GENERAL NOTES: Thomas Rees

Born: 23 Oct 1804 Newport, Isle of Wright, Hampshire, England
Christened: St James Street – Independent 25 Nov 1804
Parents: William Rees and Elizabeth Feltham, married 12 Oct 1802 Alverstoke, Hampshire, England
Siblings:
Martha 29 May 1813 Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England
William 17 Oct 1817 Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England

Description
Height: 5′ 9”
Eyes: Blue/Hazel
Hair: Dark brown
Remarks:
Dimple on the chin
High temples
Scar center of forehead
Scar back of left thumb
Crippled feet

Occupation: Boot and shoe maker

Tried: Hertford Assizes 14 July 1825
Sentence: Life

Crime: Sending threatening letters to the Committee for the Preservation of the Four (Tasmanian Convict indents). Sending a threatening letter to Joseph Taylor to destroy houses in Bishop’s Stortford and also charged with arson and burglary of the dwelling house of William Francis stealing various articles value £4/2/0d (Ken Griffin – ‘Transported Beyond the Seas’).

Place of Crime: Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.

Ship: WOODMAN a 420 ton Convict transport ship which made one voyage only to Hobart.
Departed Sheerness 6 Dec 1825 with 150 male convicts and a guard from the 39th Regiment. Some of the Regimental Officers were accompanied by their wives and families.

Ship’s Master: Lt Daniel Leary RN
Ist Mate: Mr Nutting
Surgeon: John Rodmell

Arrived Cape of Good Hope 4 Mar 1826 because of illness. The surgeon was replaced by Cornelius Kelly.

Arrived Hobart Town 29 Apr 1826. After landing Thomas was appropriated to public works.

An Incomplete Timeline:
19 Sep 1827: 14 days on the chain gang for being drunk
9 Jul 1830: admonished for not reporting to Police on returning from Perth
20 Jun 1831: applied for permission to marry Susannah Weavers (free)
27 Oct 1831: Married at St John’s Launceston (County Cornwell) (C/E)
Bride: Susannah Weavers of the Springs (now Breadalbane near Launceston)
Witnesses:
John Scott – Springs
William Jones – Launceston
Minister: W H Browne LL.D

13 Jul 1832: absconded from the colony while in the employ of Mr. Scott – Springs
30 Jun 1836: appears on the half yearly return of Runaway Convicts (Ref No CS01/36 page 733)
1 Mar 1839: Hannah Sarah born Launceston
11 Sep 1839: apprehended at Sydney, transferred to Port Arthur
13 Jul 1841: granted a Ticket of Leave
24 Dec 1841: Mary Ann Eliza born Hobart
3 Sep 1843: Thomas James born Launceston
27 Sep 1843: granted a conditional pardon No. Y31
14 Oct 1845: unnamed male born Cert 1031/33 and died Cert 431/35
17 Mar 1847: William Loftus born Launceston
26 Jan 1847: Pardon extended to any Country but Europe
17 Mar 1848: Aubrey Joseph born Launceston
1850: Death William Loftus and Aubrey Joseph in Sydney

Remarks:
Thomas does not appear in a census until 1848 (when he was technically free)

1 Jan 1848 Census Hampton Vale, Launceston
Thomas is listed as the Householder, Employer of Servants and the Person in Charge.
The proprietor is James McLachlan.
This census does not show names.
There are 6 males (Thomas, Thomas(5), William(1), two workers and a gardener)
There are 5 females (Susannah, Hannah(9), Mary Ann Eliza (7) and two other girls between 14 and 21)

I cannot find (or recognize) their deaths in any Australian State