William Sharp, alias James Campbell, Soldier and Convict

1832 - Aft 1865  (~ 34 years)

• Name	William Sharp
  Suffix	alias James Campbell, Soldier and Convict
  Born	c 1832	County Antrim, Ireland (likely in Belfast)
  	William's wife Margaret stated in 1855 that William had been born in Antrim, Ireland. His elder sister Mary Ann Sharp (born c 1830) said she was born in Belfast and therefore it is a reasonable assumption that William was also born in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.
  Gender	Male
  Emigrated:	c 1839-1840	from Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland to Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
  	Date estimated from statements made in his sister Mary Ann Sharp's 1854 poor law application.
  Census:	6 Jun 1841	27 Well Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire
  	John Sharp, age 35-39, agricultural labourer, born Ireland. Biddy Sharp, age 35-39, born Ireland. John Sharp, age 13, born Ireland. William Sharp, age 11, born Ireland. Mary Ann Sharp, age 9, born Ireland. Briddy Sharp, age 4, born Ireland.
  Residence:	30 Mar 1851	7 Maxwellton Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
  	William is lodging with widowed seamstress, Mary Erskine and her young son: William Sharp, unmd, age 20, Slater, born Ireland.
  Residence:	Aug 1851	After their marriage, Margaret moves into William\'s lodgings with Mrs Erskine at 3 Maxwellton Street, Paisley
  	[Information from Margaret\'s relief application]
  Residence:	Aug 1851 - May 1852	William and Margaret lodging at McKaim\'s at High Street, Paisley (where their eldest daughter Margaret is born)
  	[Information from Margaret\'s relief application]
  Residence:	Jul 1852	William, Margaret and daughter Margaret move from Paisley to Ayrshire
  Residence:	May 1852 - Jul 1852	William, Margaret and daughter Margaret reside at McAusland\'s in New Street, Paisley
  	[Information from Margaret\'s relief application]
  Residence:	Jul 1852 - Aug 1853	William, Margaret and daughter Margaret reside at Borland\'s in Croft Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
  	[Information from Margaret\'s relief application]
  Residence:	Aug 1853 - Apr 1855	William, Margaret and daughter Margaret move to Ayr and reside at Alexander McKay\'s in Wallace Street, Ayr St Quivox (now John Street/Allison Street, on the north bank of the river Ayr, opposite Ayr). Their second child, a son John born there.
  	[Information from Margaret\'s relief application]
  Military:	18 Apr 1855	Private, 63rd Regiment of Foot
  	William enlists in the British Army under the assumed name of James Campbell (Campbell being the birth surname of his mother), with a recruiting party of the 63rd Regiment of Foot (the Service companies of the regiment being in the Crimea at that date) in the Glasgow district and states he is 24 years old. Description: 5ft 5in tall. Paid a bounty of £7 for enlisting. As to why he enlisted under an alias, this was more common than one would think. However it still makes one wonder why? Had he been up to something criminal beforehand? William's wife Margaret Ewing made an application for relief in 1856 and she states in her application that William joined the 63rd Regiment under the name James Campbell. In addition, on the Jan 1856 birth certificate of William and Margaret's youngest son (after William had left on army service), the child's grandmother as the informant, describes William as "Private, 63rd Regiment". There was no William Sharp in the 63rd Regiment at that time and James Campbell was the same age and had the same occupation as William Sharp. Q.E.D.
  Military:	2 May 1855	William/James joins the Depot of the 63rd Foot at Birr, County Offaly, Ireland after a 2 day voyage, then a 2 day march. Allocated the regimental number 3854.
  Military:	Jul - Aug 1855	William/James in hospital for 46 days over this period.
  Military:	31 Oct 1855	William/James listed in a draft of men en route to Cork
  Military:	4 Nov 1855	William/James leaves in a draft of men from Cork, Ireland en route to Malta.
  Military:	7 Dec 1855	William/James joins the Reserve Companies of the 63rd Foot at Malta. This was the reinforcement station for the operations in the Crimea.
  Military:	Feb 1856	William/James sick for 7 days over this period (in Malta).
  Military:	12 May 1856	William/James boards the "Himalaya" with the other men of the Reserve companies of the 63rd Foot in Malta, to sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, along with the Service companies of the 63rd and also the 62nd Regiment (the Service companies of the 63rd had left the Crimea on 6 May 1856 on the "Andes" and arrived at Malta 11 May 1856).
  Military:	2 Jun 1856	William/James disembarks from the "Himalaya" at Halifax, Nova Scotia with the 63rd and 62nd Regiments. The 63rd Regiment took up quarters in the South Barracks and were escorted from the dockyard by several thousand citizens of Halifax. [The strength of the 63rd Regiment in 1856 consisted of 12 companies, comprising a total of 56 sergeants, 21 drummers and 1,000 rank and file.]
  Military:	10 Jul 1857	William/James tried by General Court Martial at Halifax Nova Scotia for desertion and theft and is sentenced to 10 years penal servitude
  Residence:	31 Aug 1857	William/James arrives in London to be incarcerated in Millbank Prison beside the Thames at Pimlico, where he resides for 9 months.
  	Milbank Prison - register of Prisoners: Pen. Ward and cell: 6.7.29 General Ward Name: James Campbell Trade or occupation: Slater later a soldier 63rd Regiment Foot Age: 26 Previous conviction: Nil (condition unknown) Places and periods of separate or other confinement since conviction: He states Halifax Guard Room (1 month), and board ship (18 days) Religion: Protestant [sic] When removed and whither: 15 Jun 1858 to Portland Prison Class when removed: First. [Noted quite a few other 63rd regiment soldiers entering Millbank Prison at this date - all newly arrived from Nova Scotia]
  Residence:	15 Jun 1858	William/James arrives at Portland Prison, Isle of Portland, Dorset, where he resides for three months before being shipped to the Bermuda convict establishment.
  	Portland Prison records: Register no: 7979 Name: James Campbell Age: 26 Married or single/no. of children: Single [sic] Read or write: imp [perhaps - imperfect?] Trade or occupation: Slater Crime, date and place of conviction: Desertion and theft, 10 July 1857, General Court Martial, Nova Scotia Sentence: 10 years penal servitude Date and place of committal: 25 June 1857 Halifax, Nova Scotia Places and period of separate confinement: Guard room at Halifax (1 month) and board ship in Association (18 days) Total of separate confinement: - Residence of convict's family and next of kin: father John Campbell [sic], Paisley, Scotland Info relative to prisoner's conviction and character: None Religion: Protestant [sic] Dates of reception in different prisons: Millbank 31 Aug 1857, Portland 15 Jun 1858 State of health: - Period proposed on public works: - Final disposal: 22 September 1858 "True Briton" [ship], Bermuda.
  Event:	22 Sep 1858	Sailed on the "True Briton" with other convicts for the convict establishment at Bermuda
  Convict:	Oct 1858	Bermuda
  	Convict on the hulk 'Medway' until Dec 1861 when the Bermuda convicts were moved to the new prison on Boaz Island where he remained until 2 Dec 1862. Sydney Morning Herald 31 Oct 1860: THE HORRORS OF A HULK - A convict, in a letter to his wife, gives the following terrible account of the life on hoard the hulk Medway, at Bermuda: "The four months I dragged out a miserable existence - for I could hardly be said to live - on board that floating monster, the Medway, have given my nervous system a shock, from the effects of which the silent grave alone could relieve it. The unmasked blasphemy and the unblushing and unrestrained utterance of all that is shameless and vile haunts my agonised and still suffering soul like a spectre, while reason, appalled at the enormity of human guilt, seems even yet, and even here, as if half afraid to believe or confess that there is either morality on earth or a God in heaven. Tell me not, my beloved of Sidon (Sodom?) and the cities of the plain! I tell you that the stagnant waters of the Dead Sea, obedient to the sound of the last trump, will vomit up their trust to impeach and condemn that godless hulk! I do believe that if one tithe of what my eye has seen, or what has pierced my soul, were known to that great council, animated by the zeal of a Shaftesbury and the eloquence of a Wilberforce, they would sweep this hotbed of corruption from the face of heaven, of earth, and of the waters! With this hulk, and all that it concerns, I am for ever done. Understand my beloved Helen, what I have said refers entirely to that Sodom I have left behind, and, unlike Lot's wife, never look back upon except with unspeakable horror. I have been here (Boaz Island) for upwards of six weeks, and can conscientiously say that during that period I have scarcely heard one improper, certainly not one disgusting expression. Man is here taught that he has a duty to perform towards One higher than man; but, if he does not, he is prevented from annoying others."
  Physical Description:	Feb 1863	Height: 5 ft 4½ in., Hair: dark brown, Eyes: light blue, Visage: long, Complexion: fresh, Appearance: middling stout, Marks: D left side [meaning?]
  Convict:	16 Feb 1863	Swan River (Fremantle), Western Australia
  	Arrived as a convict on the 'Merchantman' after the Bermuda convict establishment was closed down. Convict Department - General registers: Register No.: 6852 Name: Campbell, James Ship: Merchantman Where in prison: Bermuda Character: Very good When and where convicted: 10 July 1857 General Court Martial, Halifax, Nova Scotia Office: Desertion and Theft Sentence: 10 years Penal Servitude Trade: Slater received a ticket of leave 14 Mar 1863 Disc [discussed?] for Conditional Pardon: 14 June 1866 [sic - must be 1864??] How disposed of: Received a Conditional pardon 27 January 1865 Engagements: 19 June 1863, labourer, 20/- per month, Perth district, employer W [B---ch?] [perhaps Birch? Obscured] 31 Dec 1863, labourer, 20/- per month, Perth district, employer W [A---ey?] [partially obscured] 1 Apr 1864 Perth to Fremantle 1 Apr 1864, labourer, 4/- per diem, Fremantle district, employer W [A---ey?] [same as for Perth engagement above] 9 May 1864, mason, own account, Fremantle district, employer self 30 Jun 1864, mason, own account, Fremantle district, employer self 31 Dec 1864, mason, own account, Fremantle district, employer self
  Property:	10 Mar 1863	Personal property William brought into Fremantle convict establishment
  	No. 6852 James Campbell 4 books, knife, small scissors, [Housewife thread -], cutler strap, Silver ring. (signed) James Campbell [Received] On discharge: (signed) James Campbell 18 3 63
  Convict:	14 Mar 1863	William/James receives his Ticket-of-Leave
  Convict:	27 Jan 1865	William/James is granted his conditional pardon
  	Western Australia Gazette 7 Feb 1865: Comptroller General's Office, Fremantle, 7th February 1865 A Return of Ticket-of-Leave Holders whose receipts for their Conditional Pardons have been recorded in this Office during the month of January, 1865: ... Reg. No. 6852 Name James Campbell ... By His Excellency\'s command, C F NEWLAND Comptroller General
  Religion:	Roman Catholic
  Died	Aft 1865	Australia?
  	The last we know for sure of William/James is when he is working for himself as a mason in Fremantle before he receives his conditional pardon in Jan 1865. Apparently under a conditional pardon the ex-convict had to remain in the colony (WA) and was not allowed to return to the UK. How this was policed however I do not know. Did William/James remain in WA or move elsewhere in Australia, or did he perhaps breach his conditional pardon and follow the gold rushes to New Zealand? Did he use the name James Campbell, or did he revert to William Sharp, or did he decide to use another name. We may never know.
  Person ID	I48	Grant
  Last Modified	12 Jul 2021

  
  

  Father	John Sharp, Emigrated to Scotland, Mason's labourer in Paisley,   b. c 1801, County Antrim, Ireland (possibly in Belfast) ,   d. 8 Dec 1868, 8 Quay Lane, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland  (Age ~ 67 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Bridget Campbell,   b. c 1803, probably in County Antrim, Ireland (possibly in Belfast) ,   d. Oct 1850, Sandholes Street (likely no. 18), Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland  (Age ~ 47 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F26	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret Ewing, Silk weaver,   b. Dec 1831, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ,   d. 28 Apr 1864, Bredilandmoor, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland  (Age ~ 32 years)
  Married	c 11 Aug 1851	Abbey parish, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
  	Abbey parish marriages: 11 Aug 1851 William Sharp in the High parish and Margaret Ewing in this parish have been regularly Proclaimed in order to marriage and no objection made. 3 days.
  Children	+ 1. Margaret Sharp, of Pennsylvania, USA,   b. c 3 May 1852, High Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ,   d. 21 Jun 1913, McCalmont, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, USA  (Age ~ 61 years)  [Birth] + 2. John Sharp, Roading contractor and farmer,"Sunny Brae", Rongahere, NZ,   b. 14 Feb 1854, Wallace Street, Ayr St Quivox, Ayrshire, Scotland ,   d. 28 Oct 1930, Seacliff Mental Hospital, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 76 years)  [Birth] + 3. William Sharp, Wine & Spirit merchant in Glasgow,   b. 25 Jan 1856, Bredilandmoor, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ,   d. 21 Apr 1901, 17 Holmhead Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland  (Age 45 years)  [Birth]
  Last Modified	28 Jun 2021
  Family ID	F25	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Victorian tunic button - 63rd Regiment
  		63rd Regiment at Niagara - early 1860s. Although William/James had deserted in 1857, I expect this was the style of uniform of the regiment when William/James was enlisted.
  		Millbank Prison, Pimlico, London where William Sharp/James Campbell was imprisoned for 9 months (Aug 1857 - Jun 1858), after his arrival from Nova Scotia
  		Portland Prison, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England where William Sharp/James Campbell was imprisoned for 3 months (Jun 1858 - Sep 1858), before being sent as a convict to Bermuda
  		Ireland Island, Bermuda in 1848, showing the prison hulks. William/James was on the hulk Medway (the hulk on the left in the group of three) for most of his time in Bermuda.
  		The Convict Establishment (Prison), Fremantle, Western Australia circa 1866
  		William Sharp aka James Campbell signature in March 1863