"TICKET OF LEAVE" MILL WORKERS  NEW
Researched by Gordon Freegard   December 2020

Many convicts transported to Western Australia obtained “Ticket of Leave” classification and found work in the saw mills situated in the Darling Ranges. Some went on and created new lives for themselves and their families. Quite a few eventually established themselves as orchardists and business men of the area and became respected citizens. One example is Richard Weston also known as Richard Western, who after working at the Mason & Bird saw mill as a “Ticket of Leave” holder, went on and became one of the first settlers the own land and establish an orchard in the Pickering Brook area. Many of his descendants still live in the district today. Click here for further details about the Weston family.
 

CONVICTS
Crime and Punishment

Contrary to popular opinion, the crimes of convicts who were sent to Western Australia were generally of a serious and vicious nature. Rape, murder, assault, robbery with violence and unnatural crimes figure prominently in the list. Many of the arson charges and firing of haystacks could be attributed to demonstrations of social unrest. A surprisingly large number of courts martial (almost 10 per cent of convictions) testify to the fact that soldiers risked a great deal if they broke military laws in order to leave the army.

Nevertheless, heavy punishment was inflicted on wrongdoers for what would be considered in more recent years as trivial offences. On the whole, crimes against property were more heavily punished than those against persons, although, as a rule, rapists received very heavy penalties. Sentences varied between the years 1850 to 1868 as the laws changed.

  CONVICT UNIFORM     #1
 

The following list of sentences is enlightening. Many were first convictions.

Soldiers received:
   Seven years for breaking from an escort
   Life or 15 years for striking an officer
   14 years for throwing a cap at an officer
   Life for striking another soldier
   Life for encouraging soldiers to desert
   Life for not informing an officer of a meeting of men planning to desert

Convicts received:
   Firing a pistol at Queen Victoria, was sentenced for only 7 years
   Stealing a Post Office letter was punished by sentence of 14 years
   Stealing rubbish, 7 years
   Stealing bread and cheese, 14 years
   Stealing rings and teaspoons, 14 years
   Stealing a handkerchief, 7 years
   Stealing sacks, 7 years
   Stealing salt valued at 2/- (20 cents), 4 years
   Stealing a chair, 10 years
   Stealing six shillings (60 cents), 7 years
   Stealing ducks, 14 years
   A pickpocket was sentenced to 10 years
   A poacher was sentenced to 10 years
   A man found in a dwelling at night was sentenced to 10 years
   A man committing sacrilege, 15 years
   For being in possession of a silk handkerchief, 14 years

TICKET-OF-LEAVE
 

TICKET-OF-LEAVE DOCUMENTS        #2
 

By 1851 many convicts had qualified for tickets-of-leave. It meant they were free to hire themselves out to colonists who were anxious for their services. Once the prison superintendent had satisfied himself that a "ticket" could be issued the recipient was interviewed by the chaplain. He then went to the commissariat store and was issued bed and bedding (4 x blankets), one pair of trousers, four pairs of socks, four cotton shirts, a waistcoat, a jacket, a hat, four handkerchiefs, a pair of boots and a belt. He was given sufficient rations to reach his allotted hiring depot. Returning to the superintendent's office, he signed the account book and acknowledged payment of any money owing to him from gratitude’s or private cash. A pass was then issued to him to proceed to his destination.

It was also made clear at this point that he was required to pay back his passage money in full before a conditional could be granted. A man with a seven year sentence was required to pay back seven pounds, ten shillings (15 dollars). A ten year man's debt was ten pounds (20 dollars) and a fifteen year man owed fifteen pounds (30 dollars). The sum had to be paid back at a minimum rate of five pounds (10 dollars) per year with quarterly payments to be paid to the Commissariat storekeeper of his area. Considering the average wage at the time was around twelve pounds (24 dollars), or a pound (2 dollars) per month, the requirement was a heavy one.