributed to them, they were hunted down by the police, and the four male prisoners were presented to Mrs. Mitchell and Preston, the former of whom identified the two Jeffreys as the two hawkers, while the latter recognized Mark [Jeffrey] as one of the thieves, whose features he had seen as he was tying his hands when the handkerchief fell from his face. In addition to this proof, one or two of the stolen garments were traced to the possession of each of the prisoners on the day after the burglary. As regarded the female prisoner, it appeared that Mark Jeffery had given her one of the stolen notes in payment of his ‘beer score’, and it was sought to be inferred that she was implicated as a receiver, from the circumstance that she had sent the note up to her daughter in London, with very equivocal directions to her to sell it for 2/-, or change it for her, though it was a Cambridge note, and she herself resided at St. Neot's, about 15 miles off only. It also appeared that when Luke Jeffrey was taken to Bedford gaol, and there searched, a wedding-ring, which fitted Mrs. Mitchell’s finger, was found secreted in the hair of his head; and, regarding John Hart, a long statement was put in which he had voluntarily made to the governor of the gaol, wherein he gave an exact account of the several other burglaries, in which he, at all events, had taken an active part, together with the other male prisoners. At the conclusion of the case, which occupied the Court the greater part of the day, the Jury found all the prisoners Guilty. His Lordship then sentenced the four men to 15 years’ transportation each, and the woman to 12 months’ imprisonment.” (London Evening Standard, p1) --00—
DEATH: Jeffrey, Mark Record Type: Deaths Gender: Male Age: 68 Rank or profession: Pauper Date of death: 18 Jul 1894 Place: New Town Charitable Institution, born England Registered: Hobart Registration year: 1894 Cause of death: Tumour of breast Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1140183 Resource: RGD35/1/14 no 1216 (https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD35-1-14p150j2k). --0--
VDL Conduct record: Available at https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON37-1-6$init=CON37-1-6p380
3 April, 1850: Mark Jeffry was transported to VDL, arriving per the Eliza, but his sentence had been extended to life following his conviction for “felonious wounding” of the chief warden on the Warrior convict hulk. In VDL, he was called Mark Jeffery, convict #1789. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/jeffery/mark/32473. --0—
TO VDL: 13 December, 1849: Mark Jeffery was sent from Pentonville to embark on the Eliza “for Norfolk Island” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Mark Jeffery; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1849-1850). --00--
JAIL: 26 September, 1849: Mark Jeffery was admitted to Pentonville prison; inmate #2531. He was listed as 25, weighing 13 stone, single; family – John Jeffery, Cove of Cork, Ireland. He was semi-literate and a farm labourer. Character “violent and outrageous”. Crime: Malicious wounding with intent etc, sentenced to life; previously transported for 15 years [should be sentenced to transportation for 15 years]. Conduct in Pentonville “good” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Mark Jeffery; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1849-1850). --0--