| Name: | John Wright |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | m |
| Date of Birth: | 25th March, 1799 |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Date of Death: | 5th September, 1884 |
| Age: | 85 years |
Life Span
Male median life span was 51 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to Life
| Crime: | Sheep-stealing |
| Convicted at: | Middlesex Gaol Delivery |
| Sentence term: | Life |
| Ship: | Lord Sidmouth |
| Departure date: | 20th September, 1818 |
| Arrival date: | 11th March, 1819 |
| Place of arrival | New South Wales |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 159 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 88, Class and Piece Number HO11/3, Page Number 92 |
| 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 Project. |
Anonymous on 5th June, 2011 wrote:
Brothers John and William, sons of William and Mary Wright, were sentenced to death in 1818 for sheep stealing but were reprieved and given a life sentence. They were transported to Australia aboard the Lord Sidmouth, leaving 20th September 1818, arriving on 11th March 1819.
John was born in 1800, in London. On February 8, 1837 he married Eliza Davis, a free immigrant and the daughter of John Davis of England. Eliza was only 16 at the time of her marriage. Their eldest son was born in Bathurst but by 1841 the family had moved to Orange where John had become the first pound keeper.
He died at Cows Flat (Canobolas) at the age of 84 years. Eliza died on April 30th, 1887, at Canobolas, aged 66 years. Both are buried at Orange. John and Eliza had 15 children but six were deceased by 1884.
John Wright and William Wright were indicted for stealing, on the 18th of May, at St. Paul,Shadwell, four sheep, price 6/-, the property of William Robins.
WILLIAM ROBINS. I live in High street, St. Paul’s Shadwell, and have a stable and slaughter house in West’s Gardens, a little way from my house. On the 18th of May I put ten sheep there, and left them there about five o’clock in the evening; at a quarter after ten Foster came to me, I went to the stable, found the stable drawn, and four sheep gone; about two o’clock in the morning I found them in Godsden’s slaughter house, about three miles off, his slaughter house door was locked, we looked through a hole, and saw them there; Mr Godsden bought the key, I went in, and was then sure they were my sheep.
JAMES FOSTER. I live in West’s Gardens, Shadwell. On Monday, the 18th of May, about half past ten o’clock at night, I was passing the prosecutor’s stable, and saw two men, one appeared to be breaking the door open, I passed just by them. I went home, looked out of my Mother’s back window, and saw the same men driving some sheep up Dock-hill, they were going away from Mr. Robin’s, in the way to Blackwall. I saw the prisoners in custody on the Wednesday following, but cannot swear to them.
JAMES WINCH. I am watchman of Poplar. On Monday night, about ten minutes after eleven o’clock, I saw the prisoner, John Wright, driving four sheep about two miles from the prosecutor’s, I ask him whose property they were? he said they were Mr. Godsden’s, a butcher, at Poplar; there was another man with him, apparently assisting him. I did not observe him, and cannot swear to him.
CROSS-EXAMINED. It was dark, it was about a mile from Godsden’s. I did not know one of the men.
ROBERT SHEARMAN. I am a watchman. I went with the prosecutor to Godsden’s, and found the sheep in his slaughter house. I took the prisoners into custody within three or four hours afterwards at a bad house, they were in bed in the same room, it was about half a mile from Godsden’s house.
GEORGE GODSDEN. My brother keeps a butcher’s shop at Blackwall. On the 18th of May the prisoners came to his house about half past eleven o’clock at night, and desired me to ask my brother if they might put the sheep into his slaughter house until the morning. My brother was in bed, I gave them the key, they put them in, and brought the key back to me in five minutes. I did not see the sheep, nor did they say how many there were, there were no sheep there before. My brother afterwards gave Robins the key.
CROSS-EXAMINED. The prisoners were both present, John Wright spoke, both brought back the key together.
JOHN WRIGHT’S DEFENCE. I found them.
WILLIAM WRIGHT’S DEFENCE. I saw my brother with them, he asked me to help him.
J. WRIGHT-GUILTY-DEATH. Aged 18.
W. WRIGHT-GUILTY-DEATH. Aged 27.
Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. justice Abbott. Any further info frankandlrae@bigpond.com
Frank Rae on 23rd July, 2015 wrote:
Brothers John and William Wright were sentenced to death in 1818 for sheep stealing but were reprieved and given a life sentence.
Frank Rae on 23rd July, 2015 made the following changes:
date of birth: 25th March, 1799 (prev. 0000), date of death: 5th September, 1884 (prev. 0000), gender: m, occupation, crime
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
