John Suffolk and Elizabeth Cockshall, convicts

John Suffolk was convicted at the Berkshire Assizes (Abingdon, Berkshire) in July 1818 for receiving stolen goods and transported for 14 years via the Lord Sidmouth following a sojourn on the prison hulk Justicia from the 20th July to about the 25th of August 1818.

On the 15th of May 1821 John married Elizabeth Cockshall, a needlewoman who had been transported for 14 years on the Morley(3), at St. John's church Parramatta. John was 35 and Elizabeth was recorded as 21 but may have been a little younger.

Trial of Peter Maguire at the Mullingar Assizes

Peter Maguire was born about 1806 or 1807 in County Westmeath, Ireland, and was transported to Australia via the Guildford(8) in 1829 for 'Attacking a house.' His convict indent describes him as a farm worker of ruddy complexion with brown hair and grey eyes, 5 feet 6 3/4 inches tall. Peter was assigned to a Mr Stephens in Saint Vincent County, an area which went from the Shoalhaven River to the Deua River in the south, and included Braidwood.

Peter Maguire's papers indicate that he was tried in October of 1828, but I have been unable to find any reports in the British Newspaper Archive which match him for that date. It seems likely to me that his original trial date was in July, and perhaps his sentence was commuted to transportation in October or there was a confusion at some point. He was not able to read and write, and later in life his name was recorded as Peter McGuire.

Westmeath Journal 31 Jul 1828

Mullingar Assizes
Monday, July 28

Probate notice for John Suffolk

Joseph Suffolk (later a resident of Tomerong) is believed to be the son of John Suffolk, convict, who was transported via the Lord Sidmouth(1) in 1819. This notice in the NSW Government Gazette 9 August 1853 seems to support this:

Trial of John Suffolk, Cheesemonger

John Suffolk was transported to NSW in 1819 via the Lord Sidmouth(1).

The  Windsor and Eton Express gives a description of his crime as follows:

Windsor and Eton Express - Sunday 12 July 1818 p. 3-4
County Assizes

Berkshire. - These assizes commenced at Abingdon on Monday last. ...

Mary Sims, aged 23, single woman, charged with feloniously stealing, on the 24th of June, at the parish of Thatcham, 37 promissory notes, of the value of £73, the property of Joseph May. - Two years imprisonment to hard labour.

John Suffolk, aged 35, cheesemonger, charged with having, on the 25th day of June, at the parish of Thatcham, received and had the same promissory notes, knowing the same to have been so feloniously stolen by the said Mary Sims. - Transported for 14 years.(Retrieved from http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/)

It's interesting the receiving of stolen goods had a harsher penalty than stealing the promissory notes, but hard labour wouldn't have been a picnic either and John seems to have done alright in the colony.