Contributed by Allan Brownlee (the information on William Box and Ann Evans came mainly from an essay written some years ago by Mr G. G. Schaefer)

William Box and Ann Evans

William Box was christened at the Parish Church, Bromham, Wiltshire 5.1.1818

First conviction - housebreaking 1840, released 1843.Convicted at Wiltshire Assizes 13.8.1844 for highway robbery. 

 Sentenced to 7 years in Milbank prison.

Sentence "life commutation" probably meant death commuted to life imprisonment.

Transported to Norfolk Island on "Hyderabad" leaving "Downs" 21.10.1844

Arrived Norfolk Island 20.2.1845

Transported to Hobart on "Pestonjee Bomanjee" arriving on 8.4.1847

Assigned to work at Sorell until granted ticket of leave on 27.2.1855.

Ann Eliza Evans born 1830/1831 Manchester Lancashire

Convicted 3.3.1849, Northampton for stealing clothes. Sentenced to 7 years transportation.

Transported to Hobart on "St Vincent" leaving "Downs" 19.12.1849 arriving 4.4.1850.

Granted ticket of leave on 27.6.1854.

William Box and Ann Evans were married at the Roman Catholic Church, Sorell 13.3.1855.

In 1857 William Box is recorded as working on the construction of Government House, Hobart.

He received a conditional pardon on 20.4.1858. William Box joined the Tasmanian police force and served as a warder at

Port Arthur. 

Between 1868 and 1871 William and Ann Box and family moved to Kempsey , NSW.

Births of their children in Tasmania-

Mary Ellen 1855

John Thomas 1858 died 1861

Frederick William 1861

John James 1866

Martha Deborah 1868

In 1871 William and Ann Box moved to a farm on the Macleay R. near Kempsey

Births of their children in NSW-

Francis Thomas 1871

Emma Louisa 1873

In 1874/5 The Box family moved to Raleigh renting a farm from the McAteer estate.

William Box later operated a ferry over the south arm of the Bellinger near Urunga.  He remained in this occupation until his death in 1888. Ann Box died in Glebe NSW in 1885.

Their eldest child Mary Ellen Married Thomas Brownlee at Kempsey 13 July 1874 

Email Allan Brownlee if you would like to be the contact for additional information regarding the Box Family.