JOHN RUSDEN One of 240 Convicts Transported on “Canton” 1839 Sentenced to Life at Cornwall Assizes Transported to Van Diemen’s Land NAME: JOHN RUSDEN AGE: 28 – born about 1811 BORN: About 1811 BAPTISED: 10 May 1811, St Gluvias MARRIED: 29 December 1833, St Gluvias; spouse: Grace Provis Martin DIED: 17 October 1882, aged 71 years, Launceston-Tas (Reg No 887) TRIED: 1 August 1839, Cornwall Assizes SENTENCE: Life CRIME: The wilful murder of his wife, Grace Rusden GAOL REPORT: Previous character good CRIMINAL REGISTER: John Rusden, 28, Cornwall County Assizes 1 August 1839, Manslaughter, Transportation for Life HULK REGISTER: No 8715 - John Rusden, 28, born about 1811, convicted at Bodmin on 1 August 1839, received onboard prison hulk “York” moored at Gosport on 23 August 1839 and transported for Life; married with 3 children, can read and write, shoemaker, previous character good, Transported 14 September 1839 to Van Diemen’s Land (HO 9/15) HULK REPORT: Good SHIP: Canton – departed Spithead 22 September 1839, arrived Hobart 12 January 1840, a voyage of 112 days, carrying 240 male convicts (230 landed). Master John Mordaunt, Surgeon John Irvine SURGEON’S REPORT: Well conducted SURGEON’S REPORT ONBOARD: Folio 2 - Case no 20, John Rusden, aged 28, convict; sick or hurt, ulcerated leg; put on sick list 30 October 1839, discharged 27 November 1839 cured. Folio 5 - Case no 129, Edward Rusden, aged 28, convict; sick or hurt, diarrhoea; put on sick list 8 January 1840, discharged 16 January 1840 cured (note: there was no Edward Rusden on board, name incorrectly entered by surgeon) SURGEON’S GENERAL COMMENTS: (Folios 28-29) - After the surgeon received an appointment to the convict ship Canton at Somerset House on 24th August 1839, and joined her at Deptford on 27th, he reported of his joining the ship to Lieut Wentworth (the agent of Transports). He did not report himself to the Captain Superintendent at the first instance, in which the surgeon personally expressed to Captain Sherriff [Captain Superintendent] of his regret in not having reported to him [Captain Sherriff] on joining the ship. Afterwards the surgeon went on board the Leviathan hulk and arranged with the officer in command to inspect the convicts (in conjunction with Doctor Williams). On 5 September 1839 the Guard was received on board consisting of two commissioned officers and 40 rank and file of the 96th and 80th regiments. On the 14 September 1839, 240 male convicts were embarked on board from the Leviathan hulk. During the voyage there were no cases of scorbutus on board, as a result of the surgeon issuing lemon juice regularly to the convicts during the earlier part of the voyage. FAMILY – Marital status: Married, with three children / Widower, with three children Wife: Grace Provis Martin Children: John Martin Rusden, Joanna Provis Rusden, William Martin Rusden Father: William Rusden, born 1771, St Gluvias Mother: Anne Marriage: 18 January 1796 at St Gluvias, William Rusden of Penryn married Anne Escott of Penryn Children: 16 July 1797 – Nancy Rusden (aged 4 weeks) 18 August 1799 – William Rusden (aged 1 month) 22 January 1802 – Joanna Rusden 9 August 1805 – Thomas Rusden 4 March 1808 – James Rusden 10 May 1811 – John Rusden; mother Anne 31 December 1813 – Johanna Rusden (of Penryn, father a barber; mother Anne) 4 August 1816 – Richard Rusden (of Penryn, father a hairdresser; mother Ann) 11 June 1820 – Mary Rusden (of Penryn, father a barber; mother Ann) (There are other children baptised at St Gluvias with father shown as William Rusden, a barber, but with mother’s name shown as Philippa – no burial found for Ann Rusden or remarriage of William to Philippa – possibly the marriage of William Rusden junior?) OPC: Marriage - 29 December 1833, at St Gluvias, John Rusden bachelor otp married Grace Provis Martin spinster otp, by Banns; he signed, she marked X; witnesses James Rusden and Johanna Rusden Baptisms of John and Grace’s three children, all at St Gluvias – 24 August 1834 – John Martin Rusden (of St Gluvias, father a cordwainer) 26 February 1837 – Joanna Provis Rusden (of Ponsanooth, father a shoemaker) 26 February 1837 – William Martin Rusden (of Ponsanooth, father a shoemaker) Burial of his wife – 2 July 1839 – Parish of Stithians – Grace Rusden, aged 28, of St Agnes, Manslaughter by her husband 1841 Census – Joanna is living with her mother’s brother and his family (HO 107 137/2 11) St Gluvias, Cornwall – William Martin, 30, labourer Mary Martin, 30 John Martin, 9 William Martin, 7 Edward Martin, 4 George Martin, 2 Joanna Rusden, 4 By 1851, Joanna is still living with her uncle and his family, but is shown as his servant – (HO 107 1911/15 and 16) St Gluvias, Ponsanooth – William Martin, head, married, 40, gunpowder maker, b.St Gluvias Mary Ann Martin, wife, 41, b.St Gluvias John Martin, 19, agricultural labourer, b.St Gluvias William Martin, 17, shoemaker, b.St Gluvias Edward Martin, 14, agricultural labourer, b.St Gluvias George Martin, 12, scholar, b.St Gluvias Joanna Rusden, servant, 15, general servant, b.St Gluvias John Tenhail, visitor, widower, 65, ag.lab, b.Feock It is not known if this is Joanna’s brother, or another William Rusden born the same year; and not know what became of the eldest son John Martin Rusden - (HO 107 154/3 11) High Street, St Gluvias, Cornwall – Francis Rusden, 38, shoemaker Mary Rusden, 35 Elizabeth Rusden, 16 Thomas Rusden, 12 Mary Rusden, 10 Ellen Rusden, 7 William Rusden, 4 Sarah Rusden DESCRIPTION – Trade: Cordwainer Height: 5’ 5 ½“ Age: 28 Complexion: Sallow Head: Round Hair: Black Whiskers: Brown Visage: Broad Forehead: High Eyebrows: Black Eyes: Hazel Nose: Small flat Mouth: Large Chin: Broad Native Place: Cornwall Remarks: Scar right arm; scar left thumb TASMANIAN CONDUCT RECORD – Crime: Transported for the manslaughter of his wife – stated “manslaughtering his wife, I was drunk and came home and struck my wife several times with my fist – 5 weeks after she died” Probation: 17 Jan 1840 – Two years probation Appropriation List – No 1408, John Rusden, 5’5½”, 28 years of age, shoemaker, Cornwall, Life, native place Penryn-Cornwall, 2 years Probation Assignment: 30 July 1840 – Bridgewater 9 Jan 1841 – New Norfolk 31 May 1842 – Westbury 19 Aug 1842 – Oatlands 16 Sept 1842 – BR (?) – Brown’s River 24 Jan 1844 – Chief Police Magistrate 9 Feb 1844 - Offences and Sentences: 19 Feb 1841 – Watchman, Bridgewater – Misconduct in taking improper liberties with a child 7 years old – Removed from his situation as watchman – Not again to be employed as Billet Man (?) 1 June 1842 – Constable – Misconduct in allowing prisoner in his charge to get drunk, and being drunk himself – 3 months hard labor and recommended to be dismissed from the Police – Approved he be sent to Oatlands, vide Lieut-Governor’s Decision 24 June 1842 23 Jan 1844 – Bacon – Insolence – 48 hours solitary confinement and returned to Government 17 May 1844 – 3rd Class 16 Dec 1844 – Corrigan – Assaulting John Hawkins – 7 days hard labor 1841 Convict Muster: No 1408 – John Rusden, Canton, Police Constable (HO 10/51) 1846 Convict Muster: John Rusden, Cornwall, 1839, Life, Canton 1840, 3rd Class Pass, Mr Page at Oatlands 1849 Convict Muster: No 1408 – John Rusden, Canton 1840, Cornwall 1839, Life, Ticket-of-Leave holder, C. Robinson Ticket of Leave: Not known Convict Pardons: 1852-53 – John Rusden, Canton, Cornwall Aug 1839, Life, 11 years 11 months, 2 years 8 months DEPARTURES INDEX: None found TASMANIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS – LAUNCESTON EXAMINER, 2 DECEMBER 1882 – LAUNCESTON GENERAL HOSPITAL – The following deaths have occurred in the Hospital during the month of November : John Rusden, aged 71, native of England, from heart disease. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/38278158?searchTerm="johnrusden"&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc UK NEWSPAPER REPORTS – ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 26 JULY 1839 – CORNWALL SUMMER ASSIZES – The Commission will be opened on Thursday next; and on Friday morning the learned Judges will take their seats – in the Crown Court at nine o’clock, and in Nisi Prius Court at eleven. The business is not likely to be very heavy. The calendar, so far, contains the names of no more than 16 prisoners; namely Charlotte Galloway, 19, for murder; John Hancock, 23, for rape; John Rusden, 38, for manslaughter; Thomas Wills and Zacharias Cann, for horse-stealing; John Gill for assault; Felix Lovell for embezzlement; John Martin and George Bastian for assault; Thomas Rowe, 11, for stealing in a dwelling-house; Hannah Thomas for stealing wearing apparel; William Henry Stevens for stealing a jacket; Phillip Oppy for stealing a piece of wood; John Dinner for stealing a cock and hen; Samuel Glisson for assault on a constable; and Edward Tucker for an assault. ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 16 JUOY 1839 – CORNWALL LAMMAS ASSIZES – CROWN COURT, Monday, August 5 - CHARGE OF MURDER AT ST AGNES – John Rusden, 28, was indicted for the wilful murder of Grace Rusden, his wife. Mr Smith appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Cockburn for the prisoner. ALICE TRUAN sworn. The prisoner and his wife lived near me. I have seen the prisoner beat his wife. On the Monday after Whit-Monday, between nine and ten o’clock in the evening, I heard the deceased crying murder in her house. A man broke open the door, and I went in and found the prisoner knocking his wife’s head with his fists, and beating it against a piece of wood that projected from the wall. I saw him from the window beating her before I went in. Tonkin, who went in with me, pulled the prisoner away. I then took the deceased into the air; she complained of her head. She had fetched the prisoner from a public-house; he said that he was in liquor, and that Tonkin had taken advantage of him.