William Orton of Hutton Rudby – and New South Wales

In my blog post of 27 January I recounted the fate of William Orton of Hutton Rudby, found guilty of forgery and transported for life to New South Wales.

As Geoff (his descendant) said in his comment on the post, they did wonder what had happened to William ...

So naturally Geoff set immediately to work on the new information and he has just contacted me with this:

Morning Chronicle (Sydney, New South Wales), Wednesday 17th September 1845

William Orton was indicted for having, at Black Creek, on the 26th of April 1845, passed certain forged orders, each for £1, drawn on John Welsh, with intent to defraud William Jones. 

The jury found a verdict of guilty, but in consequence of having received a most excellent character, his Honor sentenced him to the lightest punishment which the law allowed, namely, two years imprisonment in Parramatta gaol.

Could it be William of Hutton Rudby again, resorting to forgery after years of excellent behaviour and now aged 67?

Still, I'm glad to think he was flourishing out there, though two years in Parramatta Gaol can't have been fun for a chap in his late sixties.

Meanwhile, back in Hutton Rudby – with everybody knowing their story, which must have been difficult in its own way – his wife Elizabeth and their daughters got on with their lives ... I wonder if they ever heard from William?