Hi Rhoda Thanks for the lookup offer. Here is the passage that pertains to him; James Paton, convicted at Glasgow Circuit Court for"theft-habit and repute". Gaoler's report: character bad, convicted before. his father brought him up honestly; prisoner has paralysis on the left side of his body rendering him unable to work; was merely used as a machine for perpetrating those crimes by others as he has an imbecility of mind and because he could not have devised them himself. Initial sentence: 14 years transportation. Annotated: 'Nil'. AW 8 [Scot]. Covering dates1831 Sept I don't know if imbecility of mind is medical or his father's opinion. ;O) About the 14 yrs Transportation, I'm wondering if "nil" means they just let him go? Regards Michael On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 6:12 AM, CandROverson <overson12@btinternet.com>wrote: > Hi Michael > > In 1831 he would have been transported to Australia. What was his name? I > can look him up on Ancestry's convict records. > > Rhoda >

Hi Michael I'm afraid they didn't let him go. He was transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on the Katherine Stewart Forbes on 21 February 1832. (Perhaps he met my GGG Grandfather who was transported for life to Tasmania in 1836). I will see what other information they have about him on Ancestry and get back to you later. Rhoda ----- Original Message ----- From: "michael paton" <voyager87@gmail.com> To: <lanark@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 1:33 PM Subject: Re: [Lanark] Transportation > Hi Rhoda > Thanks for the lookup offer. Here is the passage that pertains to him; > > James Paton, convicted at Glasgow Circuit > Court for"theft-habit and repute". Gaoler's report: > character bad, convicted before. > his father brought him up honestly; > prisoner > has paralysis on the left side of his body > rendering > him > unable to work; was merely used as a machine for > perpetrating those crimes by others as he has an > imbecility of mind and because he could not have > devised > them himself. Initial sentence: 14 years > transportation. > Annotated: 'Nil'. AW 8 [Scot]. > Covering dates1831 Sept > > I don't know if imbecility of mind is medical or his father's opinion. > ;O) About the 14 yrs Transportation, I'm wondering if "nil" means they > just > let him go? > Regards > Michael >

Thankyou Rhoda. Michael On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 10:02 AM, CandROverson <overson12@btinternet.com>wrote: > Hi Michael > > I'm afraid they didn't let him go. He was transported to Van Diemen's Land > (Tasmania) on the Katherine Stewart Forbes on 21 February 1832. (Perhaps > he > met my GGG Grandfather who was transported for life to Tasmania in 1836). > I > will see what other information they have about him on Ancestry and get > back > to you later. > > Rhoda > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "michael paton" <voyager87@gmail.com> > To: <lanark@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 1:33 PM > Subject: Re: [Lanark] Transportation > > > > Hi Rhoda > > Thanks for the lookup offer. Here is the passage that pertains to him; > > > > James Paton, convicted at Glasgow Circuit > > Court for"theft-habit and repute". Gaoler's > report: > > character bad, convicted before. > > his father brought him up honestly; > > prisoner > > has paralysis on the left side of his body > > rendering > > him > > unable to work; was merely used as a machine for > > perpetrating those crimes by others as he has an > > imbecility of mind and because he could not have > > devised > > them himself. Initial sentence: 14 years > > transportation. > > Annotated: 'Nil'. AW 8 [Scot]. > > Covering dates1831 Sept > > > > I don't know if imbecility of mind is medical or his father's > opinion. > > ;O) About the 14 yrs Transportation, I'm wondering if "nil" means they > > just > > let him go? > > Regards > > Michael > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > LANARK, SCOTLAND MAILING LIST > > > LIST TOPIC: The discussion and research of genealogy or history > information pertaining to Lanark, Scotland at any point in its history. > > WHEN REPLYING to any list post please remember to snip most of the earlier > message before you post any reply > > LIST INFORMATION PAGE: Contact the List Admin at > lanark-admin@rootsweb.com; or to search the list archives, get information > on subscribing or unsubscribing, or to obtain other useful information to > help you use the list more effectively, please click on the following link > to the list information page online: > > http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/SCT/LANARK.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LANARK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

Hi Michael I have found some information about your James Paton. His convict ship, the Katherine Stewart Forbes, sailed from London on 21 February 1832 and arrived in Tasmania (probably Hobart) on 16 July. When he arrived in Tasmania he was assigned to "public work". Convicts were assigned to various tasks - the worst being the road or chain gangs. They could be assigned to work for free Tasmanians. I don't know quite what "Public work" would involve but James was presumably not fit enough to do anything involving hard physical labour. He is described as a "cripple". He had received his Ticket of Leave by 1841. A Ticket of Leave (TOL) was issued to convicts who had a record of good or goodish behaviour in the colony. It was a bit like probation. Convicts with TOLS were free to move around the colony and work for themselves but had to attend 'convict musters' which were held once a year, I think. He was declared "Free by servitude" in 1847 i.e. he had served his time. I am not too sure what happened to him after that. He may have returned to the UK, but convicts had to make their own way back to the UK. The British Government did nothing to help them do this. They were quite happy to offload all their 'bad eggs' in Australia. I am attaching links to various digitised documents on the Tasmanian Archives Convicts Database. These are digitised records of the originals, and the handwriting can be difficult to read. The first of these documents is the Convict's Conduct Record which is a summary of his offence and his conduct in Tasmania. I found it difficult to read the faint scrawling handwriting, and there are various shorthand terms with which I am not too familiar. But it looks as if James went absent without leave for an extended period (good for him!). The second document is called the "Appropriation Record". This gives the name, age and 'civilian' occupation of the convict and where he has been assigned. In the case of your James there is no indication here that he was assigned anywhere. The third document is the Convict's Description. James is recorded as James Patten on this record. Once you have looked at these, I am quite happy to try to answer any questions. There is a Rootsweb List devoted to Tasmanian convicts, to which I subscribe. You might find it useful. http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON31-1-35,271,102,L,80 http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON27-1-5,126,20,L,80 http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON18-1-10,252,40,L,80 Regards Rhoda

Michael, There is a death of a James Craig PATON on 27 Oct 1877 registered Hobart. Ref. 1877/805/35. Marriages - 21 Oct 1869 James Craig PATON, adult, male Eliza SPEAKMAN, adult Reg. Hobart 1869/190/37 There were children born of this marriage if it happens to be the right James Paton. Also at the National Library of Australia website the newspapers of Tasmania and Hobart have been beta digitised. http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/titles?state=Tasmania these newspapers are great reading and often give details from the government as to TOLs, Certificates of Freedom etc. The Tasmanian Archives have digitised Convict Conduct Books and other references. Check the Colonial familiies page for any details of James and a possible family. Regards Jenny Lake Macquarie NSW Aus