Deportation for robbery with violence

Deportation for
robbery with violence

A parish police register

According to the Australian Convict Transportation Registers 1791 – 1868 held in the National Archives at Kew, 69 prisoners were transported to Australia from Jersey. Of those 69 only three were women

Edouard Boudet

Edouard Boudet was one of those transported from Jersey in 1850 after being sentenced to deportation for 14 years in 1848. Criminal records located at the Jersey Archive show that Edouard Quenault, Edouard Boudet, James Walker and John Lancaster were accused of having on the night of Monday 15 May to Tuesday 16 May, committed an armed burglary on a house occupied by Elizabeth Payne, widow of Nicolas Anthoine, and Anne Anthoine, her daughter. The group were accused of assaulting Elizabeth and Anne by seizing them and tying them together with a rope and threatening them with their life if they screamed or made the slightest noise.

They then stole six soup spoons, 12 teaspoons and a pair of tongs, all made from silver, a towel, a piece of meat and silver coins amounting to about 18 shillings. Also a gold ring worn on the finger of Anne Anthoine.

The accused were brought before the grand jury, who heard all the evidence and the report of the incident from the Constable of St Saviour. The jury went away to consider the facts and found that the accused were guilty of the crimes charged and for their punishment they were ordered to be deported from the island at the pleasure of her Majesty for the term of 14 years.

The Jersey Transportation Register, kept at the Archive, gives details of Edouard Boudet’s transportation Edouard was only 17 at the time of the armed burglary and had one previous offence. His parents were described as respectable, but poor, and his marital status is given as single. Boudet was described as a shoemaker by trade and could read well but ‘writes perfectly’ He was transported with James Walker on 27 June 1850 on the Nile and landed in Van Diemen’s Land.