AUS-Tasmania-L Archives

Archiver > AUS-Tasmania > 2005-03 > 1109757507


From: "Marcia Watson" <>
Subject: Re: [AUS-Tas] Last convict in 1939
Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 17:58:27 +0800
References: <BAY104-F15EC464871A3F0ACC8B8028A580@phx.gbl> <004f01c51ddb$c1b009b0$0100000a@mycomputer>


Convict in WA: 1859-1887 by Erickson and O'Mara lists Samuel SPEED as being
the last known convict alive in WA. They believed he died in 1939/40 but he
died 8/11/1839 and is buried at Karrakatta. He was 95 and came on the
Belgravia in 1866. Frederick BICKNELL died on 2/6/1936 aged 96 and he came
on the Hougoumont in 1868, also buried in Karrakatta.
Regards
Marcia Watson
Carine WA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris and Bruce Woods" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 5:23 AM
Subject: Re: [AUS-Tas] Last convict in 1939


> Hi List
>
> I too have seen the date of 1939 as the date of death for the last convict
> and that person (can't remember the name) was a male who arrived in
> Western
> Australia in 1867 or 1868. That is quite an age to live to but not too
> unusual - remembering that transportation continued to Western Australia
> for
> 15 years after it ceased in Tasmania.
>
> During research of the book "The Last Ladies" I discovered that there were
> quite a lot of female convicts still alive when the year 1920 came around.
> There were at least four convicts who arrived on "The Duchess of
> Northumberland" in 1853 who lived beyond 1920 - the most recent death I
> found for the convicts from this ship was August 1924, aged 91. However,
> as
> I did not find all of the women's deaths it is possible that in the future
> I
> may find an even later one.
>
> Just as added interest I found the death of a daughter of a convict in
> Victoria in 1976. She had been born in Tasmania in 1880 and had died at
> the
> age of 96. Her mother, the convict, had died in Tasmania in 1923, aged
> 93 -
> great longevity genes in that family!!!
>
> Chris Woods
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kim Simpson" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 11:16 PM
> Subject: RE: [AUS-Tas] Last convict in 1939
>
>
>> Hello list
>>
>> This has long been an issue amongst those studying and interpreting
> convict
>> transportation. It would be interesting to see what the mailing list can
>> come up with.
>>
>> I am aware of a convict who died in 1914 in Victoria. His obituary
> mentions
>> his ability to compose Irish ditties about his friends - the only
> reference
>> to his place of birth let alone convict origins.
>>
>> Can anyone else build upon this? Perhaps the 1939 person was a convict
>> in
>> WA?
>>
>> It is interesting to note that some 19th century correspondents in rural
>> areas for Tasmanian newspapers were well aware of those in their
>> community
>> transported across the seas. I have come across numerous remarks about
>> la
> ck
>> of parenting skills, little knowledge of mining and inability to consume
>> alcohol with dignity.
>>
>> Kim
>>
>> >From: "Christopher" <>
>> >To:
>> >Subject: [AUS-Tas] Last convict in 1939
>> >Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 22:43:38 +1100
>> >
>> >I was interested to read in Maree's email that the last convict may have
>> >died as late as 1939. Must have been quite old. Are any details known
>> >about the person? I've often tried to find out about who may have been
> the
>> >last few convicts, but I've never had much luck. I guess their past was
> so
>> >well hidden they weren't going to reveal it on their death bed.
>> >
>> >I wonder how many people are alive today who can remember a convict?
>> >
>> >Christopher
>> >
>> >
>> >==== AUS-Tasmania Mailing List ====
>> >Tasmanian Sites of Interest
>> >Anglican Church in Tasmania
>> >http://www.anglicantas.org.au/
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> ==== AUS-Tasmania Mailing List ====
>> Tasmanian Sites of Interest
>> Coal River Valley History
>> http://www.users.bigpond.com/aogreen/default.htm
>>
>>
>
>
>
> ==== AUS-Tasmania Mailing List ====
> Tasmanian Sites of Interest
> Coal River Valley History
> http://www.users.bigpond.com/aogreen/default.htm
>
>


This thread: