John Francis (1794 - 1836)

Born 1794 in St Domingo, Dominica

Died 23 Oct 1836 at about age 42 in Green Point, Tasmania

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Africans convicted and transported from Great Britain to Australia

Biography

John Francis has African ancestry.

John Francis was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to Van Diemen's Land

John Francis was born in St Domingo in 1794. (see research notes) On 4th September 1834 he can be found at Middlesex Gaol Delivery, (Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey) in London where he was on trial for theft. ^{[1] [2]} An image depicting a trial at the same court, and dated 1808, (26 years before the trial of John) can be seen to the right. The transcript of John's transcript begins:

the 11th of August , at St. George, Hanover-square, 1 watch, value 7l.; and 1 gold chain, value 5l.; the property of Paul Laye , in the dwelling-house of Earl Cadogan . ^[1]

In his own defence, John said:

I do not know how I got it, as I was quite intoxicated by half a pint of whiskey, which a gentleman gave me to drink where I went to take a portmantean - I got home, and they put me to bed - next morning, I found the watch in my pocket, but I know nothing about it. ^[3]

John was subsequently handed down a sentence of 21 years transportation to Van Diemen's Land. A full transcript of John's trial at the Old Bailey can be seen ^{[2] [4]}

On 18th November 1834, John was one of 244 passengers on the Convict Ship, Waterloo, which sailed from Portsmouth in England and arrived in Hobart, Van Diemen's Land on 3rd March 1835, making a convict after the 3rd fleet. ^{[5] [6]}

Descriptive records of John includes the following details:

Social and Family

• Family: Widower
• Marital Status: Widower
• Trade: Labourer and Hair Dresser

Physical Description

• Age: 53 (see research notes)
• Body Marks: a man of colour, blind in right eye
• Eyes: Blue, blind right
• Hair: Black, woolly
• Height: 5 foot 4 1/2 inches ^{[4] [7]}

John passed away on 23rd October 1836 at Green Point in Tasmania. He was buried on 26th October 1836. The Registration place for John's death was New Norfolk, Tasmania, and the Registration number: 4730. ^[4]

The Conduct Record for John Francis at Libraries Tasmania is available here ^[8]

Research Notes

Year Birth
There is a conflict of data for the age of John.
He is recorded as being born in 1781 (age 53 when he was transported) ^[4] and in other sources of data for him as being born in 1794 (age 40 at the time of transportation) ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} The Digital Panopticon John Francis b. 1794, Life Archive ID obpt18340904-10-defend179 (https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/life?id=obpt18340904-10-defend179). Version 1.2.1, consulted 20th March 2022.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Old Bailey Online, John Francis (1820) [1]
3. ↑ Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 19 March 2022), September 1834, trial of JOHN FRANCIS (t18340904-10).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Founders and Survivors, John Francis [2]
5. ↑ Convict Records - John Francis [3]
6. ↑ Convict Ship, Waterloo (1834) [4]
7. ↑ Beyond the Pale, Immigrants to VDL before 1900, John Francis (Dominica) [5]
8. ↑ Libraries Tasmania, John Francis, Conduct Record [6]