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Claim OfferWhat can be more exasperating than losing a direct-line ancestor when your researches are going well? At the same time a Female Servant who was in the house at the time of the burglary was made to sign a recognizance for £50 that she would give evidence. Considering wage-rates at that time these were huge sums of money, perhaps equating to £20,000 and £10,000 today, so there was little chance of the prosecution not going ahead. "In court, the maid told a harrowing story of her ordeal." |
In court the maid told a harrowing story of her ordeal at the hands of the burglars and, in doing so, gave a brief description of my ancestor: "Damn your soul if you won't hold your tongue I will blow your brains out" “…….The little Man then turned himself towards this informant & said “Damn your soul if you won’t hold your tongue I will blow your brains out”, and as he turned and swore, this informant had a sight of one side of his face, and by the size of his Person, seeing his face and by his voice (she, this informant having as she believed heard him often speak before that time), she says that this little man was Henry Townsend of Shipton under Wychwood in the County of Oxford labourer.” It appears that the maid did not let on that she knew the burglar until after he had been arrested, which probably means that she was well acquainted with Henry Townsend and was fearful of the consequences if she spoke up. There followed a reprieve and then a Royal Pardon with the condition that he was transported to New South Wales for seven years. |
When come on shore many were not able to walk, to stand, or to stir themselves in the least - hence some were led by others, some creeped upon their hands and knees, and some were carried upon the Backs of others. The Misery I saw amongst them is unexpressible - many were not able to turn or even to stir themselves and in this situation were covered over almost with their own nastiness - their heads, bodies, cloths, blanket, all full of filth and Lice. Scurvy was not the only, nor the worst disease that prevailed amongst them (one man I visited this morning I think I may say safely had 10,000 lice upon his body and bed) - some were exercised with violent fevers and others with a no less violent purging and flux - the complaints they had to make were no less affecting to the ear than their outward condition was to the eye.” Poor Henry died in December 1791 as the result of the appalling treatment received at the hands of the private ship owners, who treated the convicts worse than those slaves they had previously carried. Slaves were valuable, convicts had no value. Those Henry left behind at home must have suffered too. Did Henry’s wife Sarah ever learn of his fate, or did she die 35 years later still wondering what had happened to him, still expecting him to return? She probably didn’t know that once he had been transported there was little chance of her ever seeing him again. Had he survived he would have enjoyed more than twenty grandchildren, who kept his line going forward until the present day when his descendants are scattered over the globe. I have heard it said that if you have a wealthy man, a criminal or a pauper in your background, you should find him well documented. And so it turned out.
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We'd like to offer you our new 4 monthly Diamond subscription for our introductory price of only £44.95 (saving a third off the standard price of £64.95). This is the lowest cost Diamond subscription we've ever had!
Along with providing access to Census, BMDs, Non-Conformist Records, Wills and more, the Diamond subscription gives you access to record collections that make it easy to find so much more about your ancestors.
You'll also enjoy a free 12 month subscription to Discover Your Ancestors online magazine worth £24.95, saving you a total of £44.95!
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