William Hurst
William Hurst
Born 1794 WootonBy Bedford, England
Died 1859 Hobart,Tasmania.
In March 1823, William Hurst (alias BillyGoodman) was tried at Cambridgeshire Assizes for horse stealing. He hadpreviously been in custody for poaching and was considered to be a badcharacter who had attempted to escape. He was sentenced to death, latercommuted to transportation for life. William arrived in Tasmania, then calledVan Damens Land, 19th January 1824, on the “ASIA”. In 1827 hesuccessfully petitioned to have his wife and four children sent out to joinhim. They arrived on New Year’s day, 1830. When William’s original master died,he was assigned to his wife, a free settler.
He was later appointed to the Field Policeand granted land rights in the Broadmarsh district of Hobart.
He received a conditional pardon in 1851which allowed him freedom to travel to anywhere but the United Kingdom.
I am grateful to Caroline Moore, PortStephens, Australia for the above summary.