Name | William Sharp | |
Suffix | alias James Campbell, Soldier and Convict | |
Born | c 1832 | County Antrim, Ireland (likely in Belfast) ![]() |
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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? ![]() |
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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) ![]() ![]() | |
Relationship | Birth | |
Mother | Bridget Campbell, b. c 1803, probably in County Antrim, Ireland (possibly in Belfast) ![]() ![]() | |
Relationship | Birth | |
Family ID | F26 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Family | Margaret Ewing, Silk weaver, b. Dec 1831, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ![]() ![]() | |||||||
Married | c 11 Aug 1851 | Abbey parish, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland ![]() |
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Children |
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Last Modified | 28 Jun 2021 | |||||||
Family ID | F25 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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