Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
William Woollams 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 229 (116). --00--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 |
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: Family research shows William Woollams was born or had his birth registered on 1 January, 1828, in Buckinghamshire (the son of Joseph Woollams and Elizabeth Premin Barrett), and his death recorded in 1868 in WA. It appears William's father was twice widowed (William's mother was his first wife) and married three times. He arrived in South Australia in August 1852 with his third wife and young family, but died there only four months later. The James Woollams, whose home William burgled in 1856, may have been William's uncle, an older brother of his father's. --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: WOOLLAMS, William; inmate #4550, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1830 Date of Death: 23 Jul 1868 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Aylesbury, Buckingham, England Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket of Leave Date: 15 Dec 1859, at York Conditional Pardon Date: 23 Aug 1862 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the Nile for transportation to WA, #63/4901; behaviour on voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
25 March, 1857: Admitted to Portland prison, in Grove Road, Dorset. Portland, Portsmouth, 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) William Woollams was inmate #6901, single, 26, labourer, reads and writes imperfectly, Church of England; next of kin -- grandfather William Barrett, at Great Missenden. Health good (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1875). --0--
29 August, 1856: Admitted to Leicester gaol (Leicester County Gaol and House of Correction, Welford Road) -- served 6 months 25 days in separate confinement; behaviour "very good". --0--
JAILS: 7 May, 1856: Committed to stand trial. --0-- May, 1856: Held at Bucks County jail (probably at Aylesbury County Gaol and House of Correction, Bierton Hill, Aylesbury) -- served 3 months 22 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good". “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--
Newspaper reports of his trial: 1. "BURGLARY. William Woollams also pleaded Guilty of having broken into the dwelling-house of James Woollams, and stolen therefrom two pair of spectacles, and numerous other articles, the property of the said James Woollams, Great Missenden, on the 24th of April last." (Bucks Herald, Saturday 12 July 1856, p4) 2. "William Woollams pleaded guilty to breaking into the house of John Barratt, Great Missenden, on the 24th April. The prisoner had been previously convicted of felony, and sentenced to 10 years’ transportation..." (Windsor and Eton Express, Saturday 19 July 1856, p3) 3. "William Woollams, charged with two burglaries, at Great Missenden, pleaded guilty."(Bicester Herald, Saturday 19 July 1856, p8) --00--
TRIAL: 10 July, 1856: At Aylesbury Assizes, tried and convicted of burglary; sentenced to 15 years' transportation. --0--
PREVIOUS JAIL TIME: 15 October, 1851 - 5 December, 1855: Over this time, he served time at Millbank in London, then Pentonville and, finally, in October 1852 he was sent to Portland jail in Dorset. With him went a "bad" character reference. But his record at Portland shows "good" reviews for every month until he was discharged from there by licence (Ticket of Leave) on 5 December, 1855 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1870). --00--
PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS: 8 April, 1850: Convicted at the General Quarter Sessions, Aylesbury, and sentenced to 6 months' jail for larceny (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Buckinghamshire; 1850). --0-- 13 October, 1851: Convicted and sentenced to 10 years' transportation for housebreaking (one previous conviction, 6 months' hard labour, taken into account) (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Buckinghamshire; 1851). --00--