| Name: | John Kingshott |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | - |
| Date of Birth: | - |
| Occupation: | Farm labourer |
| Date of Death: | - |
| Age: | - |
Life Span
Median life span was 52 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to Life
| Crime: | Robbery with violence |
| Convicted at: | Southampton Special Gaol Delivery |
| Sentence term: | Life |
| Ship: | Proteus |
| Departure date: | 12th April, 1831 |
| Arrival date: | 3rd August, 1831 |
| Place of arrival | Van Diemen's Land |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 111 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/8, Page Number 84. http://www.johnowensmith.co.uk/riot/index.htm. Kingshott Family History by Jan Brian Kingshott,http://kingshottgenealogy.co.uk/convictjohn.aspx. |
| 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 Project. |
Jennifer Green on 6th June, 2013 wrote:
Selbourne And Hedley Workhouse Riots - Nov 1830.
The incident causing John’s arrest was actually as part of the Selbourne and Hedley Workhouse Riots of 1830 known as Machine-Breaking. The rural labourers in many parts of England arose in protest to the “mechinisation” which was stealing their livelihood and leaving them without the means to provide for their families. Their crime was recorded as other offences such as robbery, to ensure that they did not gain the sympathy and support of their fellow countrymen. http://www.johnowensmith.co.uk/riot/index.htm Links to a comprehensive record of the riots, John Kingshott is mentioned.
18 Dec 1830 - Kingshott Arrest, Trial and Transportation. History of John Kingshott - John Kingshott, farm labourer aged 36 of Greatham/Hampshire was arrsted on a Warrant dated 15.12.1830, appearing before the court in Southampton Special Gaol Delivery (Winchester Assizes)18.12.1830 charged with having on the 23rd day of November last, at the parish of Kingsley, feloniously robbed Mary King of certain loaves of bread, some cheese and beer. As was common for the time, he was sentenced to death, but this was shortly thereafter commuted to transportation to the colonies for life. John was arrested, it would appear with great difficulty. The vicar of Empshott, Charles Alcock, states in a letter that , quote “almost all Greatham labourers are in custody…” and says that John Kingshott in particular “made a great resistance and attempted the life of young Debenham”. He was therefore taken into custody and eventually appeared at Winchester Assizes Court. The incident was actually part of the Selbourne and Hedley Workhouse Riots of 1830. A petition from members of the Petersfield Friendly Society, dated 31st January 1831 on behalf of John Kingshott of the Parish of Greatham, stated that he had always been considered a sober and industrious individual, having a wife and five small children, and that he would have been forced to join the mob. The petition did no good and he was convicted of the offence. Sentenced to Life, commuted to Transportation.
John was sent to the Prison Hulk “York” on 9.2.1831. He was then transferred to the “Proteus” departing Portsmouth, England on 12.4.1831 and arriving in Hobart 4.8.1831. It is said that he was the second wealthiest man on the “Proteus”, having pound:10.10s, which in those days was enough to have bought him a passage home had the law allowed it. When asked to state his offence on arrival in Tasmania, John replied Machine-Breaking.
Description as filed in Van Diemens Land adds other personal information: Farm Labourer of Greatham, Hampshire, 5’4” 1/4 ins tall, hair: black, head: round, visage: oval, forehead: perpendicular, whiskers: black, eyebrows: grey eyes: brown, nose: medium length, mouth: wide, thick lips; chin: medium length fleshy underneath, arms: hairy.
In 1831 on arrival in Tasmania, John was at first assigned to John Kingstall, but by 1833 was working for a hotelier in New Norfolk, Mrs Ann Bridger, as a farm labourer learning the trade of blacksmith.
John and wife Mary had five children before the riots (ages in 1830): William (10), Mary Ann (7), Hannah (4), John (2) and Francis (under 1 year). In June 1835 he applied for permission for his family to join him. This was received in England, and on 16 April, the Rev George Godbold of Greatham recommended the transfer. Unfortunately, he sent it to Norfolk Island, a 1,000 miles away in the Pacific Ocean, instead of New Norfolk, Tasmania - as a result it took a year and a day to reach its intended destination. By 13th June 1834, an official request had been sanctioned, and in June 1835 the family finally boarded the “Hector” to arrive at Hobart on 20.101835. John and Mary had a sixth child Ellen, born in New Norfolk on 21st January 1837.
On 5.4.1838 John’s conditional pardon had been granted. As with all such pardons the condition being that he never returned to England.
John died 8.5.1866 at O’Briens Bridge (now Glenorchy), Tasmania
Jennifer Green on 6th June, 2013 made the following changes:
source, occupation, crime
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
