Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
John Gear was transported on the Ramillies, departing 25th Apr 1854 and arriving 7th Aug 1854 with 280 passengers.
757 ton barque ship Ramillies was built at Sunderland in 1845. There only appears to be one voyage to Australia with convict passengers. She carried the thirteenth of 37 shipments of male convicts for Western Australia. The 1854 voyage took 79 days and the Ramillies arrived in Fremantle on August 7, with 94 passengers and 277 convicts (1 death recorded on voyage). (The passengers comprised 30 Pensioner Guards and their families.)
Ramillies (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 82 |
| 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: Name: Gear, John Sex: Male Age: 74 Died at: Perth Year of death: 1888 Reg. number: 396 Year of registration: 1888 (Registry of BDM at https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/online-index-search-tool)
From his FREMANTLE JAIL record: GEAR, John; inmate #3119, arrived 7 Aug 1854 per Ramillies Date of Birth: 1820 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Seaman Literacy: Literate Sentence Date: 6 Jan 1852 Sentence Place: Wells, Somerset, England Crime: Stealing coat Sentence Period: 15 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket Leave Date: 8 Feb 1856 Conditional Pardon Date: 14 Nov 1860 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/).
From the Greenough Museum web site at https://greenoughmuseum.org.au/convict-notes/ "John Gear 3119 -- Stealing a fustian coat would normally not lead to transportation but John Gear, an unmarried British seaman, already had a criminal record. So, when he was found guilty in 1852 he was sentenced to 15 years. Gear came out on the Ramillies, arriving at Fremantle on 7 August 1854. Maybe he decided transportation was an opportunity for a fresh start, as his behavior on board is described as exemplary. He is also said to be ‘an extremely hard working, industrious man.’ Gear received his Ticket of Leave on 8 February 1856 and worked as a shepherd for Thomas Brown at Glengarry. He received his Conditional Pardon at Champion Bay on 14 November 1860. There are six notes from John Gear in the collection. From them we know Gear shepherded J.S. Maley’s sheep over on the Back Flats in June 1876, that he liked currants and that in January 1878 he owed Jane Doran (widow of Corporal Doran, Pensioner Guard at Greenough) six shillings. We know nothing more of Gear’s life other than that he was admitted to the Mt Eliza Invalid Depot in Perth on 24 October 1884."