Sarah Clifford:A Life of Crime

Sarah Clifford was born in 1832 in Jamaica. 


 



Here's a timeline to her crimes and time spent in prison with newspaper articles that were found.

Conviction

1851 • Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

she had been convicted in Dublin for larceny and sentenced to seven years transportation to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania).


1852 • Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia

Clifford arrived in Hobart as a convict transported from Ireland in 1852 aboard the ship, Martin Luther.


Attempted Suicide

1858 • Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia

she attempted suicide using a ‘dinner knife’ to cut her throat.


Implicated with her husband for murder

1860 • Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia

she was even implicated with her partner, William Fox, in the murder of a female prostitute.


Conviction

5 Feb 1867 • New South Wales, Australia

Stealing: 1 month Labor


Conviction

24 Dec 1867 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Picking Pockets: 18 Months Labor




Conviction

1 Apr 1869 • New South Wales, Australia

Stealing: 3 Months Labor



Conviction

1 Mar 1870 • New South Wales, Australia

Attempted to steal: 3 Months labor





Conviction

22 Aug 1870 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Stealing from a person: 2 yrs Hard Labor


Conviction

2 Jan 1873 • New South Wales, Australia

Picking pockets: 6 months labor


Conviction

24 Dec 1876 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Stealing from a person: 3 yrs hard labor


Conviction

6 Apr 1880 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Stealing from a person: 2 yrs hard labor for each charge 2 charges






Conviction
27 Feb 1882 • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Stealing from a person: 3 Yrs hard labor



Conviction
3 Dec 1884 • New South Wales, Australia
Suspected Person: 2 months Labor

Convicted
23 Nov 1885 • New South Wales, Australia
Stealing from a person: 6 months labor

Conviction
30 Oct 1886 • New South Wales, Australia
Suspected person: 3 months labor

Conviction
21 Mar 1887 • New South Wales, Australia
Suspected person: 6 months labor



Conviction
29 Nov 1887 • New South Wales, Australia
Vagrancy: 6 months labor





Conviction
11 Jul 1895 • New South Wales, Australia
Suspected Person: 6 Months Hard labor in Glebe

Conviction
11 Jun 1897 • New South Wales, Australia
Suspected person: 6 months




1898

She stole silk which was very expensive

Conviction
5 Oct 1899 • Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
Admission/Photo 5 Oct 1889 Gaol Darlinghurst Gaol Location Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia

Conviction
1900 • biloela, New South Wales, Australia
Biloela, New South Wales, Australia Goal


1903


1907


1908


State Reformatory for Women
1910 • Long Bay, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand
convicted of larceny and sentenced to six months light labour in the State Reformatory for Women.


Sarah was married to William Fox and they three known children Mary, Sarah & John.

John would follow in his parent's footsteps of crime, he was first convicted at age 15.


Sarah died in 1916 • Long Bay, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand at the 
Newington State Hospital and Asylum.

Here is a video of her sad criminal life.



She moved me and I just had to write her story. I did not find any genealogy records for her. The saddest thing is she claimed in court that she hadn't spent a Christmas with her children in many years.



 

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