Charles Dixon (1812-1882) A Convict Story.....

Charles Dixon was my g-g-great-grandfather...

Born in London in 1812, Charles was caught in August 1830 stealing a handkerchief from a man's person, on a London street. When arrested, he claimed to have "eaten no bread for 3 days". He was tried at the Old Bailey, found guilty and sentenced to 14 years transportation.

Prisons were hopelessly overcrowded, so although Charles was first sent to Newbury Gaol, he was held in a hulk for a couple of weeks, before boarding the John 1 which left Plymouth on the 9th October, 1830, carrying 200 convicts to Van Dieman's Land. Charles' conduct records on both the hulk, and the ship passage are very good.

In January, 1831, John 1 arrives in Hobart, and upon arrival, Charles is indentured as a labourer to T. Nowland. His conduct report for this period shows only one misdeameanor, 'neglect of duty and disobedience of orders' for which he is ordered 25 lashes.Ouch!!

In 1837, having worked for his employer for the required 6 years, Charles immediately applies for his Ticket of Leave,  which is granted in January. This allows him to travel for work within a given district, and find his own work. He is also allowed to acquire property. In return, the TOL requires that Charles attend Church regularly, report to the Magistrate when required, and apply for permission to travel outside his district.

In October 1840, Charles fronts up to the magistrate again, for 'misconduct in tippling in a public
house out of hours', and is sentenced to 10 days hard labour on the treadwheel. This was a machine like a water wheel used to punish convicts. Prisoners undergoing punishment took turns to propel the wheel by stepping up constantly on the revolving treads. The energy generated may have been used to grind wheat, but generally it served no purpose other than as a form of punishment.* On December 28 that same year, Charles is again in trouble, this time reported for 'having black eyes in Church' (a reference to presenting as angry at Church). His punishment is 48 hours in solitary confinement, I think. It's almost impossible to be sure from the handwriting, despite my trusty reference aid.

In August 1841, a few months before the obligatory 5 years as a TOL holder, Charles is granted a Conditional Pardon which basically makes him a free man. (The condition being that he never returns to England or Ireland.)
His Free Certificate is granted in 1844, at the completion of his original sentence.Charles is now 32 years old. This same year, he marries 15 year old Ann McVeagh, the daughter of Frances Topp and Irish convict, William McVeagh. They begin a family, and soon leave Tasmania for a promising beginning in Victoria, putting the convict past behind them.

Convict Description List- Charles Dixon , top right.

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It is my suspicion that young Charles Dixon intended on being transported out of England, and planned a better life. His crime was obvious and purposeless, he did not appear to defend himself, and he conducted himself throughout in the manner of someone with a plan. Life in London was dreadfully hard in 1830, and there is no mention of family in any of Charles' trial or convict records. Many people who found themselves in hopeless circumstances at this time committed crimes with the intention of being sentenced to transportation, in the hope of a better life.

* Explanation of Treadwheel taken from Susan Hood's wonderful resource: Transcribing Tasmanian Convict records, (Port Arthur Historical Site Management Authority), 2003. p56.

Like to look at some original convict records?
If you are unfamiliar with Convict records, then start on-line with the Tasmanian Archives Office. It's dead easy to plug in your convict's name, and perhaps ship or date, and begin viewing some of their original records (our Charles Dixon is Convict #18888).
http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au

For felons transported to NSW try:
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/indexes-online/indexes-to-convict-records

To view the Old Bailey court transcript of Charles' 1830 crime, click on the link
Dixon 1830 trial...