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John arrived in VDL in March 1835 as a transported convict on the ship George III. 1
His convict record states his age as twenty-seven and that his native place was "near Ludlow" in Shropshire, England; 2
and that his "... father (a carpenter), mother, and ten siblings were at his native place ..." 3
There are several Palmer families in Shropshire at this time, that John could fit into with a birth year of circa 1808/09. If this information is correct, then John is possibly the son of John Palmer (c1778 - c1864) and Mary Hanslow (c1779 - c1857), who was born on 15 December, baptised on 17 December and christened on 31 December 1809 at Culmington, Shropshire. 4
Eight of the "ten" of John's known siblings could possibly be -
- Susan bapt. 25 August 1799
- Sarah bapt. 21 July 1803
- Elizabeth bapt. 3 June 1804
- Anne bapt. 29 October 1806
- William bapt. 6 September 1812
- Priscilla bapt. 11 June 1815
- Samuel bapt. 2 August 1818
- Thomas bapt. circa 1821 5
John probably knew of nine of his other siblings; did he include counting himself when he said "ten" ?. The other (missing) sibling(s) have yet to be discovered if this is indeed, John's family.
John was transported after being convicted for the crime of "horse stealing." He had previously been tried a year earlier along with Thomas Grub, aged 35, a shoemaker; both of whom were committed for the same offence.
John Palmer, aged 21, a butcher
For stealing, at the parish of Bitterly, on the 19th November, 1832, two ewe sheep, the property of Samuel Patrick ; committed 1st December, 1832, by Charles Powell, Esq. 6
John was found "not guilty" and Thomas Grub was "discharged by proclamation."
BITTERLEY (ST. MARY), a parish, in the union of Ludlow, partly in the hundred of Munslow, but chiefly in the hundred of Overs, S. division of Salop, 4½ miles (E. N. E.) from Ludlow; containing, with the townships of Cleeton, Henley, Hill-upon-Cot, Middleton, and Snitton, 1098 inhabitants, of whom 204 are in Bitterley township. The parish comprises 6587a. 3r., of which 256 acres are common or waste, and is situated on the road from Ludlow to Birmingham: there are quarries of stone for rough building, and extensive coal-mines; and ironstone is found. 7
It was some five months later that John was brought up before a Magistrate and John's second offence aged 25; was tried in Shrewsbury, County of Salop, Shropshire on 18 March 1834.
John Palmer, aged 25, a butcher [Liberties of Wenlock.]
Stealing, at the parish of Much Wenlock, on the 26th of September, 1833, a black hores, the property of Thomas Cotton ; committed 7th October, 1833, by Edward Tellet, Clerk. 8
WENLOCK, or Much Wenlock (Holy Trinity), a borough, market-town, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, and the head of a liberty.in theunion of Madeley, S. division of Salop, 12 miles (S. E.) from Shrewsbury, and 148 (N. W.) from London; containing 2487 inhabitants, of whom 947 are in the township. The town, situated in a pleasant vale, consists principally of one long street from which another diverges at right angles; the houses are in general of brick, and well built, several of them being modern and handsome, with many cottages of stone, having thatched roofs. The streets are macadamized, and the inhabitants are supplied with water from pumps attached to the houses. In the time of Richard II., the place was noted for its lime-quarries and copper-mines, of which the former are still extensive, but the latter are not now worked. The market, originally granted to the prior and brethren, is on Monday. Fairs are held on the second Monday in March, and May 12th, for horned-cattle, horses, and sheep, and for hiring servants; on July 5th, for sheep; and October 17th and December 4th, for horned-cattle, horses, sheep, and swine. Much Wenlock enjoys many peculiar privileges, with a jurisdiction extending over seventeen parishes. 9
The details of John's crime was reported in the local newspaper.
JOHN PALMER was indicted for stealing a horse, the property of Mr Cotton, of Wenlock. The horse was safe in the field on the 26th Sept, and was missing next morning. Prisoner was drinking that evening at a public house with a man nick-named Greensleeves, and was seen to go out at the back of the house, over the wall. About ten o'clock the same night, the prisoner was seen by two persons riding on a horse without a saddle or bridle, on the road from Wenlock to Ludlow ; one of whom knew his face well, it being a moonlight night ; and the horse resembled Mr Cotton's. The prisoner and the horse were traced to Gloucester fair ; where it was discovered on interrogating a man named Rouse, a deputy toll-collector at the fair, that a horse answering the description of the prosecutor's had been sold by a person named Hammond to a Mr. Guest, of Little Deaney, for ₤16. The horse has never been recovered ; but the prisoner was afterwards apprehended and committed to gaol, and (Rouse) the toll-collector was sent for from Gloucester to identify the prisoner as the man who had sold the horse. The prisoner was placed among 14 others, all dressed alike, but Rouse immediately pointed him out ; but when he appeared in Court to give evidence, he gave his testimony so very reluctantly, and prevaricated so grossly, stating that he could not tell whether he had been drinking with the prisoner's brother the day before, that the Judge ordered him into custody.
The prisoner was convicted, and sentenced to Transportation for Life.
The Learned Judge observing that he had before stood at the bar on a charge of sheep-stealing, which had evidently taken no effect in deterring him from crime. 10
It would seem that John was an "habitual" horse stealer with a "well-oiled" routine, as suggested by the following subsequent newspaper article.
CONFESSIONS BY HORSE-STEALERS.
It has been held a “libel” - and we suffered in pocket severely for it – to state that “a man was taken up in this town and committed for stealing a horse" ; - this was held to be “a libel,” because the man by a legal trick was not finally convicted, although morally proven guilty. We trust, however, as the gentry to whom the following paragraph alludes are on their road to Botany Bay, we shall for once escape the revenge of Damage Hunters, whether “a shilling” or “a farthing,” or “three and fourpence” is deemed recompence for the injury done their “innocency” or reputation. At our last Assizes there were three men convicted of horse-stealing, and sentenced to be transported for life. Betwixt the period of sentence pronounced, and that of their removal from our gaol, two of them became communicative. The first, Wm. Houghland, was convicted of stealing two horses from Mr. Johnson, of Toddington, Cheshire. Being desirous of smoothing his way a little, he wrote to Mr. Charles Williams, of Malpas, from whom he had stolen two horses, saying, that if he would come over to Shrewsbury Gaol, and give him a trifle for his information, he (the convict) would inform him to whom the horses were sold, and where they were now likely to be found. Mr. Williams immediately despatched his son and a friend to wait upon the horse-stealer ; who demanded 3l. For the information respecting each horse ; at the same time offering that the money should be deposited in the hands of Mr. Griffith, Governor of the County Gaol, and should not be claimed by him, unless the horses were recovered. With singular obstinacy, the friend whom Mr. Williams sent, refused to stake more than 5l. ; and the convict obstiranately refusing less than 6l., the parties departed without any light being thrown on the subject. Even whilst being ironed, preparatory to his removal, he stoutly refused top bate one shilling of his demand.But John Palmer, the Wenlock horse-stealer, confessed to having done business in a much more wholesale way. The first of his confessions related to a horse he had stolen from Quat, near Bridgenorth. To the proprietor of this horse (on depositing 5l. for the information he was given) he stated that he took the animal to Newnham fair on the 19th of September last, but having ridden him very hard, he was not in a condition to offer him for sale in the fair, so he turned him out to ley, in a very private spot in about a mile from Newnham, at the rate of 4s. Per week. We understand that a letter has been received by the Governor of our gaol, from the parties owning the horse, saying that it was quite true the horse was so left ; but that, after remaining at ley 4 weeks and some days, the horse was taken away by a person unknown. But this was a small part of this fellow’s proceedings. On the same day he wrote a letter, of which the following is the substance, addressed “Mr. Wils, Speech House, near Little Dean, Gloucestershire.”
Shrewsbury Gaol.
“I take the liberty of writing to you concerning some horses that was lost out of the Forest of Dean. On Saturday the 31st August last, a dark brown mare, 4 years old ; she was the property of a plumber and glazier, in Mitchel Dean ; I do not know his name. On the 13th September, a grey mare and a chestnut colt with a white face ; the mare an iron grey, 4 black legs, black mane and tail, and was lost [stolen !] from Bilston pit. On 22nd September, three colts, 2 years old each ; - They were lost ! from near your house ; also a dark-brown horse, white leg before, and white stripe down his face.”
“I am a stranger in the Forest. I dare say you know or have heard, whose property they are ; and if the owners will come to me on Sunday or Monday morning next, I will tell them where they are, if they will give me a little money.”
“Be sure to come Monday. I am transported for life, and expect to leave England in a few days ; and if you will let the owners know immediately, and if they will give me a little money, I will let them know where the six horses are. I will not tell some of them, without I do to all of them. Do not make any alarm about it."
Yours, JOHN PALMER
We regret to say that the owners of the above horses arrived at our gaol some time after Palmer was sent off to suffer his sentence. In a third case, the prisoner stole a horse from a farmer in the neighbourhood of Ludlow, and sold him at Newport, in Monmouthshire, to a dealer from the county of Gloucester. Being asked for his motive for stealing this horse, his brother, who was a servant to the owner of the horse, was turned out of his place as being “one of a family with the thief.” In revenge for this affront, he stole the horse ; and turned him to good account at Newport. We trust that on a proper representation of these facts, Government will interfere to compel these felons to make restitution. If they refuse, their sentence of transportation ought to be doubled in severity, by additional privations and labour ; for being able to make restitution, and refusing to do so, is adding contumacy to guilt, and setting justice and law at defiance. 11
Little did John realise that his soon-to-be new VDL neighbour, John Rowlands, would be tried for highway robbery at Exeter in Devonshire, 200 miles to the south, only two days later; also receiving transportation to VDL for life which had been commuted from a death sentence.
John departed the UK onboard the transport ship George the Third on 12 December 1834; arriving in VDL in mid March the following year. He was to be one of the lucky survivors of the shipwreck of the vessel, only one day before arriving in Hobart Town.
George III on Actaeon Reef (TAHO) 12
Dreadful Occurrence ! ! !
We have to announce to the public, the wreck of the prison ship, the George the Third, Capt. Moxey, on the Acteon Reef, at the entrance of the Channel, situated at about seventy miles from Hobart Town. There were on board 220 prisoners on leaving Woolwich, on the 14th December; twelve died on the voyage. Major Ryan had charge of the guard, consisting of 29 privates, and Dr. McGregor, all of the 50th regiment. Dr. Wise was Surgeon Superintendent. Capt. Minton, of His Majesty's 6th regiment, was passenger, besides eight families belonging to the soldiers; in all, about 300 souls on board!We have obtained the following narrative of this calamitous wreck, from the steward of the vessel :—
"When the ship first struck, it was about nine o'clock in the evening of Sunday, and rather hazy, the vessel was under double reefed topsails, and making about two knots an hour—there was a heavy swell at the time, but scarcely any wind. On the ship's first striking she swung over on her starboard-side, the second surf drove her still more so, and un-shipped her rudder, and the third was more terrific still, for almost immediately her main-mast and mizen-top-mast went over-board, and she became a total wreck, unmanageable, and at the mercy of the waves—the sea washing over her! When she first touched, I went into the pantry, and such was the force with which the vessel had struck, that everything was broken and smashed to pieces ! I then went on the poop, and orders were given to launch the ship's cutter, to try the soundings : and likewise to stand by the gig; just about this time shots were fired by the military. I heard three, but am not aware whether death occurred. The muskets were fired through the grating on the prisoners, who were locked down, these men were attempting to make their way on deck. When the orders were given to lower the gig, I got into it, in charge of the Captain's chronometer and sextant — there were seven in the boat, and two lowering it. In lowering, the tackle was foul, and with the lurch of the ship, the boat's quarter was stove-in, and she swamped and parted from the ship. Two men got up the ship's side, and the two lowering her jumped overboard ; the sergeant's wife and child, and one of the ship's boys, with myself and two more, were plunged into the water. Two sailors, one soldier and myself, were picked up by the cutter which was sounding, the other three met a watery grave. There were now eleven of us in the cutter waiting for orders from the Captain; we could not approach the ship for the breakers. The ship kept striking most violently—after staying ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, the Captain gave orders to the third officer, who was in command of the cutter, to go and seek for assistance, and about ten minutes after that, we left the vessel ; just as we were leaving, the foremast went overboard, and the stern was much shattered ; the water still making way over the decks, and the vessel more on her broadside. We proceeded towards the Derwent, and at day break next morning saw a light in the bush, and pulled ashore, where we found a whale boat and her crew, they were resting there for the night; we informed them of the wreck, and these men set out immediately to afford assistance. The third officer went with the cutter to a schooner anchored at a little distance, and obtained another whale boat and the schooner to proceed to the wreck. I was, during this,time, drying my clothes at the fire. This place must have been about forty or fifty miles from the place were the vessel was wrecked. The cutter afterwards returned, when six of us proceeded to Hobart Town, where we arrived at about half-past seven last evening. The particulars were communicated to the Governor, who immediately sent the Governor Arthur steam boat, two Government brigs, and several whale boats to assist. The opinion of all of us on leaving the vessel was, that there was no chance of saving the ship, and we also consider the chance of saving the lives on board, depended on their holding fast to the wreck, so long as it kept together. The vessel was a strong built ship, but about twenty years old. Every attempt were making before I left, to launch the long boat, but when the masts went overboard, the difficulty must have considerably increased, and even if it was launched, and did not founder, it could only save a small portion of those on board."
[Just as we were going to press, one of the Government brigs, and the schooner above alluded to, were in sight of the Battery.] 13
The government of the day erected a memorial on Southport Bluff to those who lost their lives. 14
"Near this place are Interred the Remains of Many of the Sufferers
Who perished by the Wreck of the George the III., convict ship,
Which Vessel struck on a sunken rock near the Actaeon reef
On the night of the 12th April, 1835,
Upon which melancholy occasion 134 human beings were drowned.
This Tomb is erected by the desire of His Excellency
COLONEL GEORGE ARTHUR, Lieut.-Governor,
To mark that sad event,
And is placed on this spot by MAJOR THOMAS RYAN, 50th Regiment,
One of the Survivors on this occasion."
- 1TAHO: Name Indexes - #54530
- 2TAHO: Description List - CON 18/1/8 page 391 (Image #212)
- 3Roe, Michael - An Imperial Disaster - page 75
- 4Shropshire Parish Baptisms 1790-1812 - P87/A/2/1 page 19
- 5All baptisms from - Shropshire Parish Baptisms 1790-1812
- 6Calendar of Prisoners - Shropshire Lent Assizes 1833 - Shropshire Archives - QQS10/3 - QR fiche 19
- 7Bishops-Wood - Blaby, in A Topographical Dictionary of England, ed. Samuel Lewis (London, 1848), pp. 267-270 par 21 - British History Online
- 8Calendar of Prisoners - Shropshire Lent Assizes 1833 - Shropshire Archives - QQS10/3 - QR fiche 19
- 9Wenden-Lofts - Wentworth, in A Topographical Dictionary of England, ed. Samuel Lewis (London, 1848), pp. 509-513 par 14 - British History Online
- 10Shrewsbury Chronical - Friday 21 March 1834 page 3
- 11FindMyPast Newspapers Online - Shrewsbury Chronicle April 4, 1834 page 3
- 12TAHO: Pretyman Collection - Painting by A. T. Fleury - NS1013-1-1557
- 13Dreadful Occurrence - Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857) 14 April 1835: p7
- 14TAHO: Pretyman Collection - NS1013-1-47
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