Richard Pinnuck (1826 – 1894), convict transported to Australia

Richard Pinnuck was a cousin of my great great grandfather William Ambrose Pinnuck (1822-77). Richard was baptised at St Andrew's, Enfield, London on 14 June 1826. At this time, children were normally baptised about 1 month after birth, so Richard was probably born in May 1826. He was the fourth son of William and Elizabeth Pinnuck who had 18 children (of which at least 8 died in infancy).

The following information is mostly from Wendy Bloomfield of Perth, Western Australia, a descendant of Richard.

Richard, aged 15, was tried at the Old Bailey in London on 12 May 1841. He was indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling house of Joseph Field at Enfield on the 11^th April 1841 and stealing 7 pence, 22 halfpence and 20 farthings to which he pleaded guilty. He received 10 years transportation. The sum he stole (1s 11d) is equivalent to about £60 now (estimated in relation to average earnings).

Richard was transported to Australia aboard the 'Elphinstone' (a convict ship) which left from Sheerness on 30 March 1842, arriving in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on 28 July 1842.

Information from Conduct Record :

Name: Richard PINNUCK
Trade: Labourer
Height: 4' 10"
Age: 16
Complexion: Freckled
Head: Oval
Hair: Sandy
Whiskers: None
Visage: Broad
Forehead: High, Broad
Eyebrows: Sandy
Eyes: Hazel
Nose: Medium
Mouth: Medium
Chin: Broad, dimpley
Native Place: Enfield
Remarks: Freckles and scar on back of right hand, small scar centre of forehead.

Protestant, can read and write. Hulk Report: Good. Stated this offence: Housebreaking and stealing money. Single.

Conduct Report - Orderly.

Period of Probation: Twenty months.

Released from 1st stage of probation 17 April 1843.

Jan 1844 : Tailor - Fair. Not yet able to earn a livelihood. In the meantime to be treated with every reasonable indulgence.

27 Feb 1845 : Absent from his gang without leave - six days solitary.

15 May 1849 : Conditional Pardon

Richard departed Van Dieman's Land on the ship John Bull for New Zealand and San Francisco on 26 June 1849. He returned on the ship Eliza from San Francisco on 30 August 1850.

At the age of 24, Richard married Amelia Langley who was 13 (her marriage certificate states 15, but she was born in 1837) in Hobart on 30 September 1850. Richard and Amelia's children were Frances Amelia, born on 14 July 1852 in Hobart and Elizabeth, born on 16 February 1855 at Avoca, Victoria.

On 9 December 1852 Richard and Amelia (both as Pinnock) departed Launceston (on the north coast of Tasmania) for Melbourne on the Ship "Yarra Yarra". The record states Richard was "free", and Amelia "born in the Colonies".

The following item appeared in The Argus, Melbourne Thursday on 5th February 1857:
Notice: I hereby caution the public not to give credit to my wife Amelia Pinnuck, and I will not be answerable for any debts she may contract, she having left my home without any just cause.  RICHARD PINNUCK  

Richard was admitted to Heidelberg Hospital on the 24th April 1894 aged 69 years (Heidelberg is about 6 miles NW of the centre of Melbourne). The record says he was born in England, was a miner, single and his residence was at Beaufort (which is about 110 miles NE of Melbourne).  His death entry is listed as PENNOCK, Richard, Aged 70 years, F: William, M: Elizabeth, Place of death: Heidelberg Hospital.