Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Thomas Simpson was transported on the Fortune, departing 31st Oct 1812 and arriving 11th Jun 1813 with 200 passengers.
Fortune (generic)References
| Primary Source | Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834 [database on-line]. |
| 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
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Photos
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Convict Notes
NOTICE.—I hereby Caution the Public not to give Credit to my Wife, Isabella Simpson, as I will not be accountable for any Debts she may contract after this Notice. June 9th, 1824. THOMAS SIMPSON. Sydney Gazette, 10 Jun 1824. Reg No 177/1844. Death of Isabella Simpson, age 55. District MF.- Church of England, Sydney, St Lawrence’s.
Permission to Marry. Govt. House, Sydney. 8 Jan 1816. The following person having banns published in the Parish Church of Windsor by the Rev. Robt. Cartwright, as certified by him under date the 6th instant, he has my permission to celebrate the proposed marriages between the parties, viz: Thomas Simpson, prisoner per Fortune and Isabella Bland, prisoner per Broxbornbury. Signed, L. Macquarie.
It was very common for prisoners to be appointed constables with the police. Sometimes this period did not last very long, and they were dismissed from their position within a year or two for “misconduct” or a variety of other offences. If it was a minor offence, they seemed to be punished and then reappointed at times. Often, on gaining their certificate of freedom, they resigned from their post. Thomas Simpson’s period of time serving as a constable is well documented in the records of the Colonial Secretary, see Index entry above. The following document transcription of his Petition (which is incomplete) Petition : Date, May 20, 1825. The humble petition of Thomas Simpson respectfully sheweth that Petitioner came to this Colony on the Ship Fortune in 1813, having been tried at York the previous year and sentenced to transportation for Life. That Petitioners good conduct for a series of years induced the late Governor Macquarie , in the year 1819, to grant Petitioner the ?? of a Ticket of Leave, which is is still retained with an irreproachable character. That Petitioner has for the last six years filled the situation of subordinate Constable, in which character he presumes his conduct has ever met the approbation of his superiors. ….
having viewed the information by the researchers here I suspect that there may be some errors (with the best of intentions). I am descended from Thomas Simpson, and more recently with DNA the links are showing that the family connection goes to Yorkshire where we have DNA matches with 2 of his siblings. Howver, that being said I find it very diffcult to think that he was ever a police constable. Our information was that he worked at Molongolo Station until his death and that he married Jane Butler (daughter of William Butler of the first fleet and born in the colonies). there are five children recorded as 'issue' of Thomas and Jane, with DNA matches with descendants from four of them. One still not tested. In 1828 he was listed as a free convict having bought land
Evidence: The British Archives Home Office reference "HO10/8, Male 1817" is used above as evidence of the existence of two Thomas Simpsons. [see information entered on 10th December 2019]. However, HO10/18 cannot be used this way. HO10/18 is an alphabetical list of particulars of all convicts as at 1817 which was recorded by clerks in the Colonial Secretary's office by copying from original muster lists. These 'particulars' lists were prepared almost every year up to 1828. They have frequent inaccuracies due to transcription errors, whether from straight mistakes or sometimes laziness. They cannot be used in the same way as a primary record that would prove the existence or death of a particular convict. The 1817 version is simply incorrect in repeating the transportation details for Thomas Simpson. It has, sloppily, created two of them for ship "Fortune", both with Life, both tried in March 1812 at York, and recording a non-existent 'occupation' for one. Proof there is only one Thomas Simpson can be taken from the ship's muster records. The British Archives HO 11/2/373 is the muster for "Fortune" convict ship. At online image no 47, the convicts tried at York are listed — there is only one Thomas Simpson. [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3083364 click on "preview an image of this record" and go to image 47] Back-up can also be found in newspaper reports of the criminal trials held at York in the Lent Sessions starting 7 March 1812. These refer to only ONE Thomas Simpson, and he was charged with the same crime as George Simpson (his brother). Here is a report, for example, of all those sentenced to death at York, with only one Thomas Simpson: Stamford Mercury Friday 27 March 1812, p.3: “Yorkshire Lent assizes. On Tuesday the judge, Sir Simon le Blanc, passed sentence on the following guilty prisoners: “George Stones, John Williamson, John Armstrong, and James Leach, for horse-stealing. "Thomas Simpson and George Simpson, for sheep-stealing. "Wm Chester for attempting to murder George Oliver and his wife, and "Robert Winter for stealing money. DEATH. “Before Sir Simon le Blanc left York, he was pleased to reprieve all the above prisoners, except William Chester, who is left for execution.”
_____________________________ Regarding earlier comments about there being two men named Thomas Simpson on the ship "Fortune": There were NOT two men. There was only one Thomas Simpson, the brother of George Simpson who were both tried at York in the sessions commencing 7 march 1812. Thomas and George wer both alive and well up to the 1828 Census.
There were two people named Thomas Simpson on the Fortune - both sentenced to Life at York in 1812. One of these men drowned - the other, the older brother of George Simpson on the same voyage landed in New South Wales.
Public Notice. THE undermentioned Persons have obtained Certificates, Conditional Pardons, or Tickets of Leave, during the last Week:— CONDITIONAL PARDONS. Fortune (2) ............. Thomas Simpson; Sydney Gazette, 25 Aug 1825.
NSW 1828 Census Index. George Simpson, age 33, A.P. per Fortune, 1813, life, protestant, Settler Airds district, holds total 124 acres, 110 cleared and 49 cultivated. Has 8 horses and 6 cattle. Ann Simpson, age 23, Born in Colony. Thomas, age 6, born in Colony, James age 4, B.C. Anna, age 2, B.C. Thomas Simpson, age 37, C.P. per Fortune 1813, Life. -------------------------------------------------- Thomas is listed with the family of his brother George Simpson.
Thomas Simpson, and George Simpson, charged with stealing five ewes and three lambs, the property Joshua Jackson, of Brierley. Manchester Mercury, 10 March 1812. Thomas Simpson and George Simpson, for sheep-stealing, were severally found guilty, and received sentence of death. Nottingham Journal, 21 March 1812. Colonial Secretary Index: SIMPSON, Thomas. Per "Fortune", 1813 1816 Jan 8 - Re permission to marry at Windsor (Reel 6004; 4/3494 p.310) 1820 Aug 16 - Constable. Re assignment to the office of the Colonial Secretary; appears as Sempson (Reel 6007; 4/3502 p.204) 1821 Sep 8 - On list of all persons victualled from H.M. Magazines; with his wife (Reel 6016; 4/5781 p.62) 1822 - Signatory to petition from the ordinary constables of Sydney complaining of the diminution of their rations (Reel 6055; 4/1760 p.43c) 1822 Dec 27-1825 Aug 30 - On pay lists of constables employed at Sydney (Reel 6029, 4/7016A pp.15-216, 4/7016B pp.7-208; Reel 6030, 4/7016D pp.23-387; Reel 6061, 4/1779 pp.154c, 163c & 4/1780 pp.190c, 207c, 222c) 1823 Mar - On list of constables in Sydney from Sep 1820 to Mar 1823 (Reel 6056; 4/1764 p.64) 1823 Mar 21 - Constable Office. On list of persons receiving an assigned convict (Fiche 3290; 4/4570D p.10) 1824 - On list of constables doing duty in Sydney & its environs requiring slop clothing (Reel 6017; 4/5782 p.95) 1824 May 22, Jun 4,11 - On lists of constables doing duty for the town of Sydney & its vicinity who are entitled to a weekly ration (Reel 6061; 4/1779 pp.97c, 119c, 140c) 1824 Dec 31 - On list of district & other constables doing duty in Sydney & its vicinity; sick in hospital (Reel 6063; 4/1784 p.314c) 1825 May 20 - Subordinate constable. Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3252; 4/1875 p.207) 1825 Jul-Aug - On lists of prisoners applying for emancipation (Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 pp.6-24)