Thomasina Matthews

221

D Wong on 31st December 2014

Found the following on Thomasina Matthews: THOMASINE MATTHEWS One of 81 Convicts Transported on “Sovereign” 1827 Sentenced to 14 years at Cornwall Assizes Transported to Van Diemen’s Land NOTE: Unable to locate her Conduct Record at Tasmanian Archives - Conduct Records for the “Sovereign” are on, page 36 of the Register, but only two names are shown and no Matthews. Possibly the entries have become out of date order – a subsequent page-by-page search failed to find her records. They should be available from the Tasmanian Archives - http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON40-1-7,312,36,L,80 NAME: THOMASINE MATTHEWS ALSO KNOWN AS: Thomasina Matthews AGE: 22 BORN: 17 January 1799, Marizion, Cornwall / 22 b.1805 near Penzance / 8 July 1798 (obit) DIED: 3 November 1889, Rosebrook-Vic OBITUARY: http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/carter-thomasina-matthews-14506 TRIED: 30 March 1827, Cornwall Lent Assizes SENTENCE: 14 Years CRIME: Great Larceny receiving stolen goods - Stealing food from her employer http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MATTHEWS/2003-10/1065103742 GAOL REPORT: SHIP: Sovereign (first voyage) – departed London 14 July 1827, arrived Hobart 20 November 1827, a voyage of 129 days, carrying 81 female convicts (81 landed). Master William McKellar, Surgeon Robert Malcolm SURGEON’S GENERAL COMMENTS: (Folios 37-39) – He comments that there could be no better circumstances for the spread of disease than that of female convicts confined in a ship and separated from their homes and country. Even so there was no great sickness on the voyage. The only death was of a fourteen week old child who suffered convulsions. The surgeon can find no other cause for death than the change of diet undergone by the mother and the change produced in her milk. He objected to taking the child on the grounds that it was very unlikely to survive the voyage but the mother insisted on being taken. Orders have been issued to gaolers against presenting nursing mothers for transportation but, from the number presented for embarkation on the Sovereign, the regulations are being ignored. There were a few cases of synochus from the change in temperature on crossing the Tropic of Cancer, caused by the change in the distribution of the fluids and the tendency to congestion. The change in temperature would have been much greater if they had left England at a less favourable time. Leaving in August means that they could undertake the whole voyage with the minimum variation in temperature. Between July and September is the best time to start such a voyage. On reconsideration, the cases in early October must have been scarlatina, or scarlet fever. The weight of medical opinion holds that scarlatina may be generated spontaneously in the right conditions. Sydenham ascribes epidemic diseases to a peculiar condition of the atmosphere and the late Dr Parry agrees. The age of the sufferers may account for the limited spread of the disease, adults are less susceptible, and Dr MacMichael says that it may pass completely unobserved. The appearance of the disease immediately preceded cold weather and may be attributed to the decrease in temperature. On questioning Mary Dunn it appears that she may have been suffering bronchitis for some days before the scarlet fever and the inflammatory action may have started in the mucous membranes. In the case of rheumatism, Catharine Jones, the rheumatic action transferred to the larynx. There have been many cases of metastasis to the heart but the Surgeon does not remember any of metastasis to the larynx. Dr Armstrong suggests a treatment that may be very useful in treating rheumatic laryngitis. Signed Robert Malcolm, Surgeon, Sydney, New Holland, 14 December 1827. RELIGION: Protestant LITERACY: Able to read and write FAMILY – Marital status: Unmarried Father: John Matthews, living at Canhill Green, Withian, between Falmouth and Truro, at the time of the trial Mother: Sister: DESCRIPTION – Trade: Dairywoman, can milk; work at her needle Height: 5’ 1 ½ “ Age: 22 Complexion: Head: Hair: Dark brown Visage: Forehead: Eyebrows: Eyes: Grey Nose: Mouth: Chin: Native Place: Remarks: MARRIED: 23 March 1829 – Thomasina Matthews married Charles Carter at Coal River, Richmond, Van Diemen's Land Children: Six Thomasina married Charles Carter of the “Caledonia” arrived 6 November 1822. (Charles Carter, born 1 May 1797 in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, UK; was accused of "horse robbery" and tried at Huntingdon, U.K. on 16 March 1822). He was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was later changed to that of Transportation for life. Charles was sent to Van Dieman's Land on board the "Caledonia" and arrived there on 6 November 1822. For his part in capturing some bushrangers, Charles was given a free pardon on 13 September 1827 Note: An online family history shows Charles Carter arrived as a soldier guarding convicts - http://www.thetreeofus.net/7/181915.html 1838 - Together with their five children, the couple travelled to Port Phillip in 1838. Charles and Thomasina were the founders of a pastoral dynasty in the Wimmera region which has contributed significantly to the development and history of the area. It's thought that they did not discuss their reasons for coming to Tasmania with any of their decendants, as until recent years, a number of generations of the family remained ignorant of their ancestor's reasons for coming here. DEPARTURES INDEX: NEWSPAPER REPORTS – ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 7 APRIL 1827 – CORNWALL LENT ASSIZE – The business commenced on Saturday morning at eleven o’clock. Mr Justice Park presided at the Crown Bar. Thomasine Matthews was indicted for feloniously stealing five pocket handkerchiefs of the value of 2s each and other goods, the property of Elias Christian, her master. Mrs Christian, wife of Elias Christian, merchant, at Marazion in this County, deposed that the prisoner came into her service as a servant on the 2d of September last. On the 3d witness was married and left Falmouth with her husband, leaving the prisoner, who had assisted in packing up her wearing apparel, trinkets &c, at her (Mrs C’s) father’s residence. The prisoner left Falmouth the day before Mr and Mrs Christian, having leave to go to see her father at Canhill Green between Falmouth and Truro, and came back the day after witness returned to Marazion. In a day or two after this prisoner was sent to Falmouth to fetch the things which were packed there, and returned the next day but one. On examining the bundle witness missed a lace flounce, partly worked, a lace bag, and many other articles, but had no suspicion of the prisoner. On the 15th of November witness examined her drawers, when she missed one pair of white and four pair of black silk stockings, two pair of cotton stockings, one cambric pocket handkerchief marked “M. White”, some patch work, a black silk petticoat, four swans’ skins, four silk pocket handkerchiefs, cotton stockings, a flannel shirt, and many other articles; she also missed a piece of lace, which she had the day before. She sent for prisoner into a room and mentioned the articles she had missed, when prisoner denied all knowledge of them. After some time however prisoner went into her own room and returned again pretending to have found the piece of lace on top of some drawers in the room in which they then were. Before this witness had searched the drawers, and every place in the room, and is therefore positive that the lace was not on the drawers before the prisoner came into the room; but she still denied having seen the other articles. Witness then sent prisoner down stairs, and proceeded to search her bed-room. Under the bed-tie in the prisoner’s room was a mattress, on turning up which she found had been ripped up, and on putting in her hand found a brown paper parcel, and near it a letter directed to prisoner’s father. In the parcel was a lace cap, a piece of silk, and other articles which had been lost. Witness took the parcel to her husband, who took from it the lace cap, and then replaced it where she had found it. In the course of that day she again examined the mattress, when the parcel was gone. It was shewn to her afterwards by her husband, when there were several things more added to it, amongst which was the cambric pocket handkerchief marked “M. White”, and a letter written in pencil. Prisoner was asked if she had sent any parcel to Canhill Green that morning; this she positively denied, until Mr Christian produced it; she then admitted she had sent a parcel of old clothes. Mr Christian then opened the parcel, and produced the things, sent for a constable, and after some persuasion prisoner consented to go with him to her father’s house. She returned in the evening, and brought back the lace flounce and many other articles. On 17th November witness went with the constable to search the father’s house, and they found a pair of cornelian ear rings, silk stockings &c. Some of the things were in the clock case, and other’s concealed in her mother’s box. They then proceeded to her sister’s house, where the prisoner was in bed, and they found some of the swan skins converted into a small tippet, some pieces of muslin, and part of a window blind. She was then taken into custody – none of the articles were ever given to the prisoner. Elias Christian, husband of the last witness, proved that he was on the watch to see if any parcel was delivered to Pascoe the carrier, who goes through Marazion to Canhill Green on the Friday after the parcel was first discovered by Mrs C. He applied to Pascoe to know if he had a parcel for John Matthews of Canhill Green, on which Pascoe produced the parcel. There was a letter attached to it, which letter he opened, as well as the parcel, in the presence of Mrs Christian, upon which he sent for a constable. James Allridge, apprentice to Mr Christian, aged 14 years, who can read and write, saw the prisoner write the letter, now produced, in his Master’s kitchen on the 14th of November; she dried the direction by the candle, by which it was scorched. It was directed to John Matthews, Canhill Green, Withian. She said she was going to send her old clothes to be mended as she had not time to do it. On Thursday she gave him a brown paper parcel to give to Pascoe; the same letter was tied outside for directions that he had seen her dry by the candle. He also saw her write another letter in pencil; it was not directed, but she put it into the parcel. The cart was gone that day, and he returned it to the prisoner. She gave it to him again on the Friday, and he then delivered it to Pascoe’s man, who gave it to his master in the boy’s presence. Joseph Pascoe proved that the same parcel he received from the boy he gave to Mr Christian. Anthony Pellew, the constable of Marazion, was sent for by Mr Christian, and went with prisoner to her sister’s and father’s houses, where she produced various articles which she said belonged to her mistress. William Calomel, a constable at Withian, searched the prisoner’s father’s house with Mrs Christian, and corroborated her evidence as to the finding the articles, which on being produced were identified as being Mrs Christian’s property. GUILTY – To be transported for fourteen years REFERENCES – http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MATTHEWS/2003-10/1065103742 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=eae287a0-9a59-4452-94e6-f0b01cfae260 Early Days of the Wimmera – http://books.google.com.au/books?id=XZbYGM4qWigC&pg=PP4&lpg=PP4&dq;="thomasina+matthew s"+and+"charles+carter"&source=bl&ots=P9zJkkHueJ&sig=Dy7VtQedVl6OX4vH7UHrHBjinJ w&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gCb1UtuDKsLMkwWfmYGQDw&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q="thoma sina matthews" and "charles carter"&f=false Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charles-Thomasina-Carter-Wimmera-Pioneers/203723232984490 Founders and Survivors – http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai48670 Biography of Charles Carter – http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030512b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography – Charles Carter – http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/carter-samuel-charles-1620 Last Updated: 3 January 2010 Compiled by Trish Symonds

4

Alison Bencke on 31st December 2014

Thomasine/a was 22 when sentenced according to trial accounts in 1827 This makes her birthdate more like 1804 or 5 . Her father's name was John (also according to trial reports) Can anyone substantiate the earlier birthdate please ?

9

Ian Carter on 9th October 2013

Carter, Thomasina Matthews (1798–1889) Our obituary notice to-day contains the news of the death of a very old colonist, and the first white woman who ever came to the Wimmera. Mrs. Thomasina Matthews Carter, at the patriarchal age of 91 years, passed peacefully away to a well-earned rest on Sunday. She died at Rosebrook homestead attended by all her four surviving children. viz: Mrs. Robertson, of Skene, Mrs. Elliott, of Brim Springs, Mr. Samuel Carter, of Walmer, and Mr. William Carter, from Tarrington, Hamilton. The deceased lady with her husband and family arrived in the Horsham district from Tasmania on August 10th, 1843, to settle at North Brighton, and endured, to the full extent all the hardships, privations and dangers incidental to the settler's life in the midst of the blacks in those early days. She was accustomed, when the men were away engaged further afield in the bush, to hold the homestead — a log hut loopholed for Musketry fire, and with always a plentiful supply of boiling water for the inimical blacks — sometimes with one of her sons, but frequently without any male protector, and very often she has donned masculine attire and laden herself with provision to take up to the men-folk away at work on the ranges. Her husband — Mr Charles Carter died in 1875. Ailing, with scarcely any other defined disease but extreme old age, she was found to be failing on Friday and Dr. Cross who was then called in to attend her, announced that the end was near and her children were promptly summoned. Up to the last she seemed to understand what was said or read to her, and her last words assured her people who were gathered round her that she was in "no pain." The funeral will leave Walmer (where the remains were to brought this morning) at 2.3o p.m. to-day and will pass through Horsham on the way to the cemetery about 3.15 o'clock this afternoon. Original publication Horsham Times (Vic), 5 November 1889, p 2