Researchers who have claimed this convict
There is currently one researcher who has claimed Abel Sutton
- Researcher (Richard Smith)
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Biographies
Abel SUTTON was baptised in Urchfont, Wiltshire on 18th May 1807 to John SUTTON an agricultural labourer (1778 - 1862), and his wife Jane STONE born 1776 who died in 1861 - one of their eight children.
On 20th October 1829, Abel married Sarah BOULTER at Urchfont. She was aged only 15 having been born at Little Cheverell, Wiltshire on 10th February 1814. They then had four children - Sarah Jane born 11th July 1830, Solomon born 6th March 1834, Mary born 19th July 1835, and Emma born 17th June 1838. Sarah did have a further child William in 1847, but the father is unknown on the birth record, and was not her husband Abel.
I could not trace Sarah and Abel in the 1841 census, but Sarah was living in Urchfont in both the 1851 and 1861 census returns with some of her children, and described as a widow and a Pauper / Agricultural labourer. There is no mention of Abel, but also no death record for him that I can find.
That set me searching, and I found an Abel SUTTON alias William KIRBY arrested in Sussex, so I travelled to the Sussex Record Office at Chichester. The Brighton Patriot and South of England Free Press reported on 19th September 1837 that there had been a burglary at the premises of Thomas LILLYWHITE at Compton, a village inland from Havant, Sussex. A considerable amount of valuable shawls, silk stockings, lace and other articles had been stolen.
Attempts had also been made to enter the house of a Mr LEWIS at Harting, and at the Post Office at Petersfield belonging to Mr PARSONS, but the thieves were discovered and scared off before any goods were removed. KIRBY and two accomplices had been arrested and found in possession of many of the items stolen from Mr LILLYWHITE. The same paper reported on 26th September that William KIRBY alias Abel SUTTON had been remanded by magistrates to appear for trial at the next Petworth Assizes.
There was no indication why Abel SUTTON should be in Sussex, but a report of 19th March 1836 in the Bristol Mercury said that an Abel SUTTON, alias Abel YOUNG ( using the name Young like his brother Solomon ), was acquitted at Wiltshire Assizes, without giving detail of the crime involved. Was this Abel, and did he meet with other criminals whilst in custody, and they later persuaded him to travel to Sussex ? Abel appeared at the Petworth Assizes on 10th October 1837, where he was also charged with a burglary at the property of Amelia TRIPPER of Rogate, Sussex and stealing a quantity of goods valued at £5.
No newspaper report of his trial could be found. The Assize papers noted that Abel was aged 30, so the correct age, and that he could read and write - not common in those days. Despite pleading Not Guilty, he was found Guilty, and sentenced to be transported to Australia for 15 years for each of the two charges of burglary.
Abel was then held on the convict hulks YORK in Gosport from 2nd November 1837, and then LEVIATHAN in Portsmouth, like his brother Solomon, from 2nd December 1837 until he was moved to the transport ship PORTSEA on 31st July 1838 for the voyage to Australia. The ship’s captain was Sam John LEWIS and the Surgeon Thomas BELL. There were 240 convicts when they sailed.
Prison records in Australia show he was working under the control of Captain PERRY, Surveyor General for Moreton Bay, N.S.W. working out of Hyde Park Barracks. He was later released on licence ( for good behaviour ) on 3rd July 1846, to work at Yass in the county of Murray, N.S.W. I could find no later evidence of what work he did, or that he returned to this country in U.K. census or death records.
Like Solomon, there is a record of Unclaimed Post for an Abel SUTTOR ( note ) of Yass in April 1849, where Abel was working, whilst his Ticket of Leave from 1846 is marked in 1851 that it is Cancelled, owing to him being absent from the area. There is no evidence I could find that he remarried in Australia, so maybe he had died, or changed his name, by 1849.
Submitted by Researcher (Richard Smith) on 8 December 2021
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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 11/11, p.304
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