Thomas Palmer, Convict, Salamander 1791
Thomas Palmer was tried for stealing on 22 Apr 1789 at Old Bailey, found guilty and received a sentence of 7 years transportation. [1] He arrived in NSW aboard the Salamander Aug 1791.
In Jul 1801 Thomas Palmer was recorded as free with a grant (by Governor Phillip Feb 1792) of 50 acres with 16 acres of maize and 12 hogs, off stores. A year later this 50 acres land at The Ponds is noted as being purchased by Thomas Palmer, with eight acres wheat sown, seven acres maize to be sown, eight male hogs, one female hog, and Thomas himself off the stores with one assigned convict (Government servant) also off the stores.
Thomas Palmer was brought before the Bench of Magistrates on 31 Mar 1804 in Sydney, for the charge of stealing fowls from Rev Samuel Marsden and others articles from around the Ponds and Parramatta. Palmer was sentenced to hard labour for the term of three years (with no location).[2]
Thomas very quickly found himself on Norfolk Island, arriving per Lady Nelson in Jun 1804, and he was placed on the stores as a male convict (as per Colonial Sentence). He held the status of male convict until he left Norfolk Island in 1809, even though his 1804 colonial sentence should have expired in 1807. In 1805 his occupation was recorded as Male Convict, Bull Carriage, on stores. In 1806 he also received a weekly extra half ration weekly as men stock keepers and others.
One finds Thomas Palmer’s name on the shipping manifest on the City of Edinburgh from Norfolk Island to Hobart VDL in Sept 1808 as an Individual not holding land. [3] On checking the Jun – Dec 1808 Norfolk island Victualling books it seems that Thomas Palmer, male convict actually remained on Norfolk Island on the stores and did not travel aboard the City of Edinburgh to Hobart as planned. There are also no records in VDL pertaining to Thomas Palmer except this incorrect
Male Convict Thomas Palmer is recorded in the 1809 Norfolk Island victualling book, departing the stores in Apr 1809. His name is listed on the shipping manifest for the Estramina for travel to Port Jackson on 5 Apr 1809.[4]
1814: Abode: Windsor, free, labourer, off stores.
1822: Landholder Windsor, free by servitude.
1825: Labourer, Wilberforce, free by servitude.
1828 Muster no record. Thomas Palmer’s death is unknown.
References:
[1] The Proceedings of the Old Bailey: t17890422-75.
[2] Bench of Magistrates cases, 1788-1820, SANSW, SZ768: 467; ‘Bench of Magistrates’, Sydney Gazette, 1 Apr 1804.
[3] List of Settlers to embark on board the City of Edinburgh for the Derwent, SANSW, A4110, 45/5, astray from ML Papers relating to Norfolk Island.
[4] List of persons embarked on board the Estramina for Port Jackson 1809, SANSW, 4/1168b: 165.
