By Irma Walter, 2020.
George Garment and his twin sister Marion were christened at the village of Wyke Regis near Weymouth, to parents Benjamin Garment, labourer, and his wife Ann (nee Steele), on the 6th December 1819.[1] At age 17 George was convicted of stealing oranges.[2] For this crime he was privately whipped and then given up to his father and mother.[3]
At aged 34 he was received on 5 September 1850 at the Dorchester Prison and committed to stand trial for rape at the Lent Assizes.[4] He was convicted in Dorchester on 13 March 1851 of rape. A newspaper report of the incident names his victim:
George Garment was convicted of having violated his niece, Maria Philips, under the most revolting circumstances and was sentenced to be transported for life.[5]
At the time of the 1851 Census, the record for the Parish of St Peter in Dorchester, Dorset, lists George Garment, born in Weymouth, as an inmate of the Dorchester Gaol.
He was received onboard the William Jardine from Pentonville Prison.[6] The ship left Plymouth on 3 May 1852 and arrived in Western Australia on 1 August with 212 convicts.[7]
Garment was described as a porter, married with one child. [Nothing is known of his wife and child.] His physical description was as follows – height 5’7¼”, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, an oval face, dark complexion, stout in build. His identification marks were ten letters on his right arm, a crucifix on left arm and scars on his face.[8]
Garment’s convict records are sparse. On 4 October 1853 he was a member of a large group of Provisional Prisoners sent to the Clarence Road encampment in charge of Mr Ward Hanratty as Assistant Overseer, with George Garment (No. 1292) and Michael Kelshaw (No. 1654) nominated as Constables.[9] He received his ticket-of-leave on 17 February 1855.
[Note: It is likely that ‘George Graminent’, mentioned briefly in the journals of Marshall Waller Clifton as employed by him to dig five acres on 24 June 1859 and dismissed on 2 August was the same man, as no other convict is recorded under that name.[10]]
Garment’s Conditional Pardon was issued on 11 September 1863, when he was sent to Bunbury, arriving there on 21 September. Where he was employed is not known.
In 1879 George Garment, expiree, (late 1292), was charged at Bunbury on 10th inst. by Sergeant Campbell with being drunk while in charge of a team of bullocks; 14 days’ hard labour; riding on team without reins; fined 20s, and costs or 7 days’ hard labour.[11]
On 6 June 1882 George Garment was killed by accident when a cart passed over him.[12] The results of the inquest that followed his death are as follows:
On the 7th ult., at Bunbury, before W. P. Clifton, R.M. and Coroner, on the body of George Garment, exp., late 1292, who was run over by a bullock team on the 6th ult.
Verdict —”Accidental death.” [13]
His age appears in the WA Death Index as 67, but there are no further details:
George Garment, aged 67, parents unknown, died 1882.[14]
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Since publication of the above article, the following two letters have been discovered.
Superintendent of Fremantle Prison to Comptroller-General, Acc 1156/C4
Letter a2/377, image 108.
To the Superintendent, 22 Oct 1854
Reg No 1292, George Garment.
Sir,
I beg to be excused in taking this liberty of writing to you upon a matter of great importance to me future comfort should I be spared to obtain my Ticket of Leave. I entered myself, on my arrival in this Colony, as a married man. I was married in England in the year 1834 to Lydia Phillips, we had two children, one of them died in 1838. On the 19th September 1840, I entered on board of a Man of War, and left England for the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the half of my pay for the support of my wife and child. In the March following I received a letter while I lay at Malta from the Customs Collector at Weymouth, stating that my wife had deserted my child and gone away in company with another man, and wishing me to send directions to him how to dispose of my half pay. I write instructions requesting that Gentleman to pay the money to those (my Father and Mother) who had care of my child. Since March 1841, I have not seen or heard of my wife and I feel desirous to know under the above circumstances should I be prohibited from taking a wife should an opportunity present itself. I beg, Sir, that you will pardon this and grant me the favor of your assistance to obtain the settlement of this question of which I am present in doubt.
I am, Sir, Your most obed hbl Servt
Geo Garment.
…
To Comptroller General, 23 Oct 1854
Sir, I have the honor to refer to you, the annexed letter from Pro Pris: 1292 George Garment, relative to the question of his re-marriage, under circumstances therein setforth. I request your direction on the subject.
Garment is a very steady well behaved man, and one, in my opinion, whose words is to be relied upon, still, he has no document to show that his statements are fully borne out, – I mention this to guard against any doubts.
I have &c, T.H. Dixon
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[1] Dorset Church of England Births & Baptisms, Wyke Regis, 1813 – 1885.
[2] Dorchester Prison Admission & Discharge Registers, 1827 – 1839.
[3] Dorset Quarter Sessions Order Books, 1827 – 1836 (QSM 1/16).
[4] Dorchester Prison Admission & Discharge Registers, 1847 – 1850.
[5] Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 22 March 1851.
[6] Convict Department Superintendent Orders, 1850 – 1854 (SO1-SO3)
[7] Convict Ships to WA, at members.iinet.net.au
[8] Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 22 March 1851.
[9] Convict Department Superintendent Orders, 1850 – 1854 (SO1-SO3
[10] Phyllis Barnes et al, Editors, The Australind Journals of Marshall Waller Clifton 1840 – 1861, Hesperian Press, Victoria Park WA, 2010, pp.592 & 595.
[11] Police Gazette, 7 May 1879, p.83.
[12] Convict Department General Register, 1850 – 1868, (R21B).
[13] Police Gazette, 5 July 1882, p111.
[14] WA Government Department of Justice, Death Register, No. 11340, at (https://www.bdm.justice.wa.gov.au)