John Deeks (1811 - 1890)

Born 1811 in Essex, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Alice (Halton) Deeks — married 1861 in Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia

Died 18 Nov 1890 at about age 79 in Merriwa, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

John Deeks was a convict after the Third Fleet.

John was born 1811. He passed away in 1890.

John Deeks was born on 24 January 1811 and baptised in Pentlow, Essex on 10 February 1811, his parents recorded as Samuel and Susan Deeks.^[1]

In 1834 he was convicted of larceny at the Essex Epiphany Session and sentenced to 2 months imprisonment.^[2]

However, in 1837 he committed a more serious crime of stealing timber, and he was convicted at Essex Assizes on 6 March 1837. Because he had a previous conviction, he received a sentence of transportation for seven years.^[3]

He was transported on the Emma Eugenia which left England on 2 November, 1837 and arrived at Sydney, New South Wales on 9 February 1838. During the voyage he was recorded on the sick list: aged 25, treated for pneumonia; put on sick list 17 November 1837, discharged 24 November 1837 "nearly well".^[4]

The convict indent for the Emma Eugenia recorded that John Deeks was aged 26, he could read, he was Protestant, married with one male child and one female child, he was born in Essex, a labourer, his crime was stealing timber, he was convicted at Essex assizes on 6 March 1837 and he had previously been convicted with a sentence of 2 months. He was 5 ft 3¾ in in height, with brown freckled complexion, brown hair and hazel grey eyes. He had lost a tooth in the left side of his upper jaw and had a semi circular scar on the back of his left thumb. He received a certificate of freedom in 1844, No.44/994.^[5][6]

John Deeks (recorded as "Dekes") married Alice Halton in 1861.^[7]

They had children: John b. abt 1862, William b.1863, and Thomas b. 1864.

Death: John Deeks died on 18 November 1890 at Merriwa New South Wales. The death certificate recorded that he was aged 78, a labourer, who had been born at "Whitechapel Essex" and had been in New South Wales for 60 years; his father's name was Samuel Deeks; he had married Alice Halton at Colly Blue when he was age 49; they had children John age 28 and William age 27. Cause of death was gallstones. He was buried on 19th November 1890 at Merriwa cemetery, Church of England. The informant was his son William Deeks of Merriwa.^[8]

Research Notes

Apparently there was another John Deeks who was sentenced to one month imprisonment in 1836 for stealing turnips. The Bury and Norwich Post reported on 5 October 1836: "Committed to Bury Gaol - Convictions ... James Dunningham and John Deeks for stealing turnips; one month".^[9]

What was meant by "Whitechapel Essex" for place of birth in death certificate?

Sources

1. ↑ Essex Record Office, Archive ref D/P 23/1/2, Record set Essex Baptisms, Find my past database, https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FESSEX-BAP%2F0649779
2. ↑ HO27 Home Office: Criminal Registers, England And Wales, 1805-1892, Find my past database, https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=TNA%2FCCC%2FHO27%2F01122637
3. ↑ "Larceny, before convicted of felony" in Criminal Register, HO27, Find my past database https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=TNA%2FCCC%2FHO27%2F01181710
4. ↑ Medical journal of the Emma Eugenia, The National Archives ref: ADM 101/25/4 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4106583
5. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 for John Deeks, Non-Annotated Printed Indentures 1838 Ancestry.com sharing link
6. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom, 1810-1814, 1827-1867 (NRS 12210) Butts of Certificates of Freedom 1844 June Ancestry.com sharing link
7. ↑ NSW BDM online index Marriage 2366/1861 DEKES JOHN HALTON ALICE MURRURUNDI
8. ↑ Death certificate NSW 1890/8051
9. ↑ Bury and Norwich Post reported on 5 October 1836, English Newspapers, Find my past database https://search.findmypast.com.au/bna/viewarticle?id=BL/0000156/18361005/004&stringtohighlight=john%20deeks

• Community contributors, Convict Records database https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/deeks/john/56044
• Many thanks to sthuell for sharing the Death certificate on Ancestry.com, Thuell/ Britton Family Tree https://www.ancestry.com.au/family-tree/person/tree/49922249/person/20282305835/facts