George Sadler

George Keilor Sadler (died 20 February 1914) was an English convict transported to Western Australia.
Nothing is known of his early life except that he was the son of farm labourer James Sadler and his wife Jemima. By 1848, he had command of a small fishing boat named the Randell, and he employed a deck hand named William Haylett. On 19 November of that year, while they were fishing off Yarmouth, Haylett went below deck to get some tobacco. Sadler ordered him back on deck, to which Haylett responded that he would go up soon. Sadler then tried to force Haylett to go back on deck, and a fight ensued. During the fight, Sadler picked up a knife and stabbed Haylett in the thigh. Haylett spent three weeks in hospital. Sadler was charged with stabbing Haylett "on the high seas", and on 20 March 1849 at Bury St Edmunds, found guilty of "malicious wounding", and sentenced to seven years' transportation.
George Sadler arrived in Western Australia on board the Marion on 31 January 1852. He was granted a ticket of leave that day, and a conditional pardon on 19 November 1854. He took work as a labourer, and saved his money for the expiry of his sentence, when he would be allowed to leave the colony. On 17 January 1856 he married Margaret Hayes, an Irish emigrant girl. Two weeks later they sailed for Melbourne on the Eblana, arriving on 20 February. For some years Sadler worked on farms in the Western District of Victoria. Later he took up land at Mepunga, establishing himself as a successful farmer. When he died on 28 February 1914, he owned two farms with a total area of . He was survived by his wife and six children.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu