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Thomas & Josiah Shears Transported to Tasmania For Burglary March 1837
My thanks for information supplied by Archives Office of Tasmania and via Ancestry.co.uk
Whilst researching my wifes maternal line I discovered that two of the extended family were transported to Van Diemens Land. They both came from Winterslow, a village in Wiltshire where there was, and still is a large number of Shears. In fact my wife’s mother was born in Winterslow.
Thomas Shears was born 1803 in Winterslow and married 16 year old Eliza Parrick in 1826. They had a daughter Betsey in 1929 which is the year Eliza died, I imagine from childbirth. By the time he was convicted he appeared to have a new wife and 4 children.
Both Thomas and his nephew Josiah were transported to Tasmania for attempted burglary after being sentenced at Wiltshire assizes on the 4th March 1837. They were held on a prison hulk before being shipped out on the Susan departing on the 5th of August 1837 from London calling at Portsmouth and Spithead. After a journey of nearly 4 months the Susan arrived at Hobart, Tasmania on the 21st November 1837 and landed 293 male convicts and some ordinary passengers. This was the first voyage of the Susan as a convict ship but the Susan made at least one more convict carrying voyage.
The following information is taken from copies of original documents supplied by the Archives Office of Tasmania and requested for Thomas only but some reference is made to Josiah.
Document 1
Number: 2446
Name: Shears, Thomas
Arrived: Susan 21 November 1837
Sentenced: Wilts Assizes
Date: 4 March 1837
Term: Life
Transported for burglary,
Gaol report, bad character,
Hulk report, Good
Married 4 children stated this offence, burglary tried with my nephew, on board, Josiah
tried for poaching 3 months and 6 months
married 4 children Wife Maria at Winterslow
Oct 19th 1843 at Mr Kermode’s making a disturbance on his master’s premises 3 months hard labour and returned to fort.
Document 2
List of Convicts on board the “Susan” who voluntarily enrolled themselves to receive religious instruction from Mr Barrow, passenger in the said ship. Includes Thomas Shears
Document 3
APPROPRIATION LISTS OF CONVICTS 1837.
Number: 2445
Name: Shears, Josiah
Height: 5ft 5in
Age: 23
Trade: Ploughman, Timber Feller
Where Tried: Wilts.
Sentence: Life
Native Place: Winterslow
How Appropriated: Lieutenant Steele, Carlton
Number: 2446
Name: Shears, Thomas
Height: 5ft 9in
Age: 33
Trade: Ploughman, Kitchen Garden?
Where Tried: Wilts.
Sentence: Life
Native Place: Winterslow
How Appropriated: Mr William Kermode, Campbell Town
The following information is taken from copies of original documents obtained via www.Ancestry.co.uk and is for Thomas and Josiah Shears
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List Of Convicts 1841
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Thomas Shears
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Josiah Shears
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Police Number
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2448
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2445
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Ship
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Susan
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Susan
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In What Service, Or How Employed
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T Gee Esq. Launcestone
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Lieutenant Steele, Carlton
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Convict Ledger Returns 1846
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Where Tried and Date of Trial
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Wiltshire 1837
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Wiltshire 1837
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Sentence
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Life
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Life
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Ship and Date of Arrival
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Susan 1837
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Susan 1837
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Comments
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Ticket of Leave
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Ticket of Leave
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Ticket-of-Leave
An indulgence given at the Lieutenant-Governor’s discretion, which entitled convicts to work for wages, though they were required to report for regular musters. The minimum period before which a ticket could be granted was generally related to the length of the convict’s sentence.
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Convict Ledger Returns 1849
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Number
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2446
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2445
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Ship
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Susan
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Susan
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Place and Date of Trial
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Wiltshire 1837
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Wiltshire 1837
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Sentence
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Life
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Life
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Position
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Conditional Pardon
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Conditional Pardon
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Conditional Pardon
A pardon granted by the Crown on the recommendation of the Lieutenant-Governor. The pardon stipulated conditions that the convict had to abide by. Generally these were limitations on returning to the United Kingdom or restrictions on the colony, or colonies, in which the holder was permitted to reside.
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