Joseph Phillips

   Cause of his death was Pneumonia.

  General Notes:

From Sherriffs Assizes (vouchers E370/48/2)

"Shropshire 30th March 1816 sixteen convicts including Joseph Phillips

29th June 1816 put aboard hulks at Langson Harbour St Portsmouth
Reprieved Joseph Phillips for burglary
Shropshire Lent Assizes Calendar 5/136

JOSEPH PHILLIPS, aged 26 years, for a burglary in the dwelling house of Hannah Maria Aylcott, widow, and stealing various parts of her property.

Assizes adjourned at seven o’clock until tomorrow morning at nine o’clock. Friday morning the court sits again. Joseph Phillips found guilty and sentenced to he hanged. Reprieved, sentenced to seven years.

Indictment: The jurors for our Lord the King upon their oath doth present that Joseph Phillips, late of the parish Holy Cross and St. Giles in the town and liberties of Shrewsbury in the County of Salop*, labourer, on the 29th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen about the hour of one in the night with force and arms at parish aforesaid in county aforesaid the dwelling house of one Hanna Maria Aylett, widow, there situate feloniously and burglarly did break and enter with intent the goods and chattels of the said Hannah Maria Aylett in the said dwelling house then and there with force of arms.
One silver fruit knife value three shillings; one table value 20 shillings; one smelling bottle value one penny; one Shagreen bottle case value two shillings; three purses value two shillings; twenty shillings of money; 1 piece of gold coin of the realm half guinea value ten shillings and six pence; Four pocket books value two shillings; two work bags value sixpence; one table drawer value five shillings.
Of the goods and chattels of Hannah Maria Aylett in the same dwelling house then and there being found did steal, take and carry away against the peace of our said Lord and King his crown and dignity. Jury said guilty. To be hanged."

Joseph arrived in Australia on  10/3/1817 aboard "Sir William Bensley". (Obviously he wasn't hanged - his sentence was commuted to transportation.) Attached to the Parramatta Town Gang to begin with, he was later assigned to Thomas Shaw in 1822. By 1828 he was overseer Shingle Splitters, according to the Colonial Secretary's papers.

Census records c. 1934 state: "Age 45; free by servitude; occupation, labourer; employer: Grace Knight." He married Grace in August 1836 but she died only six months later. On 18/3/1837 he was granted permission to marry Mary O'Neill. The 1841 census states: "Residing in wooden house, Church Street, Parramatta, with Mary and son, Joseph."

By 1854 we have: "Abode - Church St. Parramatta, profession: carpenter." No mention of Mary this time - she had fled to  the Gunning District with Thomas Hill, who was assigned to Joseph, and whom she married on 20/4/1846, falsely declaring herself to be a widow.

Joseph was buried on 19th August 1854, in the Church of England section of  Old Parramatta Cemetery, Reference No. 1781, Vol: 41.

Physical Description: Height 5'11" (180cm) eyes: hazel; Hair: black; complexion: dark.
 

  Research Notes:

*Shropshire. "Salop" can also refer to the town of Shrewsbury itself.

from: Names of Railway Stations in New South Wales. With their Meaning and Origin. by C. A. IRISH

Bogan Gate (Parkes-Condobolin)
From Bogan, an Aboriginal word signifying the birthplace of a great king.
Bygalorie (Cootamundra-Lake Cargelligo)
After adjacent pastoral station. An Aboriginal word meaning, "Red kangaroo".
Fish River (South)
So named owing to fish being abundant.
Gunningbland (Parkes-Condobolin)
After name of adjacent sheep station and mountains.

Documents held:
Sherriffs Assizes Vouchers E370/48/2
Convict Transport Record.
NSW Marriage certificate.
NSW Burial Certificate.

  Some facts about his life:

• Religion: Wesleyan.

• Education: Could read and write.

• Occupation: Carpenter.

• Convict record: Sherriffs Assizes Vouchers E370/48/2, Convict Transport Record. ^{5 6}

Joseph married Grace Knight on 12 Aug 1836 in St Andrew's, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. (Grace Knight was born in 1768 in England and died on 17 Feb 1837 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.)

Joseph next married Mary O'neill, daughter of Hugh O'neill and Jane Malone, on 11 Apr 1837 in St John's, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.¹ (Mary O'neill was born on 13 Mar 1815 in Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland, christened on 27 Mar 1815 in R C Church, Lurgan, died on 10 Apr 1889 in Spring Creek, Dalton, New South Wales, Australia ⁷ and was buried on 12 Apr 1889 in C Of E Section, Gunning, New South Wales.) The cause of her death was Heart Disease.