Charles Blight

CHARLES BLIGHT Charles Blight was born in 1813 at Ruan Lanihorne, Cornwall, and baptised on 28 March 1813. His exact date of death is unknown but anecdotal evidence indicates he died about 1853 possibly of scarlet fever and he is interred somewhere in the Fingal region where he lived with his family.

Parents and siblings Charles was one of nine children of Richard Blight and Ann nee Clemmow who were married 1/2/1800. Richard was an agricultural labourer in the Treworga area where they raised their family.

A report in the West Briton newspaper refers to Richard Blight winning the dubious award from the Rt Hon Earl of Falmouth in 1841 at the Roseland Agricultural Society “to a cottager in Ruan, Philleigh, Veryan, Gerrons, St Just and St Anthony who shall have brought up the largest family with smallest means and in the best manner without parish relief, being of good moral character - Richard Blight of Ruan Lanihorne reared 10 children, 9 still living.”

Charles’ siblings were: John christened 26/2/1804, Charles christened 27/4/1806 died in infancy, Ann christened 1/1/1809, Jane Turner christened 23/12/1810, Charles christened 28/3/1813, Margaret christened 10/9/1815, William christened 13/9/1818, James christened 12/8/1821, Grace christened 25/9/1825

Richard Blight born 1769 died 1845 was the son of Richard Blight born 1740 at Philleigh and Margery/Margaret Jennings who were married at Philleigh on15/10/1763, and the grandson of Charles born 1715 in Ruan Lanihorne and Mary Grubb who were married 14/10/1738. See notes on Blight family

CONVICTION Charles Blight was sentenced to 10 years transportation to Van Diemans Land in Cornwall on 27 March 1834 for maliciously wounding a sheep belonging to J Peters Esq of Philleigh. His previous character was stated to be good.

After being incarcerated on hulks in the Thames, Charles was transported to Tasmania on the Augusta Jessie, a 380 ton class A1 ship build at Sunderland in 1834. The Captain was H Y Edenborough and Surgeon James McTernan. The ship left Portsmouth on 29 September 1834 and after a 115 day voyage the Augusta Jessie with 210 men on board arrived in Hobart on 22 January 1835.

CHARLES BLIGHT TRANSCRIPTS OF CONVICT RECORDS ETC.

AUGUSTA JESSIE 1

Barque, 380 ton,4 guns, first convict voyage, built at Sunderland in 1834, class A1, Master Hy. Edenborough, Surgeon Jas. McTernan. Embarked with 210 male convicts, 3 deaths, landed 207 at Hobart. The ship's arrival was reported in Hobart Town Courier.

Departed 29 Sep 1834 from Portsmouth, London, voyage of 115 days arrived 22 January 1835 Hobart, Tasmania Arrived Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 22 Jan 1835.

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Life in Cornwall:1834 Pg:239

TRANSFERRED TO THE CONVICT HULKS

On Monday the following prisoners were transmitted from Bodmin prison to the convict hulks at Portsmouth, pursuant to their sentences at the late Assizes and Quarter Sessions. John Calloway, for highway robbery; Henry Budge and John Rawling, for housebreaking, and James Uren, for burglary, to be transported for life, Jas, Edmunds and John Foster, for stealing from the person; William Gregory, for stealing wheat, and Charles Blight for cruelly wounding a sheep, to be transported for 14 years, Samuel Christophers, for burglary, and Hannibal Rowe, for stealing money, to be transported for 7 years. 16 May 1834

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Charles Blight (Transcript from Convict records Tasmania have copy of original – there is more written on the original but I think I had some difficulty reading it)

Charles was tried at the Cornwall Assizes on 27 March 1834. He was charged with maliciously wounding a sheep and received 10 years.

Discription of Charles Blight from Convict records.

Name: BLIGHT CHARLES No: 2169 NEW TRURO

Trade:

Height(without shoes) 5/5

Age: 21

Head: Round Small

Hair: D Brown

Visage: Small

Forehead: Narrow

Eyebrows: D Brown

Eyes: Hazel

Nose: M. L. wide nostrils

Mouth: Large upper lip projecting

Chin: Small

Remarks: Small mole on left arm