Mid North Coast Pioneers - Newcastle to Lismore and beyond

In part:

"George Garlick GODWIN was born Malmesbury, Wilts, Eng - 1803 - 1810; he was a convict - arrived per "Burrell" 18 Dec 1830."

In part:

"George and Elizabeth Godwin were baptised in Jan 1818, parents listed as Nathaniel and Sarah. Other children of Nathaniel and Sarah (Robert and Susannah) were baptised in 1807 and 1809."

In part:

"George Garlick GODWIN was born Malmesbury, Wilts, Eng - 1803 - 1810; he was a convict - arrived per "Burrell" 18 Dec 1830."

Name: George Godwin Age: 22 Date of Conviction: 6 Mar 1830 Place of Conviction: Salisbury Estimated Birth Year: abt 1808 Vessel: Burrell Port of Arrival: Sydney Date of Arrival: 1830

Description:

Prisoner name: George Godwin.

Prisoner details: Aged 23.

Court and date of trial: Wiltshire Lent Assizes, New Sarum [Salisbury] 1830.

Crime: Stealing a pig, property of William Baker of Foxley, near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, yeoman.

Initial sentence: Transportation for life.

Gaoler's report: Former course of life bad; before convicted of felony.

Annotated: Nil.

Petitioner(s): Nathaniel Godwin of Westport, Malmesbury, farmer, the prisoner's father, undersigned by William Baker, the prosecutor, and 21 people, including three of the prisoner's former masters, testifying to his good character. William Baker, the prosecutor, Nathaniel Godwin, the prisoner's father, and 42 inhabitants of Malmesbury and district.

Grounds for clemency: The prisoner is young; his aged father requests that he be imprisoned in this country; after 16 years the prisoner claims that he has been recommended for a conditional pardon.

Correspondence: Covering letter for second petition from Joseph Neeld, Grosvenor Square.

Additional Information: Prisoner previously convicted of stealing fowls. Held on board Captivity hulk. Transported to Sydney.

In part:

"George Garlick GODWIN was born Malmesbury, Wilts, Eng - 1803 - 1810; he was a convict - arrived per "Burrell" 18 Dec 1830."

Name: George Godwin Age: 22 Date of Conviction: 6 Mar 1830 Place of Conviction: Salisbury Estimated Birth Year: abt 1808 Vessel: Burrell Port of Arrival: Sydney Date of Arrival: 1830

Name: George Goodwin Vessel: Burrell Province: New South Wales Title: Pardons Year(s): 1838-1841 Place of Conviction: Wilts

Name: George Goodwin Arrival Date: 1830 Vessel: Bunell Province: New South Wales Title: General muster D - J Year(s): 1837 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1802

Name: George Goodwin Birth Year: 1818 Origin: Gloucestershire Ticket Date: 18 Feb 1839 Immigration Year: 1830 Vessel: Burrel

In part:

"The information on this death certificate as given by the eldest son Nathaniel reflects several facts that sit uncomfortably with the convict George Godwin. Firstly… age of death has his birth date around 1803-4 in Malmesbury. This date is further back-up with his age of 47 years (if born post 26th May 1852) when he married in Kincumber on 26th May 1852."

"[A] plaque and monument (a large bolder) was unveiled in Oct 1963 to to celebrate the centenary of Forster. The monument is in a tiny park in McIntosh Street on what was the original Godwin land, and is on/near to the site of their original home.

You will note that the monument shows the family arrived in January 1862, but at the time of preparing for the centenary there was conjecture and debate about the actual date of arrival. The centenary celebrations committee even produced / sold a small commemorative booklet, "Lakeland Adventure, A History of the Early Days of Forster-Tuncurry", in which it was stated that George Godwin (and family) came from Gosford in 1856! However, it was subsequently learned (and now proved) that the date was incorrect; it is fairly certain that the family did not arrive until late 1862 / early 1863. For one reason, three more Godwin children were born in the Gosford / Kincumber area, after 1856. In addition, George did not select / pay the deposit on his Forster land until mid 1863. Further, it was about 6 months after their settlement at Forster, which was then known as Cape Hawke, that the 6th child (Harriet Cape Godwin) was born and it is widely accepted that she was the 'first white child born at Forster'; this fact was also recorded on her headstone."

Click the above link to be taken to a Google Street view of the monument.