Early Life and Conviction

William Griggs was born around 1807 in Cambridgeshire, England. Working as a shepherd, he was convicted on 25 July 1836 at the Cambridge Summer Assizes for stealing two sheep and two lambs from farmer William Balls in Stapleford, Cambridgeshire. Despite petitions highlighting his previous good character and the hardship his family would face, he was sentenced to transportation for life.

Transportation to New South Wales

William was held aboard the convict hulk Leviathan before being transported to New South Wales on the ship Mangles, which arrived in Sydney on 10 July 1837. At the time of his arrival, he was 29 years old, married with four children, and could read. His religion was Protestant, and his trade was listed as a shepherd.

Upon arrival, William was assigned to work at the Hyde Park Barracks, a central point for convict accommodation and labour assignments in the growing colony.

Life at Hyde Park Barracks

Hyde Park Barracks, designed by convict architect Francis Greenway and completed in 1819, was intended to house up to 600 male convicts. At times, it accommodated around 1,400. The convicts were engaged in various public works, including road construction, building projects, and other infrastructure tasks vital to the colony’s development.

Convicts like William were often assigned based on their skills. As a shepherd, his experience was valuable in the colony’s expanding pastoral industry. While specific records of his assignments are scarce, it’s likely that William continued working in rural or pastoral settings, contributing to sheep grazing and farm management.

Conditional Pardon and Later Life

On 1 November 1848, over a decade after his arrival, William Griggs was granted a conditional pardon by Sir Charles Augustus Fitz Roy, Governor of New South Wales. The pardon recognised William’s good conduct during his time in the colony and formally released him from the remainder of his sentence, with the condition that he would not return to the United Kingdom during the term of the pardon.

The official documents describe William as standing 5 feet 6½ inches tall, with a ruddy complexion, light brown hair, and grey eyes. There were also distinguishing marks noted, including a small scar on the top right side of his forehead and another under his left eye.

This pardon allowed William a greater degree of freedom and the ability to continue building his life in Australia. Though specific details about his life following the pardon remain scarce, it is clear that William Griggs transitioned from a transported convict to a free settler, contributing to the colony’s growth during a formative period.