Australian Convict Records Online

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:19 am

Hi Trish,

Again, thank you! Yes, Alan tracked down a John Wishart who was at an asylum in Queensland in 1871. From what I can make out, not all deaths were recorded in the state in this period ? And perhaps a mention of this might be contained in these records (which I have ordered copies of). So certainly the Moreton bay references might be worth a peek? Is Queanbeyan near Gundaroo, I'm wondering if the John for the latter might be one of the same - and hence not my 'man'? Like you, I'm rather intrigued by this one: 27 Jan 1857 Aus NSW ship "Oneida" Abscondment.

I am so very grateful for your help.

Many thanks,

Scott

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:47 am

Hi Scott

I'm slightly confused as to what you have ordered but I assume it is not the gazette data - I'll ask my cousin about a couple including the abscondment

I had to look up where Gundaroo was - it's about 40km north of Queanbeyan so quite close in Australian terms

Trish

Edit: Civil registration came into NSW about 1856 so recording deaths before that was at the behest of the church folks. Most of their records that survived have made their way to the NSW Registry, but perhaps not all. They have a good discussion of this on their website http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/celebrate/index.html

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:13 am

Hi Trish,

Sorry, I should have been more precise. Alan alerted me to a John Wishart here: http://www.judywebster.gil.com.au/colsec.html Of course he might not be my man, however I'll explore all avenues before I admit defeat!

Many thanks for the link, and for contacting your cousin.

Very best from a grey morning in Kent...

Scott

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:30 am

Being Sunny Qld here - we had out first rain in months yesterday evening & lost power for 3 hours! - so a grey morning doesn't sound so bad. Part of my English heritage comes from Kent - my gg grandfather left Maidstone with family in 1871.

I have checked Judy Webster's site looking for my husband's family. She researches at the Qld archives, where I do visit on rare occasions, but can never guarantee to find anything! Just when I thought I had their shipping lists under control they changed the system!

Meanwhile, my cousin goes to SAG every Tuesday, so will check some entries tomorrow. Will get back to you when I have any information

Trish

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:34 am

Many thanks Trish. It actually turned into a glorious Autumnal day here yesterday, so not so bad at all!

Maidstone is about a fifteen minute drive from where I live, I bet it's changed quite a bit since your GG Grandfather left these shores! I admit that I don't go there much, parking is always a complete headache, and in all honesty, Tunbridge Wells (which is just as close) has a far nicer air about it (no disrespect for any Maidstone folk out there!)

Very best,

Scott

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:04 am

Hi Scott

I don't think I have alot of good news but this is what was checked. I fear it doesn't add alot.

Feb 1845 Sydney Convict Indulgence NSAG NSW 1845 P193
From the Goverment Gazette of 16th Feb1845 granting John Wishart( Bengal Merchant )Certificate of Freedom on 7th Feb which is the next stage after Ticket of Leave

17 Jun 1846 Queanbeyan Convict Indulgence NSAG NSW 1846 p757
12 Jan 1848 Queanbeyan Job (other) NSAG NSW 1848 p72
The Queanbeyan refs seem to be concerned with the JW who arrived on the "Maitland" in 1840- the first was giving him his ticket of leave so definitely not the right man.

8 Feb 1854 Qld Moreton bay Professional NSAG 1854 p 289
27 Jan 1857 Aus NSW ship "Oneida" Abscondment NSAG NSW 1857 187

The1854 Qld Moreton Bay John Wishart is appointed pilot for the Port of Moreton Bay - in 1857 -he is listed as absconding with others from the"Oneida" - It would seem to be unlikely that the a bookbinder became a harbour Pilot ??

2 Feb 1860 Sydney Clarence Str Postal NSAG NSW 1860 p293
comes from a list of unclaimed letters - however it gives an address in Sydney which may be of some help -65 Clarence st south Wonder if all the wives were writing! I just checked the Sands Directories from Ancestry - Start in 1861 - a search on John Wishart returns nothing before 1900 In 1900 John Wishart & Son are contractors, Pitt Street - I think the full directories can be searched by address but Ancestry only seem to have the name records - I will double check

She is sending me a snail mail copy of the last 3, but I doubt they will contain much extra information. I am slightly confused as to whether the 1854 and 1857 John Wisharts are the same person - but it seems to be - the printouts may confirm this

Trish

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:41 am

Hi Trish,

Gosh, perhaps another John Wishart! I did a quick google on Clarence Street and it appears that there was a Bookbinders there between 1858/9 and 1866 run by a Newman Sapsford (numbers 96 & 149).

Agreed, the Queanbeyan John is definitely not my man, and at this stage it seems unlikely that the Queensland John might not be either. Perhaps the records I've ordered from the Dunwich Asylum might rule him out.

Would it be possible that John died in Sydney before 1860 and that people back in the UK were still writing to discover what had become of him? I'm now wondering if the previous Sydney Postal addresses are him too?

Consider yourself and your cousin taken out for a virtual meal by way of thanks!

Very best,

Scott

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:07 pm

Scott,

Probably nothing important but that misbehaving nautical John Wishart possibly is the same as another behaving similarly in New Zealand. See Papers Past

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast

Search for John Wishart as a phrase and see results dated 21 July 1858, 7 November 1857 and 1 July 1864.

Alan

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:28 pm

Next time I'm out I shall drink a wee glass of Margaret River Merlo on your behalf

Meanwhile, I shall prevail upon the cousin to check a couple of the other mailings - the bookbinder does seem a possible link - and I wondered if any of the wives may be searching for him. I am fairly sure our city library does have the Sands directories address indexes on fiche, but I have no idea when I might get there - could be handy to see what was at 65 Clarence St South.

Alan - what a wonderful site - I have not seen it before - and it does seem to be a similar JW - taking off to Tasmania in one of the articles

Trish

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:24 am

Hi All,

Yes, it looks possible that this particular misbehaving John might be linked to an aforementioned individual. Is there something in the name that makes all these Johns act in a less than satisfactory fashion? If I ever have any more sons (watch this space imminently) I wont be calling them John javascript:emoticon(':lol:') Like Trish said - nice site, and interesting even if the content might not be relevant.

It seems well established that Bookbinder John's English wive(s) knew about their Scottish predecessors, however I couldn't say for sure that those north of the border were also in the 'knowledge'. My GGGG Grandmother was possibly the first to wed him, and is likely to have had the most children (4) with John. Two died in 1858 (one of a lovely STD, the other of wounds received at the Siege of Lucknow in India.) So if she did know where John was, that would be good reason to write to him.

Margaret River Merlot sounds very nice, I'll raise a virtual glass in return!

Best for now,

Scott