Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
William Marwood was transported on the Lord Raglan, departing 3rd Mar 1858 and arriving 1st Jun 1858 with 270 passengers.
Lord Raglan (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 260. --00--Edgar, W. (Bill). (2018). “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 |
| 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
FOOTNOTE: John Williams, his co-accused, was also transported to WA, arriving in January 1858 per the Nile. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/williams/john/58868.
DEATH OF WILLIAM MARWOOD? WA BDM -- the death of a William Marwood, aged 42, is registered in 1875; reg no. 8817 (https://bdm.justice.wa.gov.au/). This tallies with "our" William's birth year. --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: MARWOOD, William; inmate #4819, arrived 1 Jun 1858 per Lord Raglan Date of Birth: 1836 Marital Status: Married 3 children Occupation: Farm labourer Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Date: 1856 Sentence Place: Exeter, Devon, England Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 14 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 27 May 1860, at Toodyay Conditional Pardon Date: 20 Oct 1862 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0-- From the Toodyay Convict database: Marwood, William (1836- ) #4819 1858-06-01 Lord Raglan CWA: Mar; 3 chn; farm lab; semi lit Prot; burglary prev conv 14 yrs; Toodyay, York, Northam. BDWA: MARWOOD, William. b. 1836 (expiree). Arr. 1.6.1858 per Lord Raglan. Wife & 3 chd. in U.K. Employed a T/L labourer Toodyay 1866 (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/). --00--
March, 1858: William Marwood was held at Chatham prison, a public works prison for male convicts, east of London at St Mary’s Island, in Kent (https://www.prisonhistory.org). Chatham, Portsmouth, Portland and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) William Marwood was sent from Chatham to board the Lord Raglan for transportation to WA (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
March, 1858: By this time William Marwood had served 8 months 6 days in separate confinement (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). This would have occurred at a "Probation" or "Separate" prison. “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Wakefield, Millbank, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--
JAILS: 1856: It's likely William Marwood was committed to stand trial under the same circumstances as John Williams. In that case, he would have been committed on 13 May, 1856. While awaiting trial, he would have been held at Devon (Exeter County) jail. How long after his conviction he was sent elsewhere is not clear, as he does not appear on any records in common with John Williams. --0--
NEWSPAPER reporting of his trial in 1856: From the "News of The World", August 3, 1856, p.7: Exeter BURGLARY WITH VIOLENCE John Williams, 33 and William Marwood, 23, both labourers, were indicted for a burglary on the 16th of May, at the house of Ann Cook, at Upottery. Williams pleaded guilty, and Marwood was also found guilty, and a previous conviction was proved against him. The two prisoners were also charged with a burglary at the house of Mr. John Pring, an old man of 73, who resided by himself in a lone-spot, near Awbscombe, and also with attempting to murder him. The circumstances of this case were of a serious nature. The house was forcibly entered, Mr. Pring was stabbed with a hayfork, brutally beaten about the head, and his hands tied. Various articles were taken away, among others a pistol, a snuff box, and a knife. These were subsequently proved to have been sold by Williams the day after the burglary. Marwood was seen in the other prisoner’s company immediately before and after the burglary. It appeared that Mr. Pring died a short time afterwards, and there was little doubt that his death was accelerated by the brutal treatment he had received at the hands of the prisoners. Marwood was acquitted, and the prisoner Williams found guilty. The judge recorded sentence of death against him, remarking that he had a narrow escape of being tried for murder, but that he would now be transported for life. BURGLARY AT MRS. COOK'S Marwood, for the burglary at Mrs. Cook’s, was sentenced to fourteen years’ transportation. --00--
TRIAL: 22 July, 1856: Case #29, William Marwood, convicted at Exeter Assizes, Exeter Castle, Devon, and sentenced to transportation for 14 years for burglary (before convicted of felony) (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Devon 1856). Previous conviction on 3 January, 1854, at General Quarter Sessions at Exeter Castle, Devon, for larceny; William Marwood was sentenced to 1 month jail and whipped (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Devon 1854) --0--