According to the ship’s muster 1 John Mason travelled together with William Evans 1834, (see 1834, William Evans). He was a native of County Down, Ireland, aged 28, a soldier and labourer, catholic, could read and write, single status who was 5' 5¾" tall with sallow complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes and a scar on left side of chin, scar left temples, scar left side of head, scar (?) knuckle of left forefinger, scar right eyebrow, was court-martialled 2 at Cannanore, Madras, on either 22 July 1834 or during August of the same year. He was convicted for an unnatural crime with a cow and sentenced for life to the Colony of NSW. As mentioned before Mason being transported together with William Evans, went first per Resource 1835 from India to VDL and there transferred to the Siren arriving Sydney, from VDL, 9th April 1836 and was assigned to Hyde Park Barracks.
Mason’s ticket of leave, No. 44/2325, 3 dated 13th September 1844 indicates he was allowed to remain in the Yass District on recommendation of Queanbeyan Bench, dated May 1844. Cancelled 31 May 1851 – Absent from District paper Reg 51/1347. Ticket reissued absence explained, Letter Reg 51/2090. [Initial illegible] Dec 1851.
1 SRNSW: NRS12188, [4/4019], Indents, 1834-35, p. 308, R906.
2 Court martial documents could not be located at either UK National Archives or ML.
3 SRNSW: NRS12202, [4/4193] (44/2263-2514), Ticket of leave butts, 31 Mar 1827–20 Aug 1867, vol. 133, R954.