By Irma Walter, 2024.
At the time of the 1841 Census, Edmund Sedgwick was aged 11, living with his parents, John and Nanney Sedgwick, in Sharp Street, Manchester, along with his brother James, aged 1. His father, aged 30, was described as a warehouseman. All were born in Lancashire County.
Edmund Sedgwick (or Edmond Sedgewick) became a carpenter by trade, but preferred to live by his wits on the street, apprehended several times from an early age up until 1863, when the presiding judge at the Manchester Quarter Sessions ran out of patience and decided that he should be transported to Western Australia for seven years. His previous convictions were as follows –
August 1851 – Reputed thief. Stealing money along with William Allen – sentenced to one month penal servitude –
York Herald, 17 May 1851.
May 1853 – Stealing a watch, sentenced to six months.[1]
19 May 1854 – Larceny from the person, convicted at Preston, six months.[2]
January 1855 – At Salford’s New Bailey, on trial with two others for stealing a watch.
Manchester Times, 24 January 1855.
19 February 1855 – Court found Edward Edwards for failure to appear to give evidence against Sedgwick and Craig.[3] Sedgwick was therefore acquitted of larceny from the person, but was described as having previously been convicted of felony, held at Preston and Salford.[4]
November 1855 – Sedgwick found guilty of stealing money, sentenced to four years’ penal servitude.[5]
9 March 1859 – Released on License from Chatham Prison and back on the streets.[6]
November 1859 – Stealing money, sentenced to four years as Edward B. Sedgwick. He spent time in Wakefield Prison before being transferred to Chatham Prison, described as aged 26, 5’2½”, with brown hair, a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and many scars on his face, elbow, wrist, back and knee.[7]
9 March 1863 – Released on license from Chatham Prison.[8]
6 April 1863 – Charged with larceny from the person, this time for stealing £8/10/- from George Packer, in company of ‘a woman of indifferent character’, Frances Lindley. Due to his previous convictions, Edmund was sentenced to seven years’ transportation. Lindley was discharged due to lack of evidence. At the time of arrest Edmund was described as a carpenter, aged 30, married, able to read and write. His wife’s name was recorded as Martha Sedgwick, of 25 Lime St, Rochdale Road, Manchester.[9] (In one prison record his name was recorded as Edmund Butterworth Sedgwick in June 1863.[10])
Manchester Courier, 28 March 1863.
Edmund was received at Portland Prison from Wakefield on 10 February 1864, ranked as 1st Class. While employed on a convict hulk his behaviour was exemplary.[11]
Arrival at Fremantle
Edmund Sedgwick arrived at Fremantle on the convict ship Corona, on 13 October 1866. He was described as a carpenter, single (?), aged 35, with red hair, hazel eyes, oval face, fair complexion, and middling stout. He had scars over both eyes, had lost all his top teeth and wore false ones.[12] His next-of-kin was listed as his sister Victoria Southall, of 8 Duke Street, Daley (? indecipherable).[13]
A note was entered in Edmund’s record that he was to serve six months’ probation in the Colony from the date of his arrival. He was issued his Ticket of Leave on 22 June 1867.[14]
His Employment Record in WA
20/ 6/ 67 – R. M. Fremantle – Ticket of Leave.
22/6/67 – Carpenter, 5/- per diem, for J.J. Harwood at Fremantle.
30/7/67 – Ditto.
13/11/67 – Fremantle to Perth.
13/11/67 – Axeman 46/- per month, for Assistant Surveyor Coule, at Perth.
22/11/67 – Carpenter, 5/- per day, for John Boleyn, at Perth.
22/6/68 – Carpenter, 4/6 per day, for D. Kerr, at Fremantle.
31/8/68 – Ditto, Hy. West.
21/11/68 – General Servant, 4/- per diem, for B. Von Bibra, at Fremantle.
5/12/68 – Carpenter, 5/- per diem, for Hy. West, at Fremantle.
31/12/68 – Ditto, £6 per month.
1/2/69 – Carpenter, 5/- per diem, for Jas. Cox, at Fremantle.
30/6/69 – Ditto, £6 per month.
19/2/70 – Sawyer, contract work, C. Keyser, at Busselton, Sussex.
4/4/70 – Carpenter, £5 per month, H. Yelverton, Quindalup, Sussex.
30/6/70 – Carpenter, £6 per month, ditto.
23/7/70 – Laborer, 20/- per month, J. Donovan, Quindalup, Sussex.
2/9/70 – Laborer, contract, for W. Scott, Quindalup, Sussex.
28/9/70 – Ditto, 4/- per diem, for G. Simpson, Wonnerup, Sussex.
10/10/70 – Ditto.
11/11/70 – Ditto, 30/- per month, for G. Layman, Wonnerup, Sussex.[15]
Offences
17/12/67 – At Perth, keeping a disorderly house and harbouring T/L men and prostitutes – six months. Owing to convictions, not eligible for a Certificate of Freedom before 20 November 1870.
25/8/68 – R. M. Fremantle – Having two Government blankets in his possession – 7 days’ /L.
25/8/68 – R. M. Fremantle – Neglecting to report to Police – cautioned.
4/12/68 – To Perth Prison from Fremantle.
4/12/68 – Not to be allowed to stay in Perth District. Memo, not to be allowed to remain in Fremantle District.
8/12/68 – Perth G. to Fremantle.
5/5/69 – R. M. Fremantle – Fighting – 10/- fine or 7 days’ H/L. Charged with fighting Benjamin Fitten, c.p., in public streets. Fitten discharged, Sedgwith fined 10/- or 14 days.[16] 6/5/69 – Sedgwick t/l., and George Anderson, expiree, found not guilty of stealing money from Fitten.[17]
8/11/69 – R. M. Fremantle – Leading an idle and dissolute life, immoral – 1 month H/L/ at Fremantle Prison.
1/1/70 – Name appears as prisoner, Reg. No. 9284, passenger from Fremantle to Vasse by ship Mazeppa.[18]
9/2/70 – R. M. Vasse – Entering a Public House when on Pass – 7 days’ H/L.
9/7 70 – R. M. Vasse – Entering a Public House while on Pass – 7 days’ H/L.
21/7/70 – R. M. Vasse – Obscene language – 5/-
11/8/70 – Working on own account without permission – Cautioned.
22/11/70 – To R. M. Vasse – Expiree, Certificate of Freedom.[19]
4/4/73 – Embarked at Albany for Newcastle, N.S.W.[20]
[No record of Edmund Sedgwick’s life after this date has been found.]
…………………………………………………………………………
[1] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R15).
[2] England and Wales Criminal Registers, Lancashire, 1853.
[3] Lancashire Quarter Session Records and Petitions for Edmund Sedgewick, Order Books, 1855.
[4] England and Wales Criminal Registers, Lancashire 1855.
[5] Chatham Prison, Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 2.
[6] Register of Prisoners, Chatham Prison, Kent, Series PCOM2, Piece No.7.
[7] Chatham Prison Registers of Prisoners, PCOM2, Piece No. 2.
[8] Register of Prisoners, Chatham Prison, Kent, Series PCOM2, Piece No.7.
[9] Portland Prison, General Record of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 379. (Note: Marriage to Martha Brown in Birmingham, 1850. See UK BMD Records, Vol. 16, Page 343.)
[10] Registers of Prisoners in County Prisons of Wakefield, HO23, Piece No. 19.
[11] Convict Hulks, Quarterly Returns of Prisoners, Series HO8, Piece Nos. 162-170.
[12] Convict Department, Estimates and Convict Lists (128/1-32)
[13] Victoria De Metta Sedgwick, aged 23, married Samuel Southell at Bradford, Lancashire In June Quarter, 1863. (UK BDM, Vol. 8d, Page 111.)
[14] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R15)
[15] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R15)
[16] Herald, 8 May 1869.
[17] Ibid.
[18] 1869 Vasse Ship Manifests, WA State Records Office of Western Australia, https:// www.wa.gov.au
[19] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R15)
[20] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R15)