One Sheep - A Death Sentence

Sometime not long after 4 February 1832, James Kirk, Benjamin Kirk and others were arrested and charged with sheep stealing. It was alleged that, on 4 February 1832, they stole one shear hog sheep, value 45 shillings[1]. This was said to have occurred in the parish of Mursley in Buckinghamshire; the sheep being the property of Thomas Whitworth.

Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

James, Benjamin and the other men involved were tried and convicted on 28 February 1832 and sentenced to death[2]. However, as was common at that time, their death sentences were commuted to Transportation for Life. 

Detail of what happened on 4 February can be found in the following newspaper reports: 

The Bucks Gazette of 3 March 1832[3] reported -

"Benjamin Kirk, James Kirk, & Joseph Edwards were charged with having stolen oneshearhog sheep, the property of Thomas Whitworth at the parish of Mursley. The shepherd of the prosecutor said: 'My Master had 113 sheep on the 4th February last. I counted them next morning and found one missing'. William Whitworth son of the prosecutor said: 'I was in a field near my father’s fold on 4th February, I saw 3 or 4 men. I went up to them when I saw them in the act of drawing a sheep through the hedge. I knocked one of the men down with my stick. It was as he was running away that I knocked him down. I took him to my father’s house. The man gave me the name of the other prisoners who were afterwards apprehended. I can swear the sheep was my father’s'. Thomas Coney spoke to confessions made by Benjamin and James Kirk. When cross-examined: he said: 'I did not say, James it will be better for you to confess’. Mr D. Willis, clerk to the magistrates said: 'I took down the prisoner’s statements as follows. They had been cautioned - Benjamin Kirk said: I never did any such thing in my life before and am sorry for it. I was in the field, we were all four there. James Kirk said I was drawn in to it innocently, I went with them to Mursley. Jos Edwards said: I am not guilty, I never touched the sheep, I was never in such a job before’. Verdict - Guilty. Death recorded"

The Bucks Herald of 3 March 1832[4] reported -

"Benjamin Kirk, James Kirk and Joseph Lambourne were indicted for stealing a shearhog sheep, value 45s, the property of Thomas Whitworth at Mursley on the 4th of February. It appeared in evidence, that the son of the proprietor was watching his father's hedges, which had been much damaged by persons who stole wood, when he saw four men in an adjoining field, near his father's fold with a live sheep. As one of them was dragging the sheep through a hedge, he hit him on the head with a stick and knocked him down. The man was James Kirk. The others ran away. The sheep he found to be one of his father's. The other prisoners were all apprehended and each made a voluntary confession of his having gone to steal the sheep. All Guilty - Judgment of death recorded".

On Tuesday 1 May 1832, James and Benjamin were transferred from the Gaol at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire to the Justitia Hulk at Woolwich. The Hulks were holding vessel where transportees were held while awaiting transportation. 

Prison Hulk - Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

The Bucks Gazette of 5 May 1832[5] reported:

"On Tuesday May 1st, the following Convicts were removed from the Gaol at Aylesbury, on Board the Justitia Hulk, at Woolwich … James Rance, convicted, Lent Assize 1832, for Sheep-stealing, Transported for Life. Benjamin Kirk, convicted, Lent Assize 1832, for Sheep-stealing, Transported for Life. James Kirk, convicted, Lent Assize 1832, for Sheep-stealing, Transported for Life. Joseph Wansborne, convicted, Lent Assize 1832, for Sheep-stealing, Transported for Life. John Green, convicted, Lent Assize 1832, for Sheep-stealing, Transported for Life".

These various newspaper reports consistently refer to James Kirk and Benjamin Kirk but vary in the name and number of accomplices mentioned. However, it is clear from the Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books[6] that those named in the Bucks Gazette of 5 May 1832 (above) are those who were transported with James and Benjamin.

Justitia, Woolwich - 1 May 1832 – Extract from: Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 via Ancestry.com.

A Little About James and Benjamin

We will probably never know for sure what led James and Benjamin to steal a sheep on 4 February 1832. It is likely they were just attempting to put food on the table for their families. I have yet to discover whether they had work at the time and, if they did, what sort of work. Many men in the area would have been agricultural labourers.

James Kirk was baptised on 9 November 1794 in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England[7]. His parents were William and Rebecca [Bradley] Kirk. James would have been born between 24 October 1793, when his brother, also called James, was buried and 9 November 1794 when he was baptised. It is most probable that he was born in 1794 around the time of his baptism. Given the high child mortality rates at the time, it was not uncommon to baptise children soon after their birth and the family had just lost his older brother James the year before in 1793.

Convict records while awaiting transportation list James as being 40 years old[8]. However to have been 40 in May 1832, James would have had to have been born in 1772 before the death of his brother James. A later record from Newcastle Gaol suggests that James was born in 1790[9]. Again this is unlikely because he must have been born after his older brother James died in 1793. It seems more likely that James was about 37 years old when he was convicted in February 1832 and closer to 38 years old when he left England in September 1832.

James had married Elizabeth King on 19 October 1818 at Wendover in Buckinghamshire[10]; some 13½ years before his conviction in March 1832. James and Elizabeth had 5 living children aged between 1½ - 12 years at the time of James' conviction. This left Elizabeth to raise their young family on her own. You can read about the family James left behind and what became of them in my post The Family Left Behind - Elizabeth King and Her Children.

Benjamin Kirk was James’ uncle; the brother of James’ father, William. He was baptised on 9 February 1777 in Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire[11][12]. His parents were Aaron and Mary [Bligh] Kirk. It is uncertain when Benjamin was born but it would likely have been in about 1776/1777. If he was born in early 1777, he would have been about 55 when he was convicted and transported. Convict records while awaiting transportation list him as being 52[13] but that would suggest that he was born after May 1779 which does not fit with his baptism date of 9 February 1777 .

Benjamin married Elizabeth Wilding on 23 November 1801 at Westoning in Bedfordshire[14]. When he was convicted in March 1832, Benjamin and Elizabeth had been married for more than 30 years and had at least eight children. Most of their children were in their adulthood; the youngest being Martha who was almost 17 years old. Benjamin’s family were, therefore, in a much better position to cope in the absence of husband and father than were James’ family.

Benjamin’s youngest daughter, Martha, followed him to Australia. She travelled on an assisted passage, aboard the St Vincent, with her husband, Newman Hollis, and their five children leaving London on 1 April 1844 and arriving in Sydney on 31 Jul 1844[15]. Unfortunately, this was just a few days before her father died (see below). 

Aboard the Camden

James and Benjamin were transported aboard the prison ship Camden. According to the Journal of the ship's Surgeon Superintendent, Joseph Steret[16], on 13 September 1832, the Camden left Deptford for Woolwich where, on 14 September, the Surgeon examined 100 convicts at their respective hulks to determine whether they were fit to travel. This included 60 men on the Justitia Hulk which would have included James and Benjamin, 20 men on the Discovery Hulk and 20 on the Ganymede Hulk. All were taken on board the Camden. On the following day the Camden weighed anchor at Sheerness in Kent where a further 100 men were taken on board from various hulks.

The Surgeon commented that only two of the 200 convicts taken on board expressed an unwillingness to go, one on account of his wife and family and the other merely because he did not wish to leave England. The rest were happy at the prospect of leaving. He also remarked that there were four or five convicts who he had to reject for travel and who begged vehemently to be permitted on board. I imagine that being stuck in the hulks without prospect for travel was a daunting prospect. 

On 22 September 1832, the Camden set sail from Sheerness bound for the Australian Colony of New South Wales. Aboard, in addition to the Captain George Clayton, the Surgeon Superintendent and 200 convicts were the military guard comprising 29 rank and file of the 21st regiment accompanied by five women and ten children and some cabin passengers[17]. On 5 October it was necessary to anchor at Plymouth following several days during which the ship had struggled with gale force winds. Three people were wounded from falls during the gales and both the guards and the prisoners suffered from seasickness. A child of one of the guards almost died but was quickly nursed back to health. They were finally able to depart England on 13 October 1832[18].

In December, after three months, a variety of diseases had emerged. The Surgeon put these down to a change of climate and some wet and blowing weather. By January they were around the Cape of Good Hope and symptoms of scurvy became apparent. This continued until they reached their destination in Australia where they were able to get fresh supplies. The Camden arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney) on 17 February 1833. Two convicts had died on the voyage and eleven were sent to the hospital on arrival[19].

Convict Assignment

In keeping with the practice at the time, James and Benjamin were each assigned to a Settler. Both were assigned as indentured farm servants; James to James Arnell of Woodlands, Benjamin to Jeremiah Warlters of Port Macquarie[20].

Extract from: Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 1-4, 6-18, 28-30) via Ancestry.com

It appears that Woodlands was most likely in the Hunter Valley. Other places associated with James are Musswellbrook, Newcastle and Singleton. He was a good distance away from Port Macquarie where Benjamin was throughout his time in Australia. It is unlikely that they saw each other again.

Benjamin and James' Locations - Created with Google My Maps

James Kirk in Australia

In the convict indentures[21][22] James is described as follows:

Extract from: Annotated Printed Convict Indents - New South Wales, Australia Convict Indents, 1788-1842 State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12189; Item: [X635]; Microfiche: 703 via Ancestry.com

33-379; No. 7; James Kirk …...; 40 (age)[sic]; None (can’t read or write); Protestant; Married; 2 (children -boys); 3 (children girls; Buckinghamshire (native of); Farm servant ….. (indenture); sheep stealing (sentenced for); Buckinghamshire (where tried); 28 February 1832 (when tried); Life (sentence – years); None (sentence – months); 5ft 6 ¾ (Height feet and inches); Dark sallow & pockpitted (complexion); Dark Brown (hair); Brown (eyes); Cast outward in left eye, and nearly blind of it; nephew of No. 8 [Benjamin Kirk]

As already mentioned, on arrival in Australia in February 1833, James was indentured to James Arndell of Woodlands as a farm servant. While I am a little uncertain where Woodlands was, based on James’ later whereabouts, it is most likely to have been in the Hunter Valley.

On 5 March 1841, while living in what was then the District of Merton (likely at Muswellbrook), James was granted a Ticket of Leave (41/588) which was later cancelled for disorderly conduct[23][24][25].

State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4149] via Ancestry.com

No. 41/588 5 March 1841 - Prisoner No. 33/379 - James Kirk - Ship …. Camden - Master [of ship] … Clayton - Year …. 1833 - Place of Trial …. Buckinghamshire - Date of Trial …. 28 February 1832 - Sentence …. Life - Allowed to remain in the District of Merton

Cancelled for disorderly conduct, see Govs min dated 23 November 1841 in letter from Merton Reg 41/11831. Ticket destroyed

Restored 42/2599

On 20 October 1841, after being charged with disorderly conduct, James was taken from Muswellbrook to the jail at Newcastle and, from there, he was imprisoned at the Hyde Park Barracks[26][27]. Further to the Governor’s Minute of 23 November 1841, James’ ticket of leave was destroyed on 3 December 1841 [41/11831][28][29].

 in Australia

Extract from: Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Item: 2/2016; Roll: 759  via Ancestry.com

Standing Number - 1036; James Kirk; Arrival Ship - Camden; Arrival Year - 1833; Year of Birth - 1790 [sic]; Stature - 5ft 7 ½ inches; Make - Stout; Complexion - Dark; Colour of Hair - Brown; Colour ofEyes - Hazel[30] General Remarks - Burned Scars, right and left arms.

At some stage, James must have been released from the Hyde Park Barracks because on, 21 October 1842, a new ticket of leave (No. 42/2599) was issued in Patrick Plains District[31]. By this time, then, it appears that James was living in Singleton where he remained until his death some 35 years later.

  

On 1 June 1848, James was recommended for[32], and given[33] [34], a conditional pardon (48/1046) by the Governor of New South Wales: 

Extract from: Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (HO10, Piece 53) via Ancestry.com

No. 2599; James Kirk; Ship - Camden; Year of arrival - 1833; Living Where/When - Buckinghamshire 28 February 1832; Sentence - Life; Authority Under Which Granted - Governor’s Minute

The wording of the pardon reiterates that James' sentence was transportation to the Colony for his natural life and makes it clear that his pardon will become void if he goes to, or resides in, any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland during the time of his sentence[35]. This effectively meant that James could never return to his family in England.

In any event, by 1848, James’ wife and youngest son had died and his daughters were in the care of the workhouse … See my post The Family Left Behind – Elizabeth King and Her Children. Whether he would have known this is uncertain. 

As far as I have been able to determine so far, it doesn't appear that James married and/or had children in Australia. He died in 1877 at Singleton in the Patrick Plains District of New South Wales[36]. He would have been about 83 years old.

Benjamin Kirk in Australia

In the convict indents[37][38] Benjamin is described as follows:

Extract from:Annotated Printed Convict Indents - New South Wales, Australia Convict Indents, 1788-1842 State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12189; Item: [X635]; Microfiche: 703 via Ancestry.com

33-380; No. 8; Benjamin Kirk …...; 52 (age) [sic]; None (can’t read or write); Protestant; Married; 2 (children -boys); 6 (children girls; Buckinghamshire (native of); Farm servant ….. (indenture); sheep stealing (sentenced for); Buckinghamshire (where tried); 28 February 1832 (when tried); Life (sentence – years); None (sentence – months); 5ft 4 ¾ (Height feet and inches); Dark sallow & wrinkled (complexion); Dark Brown (hair); Hazel (eyes); Front teeth irregular, top joint on fourth finger of right hand contracted; uncle to No.7 [James Kirk]

I dare say that convict assignment was a bit of a lottery depending on who you got assigned to which, in turn, would have been reflected in a convict’s behaviour. It appears that, unlike James, Benjamin managed to stay out of trouble during his indenture. He was granted a ticket of leave in the District of Port Macquarie (No. 41/7866) on 3 April 1841[39]. It appears that not long after that, during 1841-42, Benjamin received a pardon, probably a conditional pardon?[40].

Extract from: Pardons 1841-1842 - Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (HO10, Piece 57) via Ancestry.com

No. 701; Benjamin Kirk; Ship – Camden (2) [that is, second sailing] Year of arrival – 1833; Tried Where/When – Buckinghamshire, 28 February 1832; Sentence – Life; Authority under granted – Regulations of May 1835 

Most pardons I have come across in the past have been granted under a Governor’s minute. Benjamin’s pardon was granted under the ‘Regulations of May 1835’. I have been unable to find out much about these Regulations but my presumption is that they were essentially administrative in nature and provided a delegation to an office holder of some sort to issue pardons under certain conditions without the matter needing to go to the Governor for a Governor's minute. 

Benjamin continued to work for Jeremiah Warlters until his untimely death in 1844. He was working as a storeman when he was killed by a charging bullock and died at the hospital at Port Macquarie. Benjamin was buried on 4 August 1844[41][42][43]. He would most probably have been about 67 but is listed as being 62[44].

Extract from: Convict Death Register. Series 12213, SR Reel 690. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia via Ancestry.com.

Name: Kirk, Benjamin. Ship: Camden. Date of Burial: 4 Augt ’44. District or Parish: Port Macquarie. Remarks: T of Leave Holder 

The timing could not have been worse. His daughter and her family had arrived in Sydney just 4 days before on 31 July 1844. It seems likely that he did not get to see them?

Postscript

James Kirk is my 5th Great Grandfather

Benjamin Kirk is my 6th Great Grand-uncle (7th Great Uncle)

Note: I have now moved my blogging efforts from this platform to WeAre.xyz so that I can integrate building my family history archive with blogging. This post, or an updated version of it, can be found at:    

https://app.weare.xyz/blog/the-dual-genealogist/blogposts/one-sheep-a-death-sentence

Notes

[1] According to the National Archives Currency Converter 1270-2017, 45 shillings in 1830 would be equivalent to about 152.55 pounds sterling in today’s money The National Archives [Website]Accessed 24 April 2021.

[2] Class: HO 27; Piece: 43; Page: 30 Home Office: Criminal Registers, England and Wales Image via Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[3] The Bucks Gazette of 3 March 1832 via British Newspaper Archive [Website] Accessed 15 March 2020.

[4] The Bucks Herald of 3 March 1832 via British Newspaper Archive [Website] Accessed 15 March 2020

[5] The Bucks Gazette of 5 March 1832 via British Newspaper Archive [Website] Accessed 15 March 2020.

[6] Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849. Microfilm, HO9, 5 rolls. The National Archives, Kew, England Transcript via Ancestry.com. UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed 8 April 2022.

[7] England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 Transcript via FindMyPast [Website] Accessed 8 April 2022.

[8] Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849. Microfilm, HO9, 5 rolls. The National Archives, Kew, England Transcript via Ancestry.com. UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[9] Archives NSW; Kingswood, New South Wales; Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Item: 2/2016; Roll: 759 Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[10] Marriage Index Transcript via FindMyPast [Website] Accessed 20 March 2020. 

[11] England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 Transcript via FindMyPast [Website] Accessed 7 April 2022 

[12] Buckinghamshire Baptism Index Image via FindMyPast [Website] Accessed 8 April 2022 

[13] Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849. Microfilm, HO9, 5 rolls. The National Archives, Kew, England Image via Ancestry.com. UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[14] England Marriages 1538-1973 Transcript via FindMyPast [Website] Accessed 8 April 1822

[15] State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood New South Wales, Australia; Persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrant Lists); Series: 5316; Reel: 2135; Item: [4/4785] Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 8 April 2022.

[16] Convict Ships – Camden 1833  Journal of Joseph Steret on the voyage of the Camden in 1833 via Jen Willetts Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 Apr 2022.

[17] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 via Jen Willetts Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 April 2022.

[18] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 Journal of Joseph Steret on the voyage of the Camden in 1833 via Jen Willetts Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 Apr 2022.

[19] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 Journal of Joseph Steret on the voyage of the Camden in 1833 - See Note 18.

[20] Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 1-4, 6-18, 28-30); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 8 April 2022.

[21] Annotated Printed Convict Indents - New South Wales, Australia Convict Indents, 1788-1842 State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12189; Item: [X635]; Microfiche: 703 Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[22] Convict Indents State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4017]; Microfiche: 684 Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[23] Convicts Index 1791-1873 - Ship: Camden | Citation: [4/4149; Reel 939] Entry No: 41/588| Record Type: Ticket of Leave via New South Wales State Archives & Records [online database] Accessed 15 March 2020.

[24] State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4149] via Image Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[25] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 – James Kirk via Jen Willets Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 Apr 2022. 

[26] The Gaol Description and Entrance books for Newcastle Jail indicate that James was born in 1790 - State Archives NSW; Kingswood, New South Wales; Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Item: 2/2016; Roll: 759 via Image Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[27] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 – James Kirk via Jen Willets Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 Apr 2022. 

[28] State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4149] via Image Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[29] Convict Ships – Camden 1833 – James Kirk via Jen Willets Free Settler or Felon Newcastle and Hunter Valley Convict & Colonial History [Website]. Accessed 10 Apr 2022. 

[30] The ‘Make’ and ‘Colour of Hair’ and ‘Colour of Eyes’ are shown as ‘Do’ = Ditto in the record snippet whereas the information I have added in transcript is taken from the earlier entries to which the ‘Do’ refers.

[31] Convicts Index 1791-1873 - Ship: Camden | Citation: [4/4168; Reel 936] Entry No: 42/2599| Record Type: Ticket of Leave via New South Wales State Archives & Records [Online database]. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[32] Convicts Index 1791-1873 - Ship: Camden | Year 1833 | Citation: [4/4168; Reel 946| Entry No: 42/2599| Record Type: Ticket of Leave via New South Wales State Archives & Records [Online Database]. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[33] Convicts Index 1791-1873 - Ship: Camden | Year 1833 | Citation: [4?4458; Reel 787 Page 201-202] | Entry No: 48/1046 | Record Type: Conditional Pardon | Date: 1 Jun 1848 via New South Wales State Archives & Records [Online Database]. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[34] Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (HO10, Piece 53); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia, Convict Pardons and Tickets of Leave, 1834-1859 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 12 April 2022

[35] Copy of Conditional Pardon shared via upload to Ancestry.com by Geoffrey Walduck on 22 October 2017. Accessed 10 April 2022.

[36] NSW Pioneer Index - Pioneer Series 1778-1888 via Transcript Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed 12 April 2022. I can’t be sure this record is for the right James Kirk but it seems likely given James’ history and his location in the Patrick Plains area in 1842.

[37] Annotated Printed Convict Indents - New South Wales, Australia Convict Indents, 1788-1842 State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12189; Item: [X635]; Microfiche: 703 Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 8 April 2022. 

[38] Convict Indents State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4017]; Microfiche: 684 via image Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[39] Ticket of Leave - 4/4150; Reel 940 Entry No: 41/786 image via NSW State Archives & Records [online database] Accessed 8 April 2022 [40] Pardons 1841-1842 - Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (HO10, Piece 57); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England via Ancestry.com. New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia, Convict Pardons and Tickets of Leave, 1834-1859 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[40] Pardons 1841-1842 - Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (HO10, Piece 57); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England Image via Ancestry.com. New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia, Convict Pardons and Tickets of Leave, 1834-1859 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 12 April 2022
 
[41] Convict Death Register. Series 12213, SR Reel 690. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia via Image Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Death Register, 1826-1879 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Accessed 12 April 2022.

[42] NSW Pioneer Index - Pioneer Series 1778-1888 via Transcript Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed 12 April 2022

[43] Convicts Index 1791-1873 - Ship: Camden | Citation: [4/4549; Reel 690 Page 124] | Record Type: Convict Death Register | Date: 04/08/1844 via New South Wales State Archives & Records Accessed 8 April 2022

[44] Copy of Death Listing shared via upload to Ancestry.com by casdas1 on 28 July 2018. Accessed 10 April 2022.