Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Williams was transported on the Marion, departing 22nd Nov 1843 and arriving 3rd Apr 1844 with 302 passengers.
Built 1834 at Calcutta. Wood ship of 684 Tons. The 1847/48 voyage sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) BUT also went on to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria where 300 exiles disembarked. (The newspaper source says they were from Millbank, Pentonville & Parkhurst prisons.)
Marion (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 91, Class and Piece Number HO11/13, Page Number 489 (226). Tasmanian Archives - convicts http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON33-1-53,308,281,L,80 |
| 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
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Photos
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Convict Notes
Name: Williams, John Record Type: Convicts Property: Tasman Peninsula Probation Stations Departure date: 9 Dec 1843 Departure port: London Ship: Marion (1) Place of origin: Cambridgeshire Voyage number: 230 Police number: 12657 Index number: 76621 Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1446794 Tasmanaian Library
Correction. John Williams died at Impression Bay Hospital.
John Williams was born on 24 November 1810 at Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire, the illegitimate son of Mary Williams. The Williams (aka Willings) family had aristocratic ancestry based around Kempston in Bedfordshire, but their fall down the social scale had begun by the time of John's birth. He married Elizabeth Ashman at Weston Colville on 9 February 1833 and they had three daughters and one son - Louisa Elizabeth (1835), Mary Ann (1837), Esther (1840) and George Charles (1842). John had previously been in trouble for trespass and assault before being convicted of sheep stealing with the sentence of transportation. His wife was in court when the sentence was read. She collapsed and had to be carried from the court. Life was hard enough without losing the family breadwinner. The three Williams daughters lived out their lives at Weston Colville while George Charles Williams emigrated with his wife and children to Queensland in 1874. By this time, John Williams had been dead for 22 years, but did the family know that?? After his transportation, John's wife, Elizabeth, became housekeeper for Thomas Taylor, eventually becoming known as Elizabeth Taylor, but she and Thomas did not marry until 1865. Perhaps by that time they had heard that John had passed away. Elizabeth had no further children. I am still trying to find detail of John's life in Tasmania. He served the first period of "probation" on Maria Island, his character being described as "indifferent". After that he was sent to various farmers in different areas of Tasmania. He received his ticket of leave in 1850 and died in 1852 at Intrepid Bay Hospital, just around the time his sentence was due to expire. John's transportation was a well kept secret in the family. No member of George Charles Williams' family seemed to know of it.
John was born on 24 Nov 1810 at Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire, the illegitimate son of Mary Williams. He married Elizabeth Ashman on 9 Feb 1833 at Weston Colville. Together, they had three daughters and one son. Their son, George Charles Williams, immigrated to Queensland with his wife and family in 1874.
John Williams was convicted at Cambridge on 26/07/1843 for sheep stealing (a sheep and lamb, at Carlton). 10yr sentence. Transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on the 'Marion', arriving 04/04/1844. Gaol Report: character indifferent; conduct in gaol good; imprisoned once before. Hulk Report: indifferent Married, 4 children. Native Place: Cambridge, England. Farm labourer; aged 33yrs; 5'5 1/2"; fresh complexion; dk brown hair; grey eyes; can read & write; Protestant. Period of Probation: 15 mths, Maria Island (off east coast of Tasmania). Released from 1st stage of Probation 04/04/1845. Some records of misconduct. Assignments included: Blackmarsh; Clarence Plains; Kangaroo Point; Muddy Plains; Oatlands; O'Brien's Bridge; New Norfolk & Huon. Ticket of Leave 05/03/1850 Died in hospital at Impression Bay 23/03/1852. (Letter to Superintendent 25/03/1852)