Genealogy Forum UK

How and where do I start looking for an alias used by an ancestor. G/grandfather apparently used one after he was sentenced to 7 years in Western Australia. Is it possible to find out if he was using the same alias before sentencing ?


Thanx
Annette ......

post what info you have grannie and we'll see what we can find

real name: Charles Joseph Farley
born: March 1836, Worcester
tried: Worc Assizes - 1861 - prior convictions as well; dates not available
transported: Dec 1861 or Jan 1862 (dont have notes available). Arri ved WA aboard 'Norwood' March 1862

alias: Thomas Fairbrother - sighted on one of his criminal charge documents in WA.

thanx

Annette -

"Norwood - arrived in WA in 1862
This 849 ton ship was built at Sunderland in 1854. It was employed twice as a convict transport for Western Australia and left Portland, England on March 16, 1862 bound for the Swan River Colony. She carried the twenty fifth of 37 shipments of male convicts destined for Western Australia. On this voyage the Norwood took 85 days and arrived in Fremantle on June 9, 1862 with 92 passengers and 290 convicts [Erickson]. Frank Bristow and A. Watson were the captain and surgeon respectively.

There were no deaths recorded on the convict shipping and description lists and 290 convict numbers were assigned for the voyage ranging from (6203 to 6492). The [Bateson] account for this voyage differs from the convict lists and [Erickson] and claims that 293 convicts embarked and 290 arrived.

Of the 92 passengers mentioned above, 89 were pensioner guards and their families, the number being made up of 30 pensioner guards, 21 wives, 19 sons and 19 daughters. The other 3 passengers have not been accounted for but were possibly cabin passengers or regular soldiers.

A. Watson's surgeon's journal for the voyage is preserved in the Public Record Office (PRO) in London. Researchers can view a copy on the Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP) microfilm reel 3181 which is held in most major libraries and archives offices throughout Australia.

The following list is an alphabetically sorted list of the names associated with each of the 290 convict numbers assigned to this voyage. The comments field gives alternative names attributed to the various convicts, many of which are not only spelling variations, but alternative names used in later life or in subsequent re-convictions. The age quoted seems to refer to the age of the convict when the passenger list was created."


Farley Charles 6295 7y 24 Worcester .. .. 1861 Horse stealing


link

http://www.convictcentral.com/

poss him, either christend twice or first one died ?



CHARLES FARLEY
Christening: 20 MAR 1836 Upton Warren, Worcester,

Father: THOMAS FARLEY
Mother: HANNAH


CHARLES FARLEY
Christening: 04 DEC 1836 Upton Warren, Worcester,


THOMAS FARLEY
HANNAH

discription

Farley Charles
6295
labourer
Single
kids none
hieght - 5' 1 1/2"
hair - brown
eyes - hazel
face - full
complex - fair
build - middling stout
reg no - 6295
Distinguishing Marks - Ink marks left arm, ditto fingers

peterd wrote:poss him, either christend twice or first one died ?



CHARLES FARLEY
Christening: 20 MAR 1836 Upton Warren, Worcester,

Father: THOMAS FARLEY
Mother: HANNAH


CHARLES FARLEY
Christening: 04 DEC 1836 Upton Warren, Worcester,

THOMAS FARLEY
HANNAH

This looks like the above Charles with his father Thomas and poss Grandparents, but where is Hannah? ...

1841: Village, Upton Warren, Worcester
John Farley 60 Agricultural Lab
Anne Farley 60
Thomas Farley 25
Caroline Farley 6
Charles Farley 5

all (y) born county

peterd wrote:discription

Farley Charles
6295
labourer
Single
kids none
hieght - 5' 1 1/2"
hair - brown
eyes - hazel
face - full
complex - fair
build - middling stout
reg no - 6295
Distinguishing Marks - Ink marks left arm, ditto fingers

It always amazes me how small our ancestors were As for alias, there was no deed poll, I believe you could call yourself what you wished, bit like us on here Linell.

I love to read when the person is described! It doesnt amaze me as such but realise how they fit through the doors of old houses!
Looks like Peter is on to something though.
Jo

This your Charles Farley in Perth, Annette?
Australian Electoral Role, West Australia 1903:
Charles Farley 8 Little Stirling St. gentleman
Matilda Farley 8 Little Stirling St. home duties

Australian Electoral Role, West Australia 1906:
Charles Farley 8 Little Stirling St. Independent means
Matilda Farley 8 Little Stirling St. home duties

Australian Electoral Role, West Australia 1910:
Alfred Henry Farley 16 Little Stirling St. Perth dyer and cleaner
Charles Farley 16 Little Stirling St. Perth caretaker
Matilda Farley 16 Little Stirling St. Perth married

Australian Electoral Role, West Australia 1916:
Charles Farley 16 Little Stirling St. Perth invalid
Matilda Farley 16 Little Stirling St. Perth home duties

If so, he did all right for himself out here and lived to a good age.

Previous?

County of Worcester, Epiphany Sessions, held at the Shirehall, 2nd Jan 1854
Charles Farley Horsestealing 6 months

County of Worcester, Assizes, 15th July 1854
Charles Farley Larceny and previous conviction 8 calendar months

County of Worcester, Midsummer Quarter Sessions, 2nd July 1855
Charles Farley Fraud 8 months

County of Worcester, Easter Sessions, 7th April 1856
Charles Farley Larceny (before convicted of Felony) 4 years

and finally
County of Worcester, Epiphany Sessions, 31 Dec 1860
Charles Farley Horsestealing before convicted of felony Penal Servitude - 7 years

If this is all the same Charles Farley, adding it up, in 7 years, between 1854 and 1860, he spent only 11 months out of jail!

Big, big thank you to everyone; you have all got the right person. He really seems to have had a problem with authority, even on parole in WA he still managed to end up in jail again. The last time he was sentenced was 1881 and was released in 1884 due to his failing eyesight. I have a copy of his original transportation papers, and when I first read his description, I thought he was 5ft 11in tall, explaining where my father got his height from. Until I looked again through a magnifying glass and realised he was all of 5ft 1-1/2 in tall, explaining where I got my height from !!!!!! Also, love the description of 'middling stout', I prefer to be called 'pleasantly plump'.............lol

Did you find his previous convictions using his birth name or alias, or both.

Once again, many thanx to you all.....

Annette .....

Found the previous convictions just under Charles Farley, Annette.
None of the Thomas Fairbrothers were from the right area in the Court Records.

Was it your Charles Farley in the WA Electoral Roles, Annette? I was interested in the fact that he was described as "gentleman" and of "Independent Means" in the 1903 & 1906.

dianel wrote:Was it your Charles Farley in the WA Electoral Roles, Annette? I was interested in the fact that he was described as "gentleman" and of "Independent Means" in the 1903 & 1906.

in other words he didnt get caught on his last job before retirering