Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Jean Johnston was transported on the Buffalo, departing 4th May 1833 and arriving 5th Oct 1833 with 183 passengers.
1833 - Voyage. Transported; 179 Female Convicts and 25 Children 1839 - Voyage. On 28th September 1839, the Ship Buffalo left Quebec, Canada, taking 144 prisoners to Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales, following the Patriot War in Canada in 1837-38. Some of the prisoners were French Canadians patriots and others were American patriots, captured after the Battle of the Windmill. The Ship went first to Van Diemens Land, arriving at Hobart on 11th February 1840, where most of the American prisoners were landed, and then went on to Sydney, arriving on 26th February 1840, where the 58 French speaking prisoners were landed. They were separated mainly because there was hostility between the Americans from Lower Canada and the Canadians from Upper Canada. The prisoners were in the main, literate, idealistic and honest men.
BuffaloReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 90, Class and Piece Number HO11/9, Page Number 93 (48) |
| 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
1833: Jean Johnston is on a list of female prisoners sent to Goulburn Bench for "distribution". She is assigned to work as a "dairy woman" (see New South Wales, Australia, Convict Records, 1810-1891; Assignment and Employment of Convicts; Female Prisoner Assignment Buffalo, 1833).
1833: On arrival in NSW, Jean Johnston was listed as 21, Protestant, a dairy maid/all work and single. She could read and her native place was Edinburgh. She was 5'1Âľ" tall with a fair and slightly pockpitted complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. She had been transported for "man robbery", according to her record. On a previous conviction for theft, she had been sentenced to 2 months' jail (see New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842). Her female accomplice, Elizabeth Wright (nee Kelly), was also aboard the Buffalo, listed as being transported for stealing a watch. The third member of the group, James Shearer, was sent to VDL per Isabella (1833).
1832: Precognition against JEAN JOHNSTON [my emphasis], Elizabeth Wright, James Shearer for the crime of robbery, or theft, habit and repute at Holm Street, Blythswood, Glasgow. Accused: JEAN JOHNSTON, Age: 18, shoe binder, Address: 308 High Street, Glasgow, with Elizabeth Wright. Accused: Elizabeth Wright, wife of Daniel Wright, plasterer, m.s. Kelly, Age: 20, Address: 308 High Street, Glasgow. Accused: JAMES SHEARER, Age: 19, tailor, Address: Old Vennel, Glasgow. Victim: Patrick Hendry, East Market Street, Glasgow (see National Records of Scotland, Reference AD14/32/205). —0— 1832, 20 October: Trial papers relating to Jean Johnston, Elizabeth Wright, James Shearer for the crime of robbery, or theft, habit and repute at Holm Street, Blythswood, Glasgow. Tried at High Court, Glasgow. Accused: JEAN JOHNSTON, Verdict: Guilty, Sentence: Transportation - 7 years Previous convictions: theft. Note: Patrick Hendrie, prisoner, reponed against sentence of fugitation granted at Glasgow Circuit Court on 4 May 1832, in order to be sworn as a witness (see JC13/71, f.98r). Accused: Elizabeth Wright, wife of Daniel Wright, plasterer, m.s. Kelly, Verdict: Guilty, Sentence: Transportation - 7 years Previous convictions: theft. Note: Patrick Hendrie, prisoner, reponed against sentence of fugitation granted at Glasgow Circuit Court on 4 May 1832, in order to be sworn as a witness (see JC13/71, f.98r). Accused: JAMES SHEARER, Verdict: Guilty, Sentence: Transportation - 7 years Previous convictions: theft. Note: Patrick Hendrie, prisoner, reponed against sentence of fugitation granted at Glasgow Circuit Court on 4 May 1832, in order to be sworn as a witness (see JC13/71, f.98r). Victim [and witness]: Patrick Hendry, East Market Street, Glasgow (see National Records of Scotland, Reference JC26/1832/350). Note: Patrick Hendry aka Hendrie had failed to appear in court at Glasgow, on 4 May 1832, to answer a charge of “reset of theft at Saltmarket Street, Glasgow”. As a consequence, he had been declared an outlaw and fugitive “and put to the horn”. According to British Genealogy, to be “put to the horn” was to be denounced as a rebel and outlaw for non-appearance at a court to answer a summons; the culprit was proclaimed at the Great Cross in Edinburgh, together with three blasts of a horn and other formalities” (see https://www.british-genealogy.com).