GEORGE WALLIS
One of 300 Convicts Transported on “Susan” 1837
Sentenced to Life at Cornwall Assizes
Transported to Van Diemen’s Land
NAME: GEORGE WALLIS
AGE: 22 – born about 1815
NATIVE PLACE: Cornwall
TRIED: 24 March 1837, Cornwall Assizes
SENTENCE: Death Sentence recorded; Reprieved; Transportation for Life
CRIME: Setting fire to a stay of hay, property of Hugh Barratt at Gwennap
GAOL REPORT: Unknown, but appears a quiet man
HULK REPORT: Good
CRIMINAL REGISTER: George Wallis, 32, born about 1815, tried 24 March 1837, Cornwall,
Sentence of Death recorded; Reprieved; Transportation for Life
HULK REGISTER: No 7291 – George Wallis, 22, born about 1815, tried New Sarum, for Arson,
received onboard prison hulk “York” moored at Gosport on 12 May 1837, sentenced to transportation
for Life, single, can read and write, miner, (gaol report) character not known, sent via “Susan” to
VDL 24 July 1837
SHIP: Susan (third voyage) – departed Spithead 5 August 1837, arrived Hobart 21 November 1837, a
voyage of 108 days, carrying 300 male convicts (293 landed). Master Henry Neatby, Surgeon Edward
Hilditch
SURGEON’S REPORT ONBOARD: (Folio 4: George Wallace, aged 23, convict; disease or wound,
diarrhoea; put on sick list 20 October 1837, discharged 24 October 1837 cured. (Note: there was no
George Wallace as well as George Wallis onboard, so this is the same man)
SURGEON’S GENERAL COMMENTS: (Folios 26-27) - The Susan embarked her convicts 300 in
number at Portsmouth on 24 July [1837] and sailed from Spithead on 5 August 1837, and arrived at
Hobart Town on the 22 November 1837 (in 109 days) and disembarked the prisoners on the 27 of the
same month, having lost six by death and had one returned to the Hulk at Portsmouth by order of the
Superintendent of convicts in London. She left Hobart Town on 13 December [1837], with the Guard
and 19 male convicts, received at that port, and arrived at Sydney, New South Wales on the 24th of
the same month, discharged the convicts on the following day and the Guard on 26th December. The
cases of erysipelas commenced on 21 August were generally of a constitutional character, the cases
were for the most part obstinate and several of them were of the adematous character, the surgeon's
opinion show that the disease was not communicated by contagion which he referred to in the cases of
erysipelas in no 7 and 14 in the journal as an examples. In the case of gastritis no 6 no post mortem
was instituted on account of the weather not permitting it, and in the case no 12 the appearances of the
different viscera were healthy and there was nothing observed to account for the death of the
individual unless it be the great venous congestion
DESCRIPTION –
Trade: Cornish Miner - Labourer
Height: 5’ 6”
Age: 23
Complexion: Fresh
Head: Oval
Hair: Brown
Whiskers: None
Visage: Oval
Forehead: High
Eyebrows: Brown
Eyes: Grey
Nose: Medium
Mouth: Medium
Chin: Medium
Native Place: Cornwall
Remarks: None
TASMANIAN CONDUCT RECORD –
Crime:
Transported for arson – stated this offence “setting fire to a stack of hay”
Probation:
Appropriation List - No 2326 – George Wallis, 5’6”, 23, Cornish Miner and Labourer, Tried Cornwall for
Life, Native Place Cornwall, Assigned to ___ (? Colliery Stephen Main, or Colliery Hopen Mine ?)
Assignment:
4 February 1838 – Port Arthur
26 January 1844 – Port Arthur
24 June 1844 – SWR (Salt Water River) or - CMB (Coal Mines?)
Offences and Sentences:
28 July 1840 – Port Arthur - Not performing sufficient work – One month hard labour in chains
22 March 1841 – Richmond Bay Coal Mines – Insubordination – One month hard labour, 14 days of which
to be served in solitary confinement
Ticket of Leave:
11 November 1845
Conditional Pardon:
1847 - George Wallis, Susan, Cornwall, Life, 9 years 7 months, 7 months, Has completed upwards of Ten
Years under a Life Sentence with generally good conduct (HO 10/60)
1841 Convict Muster:
No 2326 – George Wallis, Susan 1837, Maine Department (Mine ?) (HO 10/51)
1846 Convict Muster:
George Wallis, Cornwall 1837, Life, Susan 1837, Ticket-of-Leave (HO 10/39)
1849 Convict Muster:
George Wallis, Cornwall 1837, Life, Susan 1837, Conditional Pardon (HO 10/40)
NEWSPAPER REPORTS –
ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 31 MARCH 1837 – CORNWALL LENT ASSIZES – The Crown Court
was opened by Mr Baron Gurney at 10 o’clock on Monday morning in the usual way. The attendance of the
Magistrates and Gentlemen of the County was numerous.
THIRD DAY – George Wallis, 22, charged with having, on the 19th November last, at the parish of
Gwennap, set fire to a stack of hay, the property of Hugh Barratt.
Hugh Barratt keeps a beer-shop at Gwennap, and had a stack of hay 72 yards from his house; on the 18th of
November last, he was alarmed by a person coming at night, knocking at the door, and calling fire; went to
the rick, and found it so enveloped in flames that it could not be approached.
Stephen Mitchell works at Poldark Mine; on the 18th November, prisoner came to the blacksmith’s shop
about eleven o’clock at night; he lighted the fire with a rope, as is usually done in mines, and produced the
piece of rope; prisoner took up a piece of …
(Note: Item moved on to page 2, but this page was very poor quality and the scan is illegible for the most
part)
WEST BRITON, 24 MARCH 1837 – NEWS –
The telegraphic information we gave last week of the check General Evans had received from the Carlist
forces at Hernani, and his retreat to San Sebastian, turns out, we regret to state, to be in substance correct.
We need not give the particulars of the misadventures here, as they are found in our Foreign Intelligence
section. [General Evans was defeated, with a heavy cost in British lives, as a previous notice had mentioned.
jm]
WEDNESDAY, March 29 - [somewhat condensed, as it was a long description - jm] [the mandatory
punishment for arson was death - jm] - George WALLIS, 22, indicted for having, on the 19th day of
November, last, in the parish of Gwennap, unlawfully and maliciously set fire to a certain stack of hay, the
property of Hugh Barratt.
Hugh Barratt, beer-shop owner at Gwennap, had a stack of hay 72 yards from the house. On the 18th of
Nov., he was alarmed by a person coming at night, knocking at the door, and calling fire; came downstairs,
and saw prisoner and William Slanter* outside. Went to the rick, and found it enveloped with flames.
Steven Mitchell works in Poldice Mine. Prisoner came to the Blacksmith's shop about eleven o'clock. He
lighted the fire with a rope, as is usually done in mines. John Penrose came with the prisoner, and they had a
feat of strength with the anvil. Prisoner took up the rope, and lighted it. Witness took it away, and threw it
back. Prisoner lighted it again. Penrose asked what he was going to do with it; prisoner said he only wanted
it a few minutes, and walked away.
Witness looked after him, till he had got about 241 yards off (measured the distance the next day) and saw
him about 120 yards beyond the engine-pool. The rope was alight then; the wind caused it to blaze. A little
while after he saw the rick on fire.
William Stanton* saw the rick on fire, and called up to Mr. Barratt. While he was doing so, prisoner came to
the door, and said he had been knocking before, but could not make any one hear. Witness said he would
knock the door down, but that he would make them hear. Maid came immediately.
John Penrose confirmed the statement of Mitchell, so far as he was concerned.
James Barnard, constable, apprehended the prisoner, who told him (constable) that he did not set fire to the
hay; that he threw the rope into the engine-pool. Witness requested him to go with him to find it; he did so,
but it could not be found.
William James Genn testified the prisoner stated he took the rope away from roguishness, and threw it away.
He saw the fire before he got home, but he went in to eat something, then came out and went to alarm
Barratt.
Mr. Cockburn made a very able defence. The Judge recapitulated the evidence to the Jury, who, after sitting
some time, requested to withdraw. Jury returned after about three hours, finding the prisoner guilty, but
recommended him to mercy. The Judge informed the jury that if the hay stack had adjoined the house, he
could not have attended to their merciful recommendation; it now nearly approaches to the capital offence,
but he should recommend the prisoner to the merciful consideration of his Majesty. Death was recorded
against him. [* John Staton and John Slanter are probably the same person. jm]
REFERENCES –
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON31-1-48,226,28,L,80
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON27-1-7,188,114,L,80
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON18-1-19,237,231,L,80
Founders and Survivors –
http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/c31a31480080
Last Updated: 27 March 2011
Compiled by Trish Symonds