William Batson (1809 - bef. 1875)

Born 30 Jul 1809 in Norwich, Norfolk, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Hill) Batson — married after 17 Jul 1843 in Fish Creek, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died before 27 Dec 1875 before age 66 in Molong, New South Wales, Australia [uncertain]

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Biography

Birth

William Batson is conjectured to have been born on 30 Jul 1809 to parents James Batson and Mary née Butler Batson in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He was baptized on the same day in the Church of England, St James with Pockthorpe, Norwich.^[1] He was the second son named William born to James and Mary. Their son William was born the previous year on 6 Aug 1808, and baptized on 7 Aug 1808 in the same parish church.^[2] This infant sadly died and was buried on 21 Aug 1808^[3]

William pursued a career in the trades of groom or gardener (so his pardon, see below).

Crime and conviction

William was charged with housebreaking in 1829 and was convicted in the Summer sessions of Norwich City assizes. He was found guilty on 10 Aug 1829, and sentenced to death, this was subsequently commuted to life transportation to the colonies. There were four other men also convicted on the same day and similarly sentenced to death.^[4] He was assigned to the prison hulk Leviathan on 15 Sep 1829 pending transportation to NSW on the Adrian^[5]

Transported to NSW

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

William was transported to the Colony of New South Wales on the Adrian, the prisoners were embarked from various prison hulks in Portsmouth 7 Apr 1830, the Adrian departed Spithead on 27 Apr, and after a voyage of 129 days, arrived in Sydney on 20 Aug 1830, carrying 168 male convicts. One convict died on the voyage. William, along with four others, presented to the ships' surgeon, George Hume Weatherhead, on 10 April, a few days after being boarded on the vessel, with colds. They were treated and discharged from the surgeon's care three days later.^[6]. The voyage is shown graphically with stay points on the Free settler of felon website^[7]

William was enumerated in the muster roll for his ship Adrian.^[8][9]

Life in NSW

He was enumerated in the General Muster conducted in 1837^[10]

He obtained a Ticket of Leave (no. 40/565) on 14 Feb 1840 in the district of Stonequarry, County of Camden, around the current township of Picton).^[11][12]

His Ticket of Leave was cancelled by the Goulburn bench on 27 Feb 1845 for the crime of larceny^[13][14]

Marriage

In that period, he had applied on 17 Jul 1843 to marry Elizabeth Silvester.^[15] The request was granted and he duly married Elizabeth soon after.^[16], in the Goulburn area, perhaps in Fish Creek?

William fell foul of the authorities and in early 1844 he was incarcerated in Berrima gaol for unknown reasons.^[17] It is unknown how long he was in custody.

He must have regained his good steading with the authorities as his Ticket of Leave was re-instated in mid 1846^[18]

On 1 Feb 1847 the Yass bench issued another Ticket of Leave, with Passport to William.^[19]

Eventually William obtained a Conditional Pardon on 7 Jun 1853. ^[20]

William suffered an accident (kicked by a horse) in early October 1849, and he had to have his lower leg amputated in Goulburn hospital, he was living in Dryburgh (60 miles NW of Goulburn)^[21]

William fell on hard times and in the 14 Jun 1871 Yass Court of Petty Sessions was charged and convicted of vagrancy, the court noted that he was a "cripple".^[22] He died within four years.

Children

Elizabeth and William had seven children, born between 1843 and 1864 all in the Gunning, Yass, and Queanbeyan areas:

1. William, born 1843.^[23]
2. Ellen, born 1845.^[24]
3. Ann, born 1850,^[25] presumed baptized in 1855.^[26]
4. John, born 1850,^[27] died from a snake bite in the early hours of 16 Dec 1864^[28], when aged 15 years, he was buried in Yass on 18 Dec 1864^[29].
5. Emily, born 1858,^[30] died on 28 Feb 1859 in the Queanbeyan district..^[31]
6. James, born 1864.^[32]

Elizabeth died on 25 July 1895 at Peak Hill.

Death

William is conjectured to have died in the Molong area shortly before 27 Dec 1875. There was an inquest held which found that he had died of natural causes.^[33]

Research Notes

This William Batson, tried in Norwich should not be conflated with another William Batson Ticket of leave no. 38/1984, native of Berkshire, born about 1809, blacksmith, convicted pickpocket, tried Abingdon 25 Jul 1829, transported for 14 years, desposed of to Dept. of Public Works. Arrived in Sydney on the Nithsdale 12 May 1830^[34][35] This William, aged 26 in the 1837 Muster, was assigned to D. McKellar^[36] (perhaps Duncan MacKellar settler in Jinglemoney east of Braidwood, or his uncle Capt Duncan MacKellar settler and proprietor of Strathallan immediately north-east of Braidwood) He was granted a Ticket of Leave on 20 Nov 1838. He was a native of Newbury, Berkshire. His year of birth was stated as 1812. He had blue eyes.^[37]

There was a William Batson (Jnr) who ran foul of the law for a string of stealing charges around Yass and elsewhere, 1862 and 1873. It has yet to be determined if this is William's oldest son:

• Binnalong police district: Stealing cattle at Goba Creek, near Burrowa 13 Jan 1862, a relation of Pramer George at Fish Creek https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252046325/27938598. He was apprehended on 25 Jun 1873, and committed to trial, remanded to Burrowa.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/251603056
• Stealing clothing from a store in Coombing, near Carcoar around 11 Aug 1869. Apprehended https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252048697 He was convicted of the offence on 13 Oct 1869, and sentenced to 3 months detention in Bathurst Gaol https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252048721/27978779
• On 24 Nov 1869 apprehended with stolen good in his possession in Tumbarumba, committed to trial in Gundagai https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252048867 At trial on 1 Mar 1870, he was found not guilty and discharged https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/123548768

Sources

1. ↑ "Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812", Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: PD 11/7, Ancestry au Record 61045 #2135738 (accessed 22 April 2024), William Batson baptism on 30 Jul 1809 (born 30 Jul 1809), child of James Batson & Mary Moore, in Norwich, St James with Pockthorpe, Norfolk, England.
2. ↑ "Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812", Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: PD 11/7, Ancestry au Record 61045 #2135695 (accessed 22 April 2024), William Betson baptism on 7 Aug 1808 (born 6 Aug 1808), child of James Betson & Mary Gallent, in Norwich, St James with Pockthorpe, Norfolk, England.
3. ↑ "Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812", Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: PD 11/24, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 61045 #2697381 (accessed 22 April 2024), William Batson burial (died in about 1808) on 21 Aug 1808 in Norwich, St James with Pockthorpe, Norfolk, England. Born in about 1808.
4. ↑ "Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868", The National Archives of the United Kingdom; Kew, Surrey, England; Convicts transported; Class: HO 11; Piece: 7, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1180 #120090 (accessed 22 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Vessel: Adrian; Convicted Date: 10 Aug. 1829; Voyage Date: 13 Apr. 1830; Colony: New South Wales; Place of Conviction: Norfolk, England.
5. ↑ "UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849", Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books; Class: HO9; Piece: 8, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1989 #94629 (accessed 22 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Age: 17; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1812; Date Received: 15 Sep. 1829; Ship: Leviathan; Place Moored: Portsmouth; Date Convicted: 10 Aug. 1829; Place Convicted: Norwich.
6. ↑ UK. Admiralty. Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Medical Journals. ADM 101 - Convict Ships. etc. Medical journal of the convict ship Adrian from 31 March to 20 August 1830 by G H Weatherhead, surgeon and superintendent. Reference: ADM 101/1/5. Folio 4: "10 April 1830; The following were new applicants to the hospital. Thomas Rigde, slight cold; Henry Lewis, William Batson, Charles Bevan, John Holliday all with colds; John Barker with sciatica. The men with colds were all discharged cured on 13 April 1830" online at TNA (accessed 22 Apr 2024). Ancestry has an image of the folio
7. ↑ Free Settler or Felon: Convict and Colonial History. Convict Ship Adrian 1830 (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
8. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849", Original data: New South Wales Government. Musters and other papers relating to convict ships. Series CGS 1155, Reels 2417-2428. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1211 #8187 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Vessel: Adrian; Arrival Year: 1830; Date of Conviction: 10 Aug. 1829.
9. ↑ "Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868", The National Archives of the United Kingdom; Kew, Surrey, England; Convicts transported; Class: HO 11; Piece: 7, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1180 #120090 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Vessel: Adrian; Convicted Date: 10 Aug. 1829; Voyage Date: 13 Apr. 1830; Colony: New South Wales; Place of Conviction: Norfolk, England.
10. ↑ "New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849", Class: HO 10; Piece: 32, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1185 #257131 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Arrival Date: 1829; Vessel: Adrian; Province: New South Wales; Title: General muster A - C; Year(s): 1837; Place of Conviction: Norwich; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1805.
11. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869", State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4137], Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1781 #24426 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Immigration Year: 1830; Ticket Date: 14 Feb. 1840; Ticket Place: New South Wales, Australia; Vessel: Adrian.
12. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette 26 Feb 1840 [Issue No.11] Page 189, Col. 1 Government Gazette Notices online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
13. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette 28 Feb 1845 [Issue No.17] Page 232 Government Gazette Notices online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
14. ↑ Morning Chronicle (Sydney, NSW)5 Mar 1845 Page 4 "TICKETS OF LEAVE CANCELLED" online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
15. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851", State Archives NSW; Series: 12212; Item: 4/4514; Page: 29, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1504 #15771 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Age: 35; Birth Year: Abt 1808; Spouse: Elizabeth Silvester; Request Status: Granted; Date of Permission/Refusal: 17 Jul. 1843.
16. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Marriages, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), Registration Number: 390/1843 V1843390 27C, BATSON, WILLIAM / SILVESTER, ELIZABETH, District MC
17. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930", State Archives NSW; Kingswood, New South Wales; Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Series: 2019; Item: 6/5430; Roll: 1873, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1783 #297454 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; 1844 Gaol Annual21, Standing no. 43, Birth Year: abt 1811; Age: 29; Arrival Year: 1830; Arrival Country: Australia; Vessel Arrived In: Adrian; Date of Admission/Photo: 1840-1847; Gaol: Berrima; Gaol Location: Berrima, New South Wales, Australia; Record Type: Description Book.
18. ↑ New South Wales Government Gazette 15 Sep 1846 [Issue No.77], Page 1106, col. 1 "THE undermentioned Prisoners of the Crown have obtained Tickets of Leave" online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
19. ↑ Museums of New South Wales. Convicts Index 1791-1873 Number INX-65-91281, BATSON William, Ship Adrian 1830, Ticket of Leave Passport, 1 Feb 1847, Entry No. 47/0034, Remarks: Ticket of Leave 46/1192; On the recommendation of Yass Bench Citation 4/4264; Reel 976 (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
20. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870", State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia; Card Index to Letters Received, Colonial Secretary; Reel Number: 796; Roll Number: 1250, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1657 #34111 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Age: 45; Birth Year: 1808; Origin Place: Norfolk; Conviction Date: 10 Aug. 1829; Arrival Year: 1830; Pardon Date: 7 Jun. 1853; Vessel Name: Adrian; Record Type: Conditional; Pardon Number: 53/51.
21. ↑ Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser 13 Oct 1849, Page 4, Domestic Intelligence online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
22. ↑ The Yass Courier 16 Jun 1871, Page 2, LOCAL AND GENERAL online in Trove NLA (accessed 22 Apr 2024)
23. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, WILLIAM Registration no. 2067/1843 V18432067 155, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
24. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, ELLEN Registration no. 2066/1845 V18452066 155, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
25. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, ANN Registration no. 63/1850 V185063 42A, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
26. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, ANN Registration no. 69/1855 V185569 42A, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
27. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, JOHN Registration no. 2068/1850 V18502068 155, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
28. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald 27 Dec 1864 Page 4 Death from the bite of a snake online in Trove NLA
29. ↑ Yass Courier 28 Dec 1864 Page 2 MARENGO online in Trove NLA
30. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), EMILY BATSON, EMILY Registration no. J11580/1858, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: QUEANBEYAN (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
31. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Deaths, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, EMILY J Registration no. 4754/1859, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: QUEANBEYAN
32. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages – Births, (https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search?1: accessed 21 Apr 2024), BATSON, JAMES Registration no. 70/1864 V186470 42A, Father's given name: WILLIAM, Mother's given name: ELIZABETH, District: MI (Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass) (accessed 24 Apr 2024)
33. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1821-1937", State Archives NSW; Series: 2923; Item: 4/6615; Roll: 343, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1785 #41659 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Death Year: Abt 1875; Inquest Date: 27 Dec. 1875; Inquest Place: Molong.
34. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842", State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4015]; Microfiche: 675, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 2024 #83288 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Age: 20; Date of Conviction: 25 Jul. 1829; Place of Conviction: Abingdon; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1809; Vessel: Nithsdale; Port of Arrival: Sydney Cove; Date of Arrival: 12 May 1830; Ticket of Leave: Yes; Pardon: No; Certificate of Freedom: No.
35. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834", Class: HO 10; Piece: 29, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1183 #229111 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: Willm Batson; Arrival Date: 1830; Vessel: Nithsdale; Province: New South Wales; Title: Convicts arrived; Year(s): 1828-1832; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1810.
36. ↑ "New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849", Class: HO 10; Piece: 32, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1185 #256700 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Arrival Date: 1830; Vessel: Nithsdale; Province: New South Wales; Title: General muster A - C; Year(s): 1837; Place of Conviction: Abingdon; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1804.
37. ↑ "New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869", State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4124], Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1781 #15904 (accessed 24 April 2024), Name: William Batson; Birth Year: 1812; Immigration Year: 1830; Ticket Date: 20 Nov. 1838; Ticket Place: New South Wales, Australia; Origin: Newbury, Berks; Vessel: Nethsdale.