William Wilkie tailor

Parents:

• Birth*: William Wilkie tailor was born on 29 September 1815 at St Helena, ; William Wilkie born 29 Sept 1815 St Helena; parents John, Isabella.¹
• He was the son of John Wilkie linen handloom weaver and Isobel Wallace yarn winder.
• Baptism: William Wilkie tailor was baptised on 17 November 1815 at St Helena, ; William Wilkie bapt 11 Nov 1815 St Helena; parents John, Isabella.¹
• Marriage*: He married Ann Whyte on Sunday, 25 June 1837 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; Willm Wilkie tailor & Ann Whyte both residing in this Parish, were proclaimed in order to marriage and were afterwards married.²

• (Subject) Contact*: On 4 April 2019 there was contact from an unknown person about William Wilkie tailor. From: David Raitt  
  Date: 04/04/2019 13:24 (GMT+00:00) 
  To: Pat Carson  
  Subject: William Wilkie Born 1815 at St Helena. 
  
  Hi Pat, 
  
  I got this this morning! Interesting! I have asked her for a copy of the letter and convict records etc - but in the meantime I found mention of his sentence in a couple of newspapers - see one attached - and also subsequent deportation.
  
  I’ll let you know what else I find or get from her!
  
  Regards
  
  David
  
  A message from Clissold9:
  Hello davidraitt, I have been researching a William Wilkie, born C.1814 at St Helena for a friend and noticed today that you also him on your tree. William was, on the 4th of May, 1843, convicted in the Perth Court in Scotland of ‘coining’ (forging) a shilling. His sentence was 10 years transportation to Tasmania in Australia. His convict records state that he was married, was a tailor by trade and was born at St Helena. Earlier today whilst looking at other Tasmanian convict records for William, I came across details of his family. Sorry the hand writing is difficult to read. He was married to Anne F??ar. His parents were John and Isabella. Other names listed were Janet, Lizzy, Cath’n, Isabella, ??? and Bryan. The original convict records did not list any children so perhaps these are his siblings. ‘Lizzy’ and ‘Bryan’ may have been names he used for Sally and Robert?? This new information started me on a new path to find more about these family members that was when I came across your tree. I had originally thought that St Helena where William was born was located in the south west corner of Scotland. It would seem from your reference to William’s father being a soldier at the Forfarshire Militia that perhaps it was the Island of St Helena where Napoleon was exiled as the timing is also right. How did you know that both William and his brother James were born and christened in St Helena? I would be very interested in hearing of your connection with this family. Kind Regards, Lyn..³
• (Subject) Contact: On 5 April 2019 there was contact from an unknown person about William Wilkie tailor. From: "Lyn Clissold"
  Subject: William Wilkie Born 1815 at St Helena.
  Date: 5 April 2019 at 03:27:09 CEST
  To: "'David Raitt'"
  
  Hello David,
   
  Thank you so much for responding and for your kind offer to send me further information about William Wilkie. I found your “The Raitt Stuff - Wilkie family tree” fascinating as I know my friend Dawn formerly Wilkie definitely will. Your passion for detail is incredible.
   
  Researching past family history is such a rewarding pastime. Though it has taken a lot of my time I have particularly enjoyed unravelling William Wilkie’s past. There were so many ‘William Wilkies’ but the clues gradually revealed more and more though I have not yet discovered when and where he died (again too many William Wilkies). 
   
  It is probably easiest if I send you a copy of my William Wilkie’s fact sheet from ancestry as William lead an interesting life in Australia. Firstly as a convict, the as a tailor running a general trader’s shop also selling clothing and lastly as a respected prospector. Authorities in Tasmania were keen for gold to be discovered in good quantities so that Tasmania could benefit from the wealth it would bring. Victoria, the neighbouring state across Bass Strait was thriving due to the gold discoveries. William was the first to discover gold around Launceston which was particularly of interest as Launceston had port facilities. William’s only son also William and his grandchildren followed in his footsteps. They mined for gold in Bendigo, Victoria and Kalgoolie & Coolgardie in Western Australia. One of his grandsons was twice Mayor of Bendigo.
   
  The attached items are the ones I was referring to in my message. Family names where revealed in the “Wm Wilkie Indent” document. I understand now that William and his wife Anne were married at Forfar (not her surname). The sibling’s name I could not make out was Sarah. Bryan and/or Lizzy may be the missing ones. I noticed that no children were mentioned in the first ‘convict details’ but 2 children were in the “Wm Wilkie Indent” document. These may perhaps be referring to the children born in Tasmania.
   
  Also attached are my interpretations of the notes on the attached documents which include those of Mary White, William’s wife in Australia. I can send you her documents if you wish.
   
  If you want an explanation about the terms and abbreviations used on the convict records I could send a copy.
   
  I found details of a convict named James ‘Rait’ (only one t) who was tried for theft in Edinburgh on the 19 Jun 1838 and was sentenced to 14 years . He was transported to Tasmania aboard the ‘Moffatt 2’. There were other Raits in Tasmania as well including an Alexander Rait who appeared in a scant census in 1848. His was the only name mentioned.
   
  That is enough information for now.
   
  Kind regards,
   
  Lyn..⁴
• (Subject) Contact: On 5 April 2019 there was contact from an unknown person about William Wilkie tailor. I did not intend to work on this now - but you know how it goes!
  
  I found his marriage to Ann Whyte. Though haven’t yet found births of their children. However, I think I have found them in 1841 census and also Ann and a couple of kids in 1851. And whilst looking for another daughter, Sarah, I also came across a James Wilkie in 1851 - born in St Helena, Warwickshire!! I think this is probably “our” James Wilkie - brother of William. 
  
  Regards
  
  David.³