Following Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

's convict era, 37 ex-convicts were appointed school teachers in the colony. The appointment of such a large number of ex-convicts to what was considered a respectable government position was highly unusual for a penal colony

Penal colony

A penal colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general populace by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory...

, as the social stigma

Social stigma

Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...

 of conviction usually excluded ex-convicts from such positions.

The appointment of a large number of ex-convicts as school teachers was largely due to the poor levels of education in the generation of Western Australians who had been children when the Swan River Colony

Swan River Colony

The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...

 was first settled. Many of them were illiterate or barely literate, and so unsuitable for appointment as school teachers. Those settlers who did have a good education were in high demand, and were not attracted to the low wages offered for teachers. On the other hand, educated convicts had little prospect of obtaining better wages or conditions than those available to teachers, and the position offered a chance to overcome the social stigma of conviction and obtain a respectable position in society. Although some settlers considered ex-convicts unfit to become teachers, most parents preferred that their children be educated by ex-convicts than not at all. Consequently, a total of 37 convicts were appointed school teachers in Western Australia between 1853 and 1900. Erickson (1983) has suggested that the use of ex-convict school teachers played an important role in the gradual breaking down of the social stigma of convictism.

List of ex-convict school teachers of Western Australia

This is a list of ex-convict school teachers of Western Australia. Unless otherwise noted, all information comes from Rica Erickson's The Brand On His Coat and the convict ship passenger lists provided on the Western Australian Convicts 1850-1868 website.

Name	Schools	Biographical notes
John Allsop	Jarrahdale Jarrahdale, Western Australia Jarrahdale is a small historic town located 50 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Range. Jarrahdale is a descriptive name, derived from its situation in some of Western Australia's best Jarrah forest...  1875	Born in 1830; worked as a labourer; sentenced to eight years' penal servitude in 1865 for uttering a counterfeit coin; transported to Western Australia on the Corona.
Thomas Beeho	Ferguson 1869	Born in 1836; worked as a clerk; sentenced to ten years' penal servitude in 1864 for robbery with violence; transported to Western Australia on the Vimeira; died in 1893.
Thomas Berwick	Jarrahdale 1879–91	See Thomas Berwick Thomas Berwick Thomas Berwick was a convict transported to Western Australia. He was one of only 37 such convicts from the 9721 convicts transported to the colony to overcome the social stigma of convictism to become schoolteachers.... .
William Brooks	Greenhills (Northam Northam, Western Australia Northam is a town in Western Australia, situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers, about north-east of Perth in the Avon Valley. At the 2006 census, Northam had a population of 6,009. Northam is the largest town in the Avon region... ) 1860–64, 1868–72, Upper Swan Upper Swan, Western Australia Upper Swan is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located in the City of Swan local government area.It contains Upper Swan Primary School....  1865, Gwalla Northampton, Western Australia Northampton is a town north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813. It is historic, with an outstanding National Trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's...  1865	Born in 1834; worked as a cellarman; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude in 1856 for uttering forged bank notes; transported to Western Australia on the Edwin Fox.
Thomas Henry J. Brown	Ferguson 1866–1869	Born in 1821; worked as an architect; sentenced to ten years' penal servitude in 1862 for forgery of money orders; transported to Western Australia on the Lord Dalhousie; died in 1882.
William Carmichael	Ferguson 1865	Born in 1827; worked as a clerk in the army; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude in 1854 for desertion Desertion In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning... ; transported to Western Australia on the Sultana.
William J. Carpenter	York 1869, Quindalup Quindalup, Western Australia Quindalup is a small town in the South West region of Western Australia. It is situated along Caves Road between Busseltonand Dunsborough on Geographe Bay. At the 2006 census, Quindalup had a population of 1,015....	Born in 1812; worked as an auctioneer; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude in 1855 for forgery; transported to Western Australia on the Runnymede.
Fred Carter	Seven Springs 1870, Bejoording Bejoording, Western Australia Bejoording is a small town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.The first European to visit the area was George Fletcher Moore who explored the area in 1836. Moore recorded the Aboriginal name of the area as Bejoording....  1871–74, Gwalla 1875, Ludlow 1876	See Fred Carter (convict) Fred Carter (convict) Frederick Carter was a convict transported to Western Australia, later to become one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
William Chopin	Mourambine 1879–83	See William Chopin William Chopin William Chopin was a convict transported to Western Australia. After gaining his Ticket_of_leave#Australian_convicts he worked as a chemist and later as an illicit abortionist.... .
Thomas Duggan	Goomalling Goomalling, Western Australia Goomalling is a townsite in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia 45 km north north east of Northam, Western Australia. The name Goomalling was first shown for a spring found by explorers Hillman & Lefroy in 1846. Hillman noted on his plan "rich grassy country" and squatters subsequently...  c. 1869–?, Newcastle Toodyay, Western Australia Toodyay is a town located in the Wheatbelt region in the Avon Valley, 85 km north-east of Perth, Western Australia. Toodyay is connected to Perth via both rail and road.-History:...  1879–81	See Thomas Duggan (convict).
Joseph Farrell	Australind Australind, Western Australia Australind is a satellite town and outer northern suburb of Bunbury, Western Australia, and is located 12 km north-east of Bunbury's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Harvey. At the 2006 census, Australind had a population of 8,717. -History:Prior to European...  1861–64	Born in 1828; worked as a clerk; sentenced to fifteen years' penal servitude in 1854 for embezzlement; arrived in Western Australia on the Runnymede.
Thomas Fisher	Bejoording 1869	Born in 1831; worked as a ship's steward; sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude for robbery with violence in 1857; transported to Western Australia on the Edwin Fox.
Cornelius Hardy	Northam 1865	See Cornelius Hardy Cornelius Hardy Cornelius William John Hardy was a convict transported to Western Australia, later to become one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
James Hasleby	Greenhills (Northam) 1868–70, Dumbarton (Toodyay) 1876–77, Gwalla, Northampton 1878–93.	See James Hasleby James Hasleby James Hasleby was a convict transported to Western Australia. He was one of only 37 convicts transported to the colony to overcome the social stigma of convictism to become schoolteachers, and one of only four convicts to be elected a member of a local Education Board.Little is known of James... .
George Haywood	Newcastle Toodyay, Western Australia Toodyay is a town located in the Wheatbelt region in the Avon Valley, 85 km north-east of Perth, Western Australia. Toodyay is connected to Perth via both rail and road.-History:...  1865–66, Toodyay Steam Mill school 1867–72	Born in 1828; worked as a clerk; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude for forgery of a money order in 1847; transported to Western Australia on the Ramillies; died in 1873.
Adolph Hecht	Marrinup 1869, York 1869–70, Parkfield 1871–72	Born in 1844; worked as a clerk; sentenced to ten years' penal servitude for forgery in 1864; transported to Western Australia on the Vimiera.
John James Henry Hislop	Bunbury Bunbury, Western Australia The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...  1853–62	See John Hislop John Hislop James John Henry Hislop was a convict transported to Western Australia. After the expiry of his sentence, he became the first ex-convict in Western Australia to be appointed a teacher.... .
James Murgatroyd Hubbard	Wicklow Hills 1872, Newcastle 1873–75, Guildford	See John Hubbard (convict) John Hubbard (convict) John Murgatroyd Hubbard was a convict transported to Western Australia, and later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
James White Humphrey	Quindalup 1863–68, Newcastle 1875–78	See James Humphrey (convict).
James Waterson Johnston	Dongara Dongara, Western Australia Dongara is a town located 351 km north-northwest of Perth on the Brand Highway. The town is located at the mouth of the Irwin River. In recent years the area has been marketed as the 'Rock lobster capital of Australia'....  1874–92	Born about 1838, Edinburgh, Scotland; worked as a lithographic printer; sentenced to ten year's penal servitude for robbery in 1858; transported to Western Australia on board the Palmerston in 1861; died 13 May 1911.
William Frederick Jones	Picton 1859–70	See William Jones (convict) William Jones (convict) William Frederick Jones was a convict transported to Western Australia, and later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.Born in 1827, Jones was the mate on a trading ship in his youth... .
William Henry Leach	Capel Capel, Western Australia Capel is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, located 212 kilometres south of Perth and midway between Bunbury and Busselton....  1869–70, Australind (Ludlow) 1870–74, 1877	Born in 1815; worked as a surveyor and builder; sentenced to ten years' penal servitude for shooting with intent in 1864; transported to Western Australia on the Vimeira.
James Henry Lloyd	Northam 1866–87	See James Lloyd (convict) James Lloyd (convict) James Henry Lloyd was a convict transported to Western Australia, who later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.Born in Ireland in 1825, nothing is known of his early life. In 1850 he was convicted of stealing a cow, and sentenced to ten years' penal servitude... .
Daniel McConnell	Minninup 1865-72, Capel 1867, Parkfield 1873–75, Lockeville 1876	Born in 1820; worked as an attorney; sentenced to fifteen years' penal servitude for "forging and using and uttering"; transported to Western Australia on the Nile.
Robert Mewburn	Mandurah Mandurah, Western Australia Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located approximately south of the state capital, Perth.The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors...  1872-91	See Robert Mewburn Robert Mewburn Robert Mewburn was a convict transported to Western Australia, who later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.Born in 1827, Robert Mewburn lived at Stockton on Tees, Durham, and worked as a printer and clerk, but was convicted of "stealing boots and larceny" and sentenced to seven... .
Thomas Matthew Palmer	Albany Albany, Western Australia Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....  1858-91	See Thomas Palmer (convict).
George Pearson	Springhill 1869–72, Beverley (North) 1875–77, Greenough Greenough, Western Australia Greenough is a historical town located 400 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia and 24 kilometres south of Geraldton on the Brand Highway. The historic buildings are controlled by the National Trust of Australia...  1877–79, Quellington 1889	Born in 1835; worked as a clerk; sentenced to ten years' penal servitude in 1862 for uttering forged bank notes; transported to Western Australia on the Clara.
William Henry Perrin	Wongamine (Buckland) 1871–1900	See William Perrin William Perrin William Henry Perrin was a convict transported to Western Australia, who later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
Theodore Richards	Katrine 1864–74, Wicklow Hills 1875–85	See Theodore Richards (convict) Theodore Richards (convict) Theodore Richards was a convict transported to Western Australia, who later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
James Elphinstone Roe	Central Greenough 1867–70, Lower Greenough 1868	See James Elphinstone Roe James Elphinstone Roe James Elphinstone Roe was a convict transported to Western Australia. After serving his sentence he became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers. Through his agitation for education reform, he played an important role in "shaping the education system and political policies in the colony"... .
Octavius Ryland	Upper Swan 1864, Upper Greenough 1864–69, Dongara 1869, Serpentine Serpentine, Western Australia Serpentine is a town located south-southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and 7 km south of Mundijong. Serpentine is located on the South Western Railway between Perth and Bunbury, and was one of the original stations when the line was opened in 1893...  Bridge 1870–80, 1884	See Octavius Ryland Octavius Ryland Octavius Ryland was a convict transported to Western Australia, who later became one of the colony's ex-convict school teachers.... .
John O. Simpson	Ludlow 1875	Born in 1831; worked as a clerk; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude for burglary in 1863; transported to Western Australia on the Merchantman; died in 1879.
Stephen Montague Stout	Australind 1859–61, Barracks (Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... ) 1873-78, Geraldton 1878-79	Born in 1829; worked as a land agent and surveyor; sentenced to fourteen years' penal servitude for forgery in 1856; transported to Western Australia on board the Lord Raglan; died in 1886; also known as Stephen West.
James Tucker	Bejoording 1870–?, Wicklow Hills 1871, South Greenough 1874	Born in 1818; worked as a clerk; sentenced to a lifetime of penal servitude for shooting with intent in 1854; transported to Western Australia on the William Hammond.
Thomas Ward	Seven Springs 1868, Marrinup 1873–74	Born in 1826; worked as a commission agent; sentenced to seven years' penal servitude for falsifying a death registration in 1863; transported to Western Australia on the Corona.
George Newly (or Newby) Wardell	Capel 1868, Parkfield 1869-70	Born in 1830; worked as a solicitor; sentenced to seven years' penal servitude for forgery in 1862; transported to Western Australia on the Lord Dalhousie.
John Vernon Warren	Roman Catholic School York York, Western Australia York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...  1860-?, Newleyine 1866–68, Wicklow Hills 1867–70, Dumbarton 1872–75	see John Warren (convict) John Warren (convict) John Vernon Warren was a convict transported to Western Australia. He was one of only 39 such convicts from the 9721 convicts transported to the colony to overcome the social stigma of convictism to become schoolteachers.... .