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From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hello Jan,
I was reading through the website and in a series of correspondence you had entitled "Firth's Enquiry" mention was made of two Parkhurst Boys, Joseph WILLIAMS and Fredrick DAWES (changed his name to WILLIAMS).
My interest is that I am a mature Postgraduate at Southampton Unioversity here in the UK researching for a PhD on "The Parkhurst Boys", essentially attempting to write Biographies (life histories) for as many as I can. Tracing the 123 who landed in Auckland in 1842 and 1843 aboard the "St George" and the "Mandarin" has been extremely difficult and the two mentioned are ones that who "vanish" so to speak after they arrived.
I wonder if there is any possible way you can help, either from your own knowledge or people you are in contact with who are interested. I have tried so many avenues in NZ, sadly with little success.
My regards
Tony C
From: Jan
To: Tony C
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hi Tony,
Unfortunately I know very little about the Parkhurst boys. I didn't know of their existence until Kerry emailed me about trying to trace his family roots... But he did have some documentation which he got from somewhere so I've emailed your enquiry on to him.
I think its very sad that these boys were uprooted from their families and sent away to live in some far-away land... especially when it sounds like many of them were not hardened criminals at all but maybe only slightly gone astray youths - but perhaps many of them did have the opportunity to make a new start and begin a life over in New Zealand without their past deeds hanging over their heads.
Anyway as I said I've forwarded you email to Kerry and I know that he was due to go to England around about now so I don't know if he'll be checking his emails while he's away or not. So you may have to wait until he gets back.
It's fairly amazing how the internet opens up these avenues for historical research.
My website is fairly insignificant when it comes to the scheme of things -being mostly to document little bit of history from my town and the people who have lived here - but I have found it interesting that people from the other side of the world often have enquiries about an ancestor which sometimes can lead to intersting results... it also brought Kerry here in New Zealand(a Firth Descendant) in touch with two distant cousins over there in England.
I hope Kerry can help you - But if you like I will add your request to the website and we'll see if anyone else out there responds and can help you out??? Let me know if you want this and I'll put it on - sometimes we get a response and other times not but I think it's worth a shot.
Regards
Jan
From: Evelyn
To: Jan
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
I would like to contact your enquirer re the Parkhurst Boys as I have an interest in 2 brothers that arrived on the St George in 1842.
Thank you for any help you can give me.
From: Jan
To: Evelyn
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hi Evelyn,
I was contacted about the Parkhurst boys about this time last year so I'll send you Tony's email address as it was last time I emailed him (which hasn't been for a while so hopefully it hasn't changed). IF you have any information you would like me to add to the Parkhurst enquiry I would be happy to do so as it sometimes catches the eye of someone else who may have information... and so there's the potential for someone else to add what they know.... which may spark off someone else with more information. I have found that with some enquiries nothing happens for a while then out of the blue someone comes up with something else.
Anyway here's Tony's email address (email address supplied)
Good hunting
Jan
From: Evelyn
To: Jan
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Thanks Jan for the prompt reply unfortunately he no longer has a yahoo account as my letter was returned. The boys I was interested in were the two King brothers George and Thomas that arrived in 1842 aboard the St George but I don't have any info on them apart from their birthdates and parents' names.
Thank you Evelyn
From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hello Jan,
Good to hear from you....... I hope you are keeping well. At least you have the summer to enjoy whilst we appear to be moving into a long and extremely cold winter. Even a "White Christmas" possibly!!
Thank you for passing on the contact with Evelyn. I can only imagine she input my email address incorrectly but, as a failsafe in future, this alternative address is available:
(email address supplied)
I do have some information on George and Thomas KING, although I have not made their connection as brothers because they were already imprisoned when the 1841 England Census was conducted and that genealogy is denied me. Also the fact they were not partners-in-crime, having committed separate offences. I have documented them both up to 1843 through records maintained by Archives NZ, but from that point onwards the trail is absolutely cold.
I shall be delighted if Evelyn can contact me on either address and will happily pass on all the information I have, including some limited trial details from the Old Bailey.
For now, take care,
Tony
From: Jan
To: Tony C
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hi Tony,
Yes we're having a VERY hot and dry summer, and Hawkes Bay is already in the early stages of having a drounght - being the driest spring we've had for nearly a hundred years. We're look forward to a sunny Christmas though and probably we'll be out to the beach and swimming trying to keep cool.
It sounds like you have a bit of information that Evelyn doesn't know, so I'm sure she'll be very happy to hear from you... and I would love to put your info on the website too - as it might attract someone else who has ancestors or an interest in this part of our history and it sounds really interesting.
Its funny how things can sound interesting a generation or too down the track. I wonder if people will find our little contributions to the fabric history as interesting after we've gone?
I'll send you're email to Evelyn and hopefully you two can make contact.
Thanks for your help
Jan
From: Tony C
To: Jan
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Good Morning Jan,
Sadly Evelyn has not contacted me.......possibly she is still having difficulty with my email addresses.
In the meantime you may like to read the partial Biographies for Thomas and George KING. Thomas especially did not necessarily have an auspicious start to his NZ sojourn and it would really be interesting to uncover his continuing life story. He probably became a pillar of both society and the church. A not uncommon occurrence with quite a few of the Parkhurst Boys. The one drawback in researching them is that KING is a popular name, as are the christian names, and the NZ Birth, Death and Marriage records are not readily accessible from the UK.
For the moment,
Tony
KING, George
Convicted: Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
Date: 10/08/1838
Age: 17
Occupation: None
Offence: Larceny as a Servant
Sentence: Transportation 7 years
Classification:
George King was born c1831 probably in London.
Nothing else is known of his early life history until he was committed to appear at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 10/08/1838 accused of Larceny, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation. Then aged 17 the Court did not report that he had any occupation.(A transcript of his trial proceedings is contained in the Appendix). He was initially received on the York Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the interim holding arrangements, and then transferred to Parkhurst Prison on 26/12/1838. He was, in fact, one of the original 102 juvenile offenders received at Parkhurst Prison when the institution was officially opened on 26/12/1838. His Gaoler's Report commented that his conduct had been good, he was single but could neither read nor write. George King was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 for transportation to New Zealand.(i)
He sailed aboard the "St. George" on 31/05/1842 classified as a "Free Immigrant", eventually disembarking at Auckland on 25/11/1842. As a Free Immigrant he was virtually under no restraints, except forbidden to return to England until free by servitude, that is, on or after 10/08/1845.(ii) In Auckland he was initially "supervised" by David Rough, Immigrant Agent and Harbour Master and presumably it was with Rough's help that he obtained an early position as a Surveying Labourer with J.P.de Moulin at £14 per annum.(iii) Later, David Rough published a "Return for the Half year ending the 30th June 1843 of free immigrant Boys from Parkhurst" in which George King is shown as being employed at the Bay Islands as a Servant (Employer unknown), with his conduct being described as "Very steady".(iv)
No further details for George King have been retrieved.
Comment:
Notes:
(i): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.1.
(ii): Website Convicts to Australia which deals with the voyage of the St. George to New
Zealand http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park1.html
(iii): Archives New Zealand, Internal Affairs, Series I, 43/274.
(iv): ANZ, 44/871.
Acknowledgement:
© B.A. Cocks
12/12/2008
Hampshire SO53 1FN, UK
APPENDIX
GEORGE KING was indicted for stealing, on 10th May, part of an opera-glass, value 6d.; and 1 padlock, value 6d.; the goods of John Lowe; and 6 handkerchiefs, value 16s.; 9 yards of lace, value £1.; 1 shawl, value 5s.; 36 buttons, value 2s.; and 12 yards of silk, value £1.; the goods of John Lowe and another, his masters: and SARAH KING, for feloniously receiving the same , well knowing them to have been stolen; against the Statute, etc.; to which they both pleaded.GUILTY - Transported for Seven Years
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org 12/12/2008), August 1838, trial of Thomas King, Sarah King (t18380820-2049)
KING, Thomas
Convicted: Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
Date: 31/12/1838
Age: 13
Occupation: Milk Boy
Offence: Larceny
Sentence: Transportation 7 years
Classification:
Thomas King was born c1825 probably in London.
Nothing else is known of his early life history until he was committed to appear at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 31/12/1838 accused of Larceny, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation. Then aged 13 he had been employed as a Milk Boy (A transcript of his trial proceedings is contained in the Appendix). He was initially received on the "York" Hulk, moored at Portsmouth Harbour, as part of the interim holding arrangements, and then transferred to Parkhurst Prison on 05/08/1839. His Gaoler's Report had no comments to make about his character or disposition, other than remark that he was single and could read but not write. Thomas King was discharged from Parkhurst Prison on 31/05/1842 for transportation to New Zealand.(i)
He sailed aboard the "St. George" on 31/05/1842 classified as an "Apprentice", having been taught the shoemaking trade in Parkhurst, and eventually disembarked at Auckland on 25/11/1842.(ii) Here he came under the Guardianship of David Rough, Immigrant Agent and Harbour Master of Auckland. The following extracts are from subsequent correspondence and reports prepared by David Rough concerning Thomas King:
(a): Letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary dated 16/11/1842:
Acting Guardian of Immigrant Boys
Particulars regarding apprenticing boys for approval
Auckland, November 16th 1842
Sir,
We have the honour of submitting to you, for his Excellency's
approval, the accompanying particulars necessary for filling up the
Indentures of eight boys who have been permitted to enter the service
of their masters provisionally, and have to request that blank copies
of the Indentures may be sent to the Acting Guardian for the purposes
of being filled up and executed, or that they may be prepared in any
other way of which his Excellency may approve. It may perhaps be
necessary that his Excellency should depute some person to sign the
"approval" at the foot of the Indenture or authorize the Acting Guardian
to do so in his name. Three copies of each Indenture will be required
for each boy - one (the original) to remain in the hands of the Guardian
- one to be delivered to the master, and a third (Rule 25, Government
Gazette) to be forwarded to the Magistrate of the District in which the
boy is apprenticed.
We have the honour to be
Sir,
your most obedient servants
(Sgd) David Rough
(Sgd) Benjamin J. Horne
To
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary
List of Boys to be apprenticed - Indentures to bear the
date of November 11th 1842
(inter alia)
2. Thomas King as general servant (chiefly farm work) to Mr. John
Harris, Steward to S. Kempthorne, Esq., Auckland, for 4 years,
£1 the first year, £2 the second, £3 the third, and £6 the fourth.
The Colonial Secretary gave his approval on 17/11/1842 and the following
annotation appears in the margin of David Rough's letter:
Approved, depute Mr. Horne to execute the indenture, which, when
executed, to be then recorded in the Colonial Secretary's office, the
duplicate to be given to the Master, and the triplicate to be forwarded
for the purpose of being placed in the hands of the Police Magistrate.
NB: Benjamin J. Horne had been selected by the Parkhurst
Prison Visitors, effectively the Board of Directors, to
accompany the boys to New Zealand as their guardian.(iii)
(b): On the 29/12/1842 David Rough prepared a Return for the Colonial Secretary
detailing the disposal of all the Apprentices aboard the "St. George", which, inter
alia, confirms Thomas King's Indentureship from 11/11/1842:
List of Apprentices from Parkhurst 29th December 1842
Names of Boys: Thomas King
Names of Masters: John Harris
Employments of the Boys: Farming
Date of Indenture: November 11th
Terms of Apprenticeship: 4 years
Remuneration: 1st Year £1, 2nd Year £2, 3rd Year £3,
4th Year £6.
Residence: Tamaki (iv)
(c): Felton Mathew the Chief Police Magistrate of Auckland issued a Return for the
immediate 6 months after the Parkhurst Boys arrival on the "St. George" which
details their "re-offending" and is entitled "Return of all the Charges preferred
before the Chief Police Magistrate against Parkhurst Boys from the 24th of
November 1842 (the date of their arrival) to the 12th April 1843 inclusively".
There are several entries for Thomas King but, unfortunately, no dates by which to
identify the chronology:
(1) Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Offence: Absconding, having been absent four days
Sentence: Thirty days hard labour
Remarks: An Apprentice
(2) Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Offence: Gross misconduct while under former sentence
Sentence: Fourteen days additional sentence
Remarks: An Apprentice
(3) Name: Thomas King (inter alia)
Age: 16
Offence: Fighting
Sentence: Case dismissed as frivolous
Remarks: the charge was preferred by a Gaoler the said Boys
being under his charge on Summary Conviction at
the time
(4) Name: Thomas King (inter alia)
Age: 16
Offence: Robbery
Sentence: Case dismissed for want of sufficient evidence
Remarks: An Apprentice (v)
(d): In early 1843 there was apparently an exchange of correspondence between the
Colonial Secretary and David Rough concerning Thomas King's behaviour as an
indentured servant but, unfortunately, only one letter in the sequence dated
29/04/1843 has been retrievable:
Guardian of Boys respecting disposal of rejected apprentices
Immigration Office
Auckland 29 April 1843
Sir,
With reference to your letter of the 4th Inst. conveying His Excellency's
instructions for me to apply to the Police Magistrate in the case of Mr. Harris
who refused to receive the Parkhurst Apprentice Thomas King back into his
service after he had been punished for absconding and disobedient conduct.
I do myself the honour to state for His Excellency's information that the
above named apprentice was taken back by his Master, but is now the third
time undergoing confinement with hard labour for the same offence, and Mr.
Harris has declared that he will not again receive him. I have corresponded
with the Chief Police Magistrate on the subject, and that gentleman informs
me that he does not consider himself empowered to oblige masters to take
back apprentices in such circumstances.
I have therefore the honour to request that I may be further instructed
regarding this and such like cases which may arise in the future.
I have the honour
Sir
Your most obedient servant
(Sgd) D. Rough
Guardian (vi)
NB: David Rough comments that Thomas King had absconded three
times, yet Felton Mathew's earlier return only mentions one
such case.
(e) Several months later at the 30/06/1843 David Rough prepared a progress report on
the current status of the Parkhurst Boys and against that section entitled "Return for
the Half year ending 30th June 1843 of Apprentices whose conduct has not been
satisfactory " the entry for Thomas King, inter alia, reads:
Name: Thomas King
Age: 16
Remarks: Convicted of absconding and idleness (vii)
No further information about Thomas King's life in New Zealand has been retrieved.
Comment:
Notes:
(i): Parkhurst Prison Register, The National Archives, HO24/15, p.7.
(ii): Paul Buddee, Fate of the Artful Dodger Parkhurst Boys Transported to Australia
and New Zealand 1842-1852, Perth, Western Australia, (1984), p.165. See also the
website Convicts to Australia which deals with the voyage of the St. George to New
Zealand http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/park1.html
(iii): Archives New Zealand, Internal Affairs, Series I, 42/1996.
(iv): ANZ, 43/274.
(v): ANZ, 43/967.
(vi): ANZ, 43/829.
(vii): ANZ, 44/871.
Acknowledgement:
© B.A. Cocks
12/12/2008
Hampshire SO53 1FN, UK
APPENDIX
THOMAS KING was indicted for stealing, on the 24th December, 3 _ lbs weight of beef, value 1s.6d., the goods of John Wells.
THOMAS SPEAKE. I am servant to John Wells, a butcher. On the 24th of December, about a quarter before 11 o'clock at night, while serving a customer, I saw the prisoner looking me full in the face - a policeman afterwards brought him in with the beef, and asked if I had missed anything - I claimed the beef directly - it weighed 3 _ lbs - I had cut it off not a quarter of an hour before - I never saw the prisoner before.
JOHN HALLAM. I am an officer. I saw the prisoner standing about the shop, about a quarter to eleven o'clock, with two more - I told him to go home - in about a quarter of an hour I saw them run away - I cannot say which took it - I took the prisoner with the beef in a basket - I asked him what he was doing with it - he said he was going to take it to a customer for his master, who lived in Newport-market - I took him back to the shop - he said at the station-house, that two boys chucked it into his basket, and ran away.
GUILTY. Aged 12 - Judgement respited (The court sometimes decided to postpone or respite a sentence until a later sessions, either because of the convict's pregnancy or for reasons that were unrecorded.). A record of the eventual judgement of "Transported for Seven Years" as detailed in the Parkhurst Prison Register has not been retrieved from subsequent proceedings of the Old Bailey.
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org 12/12/2008), December 1838, trial of Thomas King (t18381231
From: Jan
To: Evelyn
Subject: "The Parkhurst Boys"
Hi Evelyn,
I've had Tony email me and he has a little information about the misdeeds George and Thomas did when they were young to be sent to NZ. They seem fairly minor petty crimes to be deported to New Zealand.
Tony has been doing a thesis on the Parkhurst boys and he would really appreciate any information you can give as to their birthdates, parents etc... and even what they went on to do in New Zealand (as his access to New Zealand records from England is difficult and often family have more information even if it is by word of mouth)
So please either email him with any little bits of info you have, or email it to me and I can forward it to Tony for you.
Sounds like they had really tough sentences in those days.- We wouldn't deport someone for stealing 3 1/2 pounds of beef!
Love to hear from you
Jan
From: Andrea
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King
Kia ora Jan,
My name is Andrea Moon, and my partner is Jason King, a descendant of both Thomas Robert and George Fulcher Twyford King.
His relation, Evelyn, had, earlier on, been in contact with you regarding the King boys; their older brother, William Deacon King married twice. His first wife and family are, sadly, unknown to us, his second wife was Hera Maringi Pumipi. He was known as 'Captain King'; was 31 when he married Hera. She was 17. We have no idea how he came to live in New Zealand or how he managed to end up in a village in remote New Zealand. (It's still a village, and it's still very remote :-) !)
We have been trying to locate any remnant of William Deacon King's family for quite some time and have, til Evelyn's findings, had no luck.
Their father's name was Henry King, their mother's name was Anne, but we are unsure of her maiden name. We know they died in Maidstone, Kent (?), but again, this could be pure speculation. All of the King children; Henry James, William Deacon, Thomas Robert Alexander, Geaore Fulcher Twyford, Anne Harriet, Charles Francis, and Thomas Robert (yes, there were two) were all christened at St. Pauls Church, Deptford, London, but again, we have nothing else.
If any info can be found on their decendants via you or your connections, we would be so very grateful.
Nāku noa,
Nā,
Andrea.
From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King
Hi Andrea,
Its a bit tricky to know where to start. Sounds like you've got quite a task ahead of you.
But I'll try to help in my own little way and get your request posted on the website - hopefully this weekend. Hopefully someone will see it and get in touch with you.
Finger crossed
:-) Jan
From: Andrea
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King
Wow, how awesome are you!! Thank you in advance for any help. And yes .. a seriously huge task alright! William Deacon and Hera Maringi alone had five or six children. My third eldest son is named after him ... as are about another nine or ten others throughout the family; so there are many people in our neck of the woods all looking and wondering whether anything will come of their searches. It's seriously draining, but will be worth it in the end :).
I must correct an error I made with the the boys' sister. Her name was Sarah Anne Harriet, not Anne Harriet. Whoops! I saw mention of her on the correspondence you had via 'Tony'.
It's so strange that these young kids had no older influence, or guidance from either parents or extended family, and that they all seemed to end up as they had. So sad! So many questions!! And I'm just an in-law!! Haha!
There is a young woman in the UK looking for descendants of a Henry James King .. I think she maybe a descendant of the same family .. I'm going to stalk her later and find out. Well, "stalk" is a bit strong, but you know what I mean.
Have put your website on my 'favourites' and am crossing anything and everything possible that can be crossed
Lookin forward to hearing from you and ... anyone!
A :)
From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King
Hi again Andrea,
Sorry I didn't get it posted on the website this weekend. I was flat out with our historic walks for Waipawa's 150th celebrations and the rest of the weekend I was entertaining some visitors from China - who have no English , and I have no Mandarin - so it was an interesting time. They are leaving sometime today - so when I have a free time I'll get it posted - or more correctly ask my son to post it - since he's my website administrator (and its his parents in law that I've been entertaining this weekend).
The Tony you talked about is a man over in England doing a doctorate or something on the Parkhurst boys. He was very interested in getting in touch with the person who had the original enquiry but she didn't answer his emails - which was a pity because he was trying to gather and share as much information as he could on the Parkhurst boys. - and the King boys were among those.
It is incredible that these boys got sent way over to the other side of the world for a crime which was usually pretty minor - certainly wouldn't get that sort of punishment now-a-days... And actually some of these things which happened a long time ago make your family tree seem much more interesting.(Its not like they were mass murderers or violent, hardened criminals).
Anyway I'd better go and say goodbye to my Chinese guests and get myself off to school.
I'll be in touch if anything comes to light.
:-) Jan
From: Jan
To: Tony
Subject: Thomas and George King
Hi Tony,
I don't know if this is still your email address - or if you're still researching the Parkhurst boys, but I had this email last weekend and it could be the same boys as you were researching???? Big question mark, I know... They have the same names, but it is a pretty common name so may not be anything at all related to your Thomas and George King.
But then they just might be???? And it could answer a few questions as to what happened to the boys after they came to New Zealand - that is, if they are the same King boys as the ones you were trying to track.
It’s intriguing.
:-) Jan
From: Tony
To: Jan
Subject: Thomas and George King
Hello Jan,
I hope you are keeping well.
My search for the Parkhurst Boys goes on and, unfortunately, so does my lack of success in unearthing the 123 who were sent to Auckland. Any "lead", no matter how small, is always worth investigating. Possibly, the best approach for Andrea would be to contact me via this address and give me some pointers as to who she thinks Thomas and George KING are and we can develop from there.
For the moment, take care,
Tony
From: Jan
To: Andrea
Subject: Thomas and George King
Hi Andrea,
I haven't forgotten your enquiry.
Last night I forwarded your email onto Tony who has been researching the Parkhurst boys - thinking that he might be able to help you as Thomas and George King were the names of a couple of the boys sent over to New Zealand as 'apprentices' to pay for their misdeeds back in England.
I think Tony would like you to email him with as much detail as you can about what you have found out about your King boys so he can try and unravel clues to see if they are the same individuals as the ones he's studying.
His email is (email address supplied)
Please let me know how you get on and I will add it to your enquiry on the website.
:-) Jan
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