William BURGUM and Transportation (General)

by Burgum FHS , Sunday, August 26, 2012, 12:31 (4467 days ago) @ Gordon

I have not yet found any prison records for William Burgum in Australia but, while looking, I discovered another Burgum unfortunate. Richard Burgum of Kempley, just the north of the Forest of Dean, was convicted at Hereford Assizes for a breach of the peace on 22nd March 1808. He was sentenced to 7 years and sent to the hulk ship Retribution, a prison ship moored on the Thames, at Woolwich.The conditions on board these hulk ships were so bad one in three of the prisoners died before they could be transported to Australia. Richard only served seven weeks before being pardoned and rehabilitated. In May 1811 he married a Gloucester girl, Elizabeth Gabb at Kempley.

Richard and Elizabeth had six children at Kempley between 1811-1824; Mary, Esther, Richard, Elizabeth, James and John. We do not know what caused Richard Burgum to break the law again (criminal or feeding a starving family?) but on 2nd August 1831 he was convicted at Hereford Assizes for stealing a sheep. He was sentenced to a life-term and sent to another hulk ship, the Cumberland, moored at Chatham. On 3rd October 1831 he was transported on board the sailing vessel "Elizabeth", one of 220 convicts bound for Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania). They arrived on 14th February 1832, 130 days later.

Richard was recorded as 'absent without leave' in September 1836 and punished accordingly. In February 1840 his prison record shows he throw a bottle of rum, presumably after drinking it! Although only about six per cent of the convict population were locked-up, others worked for either the authorities or the free settlers, building roads, courthouses and hospitals. In many cases they would be subjected to leg-irons and the lash. In 1835 800 convicts were working in chain-gangs at the infamous Port Arthur penal station in cruel conditions. Richard died at Swanport, 65 miles north-east of Hobart on 28th January 1841.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread! - Doug Burgum