Lot 583

Description

Convict love token, created on a silver 1811-12 bank token of three shillings (33mm), with both sides shaved smooth, a recessed border cut into both sides and on the obverse is engraved, a pair of hands shaking in greeting above and below and in between in running script, 'No pen can write,/No tongue can tell/The Aching heart/That bids farewell.', and on the other side in a combination of running script and large, patterned capitals, 'JAMES/ADAM, GEORGE/and ELIZABETH/sons and daughter/of EVEN and/ELLEN, BRINDLE/1836'. Good very fine and rare.

Evan (note above his name is spelt Even) Brindle was born in 1807. He married Ellen Moulding in about 1824 and they had four children. He was working as a calico printer at the Oakenshaw Calico Printworks in Clayton-le-Moors when he, at the age of 28, and two others, Rowland Heald and Thomas Rushton decided to poach some game. Unfortunately they were discovered by the property game keeper and a gun went off killing him. They were indicted, tried and convicted of murder at Lancaster Assizes and sentenced to life and all were transported to the colonies. While Evan was in goal waiting sentencing his daughter Elizabeth was born. Evan Brindle, Rowland Heald and Thomas Rushton were transported to New South Wales on the ship, John, which departed on 27 September 1836 and arrived at Sydney on 7 February 1837 with a cargo of 260 convicts.

In that same year Evan was assigned to the House of Correction in Sydney. In 1845 he was granted a Ticket of Leave at Patrick Plains. On 14 February 1848 he was granted a Ticket of Leave Passport at Patrick Plains Bench. On 10 January 1849 he was granted a Ticket of Leave Passport at Singleton Bench and another on 8 December 1849 at the same Bench. On 5 October 1849 he was granted a Conditional Pardon. In 1852 he married a widower, Lucy Walker, at Maitland and they had six children. Evan Brindle died at Muswellbrook in 1876 at the age of 69.