I would like to thank Noelene Goodwin for the following notes

It has proved difficult to find any trace of Betsey Carpenter the child.   The word 'Devizes' appears on Betsey's Convict Indent and it is assumed that this is her Native Place , or the place she was living at the time prior to her sentencing.   Woolcots Gazateer describes it as a market town 22 miles north west of Salisbury .   As Betsey was tried in the Somerset court it is likely that she lived in the area of Devizes,

Betsey Carpenter had appeared before the Somerset quarter sessions on 28th March 1838 where she was sentenced to transportation for life for stealing a gown.   She stated her prior convictions to the authorities in Hobart town as 6 months for stealing linen and 18 months for being 'on the town', a euphemism for prostitution.   As Betsey would have been 25½ years of age when she turned to the streets, before making any judgements we should ask ourselves what economic or social conditions would be so severe as to turn a woman to prostitution at such a late age.

Eliza Carpenter is aged 23, could read 'if taught at Sunday or Charity School Melksham and had been left school 10 years.   She is noted as having been born in Devizes and her last abode Dundray near Bristol .   On Monday 23rd June 1836 Elizabeth Carpenter was to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour in the House of Correction at Wilton for 6 calendar months, one week thereof in solitary confinement.   This would appear to have been her first conviction.

The circumstances of the crime for which Betsey was transported are recorded in an Oath taken by Hannah Hodges the wife of William.   Although the possessions stolen belonged to his wife, the crime was against William Hodges who in accordance with the social expectations of the times was considered the owner of everything his wife possessed.

Thomas Wright one of the Walcot Police Officers maketh oath and said yesterday morning I saw the Prisoner jump off a waggon on the London Road at Walcot and run away.   Hannah Hodges told me that the prisoner had her gown and shawl.   I took her into custody and took from her the gown and shawl now produced which she was wearing.

Dare we ask in what state of undress Betsey appeared before the court.   Perhaps these the circumstances which led to her being judged as being 'on the town', a euphemism for prostitution.   The gaol reports from Somerset would appear to put paid to any idea that Betsey had been recently widowed and fallen on hard times.   On each gaol record she is noted as a spinster, but we could ask what might have happened in Betsey Carpenter's life to direct her so swiftly on a life of crime - she would have been released from custody around November 1835 following her first offence.   Then within 2 months she was facing court again and surely would have been aware that the consequence of such a swift return to crime could only have been transportation.

Within three months from the date of her conviction, Betsey was placed on board the vessel 'Westmoreland' which began receiving female prisoners on 3rd July and finally embarked on 12th August with 185 women and 18 children on board.   They encountered strong westerly winds and took 12 days to clear the channel.   During this time 'the prisoners suffered very much from sea-sickness.'   There appears to have been an inordinate number of women referred to the Sick List, in particular as the ship sailed through the tropics.   Ship Surgeon J. Ellis commented that without doubt illness was 'aggravated by temperature and close habitation in this instance where 160 women were treated, many of them 3 and 4 times over with the most drastic medicines'.   There were 2 deaths during the voyage; one of a 40 year old woman and the other a new-born infant.   Betsey Carpenter is one of the 47 prisoners who reported to Sick Bay on the voyage.   On 27th July she is noted as suffering from Rheumatism and was discharged 14 days later.

After a journey of 113 days, arriving VDL 3rd December, 1836, Betsey appears to have been assigned to a Mr. Bailey.  On 2nd November 1837 she was charged with being' absent without leave'.   She was demoted to Crime Class and kept at the wash tubs.   Four months later she was again absent without leave and sentenced to three months at Female House of Corrections the first month in Solitary Confinement and not to be assigned in the district of Avon.   These were her only two recorded brushes with authority.   Within 12 months she had married Joseph Wilkes.

Joseph and Betsey Carpenter were married at St. Johns Church of England Launceston, on 27th March  1839 when he was 27 years of age, and she 33.   The social customs that prevailed at the time allowed:

'for the allotment of space for Governor, military, officers, chaplain, strangers, Sunday school children and Free.   Free worshippers sat downstairs at the extreme rear of the building.   Seats nearest the pulpit downstairs fetched fifteen shillings. The price was tagged on the pews.

A story told by 20th century guides at the church is of free parishioners protesting about the amount of noise made by convicts as they clanked their way up the narrow stairway at the rear of the church to the upstairs gallery.   In time they demanded that curtain be hung in an attempt to drown out the 'distraction'.

At the time of his marriage on 27th March 1839, Joseph Wilkes was still stating his occupation as that of 'labourer'.   In 1840 and 1841 the registrations of 2 children state Joseph was a 'Cook' but by the time of the birth of his next recorded child in 1843, he stated his occupation was that of a 'dealer', an occupation he was to follow until his death