Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Smith was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 240. --0-- 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. |
| 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 Smith was a paper stainer, not a parchment maker as entered above (because paper stainer isn't on the list of options). The Dictionary of Old Occupations says a paper stainer "coloured paper by machine or by hand. The paper was commonly used as wallpaper." (see https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/)
IN WA -- now not married: From his Fremantle jail record: SMITH, John; inmate #4722, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1835 [typo?] Marital Status: Unmarried [divorced?] Occupation: Paper stainer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England Crime: Larceny Sentence Period: 6 years penal servitude Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 8 Oct 1859 Conditional Pardon Date: 27 Jun 1861 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0-- He is also listed as single on the WA Estimates and Convict Lists (128/1 - 32) (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department).
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the Nile for WA. As with other men from here, who had sentences of 7 and 6 years, he does not appear on the official manifest, but his jail record and WA convict records confirm he was sent for transportation at this time. On the voyage his behaviour was described as “good” (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers;Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --0--
7 April, 1857: Admitted to Portland prison, Grove Road, Portland, Dorset -- inmate #6961. All details as above. State of health "good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for John Smith; Portland Prison; Prison Records; labelled as 1870-1875). Portland, Portsmouth, Chatham 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) --0--
24 January, 1857: His original Ticket of Leave was revoked (see above). --0--
31 July, 1856: Admitted to Pentonville prison, Caledonian Road, London -- inmate #6886; served 9 months 6 days in separate confinement. Details as above, except there is no mention of his alias. Described as 5'3" tall, brown hair, hazel eyes, sallow complexion, slight build. His crime is detailed as "stealing gold seals to value of 30 pounds". Conduct in Pentonville "tolerable" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for John Smith; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1854-1856). --0--
26 June, 1856: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London -- served 1 month 5 days in separate confinement. “After a sentence of transportation [and penal servitude, it seems] 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). Millbank, Pentonville, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. John Smith, "alias James May", was listed as inmate #2917, 23 when convicted, married, paper stainer, able to read and write imperfectly, Church of England. Next of kin -- his wife (not named), living at 10 Thrall Street, Whitechapel (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for John Smith; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; labelled as 1882-1885). --0--
JAILS: 19 May, 1856: Held at Middlesex House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields, Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London -- served 38 days. --0--
TRIAL: 19 May, 1856: Convicted at Clerkenwell General Sessions of larceny in a dwelling house, with a previous conviction for felony -- sentenced to 6 years' penal servitude (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for John Smith; England; Middlesex; 1856). Note: At this stage, his ToL associated with his previous conviction in 1852 had not been revoked. --0--
LICENCE FOR PAROLE: 31 October, 1855: Granted a Ticket of Leave/Licence #4087 for early release from Portland prison, as below: "Reference: PCOM 3/38/4087 Description: Licence number 4087: John Smith. Convicted of Larceny from the person at the Central Criminal Court at London, Middlesex, 14 June 1852. Then aged [not known] years and by trade a [not known]. Sentence: 7 years' transportation. Licence granted: 31 October 1855, for early release from Portland prison. Comments: Date of revocation 24 January 1857. Caption returned 10 February 1857. Revocation order only. Date: 1855 October 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew" (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10243894) --0--