Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Joseph 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 239 (121). --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 |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
NEWSPAPER reports of his death: From: The Western Australian Times,2 Oct 1877, p2 : "LOCAL AND GENERAL. SUDDEN DEATH.-A blacksmith named Joseph Smith died suddenly, of heart disease, at Berkshire Valley, a few days ago. The deceased had been in the employment of Mr. James Clinch for the past twenty years." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2978182) --0-- From: The Western Australian Times, 12 Oct 1877, p2 : "VICTORIA PLAINS. (From a correspondent.) I am sorry to record that another unit has been suddenly blotten out, in the person of a man named Joseph Smith, blacksmith, who has been in the employ of Messrs. Jas. and Chas. Clinch, these last twenty years. He was a most useful and steady man, and is much regretted by the settlers. He was going to his work on Monday morning, and taken ill all of a sudden, and died in the afternoon of the same day. Mr. Jas. Clinch telegraphed at once to the R.M. (Mr. Fairbairn) and Dr. Mayhew, who, with p.c. Troy proceeded from Newcastle and held an inquest on the body. Verdict: died from disease of the heart." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2978223) --0-- From: The Inquirer and Commercial News, 24 Oct 1877, p3: "VICTORIA PLAINS, October 6. I am sorry to say a sudden death has occurred at Mr. Jas. Clinch's, Berkshire Valley. Mr. Clinch's smith, Joseph Smith, a very old and faithful servant, took ill as he was about to commence work on Monday, the 24th ultimo, and died in a few hours. An inquest was held by the Resident Magistrate, Mr. Fairbairn, with Dr. Mayhew; the verdict being, 'Died from disease of the heart.'" (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66302074) --0--
From the "Convicts associated with Toodyay" database: Smith, Joseph (1832-1877) 4759 1858-01-01 Nile CWA: Unm; blacksmith; illit Prot; stealing prev conv 10 yrs. BDWA: Smith, Joseph, b. 1832. d. 24.9.1877 (expiree). Arr. 1.1.1858 per Nile. Blacksmith. Old & faithful servant of James Clinch of "Berkshire Valley", Victoria Plains. Trove: Death reports, 1877 (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/) --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: SMITH, Joseph; inmate #4759, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1832 Date of Death: 24 Sep 1877 Place of Death: Berkshire Valley, WA Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Blacksmith Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England Crime: Stealing Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 1 Aug 1858 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
8 September, 1857: Sent from Portsmouth to board the Nile for transportation to WA, #5/4330 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). Behaviour on voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
3 August, 1857: Sent by Metro Police and readmitted to Portsmouth -- inmate #4330. Listed as 22 when convicted in 1852, single, blacksmith, illiterate, Church of England (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Joseph Smith; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0--
24 July, 1857: ToL revoked by the Metropolitan Police Court (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Joseph Smith; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0--
30 August, 1856: Granted a Licence for Parole/Ticket of Leave #6386, as below: Reference: PCOM 3/60/6386 Description: Licence number 6386: Joseph Smith. Caption order and prison record from when he was convicted of Stealing from the person at the Quarter Sessions at Clerkenwell Green, Middlesex 23 August 1852. Then aged [not given] and by trade a [not given]. Sentence: 10 years Transportation. Licence granted 30 August 1856, for early release from Portsmouth prison. Licence revoked 24 July 1857, caption returned August 5 1857. Revocation order only. Date: 1856 August 30 Held by: The National Archives, Kew (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10346615). --0--
20 January, 1854: Admitted to Portsmouth prison, Cumberland Street/Gloucester Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire -- inmate #1746. --0--
7 December, 1852: Admitted to Wakefield prison in West Yorkshire—served 12 months in separate confinement; behaviour “good” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Joseph Smith; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). “After a sentence of transportation 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. --0--
JAILS: 31 July-December, 1852: Held at Middlesex House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields, Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London — behaviour "not good". Trial date: 23 August, 1852, Clerkenwell Green. --0--