Joseph Backler convict

I am hoping that the forum may be able to find more about the early history of Joseph Backler who was an early convict artist. He painted an early photo of my home town in either 1860 or 1878. In the Australian Dictionary of Biography (2005) his entry starts as follows:

"Joseph Backler (1813?-1895), convict artist and portrait painter, was born probably in 1813 in London, son of Joseph Backler, painter on glass, and his wife Jane, née Cowie. Convicted in 1831 for uttering forged cheques, the 18-year-old, who seemed to The Times 'a highly respectable young man', was sentenced to death, later commuted to transportation for life."

I would like to either prove or disprove the above entry. Many thanks. Julie

[Merry]

The parents married at St Marylebone 1 Feb 1810 by licence.

[Merry]

A dau, Jane Cowie Backler, bap 1811 St Marylebone.

(if you need all the exact details for anything, just shout)

[Merry]

Hmm, a dau Sarah Cowie Mitchell Backler bap St Marylebone, but not until 1823.

Must surely be more in between! lol

[Merry]

1831 Joseph Backler tried at the Old Bailey for uttering a forged order for the payment of money.

[Merry]

The page refuses to open for me, but when on the prison hulk, 'Hardy' his age was given as 18 (so 1813)

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Merry

Hmm, a dau Sarah Cowie Mitchell Backler bap St Marylebone, but not until 1823.

Must surely be more in between! lol

Buried aged 7 months at Bunhill Fields, from Newman St Oxford St:


Sarah Mitchell Corvie Backler b abt 1823 Burial Mar 1824 London, Middlesex, England

[Merry]

I wondered is 24 May 1813 was his date of baptism rather than dob (as appears on Wikipedia) but I couldn't find anything on Ancestry using that date.

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Merry

A dau, Jane Cowie Backler, bap 1811 St Marylebone.

(if you need all the exact details for anything, just shout)

Hmm....moved to Scotland?


Name: Jane Cowie Backler
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 10 Sep 1833
Marriage Place: Kilmarnock,Ayr,Scotland
Spouse: John Brown
FHL Film Number: 1041387, 1041388

Nice helpful new surname! lol

[Merry]

Another Backler in Scotland in 1841:


Hannah Backler
b abt 1821 England St Ninians Stirlingshire