James Tetlow

2

Marian Tetlow on 23rd October 2022

James Tetlow's wife was Elizabeth Illingworth

15

Stephen R. Lewis on 5th June 2017

James Tetlow was born in 1800 in Rochdale, Lancashire to George and Ann Tetlow, and was Baptised on December 21st 1800. James married Elizabeth Ellen xxxx? in approximately 1831 (their first born son, George was born in 1832). It is probable that the marriage occurred in Stainland, West Yorkshire as Elizabeth was born in the village as was son George (information taken from the UK 1851 Census). Stainland was noted for Wool and Textile production and so this is an indication of the early occupation of James Tetlow. In 1841 James Tetlow and family were living in Castleton Moor Street in Rochdale, Lancashire where he was employed as a Labourer (the family consisting of James (40), Elizabeth (30), George (10), Mary Ann (6), Benjamin (5), and Delilah (2) – the latter three children having been born in Lancashire). On March 23rd In 1848, James (age 48) was convicted of Manslaughter at South Lancashire Assizes in Wakefield, and sentenced to 15 years transportation. The offence had taken place on December 18th 1847 at Heywood, Castleton, and James had struck a Mr James Duckworth with a cart-leg stick after drinking together at the Dog and Partridge Pub. James was subsequently arrested at the Farewell Inn on the same evening. At the time of his offence James was the father of six children, and following his conviction James was held at Millbank Prison in Pimlico, London (Prisoner No. 663) – which was essentially a holding facility for Prisoners awaiting transportation to the colonies. A petition submitted to Sir George Grey (Principal Secretary of State) on December 11th 1848 on behalf of his wife, and neighbours in the Castleton and surrounding neighbourhood (27 names in total), pleaded his good character in an effort to have his sentence rescinded but this was not successful. Along with 76 other Convicts, James Tetlow sailed on the “Scindian” Transportation Ship leaving Portsmouth on March 4th 1850, and which arrived in Fremantle on June 1st 1850 (a voyage of 89 days). The Perth Gazette & Independent Journal of July 26th listed all newly arrived Convicts and also their “Ticket-of-Leave” dates by which time they could work independently or for an employer. James Ticket-of-Leave date was stated as June 11th 1851 so he would have worked as a labourer in Fremantle for approximately one year on the construction of roads and buildings of the new Swan River Colony. In the UK Census of 1851, Elizabeth Tetlow and the family were living in Bankhouse, Halifax, Yorkshire. Elizabeth was employed in Service and the rest of the family were working in the Wool weaving industry – from the eldest son George (19) working as a Wool Comber, Mary Ann (16), Delilah (11), Elizabeth (9) working as Worsted Spinners, and John (7) as a Worsted Doffer. The youngest son Samson (6), was not employed. Their son Benjamin (born in 1836) had died in 1844. In 1852, Elizabeth Tetlow and the family were given free passage to sail on the “Palestine” Ship to join their father in the Swan River Colony of Western Australia. The Ship departed Plymouth on November 29th 1852 and arrived in Fremantle on April 28th 1853 (a journey of 152 days). On the Ships Passenger List the family are listed as Tetley. The Palestine Ship also included 30 orphan girls from Mountbellew Workhouse in Co. Galway (victims of the Irish Potato Famine) – and was known as the Bride Ship. The united Tetlow family lived in Fremantle initially (eldest son George was to marry Eliza Arnold, a fellow passenger on the Scindian in March 1854), but eventually settled in the Geraldton area where James employed up to 6 Ticket-of-Leave men from 1863-1867 (Battye Library, Perth), where he was a builder and stonemason. His son John also worked as a builder and stone mason, and together they worked on many of the older buildings in the Champion Bay / Geraldton area – including Glengarry Station Homestead (Edith Cowan was born here). Son Samson worked as a quarrier at White Peak supplying stone for the newly constructed buildings. In 1878 James Tetlow was employed as a Pound Keeper. James died on June 11th 1890 (age 90). Elizabeth Ellen Tetlow died in 1885 (age 74).