• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Transportation To Tasmania

Lady Penelope

Lady Penelope

master brummie
I've been trying to translate the enclosed but am missing a few words. Any help would be appreciated please.

This man was transported to Tasmania in the 1800's for 'Sacrilege' and very thoughtfully the authorities also transported his wife and 5 children - to Australia!

So far my effort reads:

'Transportation for "Sacrilege" ................ ................
former character not known .................. ...................
Hulk (report?) "orderly" ....................
Confessed this offence, stealing Bible and prayer book from Shenstone church, in custody once before for coining - wife and 5 ch at Russell Street, Birmingham

My last question is where was Russell Street?
 

Attachments

  • Transportation 1.jpg
    Transportation 1.jpg
    558.5 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
Hi Lady P. Following former "character not known" I think it reads "barely communicates" Viv.
 
Thanks Viv, I'll fill that in. Looking at this and another item I've posted, they seem to crack down heavily on people with previous convictions.
 
Also think there could be a 'P' in the 'Russell' so alternative suggestion 'Rupert' perhaps ? No idea though if there is/was a Rupert St in B'ham ! Viv.
 
Yes - I first read it as Rupert Street but I don't think that came under Birmingham. I must find out the date. I know there is a Great Russell St but this is also in Duddeston which was Aston not Birmingham. All very complicated but quite interesting. Another learning curve! I do complain about old handwriting but I expect future generations will have real problems with mine too.
 
Thanks Peter, I knew where Rupert St was but I wasn't sure if this would be classed as Birmingham in the mid-1800's. The boundaries are always a difficulty with me. I wonder when these properties were built?
 
Haven't had time to study the above yet as I've been re-visiting the original doc and I'm still not sure about Rupert v Russell as I think the 'p' could be an 's' as as in 'Confessed' in the fifth line down.
 
Don't know about exact dates but in 1868 there is a Russell St listed in Kelly's - unfortunately there is also a Rupert St. Do you have a name and date?
 

Attachments

  • upload_2018-3-10_12-36-6.png
    upload_2018-3-10_12-36-6.png
    167.4 KB · Views: 6
Just to add to the Russell vs Rupert debate, we should remember that an 'S' could be represented by an 'f'. (Although there is only one 'f' looking character in the name). Think it was falling out of use by 1800, but might still have been used in legal docs. Viv.
 
It could be Health Viv, but I thought Hulk as prisoners were kept on old ships weren't they whilst awaiting further action. I'll make a note of that though, thanks. I'm waiting for further information on this man which may help answer a few questions. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask them at the time. Live and learn!
 
A little more information which may help with deciding which street name it is. William Boulton, the prisoner, was sent to Van Diemen's Land (thank you Peter) on The Lord Hungerford in 1821.
 
Lady Penelope said:
A little more information which may help with deciding which street name it is. William Boulton, the prisoner, was sent to Van Diemen's Land (thank you Peter) on The Lord Hungerford in 1821.
Click to expand...

It may be possible to learn something about the voyage from the shipping news.
 
If I have read it correctly then it seems he was sentenced to death and reprieved hence the transportation.
 
From the cuttings that Pedrocut has posted it does sound very much like that. I was sad to read of the little boy of 8 who had been sentenced to death, I hope he had a happy life in Tasmania.
 
Shipping News...

On the 21st May 1821 the Lord Hungerford passed Portsmouth on its way to London from Calcutta.

Also in May there is an advert to say that the Lord Hungerford will sail for Calcutta on the 28th of July, superior accommodation is available for passengers, and will carry a surgeon.

8th August reported is the LH under O’Brian coming through the Gulls for the Downs heading for Van Deiman’s Land and New South Wales.

December 1821 landed at Hobart with 224 male convicts.

February 1st 1822 left NSW for Bombay.
 
You couldn't send them much further away, could you?

I do wonder how many souls perished on these voyages.
 
For interest it was reported in May 1821 concerning the previous voyage of the Lord Hungerford that...

The Redwing was detained four days at St Helena, when quite ready for sea, by a most tremendous surf or roller, which set in early od the morning of the 4th of March, so suddenly as to endanger the lives of many persons who were upon and employed by about the landing places. The passengers of the India ship Lord Hungerford were in the act of embarking when assailed by this awful visitation, the first surge of which washed two children and one women, and many of the lascars, who were engaged in various duties, narrowly escaped with their lives; the sentinel and two lascars were severely maimed; the woman was drowned, but the two babes were most providently saved by a boat from HMS Vigo.....
 
It sounds as though convicts transported to Van Diemen's Land might have been given a real second chance if this description is anything to go by. We can't tell from this the conditions in which they'd be living, but it sounds promising from this short description. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top