By Irma Walter, 2021.
William Horton’s story is yet another example of the harsh treatment meted out to young offenders in 19th Century Britain.
On 30 June 1851 William Hortin, a farm labourer, aged 18, was convicted at Warwick of stealing money at Shipston Upon Stour and was sentenced to ten years’ transportation. A prior conviction of housebreaking in 1849, for which he spent three months in a House of Correction with hard labour and was whipped, was taken into account during sentencing.[1]
Leamington Spa Courier, 5 July 1851.
William Hortin was the son of Joseph Hortin, labourer, of Lower Tysoe in Warwickshire.[2] Following his 1851 conviction William was held in Millbank Prison for one month and seven days, with his conduct recorded as ‘Tolerable’.[3] On 26 December 1851 he was transferred to Pentonville Prison, where he spent 14 months, followed by 19 months at Woolwich.[4] He was sent to Dartmoor Prison, described as an invalid with ‘Bad’ behaviour, before going to Plymouth Prison on 6 October 1853.[5] In total William Hortin spent a total of three years, two weeks and seven days at Public Works.[6]
He was taken from Dartmoor prison to be transported on the convict ship Nile, leaving on 23 September 1857 and arriving at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 1 January 1858.[7] On arrival he was described as aged 24, single, with brown hair, hazel eyes, an oval face, sallow complexion and stout build. He had a deep scar at the corner of his left eye, and a small cut over his left eyebrow.[8] He could read but not write.
His Record in Western Australia
William’s conduct from the time of his arrival shows a lack of acceptance of his situation, with frequent minor offences penalised with fines or terms of imprisonment –
1/1/58 – Arrived in WA on Nile.
2/3/58 – Sent down from the Mt Eliza Party by Medical Attendant on account of ‘Mental
Alienation’. Described as very eccentric and, though in no way violent, not amenable to discipline. Report, 8/3/58 – ‘He appears intelligent, with good memory and quite rational. There is nothing peculiar in his appearance, manner or conduct. Discharged 8/3/58.’ Re-admitted to hospital same day on account of wound on the back of his fore-arm accidentally inflicted by an axe falling on him. Discharged 19/3/58.[9]
26/3/58 – Admonished.[10]
29/1/58 – M.E. (Medical Establishment?)
3/2/58 – C.E. (Convict Establishment.[11]
8/11/58 – Ticket of Leave.
6/1/59 – RM York – Out after hours. Fined 7/6d.
25/1/59 – RM York – Breach of contract. Settled out of Court.
8/2/59 – Convicted by RM Lewis J Bayley, of absconding from his employment and wandering about the country without reporting himself for a third time. Six months’ Hard Labour. Discharged to T/L on 4/10/59.
19/2/59 – Separate Confinement. Removed 19/5/59.
16/5/59 – Petitioned. Reply on 20/6/59 – Case will be considered for Road Party at expiration of sentence – Submitted August 1859.
3/8/59 – Three months at S. Bay Party. To S. Bay on 11/8/59.
3/10/59 – Returned to Convict Establishment.[12]
5/11/60 – Fremantle Bench – Attempting to abscond onboard American whaling ship – Sentenced to two years at Convict Establishment. Released 7/3/62.
1/4/62 – Assaulting another on York Road – Twelve months.
14/5/63 – Released to Ticket of Leave.[13]
6/6/63 – RM Bunbury – Fighting, etc. Fined 5/-.
8/6/63 – Drunk and causing a disturbance. Fourteen days at Bunbury.
8/8/63 – Refusing to enter Depot.
11/8/63 – Drunk at Bunbury. Fined 5/-.
20/8/63 – Ditto. Three months at Convict Establishment.
21/1/64 – Released to Fremantle.
9/2/64 – RM Fremantle – Drunk and resisting police. One month’s Hard Labour at Convict Establishment.[14]
13/2/64 – Discharged to Harvey Road Party.[15]
22/4/64 – To Bunbury.
8/9/64 – RM Victoria District – Drunk, loitering around Public Houses. Fined 7/6d.
22/10/64 – RM Victoria District – Riding on cart without reins. Fined 5/-.
26/11/64 – RM Victoria District – Drunk at P……, ill-using horse and obscene language.[16]
His Employment Record in WA
30/6/63 – Labourer, £2 per month, Wellington District, E Wilson, Bunbury.
7/8/63 – Labourer, £1 per month, Wellington District, H(?) Thompson, Bunbury.
21/1/64 – Labourer, piece work, Fremantle, HM Lefroy.
18/4/64 – Labourer, 30/- per month, Bunbury, Joshua Stinton, Murray River.
30/6/64 – Labourer, 40/- per month, Murray District, S Law.
12/9/64 – Labourer, 40/- per month, Victoria District, W Criddle, Greenough.
1/2/65 – Labourer, 30/- per month, Victoria District, G Marchetti, Greenough.
16/2/65 – Labourer, 40/- per month, Victoria District, JS Maley, Greenough.
4/3/65 – Labourer, 40/- per month, Victoria District, C Jones, Greenough.
17/5/65 – Labourer, 30/- per month, Victoria District, R Bell, Greenough.[17]
Little more is known of William Hortin/Horton. Erickson states that he employed a ticket-of-leave woodcutter in 1864.[18]
On 11 August 1865 William Horton was awarded his Certificate of Freedom. On 31 January 1867, at the age of 32, he was charged with absconding from the service of James Taylor (place unknown). He was sentenced to three months in gaol, received there on 16 February 1867 and discharged on 30 April 1867.[19]
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[1] England & Wales Criminal Registers, Warwickshire, 1849.
[2] UK National Archives, England & Wales Crimes, Prisons & Punishment, Pentonville Prison Register of Prisoners, PCOM 2, Piece No. 64.
[3] UK Prison Commission Records, Portsmouth Prison Register of Prisoners, https://www.ancestry.co.uk
[4] Convict Establishment, Medical by Patient (M4-M6)
[5] UK National Archives, England & Wales Crimes, Prisons & Punishment, Pentonville Prison Register of Prisoners, PCOM 2, Piece No. 64.
[6] UK Prison Commission Records, Portsmouth Prison Register of Prisoners, https://www.ancestry.co.uk
[7] Convict Department Registers, Character Book for Nos 4508 – 5585 (R8)
[8] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R1)
[9] Convict Establishment, Medical by Patient (M4-M6)
[10] Convict Department Registers, Character Book for Nos 4508 – 5585 (R8)
[11] Ibid.
[12] Convict Department Registers, Reconvicted Prisoners Register (R10)
[13] Convict Department, Receipts & Discharges (RD3-RD4)
[14] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R1)
[15] Convict Department, Receipts & Discharges (RD3-RD4)
[16] Convict Department Registers, General Register (R1)
[17] Convict Department, General Register (R1)
[18] Rica Erickson, Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australia, p.1536, at http://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.au/the-bicentennial-dictionary-of-western-australians.html
[19] Convict Establishment, Miscellaneous, Local Prisoner Register (V16)