William Chopin
Encyclopedia
William Chopin was a convict transported
to Western Australia
. After gaining his Ticket of leave#Australian convicts he worked as a chemist
and later as an illicit abortionist.
Nothing is known of William Chopin's early life, but in 1865 he was a widower with one child, and was working as a clerk. On 4 December 1865 both he and his brother Alfred
were convicted in the Manchester
courts and sentenced to be transported. William Chopin was convicted of uttering forged notes, and received a sentence of twenty years. His brother was convicted of receiving stolen goods, and was sentenced to ten years. The two brothers were transported to Western Australia on board the Norwood, which arrived at Fremantle
in July 1867.
For his first seven years in Western Australia, Chopin worked in the prison hospitals at Fremantle and later Albany
, dispensing medicine. According to Stevenson (1983), these seven years would have been equivalent to an apprenticeship
in pharmacy
. Chopin received his ticket of leave on 7 December 1874, and the following month was appointed a dispenser of medicine at the Colonial Hospital. In March he was given a pay rise and extra clerical duties, but by the end of the year he had resigned the position. For a short time he worked in his brother's shop, but by 1876 he was advertising himself as a chemist
in St Georges Terrace, Perth
.
In 1878, Chopin was appointed government school-teacher at Mourambine near Beverley
. School teaching was one of the few reputable occupations that were open to convicts in Western Australia, as the low pay and poor conditions were not attractive to the very small number of well-educated settlers in the colony. In accepting the appointment, Chopin became one of only 39 ex-convict school teachers in Western Australia
. He remained in the position until 1883.
In 1884, Chopin started a business as a chemist at York
. His business was reasonably successful, and he became a respectable member of the York community. He received his conditional pardon in April 1886, and the following month was elected treasurer
of the York Mechanics' Institute. In July, however, he was arrested for "being in Avon Terrace when supposed to be of unsound mind without proper care and control". The charges were later dismissed.
From 1887, Chopin's chemist business gradually declined due to increasing competition with general stores and other chemists. He offset this, however, by becoming an illicit abortion
ist. Between 1892 and 1894 he was arrested three times on charges of attempting to procure abortions. In the first two cases he was acquitted, but in the third case he was found guilty. Sentenced to ten years of penal servitude, he was employed as an orderly at the Invalid Depot. He received a ticket of leave in 1898, and died in Fremantle Prison Hospital on 30 October 1900.
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. After gaining his Ticket of leave#Australian convicts he worked as a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and later as an illicit abortionist.
Nothing is known of William Chopin's early life, but in 1865 he was a widower with one child, and was working as a clerk. On 4 December 1865 both he and his brother Alfred
Alfred Chopin
Alfred Chopin was a convict transported to Western Australia. He became one of the colony's first portrait photographers....
were convicted in the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
courts and sentenced to be transported. William Chopin was convicted of uttering forged notes, and received a sentence of twenty years. His brother was convicted of receiving stolen goods, and was sentenced to ten years. The two brothers were transported to Western Australia on board the Norwood, which arrived at Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in July 1867.
For his first seven years in Western Australia, Chopin worked in the prison hospitals at Fremantle and later Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, dispensing medicine. According to Stevenson (1983), these seven years would have been equivalent to an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
in pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. Chopin received his ticket of leave on 7 December 1874, and the following month was appointed a dispenser of medicine at the Colonial Hospital. In March he was given a pay rise and extra clerical duties, but by the end of the year he had resigned the position. For a short time he worked in his brother's shop, but by 1876 he was advertising himself as a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
in St Georges Terrace, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
In 1878, Chopin was appointed government school-teacher at Mourambine near Beverley
Beverley, Western Australia
Beverley is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-east of the state capital, Perth, between York and Brookton on the Great Southern Highway...
. School teaching was one of the few reputable occupations that were open to convicts in Western Australia, as the low pay and poor conditions were not attractive to the very small number of well-educated settlers in the colony. In accepting the appointment, Chopin became one of only 39 ex-convict school teachers in Western Australia
Ex-convict school teachers in Western Australia
Following Western Australia's convict era, 37 ex-convicts were appointed school teachers in the colony. The appointment of such a large number of ex-convicts to what was considered a respectable government position was highly unusual for a penal colony, as the social stigma of conviction usually...
. He remained in the position until 1883.
In 1884, Chopin started a business as a chemist at York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
. His business was reasonably successful, and he became a respectable member of the York community. He received his conditional pardon in April 1886, and the following month was elected treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of the York Mechanics' Institute. In July, however, he was arrested for "being in Avon Terrace when supposed to be of unsound mind without proper care and control". The charges were later dismissed.
From 1887, Chopin's chemist business gradually declined due to increasing competition with general stores and other chemists. He offset this, however, by becoming an illicit abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
ist. Between 1892 and 1894 he was arrested three times on charges of attempting to procure abortions. In the first two cases he was acquitted, but in the third case he was found guilty. Sentenced to ten years of penal servitude, he was employed as an orderly at the Invalid Depot. He received a ticket of leave in 1898, and died in Fremantle Prison Hospital on 30 October 1900.