Registers at Archive
Details of many hundreds of those sent to UK prisons and their offences between 1844 and 1939 are contained in Royal Court Transportation Registers, now in storage at Jersey Archive.
The title is perhaps a little confusing because transportation is generally understood to refer to those offenders sent to the Colonies - particularly Australia - to serve their sentences. It is clear that Jersey's registers do not just cover those who ended up on the other side of the world, because according to the Australian Convict Transportation Registers 1791 – 1868 held in the National Archives at Kew, only 69 prisoners were transported to Australia from Jersey. Of those 69 only three were women.
The last entry in Jersey's registers, dated 1939, gives a further clue to the difference in meaning, because it refers to a 17-year-old Jersey girl sent to England to be held in a Borstal institution for three years.
There is a possibility that this woman is still alive, so we are not going to disclose her name. The register shows that she had been infatuated with a married man for nine months and they had committed a series of robberies together. She was initially sent to a Reform School in Salisbury, but absconded, and after being recaptured she was returned to Jersey to be sentenced for breach of probation.
As with all those offenders in the registers, details are given about the girl's background. She is said to have been of good character before embarking on a crime spree, to have respectable parents, and to be able to read and write well. However, although she was described as 'intelligent' and with 'good feeling' she was further reported as 'irresponsible, with no religious interests, and immoral.
After her trial in April 1939 she was sent to Holloway Prison some nine weeks later, but she was discharged on licence on 12 September, this decision perhaps influenced by the outbreak of war two weeks earlier.
Selected records
The entries in the registers from 1844 onwards provide a fascinating insight into crime in Jersey and other aspects of Jersey life and we are in the process of transcribing some of the most interesting.
New batches will appear here as time permits.
Philip Bishop
Aged 28 – Burglary and theft – Convicted in October 1843 – sentenced to 14 years – Confined in prison five times before this offence – five years in a career of crime – Idle, drunken and bad character – mother respectable – single – reads and write well – no trade – seems to be well acquainted with the principles of morality; attended a Sunday school when a boy but has been led astray by bad company – tampered with his left leg soon after his conviction to evade the course of the law. He was detected with a cord around it which soon after caused an abcess to form about the knee joint, now nearly well by surgical treatment. The cord which Bishop made use of was formed with shreds of his shirt.
George Viney
27 – theft of a heifer and a sheep – November 1843 – 7 years - single – no trade – has not attended any place of worship since he has been in the island. Has in great measure forgotten what he was taught when a boy.
Thomas Bowring
23 – burglary and theft – January 1844 – 14 years – married, no children – reads and writes well – painter – is well acquainted with the principles of religion and morality.
Robert Bartlet
23 – robbing a church – February 1844 – 14 years – the master by whom he was employed for the last 18 months up to the time of his incarceration states that his conduct had been generalloy good with the exception of being addicted to drink – married, one child – reads well, writes imperfectly – stonemason – knows his duty towards god and man but neglects public worship, his bibble, and has been led away by bad company.
George Le Masurier
30 – Burglary and theft – 30 March 1844 - 7 years – has been confined in prison six times previous to this offence, twice for theft and four times for ill treating people and insulting the police. Convicted three times – lived a life of crime for four years – idle, drunkard and bad character - married with three children, wife and family of indifferent character – Carpenter, reads and writes well – is tolerably well acquainted with the principles of religion and morality but has been led astray by bad company.
Thomas Dyer
33 – Burglary and Theft – 12 April 1844 – 7 years – Married with three children – reads imperfectly – no trade or profession – knows something of Religion but neglected public worship and his Bible since he was a boy – good health – brought back to Jersey for ill health, being rejected by the doctor at Millbank Prison
William Wellman
34 – Burglary and theft – 23 April 1844 – confined in prison once previous to this for theft, but liberated for want of evidence – seven years – five years in a life of crime Idle drunkard, very bad character – married, no children – reads imperfectly – is well acquainted with the principles of religion and morality – good health –
William Campion
35 – Burglary and theft – 23 April 1844 – seven years – married no children – reads well, writes imperfectly – no trade – is well acquainted with the principles of Religion and morality – good health -
John Burridge
(alias Bowdige) 39 – Burglary and theft – 23 April 1844 – married, 7 children – reads and writes imperfectly – no trade – knows his duty towards God and man but has neglected public worship and his Bible and been led astray by bad company – good health
Edward de Louche
39 – Burglary and theft – 22 May 1844 – term of his life – has been confined in this prison eight times previous to this offence, once for swindling, five times for theft and twice for burglary. Convicted six times – six years in a life of crime – drunkard and bad character – parents dead. Has a brother bearing a bad character, low in life – married, no children – reads well, writes imperfectly – plasterer – good health
Thomas Locklin
24 – 22 May 1844 – 14 years – has been confined in this prison three times previous to this offence, once for theft, twice for violent conduct in hospital, breaking and destroying windows and furniture, insulting the master and others and threatening them with a drawn knife – two years in life of crime – drunkard and bad character – parents respectable – single – reads French – tailor - good health
