John Brinsmead of Exeter
John Brinsmead appears to be the only Brinsmead who arrived on Australia's shores courtesy of the British Court system. He was convicted of an offence at the Exeter Quarter Sessions on February 28th, 1843 and sentenced to seven years. He left for Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) on April 28th, 1843 on the vessel Cressy. That ship set sail for Plymouth, England on April 30th, 1843 and sailed for 112 days, arriving in Hobart on August 20th. Only one of the 296 passengers was lost at sea. James Molison was the ship's Master and James Lawrence its Surgeon. The convict muster lists him as having a ticket of leave. He is then shown as a Third Class Passenger on the vessel Gilmore, destined for the Hospital in New Norfolk, up river from Hobart.
In 1853, John Brinsmead married Catherine Lochead formerly of Tillicoultry, Clackmannon, Scotland.