Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John White 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 237 (120). --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
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail redord: WHITE, John; inmate #4678, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1840 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Bricklayer Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 15 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 10 Aug 1858 Conditional Pardon Date: 20 Aug 1864 Comments: Road maker. To America, 2 Mar 1875 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0-- From the "Convicts associated with Toodyay" database: White, John (1840- ) 4678 1858-01-01 Nile CWA: Unm; bricklayer; semi lit Prot; burglary prev conv 15 yrs; York, Toodyay; roadmaking; to USA 02-03-1875 (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/). --00--
15 September, 1857: He was sent from Dartmoor, convict #5/2785, to board the Nile for transportation to WA. Behaviour on the voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --0--
14 December, 1856: His WA Character Book refers to this date on which he had an "accident at Dartmoor" but gives no further details (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --0--
9 January, 1855: Admitted to Dartmoor prison, Princetown, Yelverton, Devon -- inmate #2785; aged 15 when convicted (burglary and prev conv felony), a clogger, single, able to read and write imperfectly; behaviour in public works "very good" (details from Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). Dartmoor was "reopened as a male convict public works prison in November 1850. Within five years the prison became reserved for less able-bodied convicts, and on the closure of Parkhurst [on the Isle of Wight] as a juvenile prison [mid-1860s] received the remaining boys from that establishment." (https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/dartmoor-prison/) --0--
2 June, 1854: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London -- served 7 months 9 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good" (details from Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). “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: 18 March, 1854: Admitted to Kirkdale County Gaol and House of Correction, North Dingle Lane, Kirkdale, Liverpool, Lancashire -- served 2 months 13 days. --0--
NEWSPAPER report of his trial: "John White, clogger, was charged with having burglariously entered the dwelling-house of John Parkinson, at Manchester, and stolen three bottles of spirits. The jury found the prisoner guilty. He had been previously convicted of felony. The judge sentenced him to 15 years' transportation." (Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser, Tuesday 28 March 1854, p6, at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) --0--
TRIAL: 18 March, 1854: Found guilty at the Liverpool Assizes of burglary, with a previous conviction for felony, and sentenced to 15 years' transportation (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for John White; England; Lancashire; 1854). --0--