Wilding Thomas b1783, Research

Thomas Wilding, born 1783

We have been trying to establish the identity and life details of out GGG Grandfather born in Lavenham, Suffolk England in the 1780’s. We knew his name and family group but he seems to have disappeared from the family after he and his wife Sarah had their 9 children.

A hint from another researcher suggested that there were more convict ancestors in our family tree. After some research of my own there is some evidence to suggest this.

Our ancestor, Thomas Wilding, was born in 1783 at Lavenham, Suffolk, England. He married Sarah Porter and they had 9 children including our GG Grandfather John Thomas Porter Wilding.

Tasmanian convict records show a Thomas Wilding was transported to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) on the convict ship ‘Arab 2’ arriving 30 June 1834 [see record Convicts Arriving in Van Diemens Land per Arab2 1834], this Thomas Wilding was 50 years old (note 1). The conviction was recorded in Suffolk Quarter Sessions on 22nd October 1833 where he was sentenced to 7 years transportation to the Colonies.

VDL (Van Diemens Land) convict records:
Arrival Date (Hobart): 30 Jun 1834 (ref: dlm18033220 c31a31470138)
Gaol Report: twice before imprisoned has 2 Sons imprisoned for other offenses. (ref: c31a31470138)
Hulk Report: orderly (ref: c31a31470138)
Ship: Arab (2) (ref: ai75949, c31a31470138)
Stated This Offence: Stealing Cord, previous: once 3 Months for Poaching, once for Assault Sentenced 12 months (ref: c31a31470138)

From “Bury and Norwich Post” – 26 October 1833
…and Thomas Wilding, stealing from the shop of Frederick Vickers of Shimpling, 26 and a half yards of cotton cord, was sentenced to 7 years transportation. Against Daniel Symonds who stood charged with the last named prisoner, there was no conviction.
After sentencing Wilding went to the Leviathan hulk at Portsmouth on 26 November 1833
(See newspaper article 23/10/1833)

His Tasmanian convict record shows his native place as Lavenham (note 2) and his wife as Sarah (note 3). The record also shows he had 7 children (note 4) one named John, and another named Thomas (note 5). [see record Record of Arriving Convicts]

The same record also documents the two sons who had previously been found guilty of offenses in Lavenham the record was written as spoken by Thomas  …. “my Son John was imprisoned 12 days for Assault, and Thomas was in for Drunkenness”. (note 6)

These offenses correlate to Court records found for the John and Thomas Wilding in our family tree.

record of ‘Convicts Arriving in Van Diemens Land per Arab2, 1834’

Note 1 – the age matches the Thomas Wilding ancestor exactly – both 1783
Note 2 – Lavenham is the birth place of Thomas Wilding the ancestor
Note 3 – Sarah is the name of his wife on the Convict record, Thomas Wilding’s our ancestors wife was also named Sarah
Note 4 – on first look 7 children does not match, our ancestor is believed to have had 9 children. We know Harriet his daughter died in 1833, and we know that his son Thomas had been tragically killed in a brewery accident in 1835, so that leaves 7 alive after 1835.
Note 5 – names of both sons (John and Thomas) on the Convict Record match those of Thomas Wilding the ancestor

Note 6 – records show that our Thomas Wilding’s son John Wilding had previously been charged with Assault – (see John Wilding’s page) and that his other son Thomas Wilding had also been charged with Drunkenness (see Thomas Wilding’s page)

Other evidence:
* there is no death record in Suffolk England for a Thomas Wilding that matches the likely death dates for our ancestor if he had lived his life out in England.
* there is no England Census record of a Thomas Wilding from the first England census in 1841, and subsequent census (1851, 1861, 1871) for a Thomas Wilding living with a Sarah Porter in Suffolk England
* an 1841 England Census shows a Sarah Wilding (aged 55) and a Robert Wilding (aged 17) living together in Lavenham, indicating that husband Thomas Wilding was not at this address! [see record England Census 1841]

I think it is highly likely that the Thomas Wilding transported to Tasmania in 1834 was the same Thomas Wilding as our GGG Grandfather, and who was John Thomas Porter Wilding’s father.

Two Thomas Wildings in Van Diemens Land
Records show that there were two Thomas Wilding’s in Tasmania which did lead to some confusion at first. They are:
1. Thomas Wilding, born 1773 Lavenham Suffolk England, sentenced 22 Oct 1833 – Suffolk, England, transported to VDL on the convict ship Arab (2) arriving Hobart 1834. Died Launceston 30 Sep 1866 (aged 82)
2. Thomas Wilding, born 1821 Lancashire, England, sentenced 5 Jan 1842 – Lancaster, England for 14 years, transported to VDL on the convict ship Marquis of Hastings, arriving Hobart 1842. Pardoned Jan 1848, Married Anne Quin in Hobart on 25 Nov 1851, Died Hobart 1/11/1890 (aged 69).

Thomas in Tasmania

It takes some record filtering to establish which Thomas is which after arrival in Tasmania as the records don’t often provide clear distinction. However with the reasonably large difference in birth date, 1773 and 1821, 48 years separating the two Thomas’s that helps somewhat. Our Thomas appears to have been freed from servitude in 1840 and at some point moved to Launceston in the north of Tasmania. There is a record of a Thomas Wilding living at Brickfield Hill, Launceston in 1841 (newspaper article regarding a burglary at his address) The Launceston Thomas Wilding passed away at Launceston on 30 Sep 1866 at age 87 (this is in part a discrepancy, it makes his birth date 1779 whereas we know it to be 1783. Four years different. There are no other possible matches in Australia for a Thomas Wilding for decades before or after so at this stage we assume four years birth date conflict to be a records anomaly which is common at this time with often poor literacy contributing.

On the issue of a (re)marriage for our Thomas Wilding in Tasmania between 1834 and 1866, there are no records of a marriage.

(further research is to be undertaken particularly relating to his time in Tasmania and death details)

In summary

If you consider this all in context of the family tree we have our GGG grandfather arriving as a Convict in Sydney Town in 1834 . His son John (Tom) Wilding arrived also as a convict into Sydney in 1837, 3 years later. On top of that we know that John Thomas’ cousin Samuel Wilding also arrived in Sydney in 1837 and there was a John Wilding from Lavenham a First Fleeter in 1778, yet to be proven but surely a family member. That is some serious Convict pedigree.

Other information:

For interest sake here are some personal details of Thomas Wilding recorded on his convict records :

Calculated Age: 1783 (Estimated from age 50 as at 1834-06-30) (ref: dlm18033220)
Body Marks: small scar on lower lip (ref: dlm18033220)
Eyes: Hazel (ref: dlm18033220)
Hair: Grey (ref: dlm18033220)
Height Calculated Total Inches: 5 ft 8½ inches (ref: dlm18033220)

Sources…

Our Thomas

Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 about Thomas Wilding
Name: Thomas Wilding
Death Date: 30 Sep 1866
Death Place: Tasmania
Age: 87
Registration Year: 1866
Registration Place: Launceston, Tasmania
Registration number: 171
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1779

The other Thomas

Australia Death Index, 1787-1985 about Thomas Wilding
Name: Thomas Wilding
Death Date: 1 Nov 1890
Death Place: Tasmania
Age: 70
Registration Year: 1890
Registration Place: Hobart, Tasmania
Registration number: 35
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1820

The other Thomas

Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950 about Thomas Wilding
Name: Thomas Wilding
Spouse Name: Anne Quin
Marriage Date: 25 Nov 1851
Marriage Place: Tasmania
Registration Place: Hobart, Tasmania
Registration Year: 1851
Registration number: 419

The other Thomas

Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868 about Thomas Wilding
Name: Thomas Wilding
Vessel: Marquis of Hastings
Convicted Date: 5 Jan 1842
Voyage Date: 15 Jul 1842
Colony: Van Dieman’s Land
Place of Conviction: Lancaster, Lancashire, England

Our Thomas

Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868 about Thomas Wilding
Name: Thomas Wilding
Vessel: Arab
Convicted Date: 22 Oct 1833
Voyage Date: 22 Feb 1834
Colony: Van Dieman’s Land
Place of Conviction: Suffolk, England