Abraham Crabtree's Alarming Convict History

The Alarming History of Abraham Crabtree - Van Diemen's Land & Norfolk Island Crabtree arrived in Van Diemen's Land in July 1832, one of the 221 convicts aboard 'Katherine Stewart Forbes', following his trial at York, West Riding Quarter Sessions, where he had been sentenced to 14 years transportation. This very detailed document on 2 large sheets of vellum records Crabtree's passage through the convict system from his arrival until 22 years later, when he was granted a Free Certificate by William Nairn, the Comptroller-General of Convicts. In two and a half densely written pages it is still possible to read most of Crabtree's alarming history of additional crimes and misdemeanours and his further punishments. 'Gross neglect of duty', 'Extorting money', 'refusing to work', 'leaving his station contrary to orders', 'fighting with his fellow servant', 'insolence', 'disorderly conduct in escaping from custody', 'Improper conduct at Muster', 'gambling in the P.B.' [Prisoners' Barracks], 'misconduct in having tobacco', 'conducting himself in a disrespectful manner', 'Being in a Public House after hours', 'absent from his Gang and in liquor', and many more such entries which are matched with an equal number of punishments: '14 days solitary', '30 days solitary confinement', 'three months imprisonment and hard labour', '36 lashes and kept to hard labour for 6 months', 'solitary confinement on B & W for 3 days', '14 days in chains', and the list goes on. A further felony trial at Launceston in July 1846 resulted in his removal to Norfolk Island where he was 'to be handcuffed for 7 years' starting in January 1847 and where his troubles continued. On his return to Van Diemen's Land in March 1850 the document records that 'The Pass Holder is not to enter service in the Launceston District.'