John Lightfoot

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 7th May 2021

New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, Tasmania. 1826 No; 332 Name; John Lightfoot Ship arrived by; Lady East To whom assigned/Occupation; Constable 1830 - New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, Tasmania. Assigned to Mr J Atkinson

71

Robin Sharkey on 3rd June 2020

John Lightfoot was transported to Hobart, Tas, for seven years, for stealing ‘fowls” from James Riley of Sutton in Chester. He was convicted at Chester Quarter Sessions on 27 April 1824. John Lightfoot grew up and lived in the village of Kingsley in the parish of Frodsham, Chester, a few miles from Sutton. He was said to be aged 26 years, Protestant, and he had a wife named Mary and one child. (see Tasmanian conduct Record; CON-31-1-27- Image 167) His family had lived in the parish of Frodsham for generations. His father’s name was Thomas (he advised this in his arrival). John was most likely the son of Thomas and Martha Lightfoot, of Kingsley, christened on 8 August 1796 at St Laurence’s church in Frodsham – the local parish church at that time. (See Baptism records of Frodsham Parish, in Cheshire Bishop’s Transcripts, Family Search.org). This would mean he was aged about 27, not 26, on conviction. John Lightfoot’s Cheshire marriage was most likely at Frodsham, on 28 April 1823, to Mary Walker. Both made their mark. (Marriage records of Frodsham Parish, in Cheshire Bishop’s Transcripts, Family Search.org). A baby daughter of John & Mary Lightfoot was christened at Frodsham four months later on 31 August 1823. Wife and daughter were left behind when John was transported. Some of the inhabitants of Frodsham parish wrote a collective petition for clemency for John Lightfoot, the grounds being: respectable parents, industrious, sober, honest and praiseworthy character. The petition was annotated on 16 August 1824 with: “to remain in hulks if he behaves well.” UK ARCHIVES - HO 17/67/118 (note Frodham incorrectly recorded in HO index as “Chodiham”). But John wasn’t left on the hulks, since he was sent to Tasmania on “Lady East” in December 1824. His English jail report had described him as being of “indifferent character”. The hulk’s report on his behaviour was “orderly”. (See Tasmanian conduct record CON-31-1-27- Image 167). He arrived in Hobart on 9 April 1825. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION — From Convict Ship Indent: 5ft 9 inches tall, light brown hair, dark blue eyes, aged 26 years. Farmer’s Labourer, ploughman, can shear sheep. Tattoos and marks: “Scar left cheek near ear. “Sun wreath flowers – two hearts MLM above elbow joint, rt arm. “Scar with an ML. JL. ‘Love me and leave me not’— birth mark inside Rt arm — T x I left arm inside. “This offence stealing fowls - Pro’s (prosecutor) James Riley [of] Sutton. Lived last at N.P. [i.e. Native Place, i.e. Kingsley] with Th’os Lightfoot my father.” IN TASMANIA John behaved reasonably well in his convict life, although he started to run into trouble near the end of his seven years. * 2 Aug 1825; drunk & disorderly * April 1829 Granted Ticket of Leave (Hobart Town Courier, 4 Apr 1829 p 2) * 11 July 1829; neglected to attend muster; admonished. IN at least 1830, he was working for Major & Mrs De Gillern at Richmond, n ear Grass Tree Hill. They had a property called ‘Glen Ayr', which had a large number of convict servants. * 3 July 1830 he was deprived of his Ticket of Leave and was returned to the public works because of “Insolence to Mrs De Gillern on 25th May last + Improper conduct in clandestinely entering Major de Gillern’s house in the middle of the might of 28th May last, & strong suspicion of Felony.” * 21 Sept 1830, he got ten days on the treadwheel for being out after hours the previous night. From April 25 1831, he was recorded as being eligible for his Certificate of Leave. (Hobart Courier, 30 April 1831 p.2). John Lightfoot write to the Colonial Secretary’s Office (Date unspecified in index books between 1824-1836) indexed as “for his family”, presumably applying for them to come out. (Tasmanian Archives, (CSO3-1-1 / L/ image 21). However, in 1831 he married someone else. TASMANIAN MARRIAGE & FREEDOM John Lightfoot was from the parish of Glenorchy when he married as a free man later in 1831 to Martha Bayford from London, convict per the “Mellish”. They were married at Martha's parish of New Norfolk. John was about 35 and Martha was 19 or 20 years old. He built a new life with his second family, and was a farmer when he died twenty years after his marriage. In the 1842 Tasmanian Census, he was the household head, living at King’s Marsh. He and Martha were the married ouple living there, with two children, a boy and girl both aged between 7 and 14 years. There were three other adult males, one a Ticket of Leave servant and two who were emancipated convicts. John Lightfoot was described as a farmer, of Richmond (Tasmania) when he died of dysentery aged 49 years, on 26 April 1850. The informant was “William Plummer, farmer of Native Corner, Richmond”. His daughter, also Martha, married at Richmond on 26 April 1852, being of full age (i.e. 21 or more) to Thomas Birch, farmer.