Memories

Highway Robbery near Sheffield

Isaac Beaumont,born about 1818 and his brother Joshua who lived at Whiston were accused of robbing Robert Hadley of his watch. Because the robbery took place on a road it was classed as highway robbery and the only sentence for that offence was death.

Isaac was arrested but as far as I know Joshua was never apprehended. Isaac was found guilty and the death sentance was passed. It was later reduced to transportation to Australia.

He was married and had a child. He was the son of Jonathon and Ann Beaumont. He was transported to Sydney on the "Waterloo" arriving in Australia 8th February 1838. He was given his Conditional Pardon on 10th June 1850.

In 1844, he was given permission to marry again. In Australia, given a death sentence he could never return to the U.K. hence the granting of another marriage. He married Mary Whytelaw, a scots lassie who came free to the colony on the "New York Packet" arriving in Sydney 23 October 1841.

They had probably 8 children only 6 living, my great granmother the youngest. Mary died in July 1856 in childbirth her son also dying. After Mary's death Isaac certainly got into bad company again and had further brushes with the law. He died at the home of his eldest daughter on 5th February 1896, 48 years after arriving in Australia.

Isaac had 48 grandchildren and to-day they come from all walks of life including, horicultorists, office workers, to university graduates, you name it he probably has an offspring doing it.

Thanks to Patricia Willcox for sending this story, from the Sheffield Independant Newspaper , 11th March 1837.