Henry Wood

94

Dennis Nightingale on 22nd June 2015

169314 Wood - Henry - Norfolk 1829 September 1836 Maitland Historical Records of Australia Series 1, Vol XVIII, p 566. In order to prosecute the present Inquiry, I have waited upon .Mr. Houston Mitchell, and having requested that Gentleman to afford me the names of those of his Prisoners, who were at Church on the 14th ultimo, and having examined them separately in their Master's presence, I have now the honor to hand you their Individual Statements. John Jones- States, on Sunday, the 14th ultimo, he was at Church with some of his fellow Prisoners: that the Parson appeared very angry and told them the Catholics were getting the upper hand, and that the Bible was going to be taken away from them, and that none of them, who were Protestants, were to go away after Church until they had written their names down. Jones further states that, after the service. Goldingham, the Clerk, brought a piece of paper, a pen and Ink into the Church, and the Parson went to the door, and asked the people as they went out to stop and put down their names. Jones and his fellow Prisoners were on the Steps going away, when the Parson said " Come and sign this my Men ; it will not do you any harm, but will get you schools, towards which I my- self have given five pounds." Jones then wrote his own name as well as those of some of his fellow Prisoners who could not write. The Parson and Clerk were then both standing at the Table, and they both knew them to be Prisoners ; the former had often spoken to them, and the latter knew them perfectly well. Jones did not see any Petition ; there was nothing on the Paper he signed but a few names. John Morgant states that he cannot write; that, after Church on Sunday, the 14th ultimo, he was going home when the Parson called him back to write his name; the clerk also told them they were to go and put down their names. Morgan said he could not write, and Jones wrote his name for him. Hawes. Riley, and Turner* corroborate the above Statements, and. not being able to sign their own names, they asked Jones to write them for them. Walker § corroborates the statement of Jones, but wrote his own name; he did not know what he signed, but thought he was obliged to do as the Parson told him. and that they wanted to find out how many Protestants there were in the Colony. Henry Wood* states that he was at Church on Sunday, the 14th ultimo, and was coming away with his fellow prisoners, when the Parson called them to sign the paper he had been preaching about. 1 was afraid to sign it and got out of the way; the rest went back: the Parson and Clerk both know us to be Prisoners.

94

Dennis Nightingale on 22nd June 2015

149096 Wood Henry - Norfolk 1829. AO NSW Convict Indent Fiche No. 673. \Age 17. Carpenter (2yrs) from London. Tried 19 January 1829 and sentenced to transportation for life for house breaking. Assigned to Benjamin Sullivan at Williams River on arrival. 164919 Wood Henry - Norfolk 1829. 27 July 1840 Maitland Application to Marry:- Henry Wood age 28 arrived per 'Norfolk', application to marry Isabella Biggs age 18 arrived free per 'Adam Lodge'.