Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Rowley was transported on the Joseph Somes, departing 18th Dec 1845 and arriving 19th May 1846 with 250 passengers.
Built 1845 at London. Wood ship of 780 Tons. The owner was Thomas Colyer of Kent, the son-in-law of Joseph Somes. Two voyages with transport convicts to Australia: 1845/1846: 1847: 248 male people (known as "exiles" landed at Point Henry, Geelong, Victoria and 1 went on to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Queen Victoria had decreed that all of these men (many of them youths from Parkhurst, Isle of Wight) should be treated as "free" upon arrival (significant backlash to transported criminals at this time).
Joseph Somes (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 91, Class and Piece Number HO11/14, Page Number 413 (208) |
| 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
"I have still not located his birth though believe it to be during May 1823-1825."
Photos
No photos have been added for James Rowley.
Convict Notes
According to British newspaper archives his original name was James KIRK (acknowledged during trial) but for some unknown reason all his convict and later records only show ROWLEY.
James had several children with Elizabeth Salvin while in VDL/Tasmania and 2 more in New Zealand. James and Elizabeth never married, his convict record indicates that he had been married only 3 months prior to incarceration in Sheffield. Unfortunately I have never been able to trace that marriage nor his birth/baptism and therefore his parents. James died in Melbourne in 1890. He was my GG Grandfather.