This is a post continuing a series of features about some of Great Marlow's past residents who found themselves transported to Australia for committing a crime. The crime was nearly always theft of one kind or another or recieving stolen goods. And one person really not very good at thieving was John Neighbour born circa 1804 - 1806. (Note there were a number of John Neighbours in Marlow and nearby at this time. A post about John Neighbour of Potland's /West Street is available here)
John was a brick maker by trade. I hope for the residents of Marlow he was more successful at that than in his criminal career.
His first brush was the law was an assumed attempt to commit a burglary of sorts at the Barge Pole Inn, in Church Passage off St. Peter's Street (now demolished) in 1830. His method here was potentially quite cunning. He went inside to have a drink but instead of leaving at closing time he had hid himself within. At some point he had hit upon the chimney as a good place to conceal himself and so up he went. It can't have been a particularly comfortable experience! How long he was up there isn't clear. The Sparkes family who were the then landlords went to bed unaware of their uninvited guest. John then made his move to free himself but unfortunately it was not a noiseless activity. The sound travelled through the house and he was discovered. And kicked out quite literally into the street.
John could have gone home but decided to have another go at housebreaking. He arrived in the High Street, and decided the then uninhabited house of Mr Hone would be the ideal target. It does not seem John was blessed with the gift of stealth and he made enough noise to attract the attention of John Moss who lived nearly opposite (in the building occupied by Mathers now). John had just gone to bed but roused himself smartly and when he then heard a window break, he dashed across the street to see John attempt to get through the window. John was no match for the outraged Mr Hone who seized him and fetched the parish constable. John would now get some time in gaol - 3 months.
Two years later John had committed another theft. The victim of this was butcher Charles "Shock" East who would himself be transported to Australia! (See here for the details of that) He stole 6lbs of mutton valued at 2/6, but was observed during the crime and so arrest followed with inevitable speed. John was now in serious trouble as a second conviction for a theft was treated severely. He also had a minor prior conviction for vagrancy. So before the Bucks Quarter sessions he went. His sentence was transportation to Australia for 7 years.
Initially transferred from prison to a prison hulk to await passage, John finally left England on the 19th November 1832. He was aboard the convict ship the Surrey/Surry. The journey took 3 and a half months. For all of the uncertainty of what awaited him, it must have been a relief to land in Van Diemens Land in March 1833 after so long at sea. A detailed record of what John looked like was made by the authorities to identify him from the other prisoners and of course to enable a description to be accurately circulated should he try to abscond. In this we are told John sports small red whiskers (a number of others are clean shaven so the men were obviously allowed to shave during their journey or before being assessed), brown eyes and eyebrows, an aquiline nose, small mouth and low forehead.
The convicts were sentenced to do varying amounts of hard labour in chain gangs, and otherwise might be assigned to an approved person to perform unpaid labour. John was in the road gangs for some time. This time was extended as John took part in mutiny of sorts with 20 others who refused to work. Later he was in trouble for absenting himself from his work party and using "disgraceful and disgusting language". And of course he was found out when involved as an accessory to a "system of pilfering". As not one of the prime movers in the last, he just got a severe reprimand for his trouble. He had moved into forced private service but was removed from this to see out his sentence working in some brickfields. No doubt this was partly because of his previous experience in this trade. I see no evidence that John received the unconditional pardon that would have allowed him in theory to return home. I suspect therefore he remained in Australia. He was unmarried in England and hopefully was able to make something of himself down under.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day, additional research by Charlotte Day.
Related Posts
Crime and disorder in old Marlow here
Another Neighbour transported: here
Everyday life in John's Great Marlow and general crime related posts: here
All posts about an individual or family here can be found within the top drop down menu.
SOURCES:
Reading Mercury 8 February 1830
Berkshire Chronicle 13 February 1830
1820/30s residential directory by Charlotte.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/38941373-db4e-46f3-996c-2ec1170cef78
Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/8, Page Number 463 (232). Linc, Description List CON18/1/20 Page 425 and Conduct Record CON31/1/33
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON31-1-33,152,41,L,56
https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON27-1-6P32©MarlowAncestors