Abraham Myers

Abraham MYERS was born in London about 1814-16. According to his death certificate, his father was Joshua MYERS, a glass cutter, and his mother was Fanny MOSES. He had a brother and two sisters.
In February 1842 and March 1843, Abraham Myers, Lodging housekeeper, was in the Debtors' Prison for London and Middlesex. He had been at various addresses, also as keeper of a wine room and part Proprietor of a Clubhouse.
Abraham MYERS, a literate glass cutter age 30, was married with one child when he was convicted for stabbing with intent Robert Clazard after quarrelling in a public house in London in 1844. It was a first offence [although another report says "" The prisoner is not unknown to this court. He was charged a short time ago with having broken into the wine-rooms in Windmill Street on the plea that he was the rightful proprietor, & with also having threatened the life of the person in possession of the premises."].
He was sentenced to fifteen years and transported to Norfolk Island on David Malcolm in 1845. In 1847 he was transferred to Van Diemen's Land and received a Ticket of Leave in March 1852. His conditional Pardon was approved in February 1854.
The Colonial Times of 11 April 1854 reported a Court Case relating to the Marriage Act Offences by Moses King for celebrating a marriage between Abraham MYERS and Esther BENJAMIN at her mother's house. The case was dismissed and Mr and Mrs Myers were among the passengers who sailed for Sydney on Emma on the 11th April.
Their first son, an un-named male, must have died at birth. He is noted on their daughter's birth certificate in 1864. The next son, Joshua, was born in Sydney in November 1855. They had moved to Maitland in New South Wales when the next son, Henry, was born in April 1858, then to Melbourne where a daughter and son were born in 1862 and 1864.
Abraham ran into trouble in Melbourne and was sentenced to 9 months in prison for fraudulent insolvency. He was in poor health at the time, walking with the aid of sticks.
They were back in Sydney by 1866 when their last son was born shortly before Abraham died at his home in South Head Road in November. He was buried in the Jewish burial ground in Devonshire Street which is now the site of Central Railway.

Why did Abraham allow his eldest son to be taken to England by 1861? Perhaps his sister and her wealthy husband offered to take him in exchange for financial assistance? Abraham seems to have struggled as a businessman.

Abraham's convict record described him as 5'2" tall, with fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair, medium nose and mouth and small chin, and freckled.