William Boxhal

William Boxhal (c. 12 February 1832 – 12 January 1893) was an English convict transported to Western Australia. He later became a farmer in the Victoria Plains district, and was one of the first such farmers to secure land in the area. William Boxhal was born in Godalming, Surrey, and baptised on 12 February 1832. As a child, he moved with his family several times; they were in Camberwell, London in 1839, Croydon, Surrey in 1841, and Deptford in 1846. These movements probably indicate that Boxhal's father had difficulty securing employment. In July 1846, Boxhal's father died, and William Boxhal became responsible for feeding his family. He eventually went to Preston, Lancashire, an industrial port with more opportunities for work. Late, he joined the 50th Regiment of the British Army. On 23 August 1852, Boxhal and another soldier of the 50th Regiment named John Jones were charged with burglary. According to their arraignment, they "At Fulwood in a shop of one Arthur Phipps Rudman did feloniously break and enter and light pieces of paper of the value of one penny... and in the said shop... by force of arms did steal, take and carry away sixty one pounds in money." The pair were also charged with a virtually identical burglary of a shop belonging to a George Worthington. The two men were found guilty in October, and sentenced to ten years' penal transportation. Boxhal would have been lodged at first in the Preston jail, then later sent to Millbank Prison to serve his mandatory period of solitary confinement. In September 1853 he was transferred to the Woolwich prison hulk Defence, where he was set to work at the Woolwich Arsenal. Boxhal remained at Woolwich until December 1855, when he was placed on board the William Hammond for transportation to Western Australia. The William Hammond left London on 8 December, taking on more convicts at Portsmouth and Portland and later stopping at Plymouth before finally sailing for Western Australia on 5 January 1856. It arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 28 March 1856.