Thomas Benjamin Strettles

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Maureen Withey on 19th May 2020

My convict ancestor, THOMAS BENJAMIN STRETTLES, was a British soldier on Mauritius in 1817 when he committed the crime that sent him to New South Wales. He stabbed a slave woman, and purely because of his age (19) his death sentence was commuted to transportation for life. His native place is listed as Nantwich, Cheshire, on his Ticket of Leave. Source: Leone Edwards. https://soc.genealogy.britain.narkive.com/PuJsIgDt/pro-researcher He was a soldier in the 22nd Foot Regiment, or Cheshire Regiment. In 1810 the regiment took part in the occupation of Mauritius. -------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. STRETTLES, Thomas. Per "Little Mary", 1819 1819 May 14 - Re clothing and provisions due to him (Reel 6006; 4/3500 p.111) 1821 Sep 8 - On list of all persons victualled from H.M. Magazines (Reel 6016; 4/5781 p.109) 1822 Mar 20 - On list of prisoners transported to Newcastle per "Elizabeth Henrietta" (Reel 6009; 4/3505 p.45) 1823 Oct 4 - On list of convicts employed by J L Platt of Hunter River (Reel 6068; 4/1811 p.200) 1824 Oct, Dec - On monthly returns of prisoners punished at Newcastle; appears as Strattles (Reel 6023; 4/1718 pp.193, 197) 1825 Jun 21 - Prisoner at Newcastle. Application to marry Mary Ann Steward, per "Almorah" (Reel 6068; 4/1812 p.67) 1825 Jun 27 - Re permission to marry at Newcastle (Reel 6014; 4/3514 p.588) 1825 Nov 21,22 - Application to marry Mary Ann Steward (Reel 6068; 4/1812 pp.124-5) -------------------------------------------------- Absconded. Thomas Strettles, from McGuire's Gang; Sydney Gazette, 15 Mar 1822. -------------------------------------------------- The under-mentioned prisoners of the Crown have obtained Tickets of Leave since the last day of Publication. County of Camden. Sydney. Thomas Strettles, Little Mary. Sydney Monitor, 30 Apr 1838. -------------------------------------------------- Deaths. Also, on Wednesday evening last, at 11 o'clock, at the house of his parents, in Castlereagh-street, the infant son of Bridget and Thomas Strettles, Aged 12 months and 8 days. Commercial Journal, Sydney, 15 Dec 1838. -------------------------------------------------- The Conditional Pardons granted to the undermentioned Prisoners, are now lying at this office, and will be delivered to the respective parties, on payment of the fees due thereon to the public: — Strettles Thomas, Little Mary, 1819. The Australian, 7 Dec 1842. -------------------------------------------------- Thomas and Bridget had several children, including Thomas, Joseph, Martin, a daughter, as well as a son who died aged 12 months. Their deaths and funerals were advertised in the newspapers. -------------------------------------------------- In May 1850, Thomas Strettles gave evidence in a case against Catherine West alias Wright, which was reported at length in Bells Life in Sydney, 25 May 1850. POLICE OFFICE SKETCHES. Purification OF THE CITY.— On Saturday, as announced in our Iast, Mrs. Catherine West, alias Wright, appeared before Mr. Holden, to answer an information filed against her on the joint affidavit of one Elizabeth Smith and one Thomas Benjamin Strettles, for keeping a disorderly house, &c. …. Mr. Thomas Benjamin Strettles corroborated the facts as deposed to by Mrs. Smith, at whose instance and particular request he had volunteered his evidence; all the neighbours besides Mrs. Smith had spoken to him about the nuisance. …. Subsequent to this case, a year later, the following case was reported: THE TRIAL OF "QUEAN" CATHERINE. That worthy personage, Catherine West or Wright, having returned from her country residence at Darlinghurst into town for the winter season, chanced to tumble over one of her very particular friends. Thomas Benjamin Strettles, shoemaker, Castlereagh-street. Catherine had a strong recollection that Mr Strettles came out rayther stiff in his evidence against her upon a certain occasion, and seeing him standing under a lamp-post, paid her grateful acknowledgments by calling him a few affectionate names, and squirting a decent dose of saliva into his countenance. Strettles, not relishing the expectoration, and being urged by his friends to make a Court job of it, did so, and the trial of the " Quean " was the result, on Tuesday, before the Mayor and Mr Dowling. Strettles towered into the box like a second edition of Pompey's Pillar, and looked as threatening as a thunder cloud or the knocker of Newgate; Catherine stood the picture of innocence on the floor of the Court, at the back of her advocate, the learned John Ryan Brenan, Esq. The information having been read, in Mr Warburton's clear, bell-toned voice, Strettles swore that it was all true, and he might have added a great deal more, only he pitied Catherine's lonely condition. At this bit of attempted sympathy her nose turned up, precisely like the tail of that little dog which curled so stiff that it lifted his two hind legs from the ground, and the word ' gammon " issued from her lips. The Mayor very properly recommended an amicable arrangement, in which the charitable Strettles turned a deaf ear. He insisted, like another Wolsey, that Catherine should be dealt with ; the Bench accommodated him. and fined her in the enormous sum of one shilling-without costs. Bells Life in Sydney, 7 June 1851. -------------------------------------------------- FUNERAL.—The Friends of the deceased Mr. THOMAS BENJAMIN STRETTLES are invited to attend his Funeral ; to move from his late residence, 305, Castlereagh-street, near Bathurst-street, TO-MORROW (Wednesday) AFTERNOON, at 3 o'clock. JAMES CURTIS, Undertaker, 59, Hunter-street. Sydney Morning Herald, 15 Aug 1865. -------------------------------------------------- DEATH. STRETTLES.- At her residence, 502. Pitt-street-south, Bridget Strettles, wife of the late Thomas Benjamin Strettles, aged 70 years. Evening News, Tuesday 13 Aug 1878. --------------------------------------------------