FOLLOWING apologies for absence and news of members President George Bourne welcomed back this week’s guest speaker, David Clark, the former Mayor of Worcester.
He returned with a more detailed update on the fortunes of the eight females sentenced by Worcester Court in 1786 to seven years transportation beyond the seas. They were amongst the first females deported to Australia.
At a time of extreme poverty, their crimes had been mainly theft of relatively small items of clothing and their death sentences had been commuted to transportation by the retiring judge.
David told us how he had become interested in the plight of these women whilst exploring Worcester Guildhall. He described his research and explained what happened to each of the eight individuals.
His book, “Sentenced to Beyond the Seas” provides the details and in it David outlines the remarkable coincidences between himself and the subject of his research.
On 28 September Ian Boskett will tell us about the Great Train Robbery, which Cliff Blackborrow says was nothing to do with him, and on 5 October Tore Fauske will tell us about our Viking ancestors.
Information about our Club is on our website: www.eveshamprobus.co.uk
CHRIS DONOUGH
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