Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Williams 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. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 |
| 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
No one has claimed John Williams yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for John Williams.
Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: Henry Whittaker and Thomas Gregory were also transported per the Nile. See their bios at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/whittaker/henry/60818 and https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/gregory/thomas/59000 respectively.
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: WILLIAMS, John; #4670, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1833 Date of Death: 28 Aug 1860 Place of Death: Natural causes Marital Status: Married 6 children Occupation: Sailor [Tailor or weaver] Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England Crime: Breaking & entering Sentence Period: 14 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 17 Oct 1859 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
September, 1857: John Williams, 21 [when convicted], married [other documents list 6 children as well], a weaver [called a tailor in some records] was sent from Chatham to board the Nile for transportation. He was Chatham convict #38/841. His conduct at Wakefield was described as "mostly good" and at Chatham "very good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). --00--
18 March, 1857: He was admitted to Chatham prison in Kent, inmate #841. Chatham, Portland, Portsmouth 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) --0--
JAILS: John Williams served 6 months 14 days in jail at Liverpool. September, 1856: He was then transferred to Wakefield prison (West Riding House of Correction) in Yorkshire to serve 6 months 14 days in separate confinement. “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. --0--
TRIAL: 8 April, 1856: John Williams (alias Aiken) 21, a weaver, Henry Whittaker, 16, a boiler maker, Archibald Whittaker, 46, a smith, Robert Free, 18, a boiler maker, Thomas Gregory, 19, a plasterer and Ann Gregory, 28, were tried at Liverpool Boro Sessions, before Gilbert henderson Esq, Recorder, charged with breaking and entering the shop and warehouse of John William Hickson, a hatter, and stealing property belonging to him including two coats, one pair of gloves, three loaves of bread, forty pounds weight of biscuits, the sum of ten shillings, and other property. John Williams was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years' transportation. Henry Whittaker pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years' transportation. Archibald Whittaker, father of Henry, was found not guilty. Robert Free was found guilty and sentenced to four years' penal servitude. Thomas Gregory was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years' transportation. Ann Gregory [reported in some newspapers as the wife of Thomas] was found not guilty (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Liverpool Gaol; Calendar of Trials; 1874).
WARRANT: 21 February, 1856: Issued by RE Harvey Esq Liverpool for the committal of Henry Whittaker and five others charged with breaking and entering. All were received into custody on 21 February, 1856. --0--