Francis is one of my more interesting ancestors.  The problems are ‘ Who is his mother?’ and ‘Was his father a bigamist?’ But more about his ancestors can be found here.

Francis was tried at the Huntingdon Assizes on 7 March 1832 on two indictments one of stealing chests of tea valued at 3 pound and the other of stealing wearing apparel.  He was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years.  He admitted having been in prison before and he had a brother who had been transported previously.  Information about his previous convictions and his brother’s can be found here.

According to his description list, he was 5 feet ten and a quarter inches in height, a dark complexion with an oval head and long visage, his hair and whiskers were dark brown, his forehead was medium height and retreating, dark brown eyebrows but dark grey eyes, with a long sharp nose, long chin and a medium width mouth which was habitually open. Marks he had were an F below a C on his left arm, a star and heart on back of left hand and ?? on ring and middle finger of left hand.

According to his hulk report he was a bad and lazy fellow and also a thief, but whilst on board the convict ship Circassian, he was orderly.  The ship left Plymouth on 14 October 1832 and arrived in Van Diemens Land on 16 February 1833.  He was assigned to E. Bryant on the property ‘Trafalgar’ and on 1 August 1834 he was absent without leave and reprimanded. He then had five years of good behaviour and was given his Ticket of Leave on 9 March 1839.  But by 31 October 1840 he was admonished, this time for misconduct in reporting himself to the Chief District Constable (C.D.C.)  He was given a conditional Pardon No 3422 on 28 October 1841 and married his wife Isabella WATKINS on 7 October 1842.