John Kingshott of Cocking
Though John Kingshott of Greatham was perhaps the most famous member of the family to be convicted and transported to the other side of the world, he was not the only one. His namesake and fifth cousin, once removed, was John Kingshott of Cocking, who was my 4th cousin six times removed.
John Kingshott of Cocking, hereafter simply referred to as John Kingshott, was baptised on 7th July 1816 at Cocking in Sussex. He was a son of Henry Kingshott and his wife Sarah née Harwood.
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He first came to notice on the 6th of March 1834 when he appeared at the Petworth Quarter Sessions charged with trespassing in search of game. He appeared with a co-offender named William Henry Yaldwyn. Poaching offences were serious offences, and not long before, they would have resulted in the offenders being hung. However, times were changing, and the barbarity of some of the punishments was lessening. Both John and William were found guilty of this offence and were each fined £1, with 12 shillings (s) costs.
John married Anne Jane Ide, who was born in Westhampnet, Sussex, on 12th October 1839, at Cocking. He was a Sawyer by this time and his surname was recorded as Kinchett in the marriage register. A copy of this register is shown here. Click on it to see a larger view. I have not managed to find any children to this marriage.
John, now described as a sawyer, as he was on his marriage certificate, next appears at Chichester Quarter Sessions on 4th August 1842, charged with assaulting the village constable at Cocking; a man by the name of Edward Adam Wheatley. He was again found guilty of this offence and, luckily, fined £1 16s with an additional 14s in costs. It was recorded that he would receive two months imprisonment if he could not pay this. He was able to pay the fine.
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Only a couple of months later, however, on 30th October 1843, John was arrested for stealing four bushels of beans, valued at 18s, and a sack, valued at 2s, the property of George Daughtry of Cocking. He once again had a co-offender, this time in the person of Thomas Thayre. They appeared at Petworth Quarter Sessions on 6th January 1843, and were found guilty.
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Thomas Thayer demonstrated previous good character and was sentenced to two months of hard labour, with the first week in solitary confinement. John was not so lucky, as he had previous convictions. He was sentenced to transportation to the colonies for seven years. He was remanded in custody and arrived at Pentonville Prison, London, on 23rd January 1843, awaiting a suitable transport ship. He remained there until 27th July 1844, when he was finally taken to the "Royal George" transport ship.
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Pentonville Prison in 1842
Hampshire Telegraph and Naval Chronicle, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, Mon, 16 Jan 1843, Page 3
The Royal George was a 486-ton merchant ship, built at Hull, England in 1820. Between 1823-4, she undertook one voyage for the British East India Company. Later, she became a general trader to India, the Far East and Australia, including the transportation of prisoners.
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The Royal George left England on 27th July 1844 and began the long journey to Australia. Interestingly, one of the other people on board was none other than his old co-offender William Yaldwyn, who was travelling as a free passenger, intending to settle in Melbourne. The ship arrived at Port Philip, New South Wales, on 15th November 1844, after a journey of 111 days.
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I don't know much about what happened to him after his arrival in Australia, but it is believed that he died in Victoria in 1850. I don't know whether his wife went to Australia, or whether she remained in England. She disappears from the records.