On the 27th November 1842, John flew into a (drunken?) rage and ended up killing my 4th Great Grandmother, Sarah Rack and, presumably, her unborn child. The court papers describe how he beat her and it makes horrible and harrowing reading. He was convicted of manslaughter at Lincoln assizes on 8 March 1843 and he was sentenced to 10 years transportation.

Other reports have him sentenced to imprisonment at Lincoln Castle. John, however, was found in the records aboard the prison hulk ship the Warrior, docked in Woolwich, and given the conditions and reputation of Lincoln Castle prison at the time, that seems to have been by far the better option for John.

However, he never left England.

For some unfathomable reason, a few years later, he was pardoned by Queen Victoria.

Victoria R
John Williams et al
Free Pardon
Whereas the following persons are under sentence of transportation on board the Warrior Hulk at Woolwich they having been convicted of felony at the times and places hereafter mentioned. Viz
John Williams at Welchpool in March 1843, Hy Biggs Horn Gardener at Hereford in March 1843, Wm Martin, Geo Jarvis, Chas Martin and Hezekial Folkes at Chelmford in March 1843, Morris Thomas at Haverford West, Edward Lilburn and John Britcliffe at Lincoln in March 1843, Edward Shenton, Jas White and Thomas Johnson at Stafford in March 1843, Neil Mc Gilvary at Glasgow in September 1842 and Jas Whistow at Chester in April 1843.
We in consideration of same circumstances humbly represented unto us are Graciously pleased to extend our Grace and Mercy unto them and to Grant them our free pardon for the crimes of which they stand convicted. 
12 April 1848

The irony is their children did well, and some moved down under of their own accord! The Britcliffe’s are alive and well in the UK and the Southern Hemisphere, and I guess I’m living proof of that!

This is the first post of some genealogy stories as I get back into researching the family tree – who knows what else will come out of the woodwork…

PS Thanks to Mike Dawson for the transcription and images above.

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