John Oakley

16

Rosie Drysdale on 31st August 2013

John Oakley was baptised Feb 18 1822 at the Weston Under Penyard Chapel, Sandford Gloucestershire, England. He was the first son of John Oakley b1805 Alelderton, Newent and his wife Margaret nee Hale b1800 Newent. Convict John Oakley married Elizabeth Howles Oct 10 1844 at Pauntley, and is listed at the time of his first marriage as a Labourer, aged 23 years. John and Elizabeth had 2 children; Sarah Anne born 1854 and Charles born 1847. In 1849, John was tried at Worchester for stealing a sheep with the brother of his wife. John was transported to Port Arthur in 1852 on the 'Lady Montagu' aged 29 years, and his brother-in-law was released without conviction. John was granted a Conditional Pardon in 1855. In 1854 he was given permission to marry another ex-convict, Ann Riley and the marriage occurred on 12 Oct 1854. There seems to be no death recorded for Ann Oakley, a formal divorce or subsequent children from this marriage, so it can only be assumed that the two went their own ways at some time before the arrival to Tasmania of John's next 'wife', Jane Hamilton. There is no formal marriage record for Jane and John in either Tasmania or Victoria, but Jane referred to herself as 'Jane Oakley'. Jane Hamilton was born in 1840 at Co Tyrone, Ireland, and arrived on 'The Black Swan' to Hobart in 1856. It cannot be established why Jane came to Tasmania, as her sister settled in rural Victoria about the same time. Jane and John remained in Tasmania until about 1863, where at least 5 of their children were born. Their children were Theresa bc1856; no bdm; Walter b1857 Launceston; Albert b1858 Launceston; Frances Mary b 1862 poss. Launceston; Elizabeth Margaret b1863 Launceston; and then two other children, who were probably born in Vic with no bdms; John James b1869 and Leonard Lesley b1871. Jane and John settled in the Lancefield area of central Victoria where John became a hawker. Jane seems to have abandoned her children at some stage after 1878 and the death in a cart accident of her husband John, as both John James and Leonard Lesley can be found as Wards of the State at the Ballarat Boys home. Jane died in 1881 from intoxication and TB in Melbourne.