Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Thomas Markwell was transported on the Neptune, Scarborough And Surprize, departing 30th Nov 1789 and arriving 26th Jun 1790 with 1084 passengers.
Neptune 809 tons built on the River Thames 1779. The largest ship of the Second Fleet.
Neptune, Scarborough And Surprize (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 31 (17) |
| 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
"4th great grandfather"
Photos
No photos have been added for Thomas Markwell.
Convict Notes
National Archives. HO 47/6/72 [1787] Certificate/memorial of Henry Gould on several convicts attainted at the Lent Assizes 1787 for whom 'some favourable Circumstances' appeared after their trial, and recommended for mercy on the conditions set against their names: Essex Assizes at Chelmsford, 12 March 1787 Thomas Markwell, for breaking and entering the house of Arthur Heron and stealing goods, value £2:13:6, property of James Burn, and 5/-, property of John Carter. Recommendation: 14 years transportation.
Sainty, Malcolm & Johnson, Keith 1828 Census of New South Wales.... Page 260... [Ref M1718] Markwell, Thomas, 57, free by servitude, Scarborough, 1790, 14 years, Protestant, farmer, Richmond. [Ref M1719] Markwell, Maria, 36, born in the colony. [Ref M1720] Markwell, Ellen Maria, 4, born in the colony [Ref M1721] Markwell, Thomas, 2, born in the colony. [Ref M1722] Markwell, John 5m, born in the colony.
Thomas was granted land near the Nepean River and later purchased a farm near Yarramundi Lagoon. This farm was described in 1821 as being 31 acres, all under cultivation, wheat, maize, barley, gardens etc. In 1824, at about the time he had become reconciled with his wife, her father Thomas Cheshire was staying with them when there was a robbery at the home. On the night of 25th January 1824, Thomas Cheshire was sleeping in a house, at Yarramundi Lagoon, near Richmond, his daughter Maria and her husband Thomas Markwell were also in the home, it would appear they lived there too. Several men broke into the home, with blackened faces and demanded money. In the ensuing period, Thomas was shot dead by one of the men… Sydney Gazette Thursday 21 Oct 1824: ‘On Saturday last, several men were full committed to take their trial for the wilful murder of Mr. Thomas Cheshire: their names are Dennis Sweeney, Matthew Dwyer, Patrick Kinnear (all free), and Thomas Madden and Robert Bluitt (prisoners of the crown). No other facts appear to have been elicited since their former examination, but the depositions for so strong a mass of circumstantial and connected evidence, that it was held by the Bench sufficient to send these men before their country – and there we think our statement ought to close. Maddden was further committed on a charge of a robbery on Mr Richard Driver’s farm…’
In the colony, he served his sentence quietly and is recorded in the 1800-1802 muster as a resident of Sydney, sentence expired. [Ref AE629 page 58]. In 1806 he is recorded as working for Thomas Spencer. [Ref A2894 page 71]. On the 5th December 1807, aged 37, he married Maria Cheshire, aged only 15. Maria was the daughter of Thomas Cheshire (Second Fleet Convict, 1790, "Neptune") and Hannah Gee (Second Fleet Convict, 1790, "Lady Juliana"). Thomas and Maria had two children; Sophia 1807 and Elizabeth 1809. The marriage then appears to have experienced some problems, as evidenced by the notice in the Sydney Gazette 25th August 1810, where Thomas disclaimed responsibility for his wife's debts. They must have remained separated for some period, but then resumed life together. This is evidenced by the birth dates of their subsequent children; Ellen 1824, Thomas 1826, John 1828, and Mary Ann 1830.
Thomas Markwell, a labourer, aged 17 was sentenced to death at the Chelmsford, Essex, Assizes 12th March 1787. He had committed a burglary in November 1786, stealing a number of items of clothing from the home of one Arthur Heron in the parish of Waltham Cross. He was granted a reprieve and sentenced to 14 years transportation in late April 1788, sent to the Portsmouth hulk "Lion" and then to the "Scarborough" transport on 29th November 1789.