CONVICT NOTABILITIES.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 59, 15 October 1864, Page 5

CONVICT NOTABILITIES.

A correspondent of the Argus in a letter descriptive ofthe penal setflementin West Australia, givef the following account of some; individuals whose ' names attained considerable temporary notoriety in England: — ; ..-. At Freinantle fche visitor ia sure to fall in with Bedpath— now on Ids ticket of leaye— -a tall man, of' good address, hying on theproeeeds of sundry small shipments of fancy goods consigned to him by English friends. Kedpath has always maintained a position above the ordinary class of ticketers. Even in prison he never made his own bed nor cleaned out his ce11..: These menial office's were performed by ' some obsequious convict, anxious for the reward of the great man's smile — a reward nofc frequently but judiciously bestowed. Now that he is at large, ticketers touch their hats; to. their distinguished brother/who promenades the streets, writes clever letter under a nom-de-guerre to the local press, is the founder and the honorary secretary of the Working-men's Association, andis specially shunned . by the free classes, who profess to regard him as a" social agitator. Kedpath is both clever and'observant, and a book from his pen on men arid manners iv Western Australia would probably be a smart production, well worth reading.; -He has a great desire tb exchange the Swan for the Eastern colonies, and a year or two back/he applied,-'ifc ia understood,.to a : Minister of .the Crown in. -Mcl- V bourne to' use his influence to get him transferred to Victoria. V Afc Fremantle, also, there resides a remarkableindividual, who found it necessary in England to dissolve his marriage contract by the simple bufc effectual operation of. cutting off his wife's head. He now fills a highly respectable mercantile situation. Not deterred by his first matrimonial mishap he has, taken, to himself a second wife, to console hhn during his long sojourn inthe land,' and he is now bringing up a; numerous family. Robson who is also at large, dies not receive at all a good character: He lost one or two situation* at Perth through his own misconduct. After this he went into business as photographer ; and now he keeps an academy, while the colonial Mrs.. Robson assists with a preparatory school; .Next to dissapafcion, Hobson's principal -recreation seems to be writing poetical effusions, wHch- duly obtain publicity through the medium of the Perth newspapera.^lnjthese productions helaysßyrbriandGray under heavy contributions— in fact is guilty of ah unblushing .. appropriation of their verses. /;AjrBvronand Grray do not appear, however,- to be "familiar as household words" in Western Australia, Robson enjoys a "great reputation as sn utterer of " thoughts thac breathe ami words: that burn." The Eev. Mr. Beresfrrd, a Church of England minister, whose zeal in writing arid altering other people's wills, was called by anjugly name and led to his separation from his parsonage, and jhis aristocratic relafcires, is; to be found at York, : where he is tutor to a publican's family ; while the "Boy Jones," the individual whose anxiety for an interriew with her Majesty led him to present himgelf through, the; unusual medium, bf. thepalaea chimney, is declared to v be identical with a Fre-mantleretailerof-."hotpies, pies *sll hot." "Tha •trsnger who feels averse xbo mixing- Tvith these English celebrities haa no y occasion fco do bo: Society in theSwansefcfiemenisisincistselee£--mDro-exclusiTe than it is m eastern eireies. Cause and effect are obvious. Alor4eanaS"oKlnottobeoves precise in his associates ; but a gentleman ia a dur bious position must be particular indeed as to the status of his guests. ;.-./.,.//'■. v/'V 'Ax.Aa.