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FF WILLIAM BUTLER
Convict
‘Scarborough’
(c1767-1837)
- this story is under review by Membership Team
William BUTLER was born c1767 London
At age 17 in 1784, as a former seaman,
together with Andrew Goodwin (Convict Scarborough)
cut 200 pounds of lead,
to
the value of twenty shillings in June
1784, from a building in Gray’s Inn Lane London.
William said he had been offered a pot of
beer and sixpence by ‘a tall man’ if he and Goodwin
would help him with the load, ‘he asked us to give
him a spell’. The pair was captured in Theobald’s
Road. William claimed that he had a sick mother to
provide for and ‘I have been long out of work’ He
well might have been part of a large number of seamen
who were unemployed at the end of the war with America.
A
witness, Thomas Warton, saw them carrying their load on
their shoulders, thought this activity was suspicious
and reported them to a watchman on duty. After a
struggle the young men were taken into custody.
On Wednesday 7 July 1784, William and
Andrew appeared in the Justice Hall of the Old Bailey
Courthouse, and at their trial were found guilty and
sentenced to 7 years transportation. They were
transferred to the Censor hulk at Woolwich on 6
September 1784, giving his age as 17 and Andrew as 19
years old. They were employed labouring on the Thames
docks for the next three years. They were transferred in
early 1787 to Portsmouth for embarkation on Scarborough
on 27th February 1787
At Port Jackson on 30th April
1788, William was one of four men , the others were
William Abbott, Rob Bails (Convict Alexander) and
William Hubbard (Convict Scarborough), accused of
theft of provisions from James McDonaugh (Convict
Alexander). The latter said ‘he did not know why
suspicion had fallen on the prisoners’ who said they
had been busy all evening bringing shingles. William
Aires/Ayres (Convict Friendship), and Davis
Richard (Convict Scarborough) also gave evidence.
Ayres said that he heard noises during the night ten
days earlier, and found that a week’s ration of beef and
pork for the three men was missing from the tent,
although no one was seen. They were nevertheless found
guilty and ordered to pay for the missing food
On 22nd May, Butler and
William Power/Poore (Convict Charlotte) gave
evidence to Captain David Collins in the examination of
James Bryan Cullen (Convict Scarborough), who was
charged with being insolent to Sergeant Thomas
Smith/Smyth (Marine Scarborough). Smith and the
prisoner Cullen also gave evidence. On Monday the 19thMay,
an argument occurred between Smith and Cullen over the
felling of a tree, with Smith claiming that the tree had
been marked for Captain Tench for building barracks, and
Cullen that it had been marked for making shingles.
Collins remanded Cullen for further examination.
Five days later on 27th May,
the bench of magistrates met, with Judge Advocate
(Captain David Collins), Captain Hunter and Mr Alt
sitting. James Bryan Cullen was charged with behaving in
a very insolent and threatening manner to Sergeant
Thomas of the marines on the morning of Tuesday 22nd
May. Again Sergeant Thomas, Private John Wilkins (Marine
Lady Penrhyn), Private James McManus (Marine
Charlotte), William Butler and the prisoner Cullen
gave evidence.Cullen was found guilty and sentenced to
receive five and twenty lashes for having made use of
some improper words to Sergeant Smith.
On Sunday 13th March 1791
there were two weddings at Rosehill- Matthew James
Everingham (Convict Scarborough) married
Elizabeth Rymes (Convict Neptune 1790)and William
Butler now aged 24 married Jane Ann Forbes (Convict
Lady Juliana-1790)- noted as only being 14 y/o upon
embarkation in 1789. The witnesses to both ceremonies
were Thomas Barnsley (Convict Neptune-1790) and
Peter Stewart (Marine Private Friendship)
They settled at Prospect Hill, 4 miles to
the westward of Parramatta, on a 50 acre grant on 18th
July 1791, where William farmed in partnership with 32
y/o George Lisk (Convict Scarborough)-30 acres.
Others who gained land grants were John Silverhorn
(Convict Alexander)-30 acres, Thomas
Martin (Convict Charlotte)-30 acres, John Nicolls
(Convict Scarborough)-30 acres, William Parish
(Convict Alexander)-60 acres, William Kilby
(Convict Alexander)-60 acres and Edward Pugh
(Convict Friendship)-70 acres.
Watkin Tench noted when he visited them
on 5th December that they had four acres
cultivated, and that Butler had been allowed to settle,
though not out of his time, so he could work his farm in
his leisure hours. As his term would have been expired
in July 1791 perhaps he was allowed to take up the grant
a few weeks early.
A daughter Ann was born on 11th
February and baptised on Sunday 4th March
1792 at Parramatta. A son William was born on 3rd
October 1793, and baptised on 10th November
at Parramatta.
In July 1795, William’s wife Jane, now
aged 20 years, ‘fell into the fire while preparing their
breakfast, and received such injuries that she shortly
after expired’. Jane was buried at Parramatta on 20th
July 1795.
In September 1799, seven affidavits were
sworn before Richard Atkins in his capacity as
magistrate on 24th and 25th
September in the matter of two missing natives and the
charge being prepared against Edward Powell ( Convict
Lady Juliana), Simon Freebody (Convict Surprize),
James Metcalf (Convict
Royal
Admiral),
William Timms (Convict Admiral Barrington ) and
William Butler. All signatories of the affidavits
entered into 30 pounds recognisances to appear in court
to give evidence.
The case was heard on 17th
October where, Powell, Freebody, Metcalf, Timms and
William Butler for wantonly killing two natives began,
and continued until the court dissolved on 18th.
The court was unanimous that the accused were guilty but
there was a difference of opinion about the sentence.
The case was therefore reserved ‘until
the sense of His Majesty’s Ministers at home is known on
the subject’
William continued farming at Prospect
Hill with Lisk in 1800 and looking after his two young
children but by 1806 he was a self-employed carpenter.
In 1814 he was listed as a shipwright.
William married Elizabeth Higgins on 22nd
May 1815 at St Phillips Sydney
In the 1822 and 1825 Musters William is
shown as a landholder in the Parramatta district. In the
1822 Muster he is recorded as ‘Butter’ with 17 acres
sown in grain and 9 in orchard, vegetables and garden.
He also owned 30 hogs and held 4 bushels of wheat and 40
of maize
William, noted as aged 66 years and a
shipwright, died in January 1837 at Sydney Hospital and
was buried 4th January1837 from St Phillips,
probably in the Old Sydney Burial Ground
Complied by John Boyd 2020
Sources:
-The Founders of Australia by
Mollie Gillen p61
-Sydney Cove 1788 to 1800in 5
Volumes by John Cobley
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