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I am trying to find info about my gtgtgt grandfather Thomas Cockin b. 1806 at Curdworth, Warwickshire. In 1841 census he lived in Rowley Regis, Tipton, Stafford with 2 children and a Mrs Skeldon age 75. In 1849 he was found guilty at Stafford Assizes for stealing a carcass of lamb and deported for 7 years. He told the court he was widowed and had [he said] 3 children, can only find 2. Where he was from 1849 to 1853 awaiting deportation I do not know, as here again I cannot find him. I understand he obtained his Certificate of Freedom in 1863 and after that I can find nothing. Understand convicts were not allowed to return to their home country but have a feeling he did get back as I found a Thomas Cockin that fitted his age etc, in a workhouse in Burton on Trent, but cannot be sure it is my Thomas.

Consequently I would like to confirm what happened to Thomas that was deported, and also I cannot find his marriage but have since found out his children's mother's name was Mary.

Is anyone else researching this family and can anyone suggest how I can find out more about Thomas Cockin b. 1806 who was deported to Australia in 1853.

:-)

I know you have this - just for our reference:


1841 England Census
Name: Thomas Cockin
Age: 35
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1806
Gender: Male
Civil Parish: Rowley Regis
Hundred: North Seisdon
County/Island: Staffordshire
Country: England

Registration district: Dudley
Sub-registration district: Rowley Regis

Thomas Cockin 35
Sarah Cockin 11
Thomas Cockin 9

There is a Josiah Cocken born 1933 in Halesowen, to mother Mary - right sort of area, so a possibility? No father named though.
Jan

The 1841census

The woman is Sarah Skeldon and she is in a different household?

Is this woman worth checking out?

1871 England Census
Name: Mary Cockin (widow)
Age: 70
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Relation: Lodger
Gender: Female
Where born: Rowley, Staffordshire, England
Civil Parish: Halesowen
Ecclesiastical parish: Halesowen
County/Island: Worcestershire
Country: England
Registration district: Stourbridge
Sub-registration district: Halesowen

Name Age
John Moseley 40
Anna Moseley 40
David Moseley 11
Harry Moseley 4
Fred Moseley 2
Mary Cockin 70

Ignore the Mary above, she is with husband in 1841!

Cathryn -

The Thomas Cockin you found in the workhouse in Burton on Trent is listed as born in Co. Mayo., in 1801.


1881 England Census about Thomas Cockin
Name: Thomas Cockin
Age: 80
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Relationship to Head: Inmate
Gender: Male
Where born: Mayo Co, Ireland
Civil Parish: Horninglow
County/Island: Staffordshire
Country: England
Street address: The Burton On Trent Union Workhouse
Marital Status: Widow
Occupation: Farm Labourer
Registration district: Burton Upon Trent
Sub registration district: Burton Upon Trent
ED, institution, or vessel: The Burton on Trent Union Workhouse
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2767
Folio: 136
Page Number: 4

There are a couple of deaths in AUS that match. Do you know his parents name please?

Is this the one you believe to be your Thomas?

Name: Thomas Cockin
Event Type: Christening
Event Date: 04 Nov 1804
Event Place: Curdworth, Warwickshire, England
Gender: Male
Father's Name: Thomas Cockin
Mother's Name: Sarah
GS Film number: 198729 , Digital Folder Number: 4290097 , Image Number: 00214

Just a maybe for the 1851:
1851 England Census about T C
Name: T C
Age: 48
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1803
Relation: Convict (Prisoner)
Gender: Male
Where born: Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Alverstoke
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Defense Invalid Convict Depot
Piece: 1660
Folio: 517
Page Number: 15

Maureen

That looks a good find Mo :-)

Do you know where in Australia he was transported to? The only Thomas Cockin I can find was transported in 1831 so obviously not the right one.
By 1853 transportation was almost finished.

Edit - OK found him, as COCKING in Fremantle (W.A.) prison

COCKING, Thomas
Convict No 1937
Ship Name Pyrenees (Journey 2)
Ship Arrival Date 30 Apr 1853
Birth Date 1802
Marital Status Wid 3 chn
Occupation labourer
Sentence Date 15 Oct 1849
Sentence Place Stafford
Sentence Province Stafford
Sentence Country England
Court Qtr Sess
Length of Sentence 7yrs
Crime killing sheep with intent to steal
Ticket of Leave Date 1 May 1853
Conditional Pardon Date 18 Jul 1863

In 1863 he would be around 60 years old and probably had no money to speak of whatsoever.
I think you can rule out the idea that he returned to England; most ex-convicts could not afford the fare home.
Having said that, I can't see him in the WA records for marriage or deaths.

The 'West Australian State Library' (on-line) has an 'Ask a Librarian' service - they will check their MANY records - including those of (next-door) 'State Records Office' -well worth a try.

Valerie (WAus)

cont...
Another researcher on 'Genforum' (2000) notes that Thomas Cocking returned to the UK after selling his sheep for 6 pennies ...... and appears on 1881 census in a Burton-on-Trent workhouse.

Valerie (WAus)

That theory seems to have been debunked above, Valerie, since the one in the workhouse was Irish.

Baptism
County Staffordshire
Place Dudley Staffs
Church St Thomas
RegisterNumber 3180
BaptismDate 06 Nov 1831
Forename Thomas
Sex M
FatherForename Thomas
MotherForename Mary
FatherSurname COOKIN
Abode Tipton
FatherOccupation Labourer

(is that Son on 1841?)


Burial
County Staffordshire
Place Dudley Staffs
Church St Thomas
RegisterNumber 664
BurialDate 18 Jul 1832
Forename Mary
Surname COCKIN
Age 29
Abode Dudley

Chris :)

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/Search.pl

(from above)

Maureen/ exciting info, thank you.

Argylgran/ This Thomas said he was born in Staffordshire in the 1881 census so perhaps he was not in control of his mind when the 1891 census was filled in on his behalf. Another inmate said he was from Co.Mayo so perhaps he gave the enumerator the same info. Just another way at looking at it.

Gins/ You say Mrs Skeldon's name was Sarah and from another household. Do you have any more info about her because it is thought she was living with Thomas to look after his children and probably his wife had died.

Beverley/ incredible info will follow up. All that info about the court case I obtained way back in the 1980's and you are right in what you say. If he sold his sheep whilst in Australia for 6d as my gt.grandfather said, perhaps he found enough money to get a passage home. We Cockin[gs] are very persistent!!!

Brumejam/ thank you for the info. will follow it up.

Valerie/ That info about the sheep was mine in 2000. It was a story told by my gt grandfather Cocking [grandson of Thomas b.1806] and it is what has kept me going to find info about Australia.

Chris/ info very good and will follow it up. I have been searching for Mary for years. Thomas said he was a widow when convicted in 1849 so this seem to confirm what he said. In fact I am going to print all this out so I do not forget what has been advised.

Thank you everyone for your information and if you find anything further I would be really grateful to hear from you.

:-)

My g-g-grandfather was in Fremantle prison a bit later, in 1854.
I have a photocopy of his prison record, showing all the details of his life in the jail, and also on it are written the details of what he did when he left W.A. in 1886 - many years after his release.
I have no idea where this document originated from since it was passed down to me through my family. However it would be just the job if you could obtain Thomas's record.
Perhaps the prison would be able to help or you could get in touch with the library as Valerie suggests, they are really helpful.

How about this for a possibility?

1st June 1865 the ship Camden sailed from Fremantle to Sydney. On board was a passenger called Thomas Cocking.

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1865/06/003cam.htm