Family Treeof Trudy Mae COWLEY
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This page last updated: 25-Nov-2003 Abodes Aliases Baptism Birth Burial Children Death Description Doing the Time Education Freedom Marriage Occupations Property Siblings Transportation Trial
DeathWilliam died on 8 July 1886 aged 73 years at White Hills of enlargement of the liver and heart disease. This would indicate he was still a “stout male” at the time of his death and that he wasn’t averse to a bottle or two of beer! His
death was registered the next day by R N MURPHY, MD of Launceston.
It is likely then that Dr MURPHY attended William’s deathbed. His
death was registered on 9 July 1886. DescriptionConvict
records describe William as a large man – stout and 5’ 8 ½” tall.
His complexion was fair and he had blue eyes, though his hair was brown
and he had black eyebrows. He was
clean-shaven. His head and visage
were oval-shaped, his forehead was of medium height (no receding hairline!), he
had a long nose, a wide mouth and a broad chin.
William was able to read, but was not able to write. Doing the TimeThe system of probation was in place in Tasmania when William arrived. He was given a period of probation of two years, to be released on 1 March 1843 (the time he spent on the hulks and being transported counted as part of his probation time). He
was stationed at Salt Water Creek on the Tasman Peninsula where he was most
likely involved in timber felling or coal mining.
Initially he was 3rd class, then 2nd class then he
received his probation pass. This
allowed him to be assigned for private service. Whilst
on probation his conduct was documented as good and orderly.
In June 1842 he was transferred to the Bridgewater probation station,
where he was most likely involved in building the causeway. William was ordered for private service on 1 March 1843 when his probation time had been served. On 14 August 1843 he was returned to the Prisoner Barracks at Launceston. Four days later on 18 August he was assigned to Mr Robert KERMODE of Campbell Town. On 13 March 1845 William was returned to Perth from which he was assigned six days later to Mr WHITEHEAD of Winbourne on 19 March 1845. Whilst assigned to Mr KERMODE and Mr WHITEHEAD, William worked as a farm labourer. William’s conduct whilst a convict was, on the whole, good. However, on Christmas Eve 1844 whilst in the service of Mr KERMODE he was convicted of being abroad without leave and sentenced to four days in solitary confinement. Also, on 1 May 1848 whilst in the service of Mr WHITEHEAD, he was convicted of obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty and fined 20 shillings. EducationAccording to the calendar of sentences held at Lincolnshire Archives Office, William was able to read and write imperfectly. FreedomWilliam was granted his Ticket of Leave on 22 August 1845 whilst in the service of Mr WHITEHEAD. He was recommended for a Conditional Pardon on 31 October 1848 and received it on 27 November 1849. MarriageWilliam Caldecut COWLEY was single at the time of his transportation in 1841. Ann was also single when she was transported in 1849. On 7 December 1852, William, who was "free", applied for permission to marry Ann DALY, who arrived as a convict per Australasia. Permission to marry was granted on 5 January 1853. William and Ann were both single and of the district of Campbell Town when they posted banns for their marriage on Sunday 30 January, 6 February and 13 February 1853. William married Ann DALY on 14 February 1853 at St Luke's Church Campbell Town by William Bedford according to the rites and ceremonies of the United Church by banns. Witnesses were Hugh Burns and Ellen Foster (they both marked x for their signature). William was aged 37 years , a bachelor and a labourer. Ann was aged 27 years, a spinster and a house servant. They both made x marks for their signature. PropertyAccording to the Valuation Rolls for the district of Evandale for 1874, 1878 and 1885, William owned and occupied a house at White Hills on less than one acre of land with an annual value of £9. His wife, Ann, continued to live in this house after William’s death. TransportationWilliam was transported per HMS Tortoise. The surgeon reported that William was employed and his general conduct was orderly whilst aboard HMS Tortoise. TrialNewspaper Article Trial Record According
to family oral history, William was on his way home from the pub, drunk, when he
and a mate decided to set fire to his former employer’s haystack.
This is supported to some extent by an article in The
Lincolnshire Chronicle
six days after his trial. Thomas Gosling and William Cowley were charged with having, on the 12th
of December last, feloniously set fire to a stack of wheat, the property of
Richard Sleddell, at South Thoresby. - Mr Wildman conducted the prosecution. -
Mr Clark and Mr Willmore were for the defendants. - The circumstances as proved
in evidence are these: on Saturday
the 12th of Dec., between the hours of twelve and one at night, the centre stack
of Mr. Sleddell's yard, containing eleven, was found to be on fire.
Assistance was speedily procured, and the fire extinguished, although not
until three stacks, one of wheat and two of oats, had been consumed.
The prisoners, in company with several other persons, had been drinking
together at a public-house kept by John Bilton, about a quarter of a mile from
the stack-yard, until 12 o'clock, when they left the house.
The prisoners, together with a man named Marshall, came together towards
Mr. Sleddell's yard: Marshall left them on arriving at his cottage, having
previously given Gosling some matches, at his request.
Gosling and Cowley then went on to the yard together.
Some of the other men who had been at the house drinking, went in a
different direction to their houses, and, on coming to a turn in the road they
perceived that one of Mr. Sleddell's stacks was on fire, and gave an alarm.
The fire had been applied about the centre of the stack.
Numbers of persons assisted in putting out the flames, but neither of the
prisoners were of the number. The
confessions of both prisoners taken before the magistrates were put in and read:
Cowley stated that when in Mr. Sleddell's stack-yard, Gosling said he
would fire the stacks, and persuaded him (Cowley) to accompany him; that he
tried to dissuade him, but finding him resolutely bent, he did accompany him:
Gosling liting a match at a pipe which Cowley was smoking, and applied it
to the stack, whereupon both of them made off towards home.
Gosling's confession equally inculpated his companion, and exculpated
himself. It was urged for the
defence that there was no evidence of any malicious intent, but the act was
spontaneous. The property also, it
was insinuated, no longer belonged to Mr. Sleddell, he having made an
assignment, and since destroyed himself. The farm, however, it was proved by the evidence of Mr.
Wilson, steward to Charles Thorold Wood, esq., had been occupied by Mr. Sleddell
at the time of the fire. The
learned judge in summing up, observed that the technical objection as to the
possession amounted to nothing at all - the farm having been occupied by Mr.
Sleddell at the time named in the indictment.
After recapitulating the evidence, the learned judge left the case to the
jury, who returned a verdict of guilty. The
judge sentenced the prisoners to 15 years' transportation each.
This concluded the business of the Crown Court.
The Court rose about six o'clock. Two
and a half weeks after the burning of the haystacks, on 30 December 1839,
William appeared before the Sessions of the Peace Court in 1839 at Middlesex on
from which he was remanded for trial. He
was tried at the Lincoln Assizes on 6 March 1841.
The trial record is given below. The Crown Calendar for the
Lincolnshire Lent Assizes, Holden at the Castle of Lincoln, in and for the
County of Lincoln, on Saturday the sixth day of March, 1841, before the Right
Honorable James Lord Abinger, Chief Baron of our Lady the Queen, of Her Court of
Exchequer; and the Honorable Sir John Patteson, Knight, one of the Justices of
our said Lady the Queen, assigned to hold Pleas before the Queen herself.
Sir John Charles Thorold, Bart., Sheriff. - lists the following: No: 8 / 9. Age: 30 / 26.
Date of commitment: Dec. 21st 1840.
Thomas Gosling / William Cowley. Late
of South Thoresby, in the parts of Lindsay, laborers, charged upon the oaths of
Richard Sleddell, of South Thoresby, in the said parts, farmer, and others with
having maliciously and feloniously set fire to a certain stack of wheat, between
the hours of eleven in the night of Saturday the 12th day of December, and one
in the morning of Sunday the 13th of December, the property of the said Richard
Sleddell, at South Thoresby aforesaid, against the form of the statute in such
case made and provided. Justice's
Names Rev. William Dodson / Joseph Hunt, Esq.
Sentences. Transported for
fifteen years each. It
is interesting to note that COWLEY and GOSLING had lawyers defending their case.
This would indicate that they had some access to money.
There seems to be no malicious intent in their burning of the haystacks
– it seems more a drunken prank. However,
they could have been imitating the crimes of the swing rioters of the early
1830s which involved burning haystacks and occurred in the district of
Lincolnshire. It is possible that
William Cowley had a grievance against Mr Richard SLEDDELL as he stated in his
convict records that he worked for Mr SLEDDELL at one time. It is not known where William spent his time between his hearing at the Sessions of the Peace and his trial, but it was likely a gaol in Lincoln as the trial was held at the Lincoln Assizes. Six months after his trial, William was embarked on HMS Tortoise at Plymouth. Previous to embarkation it was likely that he was on one of the hulks at Plymouth as his convict records give a Hulk Report of good. He also had a gaol report in which his character was stated as good and his connections as respectable. This report was possibly from his time at the gaol in Lincoln. Calendar of Sentences reference: COC 4/1/15/7 |
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