Researchers who have claimed this convict
There is currently one researcher who has claimed John James
Biographies
John was born in about 1806 in Berkshire and I have, thus far, been unable to trace a baptism record for John. According to the Australian Convict Ships 1786-1849 Indents (State Records Authority of NSW, 2022)(Nrs 1288) John was a 20-year-old farmer’s man and a native of Berkshire when he was convicted at Oxford Assizes on 5th July 1826; this would put his birth date around 1806.
John was convicted of breaking into the home of an Edward Sherwood and stealing, with the aid of Stephen Williams and Robert Mason, a copper furnace. There were several newspaper articles published about the incident:
“City and County Intelligence” Oxford University and City Herald, 1st July 1826 from The British Library Board at www.findmypast.co.uk: “Oxfordshire Assizes” Oxford University and City Herald, 8th July 1826 from The British Library Board at www.findmypast.co.uk:“OXFORD Saturday, Aug. 26.” Oxford Journal, 26th August 1826 from The British Library Board at www.findmypast.co.uk.
John sailed from Portsmouth on Tuesday14th April 1827 aboard the Marquis of Hastings, arriving in Sydney, via Tenerife, on Sunday 29th July 1827. The ship was built in 1819 in London and captained by John Jeffrey Drake (Lesley Uebel & Hawkesbury on the Net, 2022).
The Indenture of 1827 (State Records Authority of NSW, 2022) states that John was ‘disposed’ (bound) to Wm Harper, Surveyor. This document gives a description of John; he was 5 feet 7 and a half inches tall, with a dark ruddy complexion, black hair and dark brown eyes.
John appears in the November 1828 Census of New South Wales (NSW Government, 2022). His age is recorded as 21, which would again, put his birth year at around 1807. He is described as a labourer to W Harper in Luskintyre, which is a small rural area within the Maitland district (Australias Guide Pty. Ltd., 2020). William Harper had worked in Scotland as a surveyor before travelling to Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) aboard the Westmoreland and arriving on 5th May 1821 with his wife, Catherine and daughter Elizabeth. William Harper had in excess of 25 convict servants assigned to him, one of which was John’s future wife, Lucy (or Lucinda) Sweeney (Willets, 2022).
John (convict number 27/1294) was granted a Ticket of leave* in 1837 (number 37/1356) (State Records Authority of New South Wales, 2022), during which time his marriage, conducted by G K Rusden, took place to Lucinda (Lusinday) Sweeny, a widow and native of Fermanagh, who was convicted in 1826 in Donegal for vagrancy and sentenced to seven years transportation. I will talk more about Lucinda later. (*written across the ticket is ‘ticket of leave torn up James having obtained Cond Pardon 15th March 1845’)
John was granted a conditional pardon, number 77 in 1843 and recommended again for a conditional pardon by T H Smith, Geo. Wyndham and E D Day in 1844 (State Authority of New South Wales, 2022). This conditional pardon was granted on 15 March 1845(No. 45/344); a conditional pardon required the convict to reside within the colony for the remainder of their sentence which, in John’s case, was for the rest of his life and he never regained his freedom (State Records Authority of New South Wales, 2022).
John, now a farmer of Maitland, died on 21 July 1849 and was buried on 24 July 1849 by G K Rusden (the clergyman who also conducted his marriage) in the Church of England Parish Church of Maitland (Genicert, 2022).
Submitted by Researcher (15543) on 5 August 2022
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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 11/6, p.167
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