Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Turnbull 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 242. Edgar, W (Bill) 2018, “The precarious voyage of Her Majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’”, The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Northumberland 1855. UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858. |
| 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
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: TURNBULL, John; #4661, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1836 Date of Death: 14 Jan 1860 Place of Death: Convict Establishment Hospital Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Pitman [mine worker] Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: Newcastle upon Tyne, Northampton, England Crime: Robbery with violence Sentence Period: 15 years Previous Convictions: Yes (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
THE VOYAGE: John Turnbull's behaviour during the voyage was "very bad", according to his WA Convict record. Twice he received 24 lashes, on two separate occasions he was handcuffed and he was placed in the cells (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). What prompted these punishments? Although a requirement, no journal/full report of the voyage from the ship's Surgeon Superintendent has ever been located, according to Bill Edgar (2018) whose research fills in some blanks. Around two-thirds of the Nile's 268 convicts could be considered "serious criminals". A point that wasn’t lost on the ship’s crew or warders. Edgar (2018) says between the starting point of the Nile's voyage at the head of the Thames at Sheerness and her arrival at Plymouth a week or so later to take on prisoners from Dartmoor, two warders "having seen the potential for trouble... decided to refuse duties they could clearly perceive as very dangerous". They left the ship. Between the Nile's departure from Plymouth, on 23 September, and her arrival just over 4 weeks later at Bahia (in Brazil), a "litany of frightening incidences took place aboard". Fearing a mutiny, the captain had nine convicts placed in chains "where they were to stay for the remainder of the voyage". There was no mutiny. Edgar writes, however: "It had been a near run thing. The prospect of a mutiny had been very real." Despite the Nile's arrival off WA late on the night of 31 December, 1857, the bulk of the prisoners were not disembarked for five days. Twelve men were unloaded on 2 January – three bound for hospital and nine who went in chains to Fremantle prison. The latter were the "failed mutineers", listed as men of "bad character" by the ship's Surgeon Superintendent in a letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty (Edgar, pp24-25, 27). They were: John Turnbull, James H Jones, John Cirans (Ceirans), Thomas Ward, George Foxton (alias Thompson), Patrick McBride, Michael Henry, John Ferguson, and George Woodcock (the possessor of at least seven aliases by this time). --00--
15 July, 1857: John Turnbull was sent to Chatham for transportation. On the record of “male transports” received from Millbank at Chatham, for the voyage per Nile to WA, he was listed as #29/1169, 19, single, a pitman and illiterate. In the "Conduct since conviction" section, his behaviour is listed as "good" in separate confinement and "indifferent" in public works -- slightly upbeat assessments compared with the original jail records! (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). --00--
12 November, 1856: He was "removed to separate confinement at Millbank" as a result of his "gross insubordination and general bad conduct". Thus, he was back at Millbank to serve a second lot of probation. This time, as inmate #3882, he spent 8 months 3 days in separate confinement. There are several notations on his record -- apart from the usual personal details and previous convictions. They include, in chronological order: "Placed in penal class this day - 20/12/56"; "To have the benefit of Rule 5 - 6/5/57"; "Removed from Penal Ward - 28/5/57; "To be treated as a [sic] ordinary convict - 9/6/57". Just over a month later, he was transferred again (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners to 1885). --0--
5 July, 1856: He was admitted to Portsmouth Gaol in Hampshire. Portsmouth, Portland, 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) John Turnbull was listed as inmate #3505, 19 [his age when convicted], a pitman, Protestant, single and illiterate; convicted for robbery together with another and attended with personal violence after a previous conviction of felony. Next of kin — his father, Robert Turnbull, a pitman of Reynolds Court, Gateshead. His previous convictions were: larceny, on 3 January 1855, sentenced to 6 months' hard labour; and six times "in this prison under summary convictions". John Turnbull's behaviour was listed as "bad" and he was removed from Portsmouth after serving 3 months 24 days ?(UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0--
21 September, 1855: He was admitted to the West Riding House of Correction (also called Wakefield House of Correction, Wakefield County Gaol, Wakefield Prison and HMP Wakefield), Love Lane, Wakefield, in Yorkshire. “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). Wakefield, Millbank, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. In Wakefield, John Turnbull served 9 months 13 days in separate confinement. He had also spent 1 month 26 days days in separate confinement at Newcastle. His behaviour at wakefield was recorded as “indifferent”. —0—
JAILS: July-September, 1856: He was held at Newcastle jail (Newcastle Under Lyme Lock Up) at the Police station in High Street where his behaviour was described as "tolerably good". After 1 month 26 days he was sent to Wakefield. --0--
COMMITTAL AND TRIAL 13 July, 1855: Newcastle Upon Tyne -- committal of John Turnbull by the Newcastle Police Court for assault and attempted robbery. From a report of this proceeding in the Newcastle Guardian and Tyne Mercury of 14 July, p8, it appears the alleged victim was William J Wilkinson. --0-- 30 July, 1855: John Turnbull was tried at Newcastle Upon Tyne Assizes and convicted for robbery together with another and attended with personal violence after a previous conviction of felony; sentenced to 15 years' transportation (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Northumberland 1855). --00--