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Benjamin Joyce (1821-1890)
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Benjamin Joyce was born in Somerset on 27th July 1821. As a young boy, he moved with his family to London, where they
lived at Old Cock's Lane in Shoreditch. Here, the 12 year-old Benjamin worked as a
labourer and helped his father, a weaver, until one summers day in 1834, when he tried to supplement his income. It was to
prove a costly mistake.
On the 7th June, James Augustus Whiskard left two pairs of shoes, worth 11 shillings, on the doorstep of his house in Bishopsgate Street. His servant (William Blackmore) saw them there. No-one saw them being taken, but a little later Police Constable Richard Jones bumped into the young Benjamin in Shoreditch, just a five minute walk away. Benjamin was carrying a bundle, and was with another boy, who promptly ran away. The policeman asked Benjamin what he was carrying, to which he replied "Nothing". The Constable found the shoes, which Benjamin then said the other boy had given them to him to carry.
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On the 13th of June, Benjamin was delivered by R.E. Broughton esq to Newgate Prison, where he was held until his trial three weeks later.
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On Friday July 4th, at the New Court, The Old Bailey, Benjamin was tried and found guilty, and sentenced to seven years transportation.
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He was returned to Newgate Prison, where he spent his 13th birthday. He was held here until at least 4th September, awaiting transfer to a Hulk. (These were large floating prisons, which held prisoners prior to transportation) By October, however, he was no longer at Newgate, so we presume it was during September that he was transferred (probably to a hulk at Torquay) Benjamin had been in custody for over a year, before he was transported on the John Barry, which sailed for New South Wales from Torquay on the 7th September 1835. After a four-month journey, travelling via London and Bombay, the John Barry arrived at Sydney on January 17th 1836. By now, Benjamin was still only 14, and had endured over a year in captivity, and a mammoth journey under extremely harsh conditions. A year later, Benjamin was described in an offical document as "Aged 15..Protestant...4' 5¾" tall..brown hair..scar centre forehead..ws inside lower right arm". Unsurprisingly, he could not read or write. He was assigned to George Mossman of Allyn River, probably as a farm labourer. Prisoner No 36/196 Benjamin Joyce served his sentence. His Certificate of Freedom was dated 10/12/1841, but was not actually given to him until 25th July 1842, two days before his 21st birthday. Like the majority who had served their sentence, he chose to remain in Australia after his release. Here in Australia, his life took a turn for the better. He lived for a time growing tobacco in the Williams river area, and in 1845 he married Ann Trotter at Gresford, NSW. He and Ann were to have 14 children. In 1851 he bought 71 acres of land at Burrell Creek, which he later added to, and grew wheat. He became a well-liked and respected member of the community. He died on September 10th 1890 in Wilson River, New South Wales, aged 69
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