Convict Love Token - 1834 - William
Henry Rye, 20, Richard Oakley, 24, and Richard Turner, 26, were tried and convicted at Kent, Sandwich Session of Peace and Gaol Delivery in August 1834. These three tokens are identical in style. The evidence suggests that the three men were all involved in the same case, listed for Oakley as breaking into a counting house and stealing - and larceny. Oakley and Rye were sentenced to 14 years' transportation. Turner was acquitted after evidence was admitted suggesting that he may have informed against Oakley and Rye. Oakley sailed for New South Wales on the Mary Ann on 6 July 1835. Rye sailed for Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on the Norfolk on 12 May 1835.
Transcription
Back
Token engraved with nine lines of text, with some star and flower embellishments. The face of the token has possibly been scratched deliberately:
Dear WILLIA
M Wen this you
see re[me]ber me [&]
** bear it in you Min
d*let all the world*
say what thay will
speak of me as
you finD*H*rye
18 34
Front
Head of a George III penny, 1806.
Diameter
34.0 mm
Copyright: National Museum of Australia
