The Boddington-Ingram Family History

William BODDINGTON

• Born: 1806, Hamerton, Huntingdonshire, England
• Marriage (1): Mary JACOB in 1828 in St. Swithin's Parish Church, Old Weston, Huntingdonshire, England
• Marriage (2): Rosa JONES on 30 Mar 1853 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
• Died: 19 Oct 1888, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia aged 82

Notes:

William BODDINGTON was born in Hammerton, a tiny hamlet of about a dozen tithed cottages and a population of less than 130 souls, in the county of Huntingdon. He later moved with his family to nearby Old Weston where he met and married Mary Jacob, the daughter of a fellow farm worker and neighbour. They had one child, a son who was born in 1828.

On 11th March 1830, William BODDINGTON was tried at Huntingdon Assizes and found guilty of stealing a ewe. Evidently the 'felt' (sic), was found concealed under his bed. This was his second conviction, having previously served three months for stealing 'pease' (sic). He was summarily sentenced by the court to transportation for life and, along with 215 other male convicts, was sent to the Penal Colony of Van Diemen's Land, (present day Tasmania) on board the convict ship "The Clyde". The ship sailed from Portsmouth on 23 August 1830 and arrived at the port of Hobart on 18th December 1830.

William's record on arrival at the Penal Colony reads as follows:...

"Police No: 1432 Name: William Boddington Height: 5' 3½" Age: 24
Trade or calling: Ploughman, reap, milk etc.
Where tried: Huntingdon Assizes
When tried: 11 Mar. 1830 Sentence: Life
Native place: Old Weston; Hunts.
Married or single: M Children: 1
Religion: Protestant
Read or write: Neither
Offence: Stealing sheep
Ship Character: Very Good
Remarks: Once stealing peas 3 months..."

William left behind his wife Mary and a 2 year old son in England. After spending several months in the local almshouse Mary moved to Manchester to start a new life. It is not known whether she obtained an annulment of her marriage to William.

After a short period of hard labour in the penal colony, William was assigned to the Van Diemen's Land Company, where he was given paid work and where he remained in servitude for the next 8-9 years. On 24th April 1839, having had no convictions recorded against him during his time in the Colony, William was granted a ticket-of-leave. Two months later however, on 25th June 1839 he was arrested for harbouring two convicts illegally at large. He was subsequently charged and found guilty of misconduct and on the 14th September 1841 was sentenced to fourteen days hard labour on the treadwheel. He finally received a Conditional Pardon on 24th November 1842.

Records from the Tasmanian Archives Office show that William Boddington married Rosa Jones, (a female convict, recently arrived in the Colony) at Launceston on 5 March 1853. On 4th October of the same year, having been "freed by servitude", he left Launceston on board the ship "Pirate" bound for Geelong and Melbourne. It is believed that, along with many other freed convicts, he joined the popular goldrush to Victoria. According to the ship's Passenger List, he was not accompanied by his wife Rosa. There is no trace of him after his arrival on mainland Australia. However, it would seem that he did not fare very well in the gold fields of Victoria and returned to Tasmania some years later as poor as when he left it. Tasmanian Office Convict Records show that on 19 October 1888, William Boddington aged about 83, classified as "invalid and suffering senility", died from his infirmity and was buried a pauper in Cypress Street Cemetery, Launceston. As far as we know, there were no children from his marriage to Rosa Jones. ^{1 2 3}

There is a sad and rather poignant sequel to this story. It seems that when the ewe was stolen, William had an accomplice who was equally if not more guilty and was generally thought to be the guiding influence behind the crime. However, throughout his trial, William would not "peach", (sic) on his comrade. Some years later, William's nephew Joseph, recalls as a boy walking in the fields with John, (the old grandfather) and having pointed out to him with scorn a certain farm labourer by the name of "HAILES", and saying... "See, that's the man as should have been transported and not my boy William!". (From the genealogical notes of family historian Henry Boddington and reproduced here courtesy of cousin and fellow researcher Clive Boddington). ⁴

William married Mary JACOB in 1828 in St. Swithin's Parish Church, Old Weston, Huntingdonshire, England. (Mary JACOB was born circa 1811 in <Old Weston, Huntingdonshire, England>.)

William next married Rosa JONES on 30 Mar 1853 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. (Rosa JONES was born on an unknown date.)