William Atkinson (abt. 1788)

Born about 1788 in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland

Biography

William Atkinson was born in Ireland.

William Atkinson was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

William Atkinson was aged about 30 when he arrived in New South Wales on board the Martha having previously been tried in County Tyrone in 1818.^[1]

William was a labourer prior to conviction and he was sent to New South Wales for 7 years. He was about five feet five and three quarter inches with brown hair, ruddy complexion and dark eyes.^[2]

In 1820 William was working in a government labour gang somewhere in New South Wales.^[3] In 1825 William appeared on the Muster List as living in the NSW colonial county of Argyle.^[4] In this year William's name also appears on a list of convicts maintained and mustered by John Joseph Oxley, the surveyor-general of New South Wales.^[5]

William obtained his certificate of freedom on 24 March 1825 and ticket of leave prior to that.^[2] His application for a ticket of leave was supported by John Oxley who said William was an "honest, sober and industrious character having served faithfully John Oxley Esq residing in the district of Cooke from December 1818 to January 1823".^[6]

In March 1825 William petitioned for his wife Rebecca and three children (John, George and Mary) to be sent to New South Wales at the government's expense. He said that his wife, Rebecca Atkinson, resided in Enniskillen Parish, near Five Mile Town, Co Tyrone."^[1] His Petition read as follows:^[6]

To His Excellency Sir Thomas Brisbane, KCB, Governor in Chief of New South Wales. The Humble Petition of Mr William Atkinson respectfully sheweth that your Excellency's Humble Petitioner came to this Colony a prisoner for seven years in the Martha and is now free by servitude.

That your Excellency's Humble Petitioner a few days ago received a letter from his wife, written as far back as March 1823, covering one addressed to her from Mr Under Secretary Wilmot, in answer to her application to proceed to this Colony with her three children to join your Petitioner, wherein the Secretary mentions that the prayer of her application cannot be granted without coming through your Excellency.

That your Excellency's Humble Petitioner is now free having served John Oxley Esq from the period of his arrival to the present date, to whom he takes the liberty to refer Your Excellency for his character and capability of maintaining his family and Petitioner being extremely desirous that his wife and family should join him in this Colony, most humbly prays that your Excellency will take his case into your humane consideration and to be graciously pleased to recommend him to the favourable notice of Earl Bathurst for a passage for his wife and children to this Colony at as early an opportunity as circumstances will admit and for such mark of your Excellency's benignity your Humble Petitioner as in gratitude bound well ever pray. William Atkinson, Kirkham, 21 March 1825.

Reference: Rebecca Atkinson, formerly Armstrong. John aged 11 years, George aged 9 years, Mary aged 7 years. Residing in the parish of Enniskillen near Five Mile Town, Co Tyrone, known to the Reverend William Laird, Curate of said Parish, Captain Burnsides and Henry Brooke Esq of Five Mile Town.

John Oxley added a note to the bottom of William's petition confirming that in his opinion, William was "fully able to maintain his wife and family without any assistance from Government".

The family's story took an interesting turn with Rebecca Atkinson being convicted of shoplifting in Enniskillen in July 1828. The convict indenture records confirmed that she was the wife of William Atkinson who was a free settler in Sydney. Did she commit the offence on purpose in order to be re-united with her husband, William^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} National Archives of Ireland, Irish Transportation Database, PDF compilation database of records contained in the National Archives of Ireland; entry for William Atkinson, page 56; Record reference code: FS 1828 2.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} New South Wales Government. Butts of Certificates of Freedom. NRS 1165, 1166, 1167, 12208, 12210, reels 601, 602, 604, 982-1027. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales. Accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017.
3. ↑ Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania;, The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 1-4, 6-18, 28-30); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017.
4. ↑ Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania;, The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Piece: 19. Accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017.
5. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1856, Memorials to the Governor, 1810-25. Series 899, Fiche 3001-3162. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} New South Wales Government. Special Bundles, 1794-1825. Series: NRS 898; Reel or Fiche Numbers: Reels 6020-6040, 6070; Fiche 3260-3312. Copy of petition accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017. See also John Oxley's support for William's ticket of leave.
7. ↑ New South Wales Convict Indents, State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4015]; Microfiche: 674. Accessed via Ancestry.com, 6 January 2017.

See also:

• Irish Convicts to New South Wales, entry for William Atkinson, accessed 6 January 2017.