Bell Amos was 18 years old when she was tried in Fermanagh and found guilty on 18 July 1845 of larceny (stealing a gown).[1] Bell was imprisoned in Enniskillen (where she unsuccessfully petitioned against her sentence), and in Grangegorham Female Prison in Dublin, before she was sent to Van Diemen's Land for seven years transportation on the Tasmania arriving 3 December 1845.
Bell was also known as "Elizabeth" and her surname sometimes appears as "Ames".
Bell's trade was farm servant. She was about 5 feet one and a quarter inches tall with a round head, black hair, brown eyes and large mouth and small chin. Bell had no distinguishing marks at the time of her arrival in Van Diemen's Land.[2] She was a Protestant (Church of England) and could read. Bell's convict indent record also contained a comment that she had spent "Three Years on the Town". It is not known what this means.
Bell spent the first six months of her sentence on a labour gang based out of the Anson depot. In August 1846 she was found guilty of striking an officer and an additional six months was added to her period of probation. In May 1847 Bell was found guilty of refusing to work and received six months hard labour. It was also confirmed around this time that Bell was not to be "allowed to enter any service in [Hobart] town." In September 1848 she was absent without leave and received six days in the cells for her pains. In December 1848 Bell was found guilty of being out after hours and received one month's hard labour.[2]
On 20 February 1849 Bell was delivered of an "illegitimate child named Joseph" however the child died a month later at the Cascade Factory.[2] No father's name was given on the birth record.[3]
An application for Bell's ticket of leave was initially refused in December 1849. In January 1850 Bell received her ticket of leave but this was revoked in March 1852. In April 1851 a note had been made on Bell's conduct file that she was "not to reside in Hobart Town" but in February 1852 she was found in Hobart "contrary to orders" and received six months hard labour. Bell spent the period from February to July 1852 working on a labour gang until receipt of her certificate of freedom which was granted on 31 July 1852. [2]
It is not known what happened to Bell after she obtained her freedom.
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