| 14. | William Presnell was born in 1765 in Chelmsford, Kent, England (son of Thomas Presnell and Sarah Tooth); died on 13 Jun 1839 in Glenorchy, Tasmania, Australia; was buried in Hobart, Hobart City, Tasmania, Australia. Notes:
William Presnell (c17651839), the convict who had been moved from Norfolk Island with his wife AnnFowler (c17641846) and their children, had been granted a building plot in Argyle Street, Glenorchy (a suburb of Hobart) in 1816. There is further documentary evidence of William Presnell’s association with his property in Argyle Street including that he built a residence there, that he established a bakery there which he leased out in Nov 1819, that he brewed beer and established a tavern there, and that he ran a "Horse, Cart and Dray Establishment" from there. On 23 Aug 1823 his soninlaw George William Robinson took over the running of the tavern and the cartage business at Argyle Street, while William continued from that address in his brewery business, appearing as such in an advertisement in 1824, and shown as “Wm Presnell, Brewer, Argyle Street” in the 1825 Tasmanian Almanack, and as “Presnell Wm., Carter & Brewer, Argyle Street” in 1826. William Presnell the convict was therefore known as William Presnell of Argyle Street.
Willam Presnell the convict (who received an Absolute Pardon in August 1821) is therefore the son of Sarah who died in 1823. William was convicted in Essex in 1797, establishing the place of origin of the family. (At William’s conviction he was recorded as from the Parish of Plaistow, Esssex. His Parish in Essex, however, is recorded differently for each of his four convictions, the other 3 parishes named being Chinkford, Little Ilford, and West Ham.)
William Presnell was sentenced to death at Essex Chelmsford Lent Assizes on 8 March 1797 (Public Records Office Ass. 135/237 pt. 1 1p/386). The sentence, however, was commuted and William was transported to New South Wales for "Life" on "Barwell" on 7 November 1797. He and Simon Moulds had been convicted of at least three counts of cattle stealing and one count of horse stealing "with force and arms" and they were transported together. William was about 31 years of age and came from the County of Essex. His Parish, however, is given differently for each of his four convictions - Chinkford, Little Ilford, West Ham and Plaistow. Barwell arrived in Port Jackson on 18 May 1798.
In about 1801, William was sent to Norfolk Island. The circumstances or exact date of this relocation are not known at this time. While on Norfolk Island, William met and perhaps married fellow convict, Ann Fowler. No records have been found of this marriage. There is also some confusion about the number and identity of the children of this relationship. On Norfolk Island William seems to have become a successful farmer. However, the settlement was abandoned and its inhabitants were moved to Van Diemens Land.
On 3 September 1808, William left Norfolk Island with family on "City of Edinburgh" (misspelt on original document) and arrived in Hobart on 2 November 1808 (CSO 1/177/4306/5, p. 222). The ship's master was Simeon Patterson. Three children are reported to have accompanied William and Ann. They are listed as Joseph, Thomas and Elizabeth in the book "The Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land" by Reg Wright. While there is considerable documentation relating to Elizabeth and Thomas, it seems unlikely that the other child was actually Joseph. There had been a Joseph Abbott born to Ann Fowler in 1797, but there is also an apparent burial record for this child on 6 March 1800 at Port Jackson. There is no mention of a suitable Joseph Abbott, Fowler or Presnell that I have found anywhere in the VDL / Tasmanian records. The third child on the City of Edinburgh may have been a son who died at an early age but whose records have not survived, or it may have been the infant Sarah, who was born c1808, or perhaps James Fowler who was christened by Ann Fowler in 1811. Some have also conjectured that there was another child, William, but I have not found any compelling evidence to support this proposition. That William had at least four children is confirmed in the Hobart musters of 1814 and of 1819 (and also probably in others). To the best of my knowledge, these are Elizabeth, Thomas, Sarah and James. These 4 children appear on the 1814 muster in the children's section as Elizth Prisnell, Thomas Presnell, Sarah Prisnell and James Prisnell, all on stores, and apparently in birth order (Mitchell Library Film CY597, from Garry Wilson). William is also on included in this muster as "Willm Presnell, Barwell, Prisoner, On stores", as is Ann. That two of the children were sons is supported by the fact that William was granted (date unknown, CSO 1/86/1916) two allotments of land in Elizabeth Street for his "two sons".
William established a house and retail business in Collins Street, Hobart Town. He asked for compensation for his stock left on Norfolk Island but it is not known if he received this. It is known that William was selling tobacco from this premises but what other goods he may have traded in has not been established with certainty at this time.
1816 was an eventful year for William. He was granted a conditional pardon and, along with other emancipists, received a grant of 50 acres of land. This land was at New Norfolk. Also in 1816 William's house in Collins Street, valued at 24 pounds 15 shillings, was acquired by the government when they were undertaking a realignment of the streets of Hobart. In its stead, William was provided with a building plot at Argyle Street in Glenorchy, a suburb of Hobart.
William evidently put both of his properties to good use and became quite prosperous. Frequent notices appeared in the Hobart Town Gazette citing William as a supplier of meat, wheat and other produce to the government. William established a residence at his property in Argyle Street. He also brewed beer which he offered for sale and ran a "Horse, Cart and Dray Establishment". It appears that William may also have owned some other properties in the area and that he expanded on the 50 acres that he was originally granted. William obtained an absolute pardon in August 1821(listed as Pressnall, Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 p. 77). George Robinson, William's son-in-law, took over the brewery and cartage business at Argyle Street in 1823. He was also given William's original 50 acres of land at New Norfolk.
By 1819, Presnell owned 80 acres of land, 10 under wheat and the remaining pasture. He had 5 horses, 34 cattle, 600 sheep and 200 grain in hand.
William's death is registered as being on 14 June 1839. However, the memorial inscription at St Davids Park, Hobart, indicates that he died on 13 June. This memorial is also to William's son, Thomas, and reads, "Sacred to the memory of Thomas Presnell, who departed this life 11th November 1838, aged 32 years, also William Presnell, who departed this life 13th June 1839, aged 74 years."
William married Ann Fowler in 1801 in New South Wales, Australia. Ann was born about 1764 in Shropshire, England; died on 9 Mar 1846 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1864 - 1956 (92 years)