Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Charles Martin 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 36 |
| 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
"husband of 6th great grandmother - no children"


Photos
No photos have been added for Charles Martin.
Convict Notes




Family connections for Charles (Martin) are: MARTIN Charles (Martin) was born about 1761 probably in Dublin Ireland & became a watchmaker. He married firstly Mary (???) & produced 2children. He was tried w/his wife & 1other for shop lifting of printed cotton of Christopher (Dobson) in East Greenwich Kent/London at Maidstone Kent Assizes in March 1787, sentenced to death reprieved to Life, held at Maidstone Gaol, reprieved to 14years in May 1789, held on hulk JUSTITIA (on the Thames at Woolwich London) & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate.>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Mary (???/Martin) was born about 1758. She was tried w/her husband & 1other for shop lifting of printed cotton of Christopher (Dobson) in East Greenwich Kent/London at Maidstone Kent Assizes in March 1787; she was acquitted. .. >>>Charles (Martin) married secondly Sarah (Gittens/Gettings her second? (2?of3) marriage) on 12 8 1792 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He died on 14 10 1797 age36 as a result of drunken brawl involving a kick in the stomach, father of 2children & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. ??? (Martin) was tried w/her husband & 1other for shop lifting of printed cotton of Christopher (Dobson) in East Greenwich Kent/London at Maidstone Kent Assizes in March 1787 & was acquitted. Sarah (Gittens/Gettings) was born about 1771. She arrived in NSW as a convict with a child on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6.5months on Fleet ship MARY ANNalso. She apparantly had a daughter. She married thirdly? Philip (Roberts) on 27 11 1799 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She is recorded in 1828 at Portland Head with her husband. Sarah (Gettings) does not have an entry on this Website. REFERENCE: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony.




Kentish Gazette, 27 March 1787. Martin Charles, Mary Martin, and Mary Oliver, for stealing out of the shop of Christopher Dobson, in Greenwich, piece of cotton. Charles Martin, DEATH, Reprieved. Mary Martin, Acquitted, and Mary Oliver. DEATH, Reprieved.




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: Kent Assizes at Maidstone, 19 March 1787 14. Charles Martin, for stealing goods from the shop of Christopher Dobson. 14 years transportation.




Charles Martin Charles Martin was a watchmaker aged 25 from Dublin, Ireland. He was tried together with his wife, Mary Martin aged 29 and Mary Oliver, an old clothes woman, aged 40 at the Maidstone, Kent, Assizes March 1787. They were charged with the theft of nine yards of printed cotton from an East Greenwich shop. The evidence in the trial was largely based on the statement of an accomplice, one John Kearnon, who gave evidence in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Kearnon stated that the Martins had met Oliver at her London lodgings and had agreed to go to Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich, shoplifting, to get whatever they could. Mary Martin was acquitted of the crime but Charles Martin and Mary Oliver were found guilty and sentenced to Death. Charles remained in the Maidstone Gaol. In 1788 he petitioned for a mitigation of sentence claiming that he was entirely innocent of the crime, that he was a watchmaker from Dublin, without friends or family to help him apart from his wife and two small children. In May 1789 his sentence was reprieved to 14 years transportation and he was sent to the Thames hulk “Justicia”. On 12th November 1789 he was embarked on the transport “Neptune” as part of the Second Fleet. At Parramatta 12th August 1792 Charles Martin married Sarah Gittins/Gettings (Second Fleet Convict, 1791, “Mary Ann”). The couple had no children and Charles subsequently died as a result of a drunken brawl with one John Morris/Stephens (First Fleet Convict, 1788, “Charlotte). Morris evidently kicked Martin in the stomach and he died as a result of the injury and a lack of medical attention on 15th October 1797. Morris was tried for the crime of manslaughter, convicted and sentenced to 18 months gaol. Charles Martin left no direct descendants in Australia. His step-daughter Jane Gittins did marry John Dorrington (Third Fleet Convict, 1791, “William and Ann”) and they had a large family. His only descendants would be by way of the two tiny children he left back in England. This Information from “The Second Fleet” by Michael Flynn. Ref Page 427.