Richard Allen (abt. 1786)

Born about 1786 in County Armagh, Ireland

Died [date unknown] in New South Wales, Australia [uncertain]

Biography

Richard Allen was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

Richard Allen was born in about 1785 in Armagh, ireland^[1].

He was aged about 43, married to Mary Hobson and had six children, when he was tried and convicted at Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim, Ireland, in 1828 then imprisoned in and found guilty of possessing a forged £1 note. He was probably tried in March 1824^[2] and sentenced at that time to fourteen years transportation. Richard said he was married and had six children but his petition fell on deaf ears.^[3]

He traveled to New South Wales on the Sophia leaving on 15 September 1828 arriving on 17 January 1829.

Richard was Catholic and a weaver/farmer at the time of his conviction.^[4] He was about five feet six inches tall, had a ruddy complexion, brown/grey hair and blue eyes. Richard also had a horizontal scar on his left eye, a scar between both eyes on his nose and left lip upper side, and a mole on his left cheek. On arrival Richard was dispatched to work in "Stoneyquarry"^[5][6]

Richard obtained a ticket of leave and was living in the district of Goulburn but this was cancelled for two years by the authorities in Campbelltown as a result of his "negligent conduct as a constable for having allowed a prisoner to escape". ^[7]. He obtained a pardon sometime before 1838 while in the province of New South Wales.^[2] There is a record in the Tasmanian records (circa 1842) of Richard's being granted a pardon as well.^[8] Richard's ticket of leave was re-instated in March 1841 provided he remained in the area of Sydney in the service of "James Quire". The district was later changed to Parramatta.^[9]

There is a record dated 18 February 1839 stating that Richard's wife Mary Hobson should be granted free passage to New South Wales.^[10] It seems that Richard applied only for one child to accompany her.

Sources

1. ↑ Source required
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 31, 52-64); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Class: HO 10; Piece: 31
3. ↑ National Archives of Ireland, Irish Transportation Database, PDF compilation database of records contained in the National Archives of Ireland; entry for Richard Allen page 33; Record reference code: PPC 3354. Surname: ALLEN; First name: RICHARD; Sex: M; Place of trial: Carrick-on-shannon; Place of imprisonment: Carrick-on-shannon; Date of document: 06/05/1828; Description of crime: Possessing a forged £1; Sentence: Transporation l4 years; Name of petitioner: Inhabitants of Armagh; Record reference code: PPC 3354; Comments: Convict has a wife and six children.
4. ↑ Irish Convicts to New South Wales, entry for Richard Allen.
5. ↑ New South Wales Government. Bound manuscript indents, 1788–1842. NRS 12188, microfiche 614–619,626–657, 660–695. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4014]; Microfiche: 671
6. ↑ 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. Class: HO 10; Piece: 29.
7. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4114]
8. ↑ Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 31, 52-64); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Class: HO 10; Piece: 57.
9. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869, State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4149].
10. ↑ National Archives of Ireland, Irish Transportation Database, PDF compilation database of records contained in the National Archives of Ireland; entry for Richard Allen page 33; Record reference code: FS 1839 110. Surname: ALLEN; First name: RICHARD; Sex: M; Date of document: 18/02/1839; Record reference code: FS 1839 110; Comments: Convicts wife, Mary Hobson, residing in Partadown, granted a free passage to New South Wales