Redhill Reformatory Emigrants to Natal/South Africa - Part 2 N - W

Continuing the list of Redhill emigrants; see yesterday's post on this blog for the first portion of the list.

Facts in this order - Birth/Admitted to School/emigration date (if known):

37. Nalder Francis 20.10.1858/30.1.1874
38. Oliver Isaac 7.11.1840/20.6.1852
39. Parratt John  1866/17.12.1879/to S Africa 27.8.1884 Tartar
40. Paul John 1868/10.9.1881/to S Africa 24.7.1884 Garth Castle
41. Pilcher William Edward 1867/11.7.1879/to S Africa 24.7.1884 Garth Castle
42. Porter Edward 1863 (Battle, Sussex)/21.7.1879/to Natal 28.6.1884 Mexican
43. Porter Horace 1868 (Battle, Sussex)/21 7 1879/to Natal 28.6.1884 Mexican
44. Pulford William 25.2.1840/5.4.1854
45. Pritty John 1845/25.8.1860
46. Quin George 1847/13.5.1861
47. Rayner Samuel 1866/13.9.1881/to S Africa 27.8.1884 Tartar
48. Reed James 15.4.1840/13.4.1854
49. Reeves William Henry 11.1.1844/13.10.1858
50. Rowe John 30.3.1840/7.3.1854
51. Shackleford Edward 1845/14.12.1858
52. Shaw John (Wm Thos) 13.2.1874 (Kilburn, Middx)/26.1.1889
53. Shorter George Henry 17.9.1865 (Hadlow, Kent)/8.7.1880/to S Africa 27.5.1884 Hawarden Castle
54. Sinmer (real name Limmer) Charles Arthur 1862/29.6.1875
55. Smith Charles W 1840/23.2.1852
56. Smith (real name Saundaycock) George 26.1.1859/27.4.1874
57. Smith John George 1845/2.2.1860
58. Stammers Christopher James 10.8.1865 (Sible Hedingham, Essex)/7.3.1881/to Natal 11.4.1884 Drummond Castle
59. Swan Charles 1868 (Watford, Herts)/9.8.1879/to S Africa 24.7.1884 Garth Castle
60. Swift William 25.12.1865 (Nottingham)/3.7.1879/to Natal 28.6.1884 Mexican
61. Thomas William Edward 1.11.1866 (St Leonards, Sussex)/14.8.1880/to Natal 24.7.1884 Garth Castle
62. Titley Joseph 25.12.1842/8.9.1857/to Natal Aries
63. Ware William 1866 (Bridgwater, Somerset)/23.5.1879/to S Africa 27.5.1884 Hawarden Castle
64. Waugh James 16.12.1841/18.12.1852
65. Webb Edward 1842/13.2.1854
66. Weldon alias Williams Peter 1841/3.1.1854
67. Williams (real name Jenkinson) Robert (real name Peter) 1843/15.6.1857/to Natal Aries
68. Williams (right name Warren) Henry (right name John) 2.4.1844/16.1.1860/to Natal Dudbrook
69. Willis alias Lloyd John alias George 1841/20.6.1854
70. Wood George Thomas 13.6.1864 (Chatham, Kent)/8.11.1879/to S Africa 27.8.1884 Tartar


Researcher Peter Bathe would like to hear from any descendants of the Redhill emigrants, or from anyone with an interest in the topic, and can be contacted at p[dot]bathe[at]hotmail[dot]com

Redhill Reformatory emigrants Natal/South Africa – Part 1 A-M

Rather than ship troublesome boys straight to the colonies, the British Government worked with various charities, including the Philanthropic Society, to train boys, mostly in farming work but also as blacksmiths and carpenters, etc, and then selected the most suitable for immigration to Canada, Australia and South Africa.

The Philanthropic Society’s Farm School was at Redhill in Surrey. The boys would spend between three and five years at the school (depending on the term of their original sentence) before they sailed to the colonies.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Society sent some 70 boys to South Africa, most going to Natal.

By combining the records of the Farm School, data from the British census, and the records published so far as part of the eGGSA Passenger Project, it has been possible to collate some information about these immigrants, which is presented here in two parts – boys with surnames beginning A to M and those from L to Z.

The boys are listed alphabetically by surname, followed by two key dates – a date of birth and the date the child was admitted to the Farm School. Where known, a place of birth has been added.

Finally, where there is a known date of arrival in South Africa, this has been noted, together with the ship the boy sailed on.


Birth/Admitted to School/emigration date (if known):

1. Ayton William 1842/1.8.1853
2. Baigent Alfred Thomas born 2.6.1872 (London)/admitted to school 19.3.1888
3. Bloomfield (real name Bailey) George (real name Alfred) 15.9.1842 27.10.1858
4. Bathe George William 12.7.1847 (Plumstead, Kent)/16.11.1861/to Natal 10.1865
5. Berridge Robert James 28.6.1864 (Rotherhithe, Surrey)/25.12.1879/to Natal 10.4.1883 Kinfauns Castle
6. Brian alias Hill Thomas 1847/27.10.1860
7. Broadley John 1841/17.3.1854
8. Carr Samuel 1852/16.4.1866
9. Chidgey Joseph 4.11.1846/18.1.1861
10. Cockbill James 1.9.1862 (Westminster)/2.7.1878/to S Africa 23 2 1882 Anglian
11. Cosford George 10.3.1867 (Derby)/5.5.1879/to Natal 11.4.1884 Drummond Castle
12. Dixon John Henry 5.7.1866/29.6.1881/to Natal 28.6.1884 Mexican
13. Dongworth Henry 4.5.1846/29.5.1857/to Natal 1861 William Ackers
14. Dudderidge Charles 9.1.1849/28.3.1861
15. Eary George 1840/20.6.1854
16. Edgell John 18.10.1849/26.12.1861/to Natal 10.1865
17. Freeman (real name Smith) William James 24.11.1876/20.5.1892
18. Friend (real name Hall) John 26.2.1873/22.6.1887
19. Gaiter Hodgson Smith 27.1.1866 (Wellington, Shropshire)/21.7.1879/to S Africa 27 5 1884 Hawarden Castle
20. Hale William 1865 (Radstock, Somerset)/2.2.1878/ to S Africa 23 2 1882 Anglian
21. Harmsworth George James 27.2.1866 n(Clapton, Middx)/15.3.1879 to S Africa 27 5 1884 Hawarden Castle
22. Harris William (Benjn Geo Chas) 16.4.1863 (Millwall, Essex)/21.5.1879/to Natal 10.4.1883 Kinfauns Castle
23. Hoffmann Arthur 7.1.1866 /27.8.1881/to S Africa 27 8 1884 Tartar
24. Horn (real name Murphy) William 1866 (Dover, Kent)/6.5.1880/to Natal 10.4.1883 Kinfauns Castle
25. Jones George Henry 1846/22.11.1860
26. Keynton Laurence 1846/13.10.1860
27. King Thomas John 1865 (Rochester, Kent)/12.4.1879/to Natal 11.4.1884 Drummond Castle
28. Kirk John 1846/27.7.1858
29. Lamas James 1850/31.10.1866
30. Leatham Henry George Milton 1862/20.9.1875
31. Long Maurice 28.10.1858/9.12.1872
32. Lovett John 22.3.1842/6.7.1853
33. Marsh William 2.1.1864 (London)/20.4.1880/to Natal 11.4.1884 Drummond Castle
34. McCarthy Michael 30.9.1866 (Kensal New Town, Middx)/30.3.1881/to Natal 11.4.1884 Drummond Castle
35. Moore Henry 2.7.1859/11.3.1873
36. Murphy James 1848/8.2.1860

To be continued.

Guest post from researcher Peter Bathe.

Names of emigrants to Natal from Redhill Farm School, Surrey

Part Two of Guest Post by Peter Bathe

The following is a list of those who emigrated to Natal from Redhill Farm School, Surrey:

1. Ayton William
2. Bloomfield (real name Bailey)
George (real name Alfred)
3. Bathe George William
4. Berridge Robert James
5. Brian alias Hill Thomas
6. Broadley John
7. Carr Samuel
8. Chidgey Joseph
9. Cosford George
10. Dixon John Henry
11. Dongworth Henry
12. Dudderidge Charles
13. Eary George
14. Edgell John
15. Freeman (real name Smith)
William James
16. Friend (real name Hall) John
17. Harris William (Benjn Geo Chas)
18. Hirn (real name Murphy)
William
19. Jones George Henry
20. Keynton Laurence
21. King Thomas (John)
22. Kirk John
23. Lamas James
24. Leatham Henry George Milton
25. Lovett John
26. Marsh William
27. McCarthy Michael
28. Murphy James
29. Oliver Isaac
30. Porter Edward
31. Pulford William
32. Putty/Pritty John
33. Quin George
34. Reed James
35. Reeves William Henry
36. Rowe John
37. Shackleford Edward
38. Sinmer [sic] (real name Limmer)
Charles Arthur
39. Smith Charles W
40. Smith John George
41. Stammers Christopher James
42. Swift William
43. Thomas William (Edwd)
44. Titley Joseph
45. Waugh James
46. Webb Edward
47. Weldon alias Williams Peter
48. Williams (real name Jenkinson)
Robert (real name Peter)
49. Williams (real name Warren)
Henry (real name John)
50. Willis alias Lloyd John
alias George

Author's note:

I have extracted all those noted as having gone to Natal from a pdf file created by Surrey History Centre.
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/172776/RoyalPhilanthropicSchoolRedhill.pdf lists several hundred boys for whom records exist at the SHC.

The data on the pdf file is simply name, date of birth, date of admission to the school and where they went at the end of their sentences. However, it is possible to purchase facsimiles of the admission register entries for each boy from SHC:

http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/surrey-history-centre

Redhill Farm School Log 1861: portion of page concerning
George William Bathe, giving physical description, age and
educational status as well as his offence: 'obtaining 21/-
by false pretences'. 

The pages of the register are about A3 in size, and there are two per boy. The top half of these two pages include details such as date of birth, physical attributes, parents, crime and court, former education etc while the lower half is a log of the boy’s life at the school – visits, leave, misdemeanours and what happened at the end of the sentence, plus as much of a post-release follow-up as the school was able to manage, based on letters from former inmates and their friends.
It would be possible using Ancestry.com to get more details of these boys prior to their period at the school (including, possibly, their offence) and I would be happy to look into that should anyone wish to know more about a particular individual.
The new eGGSA passenger list project mentioned elsewhere in this blog may provide details of their arrival in Natal.





Peter Bathe can be contacted at p[dot]bathe[at]hotmail[dot]com

Emigrants to Natal from the Redhill Farm School, Surrey

Guest post from Peter Bathe

The Philanthropic Society was formed in 1788 to aid the reformation of boys who had been engaged in criminal activities. In 1792 it transferred to Southwark and in 1849 to a farm school of 133 acres, later expanded to 350 acres, at Redhill in Surrey. Boys accepted at the school early on were either voluntary cases at expiration of prison sentences, voluntary cases part paid for by parents who could not manage them at home, or very young boys sentenced to transportation.

The Reformatory School Act of 1854 made changes that meant that in place of these three categories the school began receiving boys directly from the courts. The numbers of boys at the school rose considerably, and at the end of their time at the school many Victorian era boys were sent to parts of the British Empire.
The basic training for the boys was working on the land, although tailoring, carpentering, shoemaking, and blacksmithing were also taught.

Reform, or Reformatory, schools became Approved Schools under the 1933 Children’s Act. Later changes in legislation took control of the school – although not ownership of the property – away from the Society and eventually the school closed in 1988.

In 1861, it was reported: “Since the year 1849, 1,484 boys have been received, of whom more than 600 have emigrated. A large majority of those who have left its walls are now filling situations with credit to themselves and the good report of their employers. There are now 260 inmates, who are lodged in six separate houses, or ‘homes’.”

Of those who emigrated, most went to Canada, but several sailed to Natal.

For example, of the 95 boys admitted to the Farm School in 1861, five emigrated to Natal at the end of their sentences, but 21 went to Canada (plus three to Australia and one to New Zealand).

The records of the Farm School show that some 27 former inmates who had been sent there between 1852 and 1865 emigrated to Natal, and a further 18 from those sent there between 1866 and about 1890.

The year 1865 is only significant in that my great grandfather, George William Bathe, who was sent to the school from Maidstone Quarter Session in November 1861, sailed to Natal after completing his sentence and arrived there on 25 October 1865. He did not prosper as a colonist and in 1869 enlisted in the British army with a regiment then stationed at Pietermaritzburg, and returned to England with that regiment.

Harvest home at the Philanthropic Society's Farm School, Redhill, Surrey