The John Fox Letters
It is only through evidence in documents that were kept in Maley’s Store that we know that this convict came to Greenough.
John Fox was born in England in 1816. A butcher by trade, he was convicted at Warwick on 17th December 1856 of uttering a forged £5 note. As he had a previous conviction, he was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment. Fox was described as being 5ft 6ins, with brown hair and grey eyes, long visage, fresh complexion, and middling stout
He was married with 2 children, semi-literate and Protestant by faith.
Fox was transported to Western Australia on the Lord Raglan, arriving on 1st June 1858 (Convict No. 4951). He received his Ticket of Leave on 21st March 1860.
The oldest letters in the collection are from 1861.
/61
Mr J Richards
Dr To J Fox
Ballance of Bill “ 12 “
June 1st 1s ¼ lbs Beef “ 5 1½
4th – Beef – “ 5 3
6th – 5 Pork “ 5 “
8th – 11½ Beef “ 6 8½
12th – 8 Beef “ 4 8
15th11 3/6 Mutton “ 6 7½
“ 4 Feet “ 4 8
16th 5½ Pork “ 5 6
25th 4½ leg mutton “ 2 7½
27th 12 Beef “ 6 6
3 2 8½
Paid By cash 1 “ “
₤2 2 8
John Richards was a boot maker.
From this note we can see John Fox continued his trade as a butcher in the colony.
Newcastle Augst-13th /61
Mr Walton
Please pay J Fox the sum of five shillings
John King
Because cash was scarce in the colony, promissary notes were written to cover debts.
Newcastle has since been renamed Toodyay.
Mt Anderson 21st Aug 1861
This is to certify that I have known Fox for some time past, during that period I have not individually known any thing against his character.
To all whom it may concern,
M Clarkson
Michael Clarkson leased “Mt Anderson” at Toodyay and was also
Superintendent of the Toodyay Convict Hiring Station.
I have known the bearer John Fox for a period of Eighteen months six months of which time he lived in my service as a butcher and conducted himself respectably
Toodyay
Drummond
August 23/61.
James Drummond jnr was a merchant and farmer, owning “Hawthornden” at Toodyay.
John Fox was granted his Conditional Pardon on 3rd November 1862.
Mr Robson Ap 26th/62
Ap 5th 8½ lb Beef “ 4 3
8th 2¼ Mutton “ 1 1½
Thomas Robson was a blacksmith at Toodyay
John Fox
In a/c with John Cook
1862
Nov 13 5lb Bread 1/3 8lb Beef @7 5. 11
½ lb Tea 1/6 2 Sugar 1/- 2. 6
4 ½ lb Bread 1/ ½ 1 Soap @10 1. 11 ½
4 lb Bread 1/- 5/2 Beef 4. 7 ½
11 lb Flour 2/9 1 Suet @6 3. 3
3 lb Sugar 1/6 1 Tea 3/- 4. 6
1 lb Bread 1/6 1 lb Bread 1/6 3. 0
9 lb Beef 5/3 6 ½ Beef 9. 0
5 lb Bread 1/3. 5 lb Bread 1/3 2. 6
2 lb Sugar 1/- 1 lb Suet @6 1. 6
5 lb Bread 1/3 11 Beef 6/5 7. 8
17 lb Flour 4/3. ½ Tea 1/6 5. 9
4 lb Bread 1/- 1 lb Sugar @6 1. 6
5 Beef 2/11. ½ lb Tea 1/6 4. 5
2 lb Sugar 1/- 8 ½ Bread 2 ½ 3. 1 ½
1 lb Beef 3/6. 4 lb Bread 1/- 4. 6
2 ½ Bread 7 ½ 2 Sugar 1/ 1. 7 ½
5 lb Beef 2/11. 3 ½ Bread 1/1 ½ 4. 0 ½
Cad over 3. 11. 0
Brought forward 3. 11. 0
½ lb Soap @5 4 lb Bread 1/ – 1. 5
½ lb Tea 1/6 5 Beef 2/11 4. 5
3 ½ Bread 10 ½ 5/2 Bread 1/4 ½ 2. 3
8 lb Beef 4/8, 4 Bread 1/- 5. 8 [this entry crossed out]
2 ¼ Gallons Beer 2/- 4. 6
£4. 9. 3 [this entry crossed out]
4. 3. 7
Cr
By 11 days work 1.16.8
“ Reapg Barley 1.1.29 14/- 1.0.0
Thrashing 22 bush @ 7d 12.10
Making Hay Stack 1.0.0 4.9.6
Balce in favour of Fox 5/11
John Cook originally worked for Drummond at Toodyay, then became manager at Dandaragan.
Newcastle Jany 16 /63
J. Fox Dr
To C.S Monger
1863
Jany 2nd Tobacco 7d pipe 2d Comb 6d 1-3
3 Matches 1d 5th 4 ½ lbs Mutton @ 6d 2-4
Tobacco 7d 6th 4 do do @ 6d 2-7
Matches 1d Tobacco ½ 1-3
8th 6 ¾ lbs Mutton @ 6d 3-4 ½
1 check shirt 4/- 4
9th Tobacco 7d 7
10 5 ½ lbs Mutton @ 4 1/2 d 2-1
Suet 3d 13th 6 ½ lbs Mutton @ 6d 3-6
14 To Cash 1/- 1
15 5 ¾ lbs Mutton @ 5 ½ d 2-7 ¾
16 4 ¾ do do @ 5 ½ d 2-2 ¼
£1-6-9 ½
17 6 ½ do @ 5 ¼ d 3
Cash 3d Soap 4 ¼ d 7 ½
3 ¾ lbs Mutton @ 5 ½ 1 8 ½
19 6 ¼ do @ 5 ½ 2 10 ½
20 Cash 6d 6
£1-15-6
This account written at Newcastle on 2nd February 1863 indicates that Fox had been working for C.S. Monger.
Charles Samuel Monger was the manager of the Newcastle Store at Toodyay.
Newcastle April 2nd 1863
This is to certify that I do this day discharge John Fox haveing no further employment for him at present and I believe him to be a honest hardworking Man.
C.S. Monger
Newcastle April 20/63
J Fox Dr
To C.S. Monger
1863
April 6th Cash 5/6 5 6
9 Matches 1d 1
14 Cash 5/- 5 0
Matches 1
18 Cash 1 6
12 2
Cp Bay Killing Bullock 10/-
By 2 weeks wages 22/6
1 12 6
1 12 6
Due to Fox 1 0 4
From this note we can see Fox moved to Champion Bay in 1863.
Fox a/c D ———
To Mr James Drummond
1862 s d
June 3 1 Check Shirt 4 0
1863
May 10 8lb Pork 8 0
July 25 7lb Sugar 3/6 1lb Tea 3/0 6 6
18 6
But he still owed money to Drummond.
Nov 19th /63
Mr Allender
Please pay J Fox the sum of one pound on my a/c
James Oneail
₤1.0.0. His Mark X
This note is possibly from James O’Neil (Convict No. 4478). Francis Allender had a farm on Company Road, Greenough (near the Hampton Hotel).
Nov 21st /63
Mr Allender
Please pay to J Fox the sum of Three Pounds and place the same to my A/c
Denis Highein His Mark x
This note is possibly from Denis Higgins (Convict No. 3539).
Greenough Flats Nov 2/65
Received from John Fox the sum of ten pounds and I promis to pay to John Fox the above sum the above is not payable to any person but to John Fox.
F.W. Pearson
On reverse:
John Fox Received on this order the Sum of two pounds on the 2 Nov/65
Francis Watson Pearson was the owner of the Hampton Hotel at Greenough
C Bay Nov 3rd/65
Recd from John Fox the Sum of two pounds for Board & Lodging Being all that is due to the above date.
James Osborne
James Osborne was a boarding house keeper at Geraldton.
John Fox died at Greenough on 19th October 1866 and these notes of his were stashed away in the attic of Maley’s Store.
It is not known where he was buried.