Researchers who have claimed this convict
There are currently 4 researchers who have claimed James Stanton
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Biographies
James Stanton was born, in Kent, probably near Deptford around 1771. This date is based upon the fact that at his death in 1822, his age was recorded as 50, although there is a possibility that he may have been born and christened in December 1768 to Humphrey and Elizabeth Stanton in Holborn, London.
Nothing is known of the first 30 years of his life, except that he was “a mariner” and lived in the Parish of St Nicholas. It was probably this occupation that got him into trouble, because he was arrested and charged with stealing “cordage and bullocks hides to the value of £20, from the Goods, Chattels and Naval Stores”. Cordage was ships’ rigging.
On Monday, 14 March 1803, James came to Court at the Kent Assizes in Maidstone for stealing Government property. He was charged on three counts. On the first, that he and another man stole “cordage and goods value 30/- of Our Lord the King” he was acquitted. On the second, that he stole “cordage and goods the value of £20 of Our Lord the King”, the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced “to be hanged by the Neck until he be Dead”. The third count which by now was irrelevant, was of “feloniously embezzling cordage value £5”
Each of these counts involved different accomplices, all of whom were acquitted of their various roles.
His sentence was later commuted to transportation for life and, after spending 9 months either in gaol or on a prison hulk, he sailed from England on Sunday 4th. December 1803 along with 199 other convicts in the “Coromandel”. He arrived in Sydney on Monday, 7th May 1804, after a voyage of 151 days. There were no convict losses on this voyage – a rare occurrence!
The “Coromandel” was a vessel of 522 tons, carrying only 2 guns, and with a ship’s complement of 44 men. Master John Sterling, who died during the voyage, commanded her. Master George Blakey brought her to Sydney. This was her second trip to Sydney, having been out in 1801.
James married Frances Hoggard - possibly in 1808
Frances and James may have been given work near each other, (although ‘where’ and ‘what’ is unknown), because by 1806, Frances had served her sentence and was living as a free person with James Stanton, and two children – a boy and a girl (this was Eliza). Again, ‘where’ is not recorded. As the Reverend Samuel Marsden put it, she was “living as a concubine with two natural children”
Neither of the children referred to in 1806 had their births registered, although we know that the female was their daughter Eliza. (The boy may have been their son, or may have been from an earlier relationship)
On 1st February 1811 (by which time her initial sentence was well and truly completed), Frances received her ‘Certificate of Emancipation’. This exempted her from Government labour and so in 1814 she was living “off stores” in Sydney, and reportedly married to James, who had apparently been issued with a Ticket of Leave, or Pardon, because he was recorded as being “free by servitude”.
He appears to have gone back to his previous occupation of seaman, as he was serving as a sailor on a brig called the “Endeavour”.
There were 4 children in the family - the unknown male, born between 1802 and 1806, Eliza, born in 1805, John, born 8 October 1808 and Jane, born 5 August 1810. John and Jane were christened together on 5 April1812, at St Phillips, Campbelltown.
There is some conjecture on whether or not Frances and James married. A notation at St Phillips, Campbelltown, records the marriage of a John Christian Stanton and a Frances Vivern on 19th September 1808. As has been mentioned, Vivern or Vivian, was not unusual in Dorset. Vivern when pronounced with a Dorset accent could well be mistaken for Vivian. However
Submitted by Researcher (391) on 25 March 2016
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