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What Is My Name?
Munton Tree
THE MUNTON FAMILY TREE
The Munton Family Name
The surname, ‘Munton’ originates from France and is the modern spelling of ‘de la Montagne.’ With this history, Munton has connections with French ancestry and is derived from French terminology meaning ‘Mountain’ (SurnameDB).
Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, surnames were unknown in the United Kingdom. It was not until the 13th and 14th Centuries that they eventually became commonplace. Surnames were mostly used by landowners, and by 1250 the surname became hereditary and passed down through subsequent generations (Bull, 2008).
The earliest recording of the original ‘de la Montaigne’ spelling is the birth of Geoffrey De Mortaigne in 1033 at Perche, Normandy, France. He married Beatric De Montdidier and fought at the Battle of Hastings with William the Conquerer. Records indicate that he was not slain in battle and eventually died in Oct 1100 (SNELL, 2008).
It is believed that the modern spelling was created by several followers of William the Conquerer during the Norman Conquest. From England the name spread to Ireland in 1170 when the Army of Strongbow assisted the King in an attempt to secure Ireland. These families settled in the land in County Waterford, where even today the name remains prominent in the region (SurnameDB).
Over the centuries, the ‘de la Montagne’ and ‘de Montaigne’ name holders eventually altered and changed the spelling to Munton, Menton, Manton or Mountain. The earliest recording of the new spelling include William de Muntain in the 1272 Hundred Rolls of Oxford. In addition to this, 1273 saw Hugh de Muntein recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Salop, now known as Shropshire (SurnameDB).
The second influx of the ‘de la Montagne’ name arrived through immigration and fear. During the 17th century, thousands of Huguenot refugees fled to England after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. A number of people from the ‘de la Montagne’ family arrived and settled in England away from the persecution of their rulers (SurnameDB).
With this in mind, the surname of Munton has a large number of spelling variations, which makes research difficult. These include Munton, Menton, Muntein, Manton, Murton, Mountian, de la Montagne, de Montaigne (SurnameDB).
The Munton Surname Distribution Map
In 1881, a thorough census was conducted on all the residents of England. The place of birth of each individual was recorded and 726 entries were obtained for the Munton surname (Rootsmap, 2007). These details were compiled into a database, which is displayed in the table and distribution map over the next two (2) pages.
On viewing the Surname Distribution Map and Data Table, it can easily be established that the Munton family dominated the midland region of England. The county of Rutland held the greatest concentration of Munton family members, whilst neighbouring Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex and Leicestershire also held a large proportion of individuals.
With this in mind, in can be concluded that the origins of the Munton family are centred in the county of Rutland.
Figure 1: Munton Surname Distribution Map (Rootsmap, 2007).
Figure 2: Munton Surname Distribution Data (Rootsmap, 2007).
The County of Nottingham
Nottinghamshire is a historic county that is situated in the north midland area of England. It is bordered by Yorkshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south and Derbyshire to the west (GENUKI.)
Figure 3: Map of Nottinghamshire on the England Isle (Wikipedia, 2007).
The Alfred Munton Mystery
Alfred Munton was born around 1807 in Nottinghamshire, England. This estimation has been derived from prisoner records in 1823 that indicate that he was 16 years old. Further vital records for Alfred give a birth year with a range of 1805 to 1807.
At the time of writing, Alfred Munton’s exact lineage is unknown. According to custody records, he was a Protestant and was a native of Nottingham. I am unsure if the entry “Nottingham” denotes the town or county. Adding to the mystery, no baptism records have been located and I have not seen mention of parents or relatives. This is a brick wall in my research, but I am currently in the process of pinpointing Alfred’s lineage.
I believe that Alfred’s father was called William, only because his only son was called William. This point is further reinforced by the naming order of children at that time in England. Traditionally the first born English son was named after the paternal grandfather. In this case, the possible father of Alfred and his first born son are both named William.
First Conviction - 1823
The first record of Alfred Munton is one of crime and punishment. On 23rd of July 1823, Alfred Munton, Daniel Cann and John Marshall stole alcohol and money from Mary Marsh in St. Mary’s Parish, Nottinghamshie. They were soon arrested and put before the local court system.
Figure 3: Nottinghamshire Borough Quarter Session Minute Book Records, 23rd Jul 1823.
A week later, on 31st of July 1823, Alfred appeared before the Nottingham Borough Quarter Sessions and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for Larceny (NSW State Records, 2008). Alfred was just 16 years old at the time, which gives an approximate birth year of 1807. Considering he was convicted at Nottingham Borough Quarter Sessions, it is highly probable that Alfred was born and bred in the Nottingham area.
St Mary’s Parish is the largest of the three(3) parochial divisions of the town of Nottingham. It contains about 80% of the buildings, population and the whole of the forest and lands (GENUKI).
The following is a transcript from the Nottinghamshire Borough Quarter Session Minute Book on 31 July 1823;
On Indictment
Alfred Munton
Daniel Cann
John Marshall
For stealing on the 23rd of July 1823 at St. Marys Parish, two Bottles of Cyder value: 2/- One Bottle of Port Wine value: 4/- One pint of Peppermint Cordial value: 2/- One pint of Gin value: 1/6 – 54 penny pieces value: 4/6 – and 108 half pence value: 4/6 monies good re of Mary Marsh.
Pleas
Munton – Not Guilty
Cann – Not Guilty
Marshall – Not Guilty
Verdict
Munton – Guilty
Cann – Guilty
Marshall – Guilty – recommend Mercy
Transported for 7 years beyond the Seas.
This was not the first time Alfred had been arrested, but it was his first conviction. Prisoner Records obtained from NSW State Records indicate that Alfred had been “several times in custody, but not convicted.” It appears that young Alfred was a troubled youth and frequented the wrong side of the law in his teenage years.
Alfred spent a few weeks in Nottingham Gaol and on 19th August 1823 was transferred to a large Prisoner Hulk in Chatham, Kent. He was transferred his two (2) co-offenders, John Marshall (20) and Daniel Cann(18) who were convicted at Nottingham for the same offence. The following tables are transcribed from Chatnam Prisoner Hulk Records obtained from NSW State Records.
Name
| Page | Character from Gaoler | | Munton,Alfred | 22 | Several times in Custody, but not Convicted | | Marshall, John | 22 | (ditto) |
Table 1: Chatham Prisoner Hulk Records, Alphabetical Index. (NSW State Records, 2008)
Received from Nottingham Gaol 19th August 1823
No Name Age Offence Where Convicted When Convicted Sentence How taken, Discharged
781 John Marshall 18 Stealing in a Dw. House Nottingham 31 July 1823 7 years Pardoned - 9 August 1827
782 Daniel Cann 20 (ditto) (ditto) (ditto) (ditto) NSW - 25 March 1824
783 Alfred Munton 16 (ditto) (ditto) (ditto) (ditto) Pardoned - 9 August 1827
Table 2: Chatham Prisoner Hulk Records, Page 22. (NSW State Records, 2008)
Prisoner Hulks were large old warships converted to imprison convicts and ease overcrowding in gaols. In 1776, the government passed a ‘temporary’ Act of Parliament to hold prisoners waiting transportation to Australia. Despite concerns and protests over the inhuman conditions, the process was in place for over 80 years, with some prisoners serving their entire sentence on the hulks (Portcities, 2008).
Alfred Munton was originally sentenced for transported to Australia, but spent four (4) years on a Prisoner Hulk in Chatham awaiting transportation. Considering the tortured lifestyle of a prisoner within these floating dungeons, being transported to Australia would have been a blessing. On 9th of August 1827, at the age of twenty (20), Alfred was pardoned and released from the Hulk.
Second Conviction - 1828
On 23rd of May 1828, less than nine (9) months after being released, Alfred Munton was up to his old tricks and arrested for larceny in Nottingham. Clearly unable to change his ways, Alfred was once more utilising his nimble fingers and rogue like skills acquire from others.
On Monday 4th of August 1828, Sergeant D’Oyley proceeded over the trial at Derbyshire Summer Assizes. Court matters that were trialed at Assizes were more serious than Quarter Session cases and handed over sentences of life terms or death. This time, Alfred was not only charged with stealing, but of a more serious robbery offence.
The Derbyshire Mercury reported on the matter and detailed the theft of property from a coach office at Ashborne. The coach office was owned by John Wood, who was also the landlord of the Green Man Inn at Ashborne. Items belonging to Patrick McGuire from Manchester, was stolen and later found in the room of Alfred when he was arrested in Nottingham.
Below is a copy a Newspaper Article reporting on the Derbyshire Summer Assize held on 4th August and published in The Derby Mercury on 6th August 1828.
Figure 4: Derbyshire Summer Assize. The Derby Mercury, 6 Aug 1828. Issue 5013.
It is interesting to see that Alfred Munton became the target of the investigation because he ‘had been seen about Ashborne some days prior.’ This reveals that Alfred was a was well known by the local constabulary and points to an infamous reputation in Nottingham. Not only was he recognised in a neighbouring county, but the police knew the room where Alfred was living. It seems to me that in light of this, it is by luck or by cunning that Alfred Munton was not convicted for other crimes. I like to think that it was the skills of a talented thief, which delayed Alfred from capture.
The following is a transcript of custody records from Derby Assize in August 1828;
Name Alfred Munton
Age 21
Previous Offence Misrepresenting Council Officer
Present Offence Breaking into Couch Office & Stealing
Occupation Blacksmith
Read & Write Yes
Derby Assize Aug 1828
Custody Derby Gaol to Hulk “Dolphin” at Chatham
Transportation NSW, 10 Nov 1828, “Mellish”
Other Previously under sentence of transportation
Table 3: Derby Assize Custody Records. (DURBIN, 2008)
On looking at the above custody records, it is interesting to observe that Alfred Munton was a Blacksmith by trade and was literate. It is hard to imagine how a young man, who spent his teenage life involved in crime and prison would have the opportunity to learn a trade and become literate.
I believe that Alfred became proficient as a Blacksmith during his first custodial sentence on the Prisoner Hulk at Chatham. The prisoners would perform hard labour during their incarceration which the Government hired out cheaply for numerous projects and business opportunities (Portcities, 2008). I suspect that during the four years in prison, Alfred was tasked in this area and refined his ability as a Blacksmith. The Convict Indent Records for Alfred in 1828 indicates that Alfred had been a Blacksmith and Saw Twister for two (2) years.
When it comes down to literacy, this theory would not hold true. Prisoners were not afforded the opportunity to be educated during their time in custody, where hard physical labour dominated their time. The fact that Alfred could read and write is a hint towards his unknown heritage. I believe that Alfred being literate, indicates a level of education trained either at home by parents or during his time at school.
Another item of interest is Alfred’s previous offence, “Misrepresenting Council Officer.”
As stated previously, the only other conviction recorded was stealing alcohol and money in 1823. At this stage I can not locate further offences, but it appears that identity fraud was another ability in Alfred Muntons book of talents.
In the end, Alfred was arrested, sentenced for his crime and on Monday 18th of August 1828 was removed from Derbyshire Gaol and transported to the Prisoner Hulk Dolphin, which was moored at Chatham in Kent.
Below is a copy of the Convict transportations on 18th August and published in The Derby Mercury on 20th August 1828.
Figure 5: Derbyshire Summer Assize. The Derby Mercury, 20 Aug 1828. Issue 5015.
The Dolphin Hulk at Chatham
The Prisoner Hulk Dolphin was in service as a convict prison for eight (8) years between 1824 and 1829, whilst being moored at Chatham in Kent. It held a total of 400 prisoners and was controlled by an overseer George Lloys. Originally a two-deck man-o-war built in 1794, it was purchased by the Royal Navy 1804 and named H.M.S. Hindostan. In 1819 it was renamed the Dolphin and in 1833 became Justitia another Convict Hulk at Woolwich (PHILLIPS, 2008)
Thankfully for Alfred Munton, his stay aboard the Dolphin was short lived. He was only on the hulk for a couple of months before he was ready to be sent to Australia aboard Mellish. It appears that luck was with Alfred this time as the Dolphin was the subject of a horrible accident less than 12 months later.
Below is a detailed transcript from Caledonian Mercury on 22 October 1829.
“LEVEN HULK, CHATHAM, Oct. 16. – I hasten to communicate to you a very calamitous circumstance which happened to the Dolphin convict hulk at Chatham. Early this morning, she sprung a leak, so that she hove completely over on her beam ends and although very many prisoners were on board, and in their hammocks at the time, yet no more than three of them were drowned, viz. John Fisher, James Coyle and Samuel Parkes; the rest got ashore, with the exception of one prisoner, who was severely bruised.
GEORGE LLOYD, OVERSEER.”
The Dolphin frigate, used as a hulk for the safe keeping of convicts employed in Chatham Dock-yard, was moored close to the jetty, with a stage to the shore, for the purpose of their accomidation from the ship to the shore; and the length of the moorings that confined her to the shore were appropriated in length to the ordinary rise and fall of the tide. The vessel was also further secured by piles driven on the off side. The late spring tides, however, have been unusually high, and shortly after midnight on Thursday, Captain Lloyd was aroused from his sleep by the noise of the water rushing into the lower part of the vessel. Unable to account for such circumstance, he went immediately upon deck and gave such directions to the officers under him for the enlargement of the convicts, as, we are happy to state, prevented the dreadful loss of life which must otherwise have ensued. The cause of the occurrence was still a mystery until the snapping of the moorings which confined the vessel to the quay at once explained the cause.
It appears that the unusual rise of the tide had so much tightened the moorings which held her to the shore as to prevent her rising above her usual level, and caused the water to force itself into the lower ports, and would, no doubt, have swamped her, had not the moorings given way, the immediate consequence of which was that she careen and fell over the opposite side from the quay, and the cries of upwards 200 persons who were on board of her at the time, and just roused from their sleep, were dreadfully appalling. Fortunately the orders previously given by Captain Lloyd were so promptly obeyed, that most of the convicts gained the deck, and with the assistance that was immediately given from the Dock-yard and the town, we are happy in being enabled to state that only three persons were drowned, who could not be got at. – Morning paper.
Convict Transportation - Mellish 1829
On 2nd of January 1829, Alfred Munton boarded the Mellish transport ship with 170 other convicts from Falmouth. The chief surgeon was Joseph Cook and it appears all the convicts survived the journey. The transport ship and its crew were under the command of Arthur Vincent (NSW State Records).
According to the Surgeons Journal, the vessel originally set sail on 7th of October 1828, but was delayed until January because of inclement weather. The Mellish sailed with only minor illness reported and arrived at Port Jackson on 18th of April 1829. A couple of weeks later, the Mellish landed in Sydney and the Convicts were removed in good health (NSW State Records).
From the Mellish Convict Indent Records, Alfred Munton was not a handsome man. He was a short 5’5½” in height with black hair and dark brown eyes. He had a scar under his left eye and a scar on his upper lip. His complexion was described as “Dark Ruddy and freckled.” It states that Alfred was 23 years old and was single.
Alfred Munton was assigned to work for the Department of Public Works in the servitude of James Reid Esq of Newcastle.
The following table is transcribed from page 147 of the Mellish Muster Records;
No. 14
Name Munton, Alfred (38/247)
Age 23
Education Read & Write
Religion Protestant
Single or Married Single
Family --
Native Place Nottingham
Trade or Calling Blacksmith for 2 yrs & Saw twister
Offence Robbing Coach Office
Where Tried Derby
When Tried 2 August 1828
Sentence Life
Former Conviction 2
Height 5’5½”
Complexion Dark Ruddy Freckled
Color of Hair Black
Color of Eyes Dark Brown
How Disposed of and Remarks Department of Public Works. Scar under left eye and on upper lip.
The following table is transcribed from page 270 of “The Morley (5) Convict Indent;”
No. 6460
Name Munton, Alfred
Age 23
Education Read & Write
Ship Mellish
Year of Arrival 1829
Sentence Life
Religion Protestant
Employment Department of Public Works
The following table is transcribed from General Muster Records record in 1837;
Convict Names Age Ship Year When Tried
Mountain, Alfred 29 Mellish 1830
Name of Master to whom each Convict is at present assigned, and the district in which he is stationed
Name of Master Name of District Comments
J Reid Paterson Ticket of Leave
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Bibliography
Bull, Malcom, (2008). Malcolm BULL’s Calderdale Companion. www.members.aol.com/calderdale
The Caledonian Mercury. 19th Century British Newspapers. GALE CENGAGE Learning (2008). www.galegroup.com
The Derby Mercury. 19th Century British Newspapers. GALE CENGAGE Learning (2008). www.galegroup.com
DURBIN, Jean. (2008) Derby Assize and Prisoners. www.multiline.com.au/~jeand/jweb
Family Search. International Genealogical Index. The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints. (1999-2005) www.familysearch.org
Nottinghamshire Borough Quarter Session Minute Books (1820-1825). Nottinghamshire County Council. Nottinghamshire Archives.
NSW State Records. Department of Commerce State Records Authority of NSW. http://www.records.nsw.gov.au
PHILLIPS, Michael. (1995-2007) Michael Phillips Ships of the Old Navy,
www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips
Portcities London. National Maritime Museum. (2008) www.portcities.org.uk
Roots Map. Surname Distribution Maps. (2007) www.rootsmap.com
SNELL, H, W. (2008) Geneology of Snells, Simmons, Curtrers, Massey, Hood & Lack.
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/n/e/Herman-W-Snell/index.html
Surname DB. The Internet Surname Database. Name Origin Research. (1980-2007) www.surnamedb.com
Wikipedia – www.wikipedia.org
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