Researchers who have claimed this convict
There is currently one researcher who has claimed James Castleman
Biographies
James Castleman was born c.1813 and baptised at All Saints Church Barton Stacey 23 May 1813
He was the son of Benjamin Castleman, a Farm Labourer, and Mary Brackstone/Breakstone/Braxton.
Like his Father James became a Farm Labourer.
28 February 1840 James, along with Henry Batt, Charles Shrimpton and Isaac Barter, was convicted of Raping Eliza Carter the previous July at Barton Stacey Fair. They were all sentenced to death.
Various petitions and personal letters were submitted pleading for clemency. Details of the trial, a trial transcript and the petitions and letters can all be read via the Criminal registers held on Ancestry and Find my Past.
The sentence was duly commuted to Transportation for Life for Isaac Barter and 10 years each for James, Henry and Charles.
In May of 1840 James Castleman was sent to the prison hulk Leviathan. Via google you can read an account of life on board a Prison Hulk.
12 April 1841 James Castleman sailed for Van Diemen’s Land aboard Asia 6 (different records state different numbers but most use 6) arriving 21 August 1841. Initially he was sent to Lovely Banks Probation Station for 15months, again details of life at a probation station can be found on google.
A newspaper report from the Hobart Town Gazette on Trove tells us that from Aug 1st 1844, as a pass holder, he would enter private service with Robert Doctor at Pittwater.
Further newspaper entries in various newspapers on Trove confirm the following:
A Ticket of Leave was granted 13 Sept 1846
Recommendation for a Conditional Pardon was put forward 17 Aug 1847
The Conditional Pardon was granted 30 Jan 1849
A certificate of Freedom was granted 20 July 1852
In September 1849 James was granted permission to marry Elizabeth Layton/Leighton a fellow convict who was convicted for Robbery with violence in London in 1843. James was free, Elizabeth wasn’t. They married 1 Oct 1849 at St Marks Church Pontville in the District of Brighton Tasmania.
In 1852, leaving Elizabeth behind, James set off for Bendigo in Victoria, and the Gold Rush. Elizabeth followed on in 1853 after receiving her conditional pardon. There is a charming piece in the Melbourne Argus dated Mon 12 September 1853 stating “James Castleman your wife has arrived in Melbourne and is on the road to Bendigo to meet you”.
Sadly their time together was brief. After suffering for 6 weeks from Enteritis (severe sickness and diarrhoea) James passed away 3 July 1854 at Sailors Gully Bendigo. He was buried the following day at Kangaroo Gully Burial Ground. James and Elizabeth did not have children.
Submitted by Researcher (7652) on 8 March 2017
|
Disclaimer: The information has not been verified by Claim a Convict. As this information is contributed, it is the responsibility of those who use the data to verify its accuracy. Research notes
There are currently no research notes attached to this convict. Sources
- The National Archives (TNA) : HO 11/12, p.302
|
