William GENTLE was born in Cambridgeshire, England on 30 May 1824. He married Ann Bolton (born 1824 in Harlton, Cambridgeshire) in 1846. Two children, Rebecca and Samuel were born in 1847 and 1850 in Harlton, Cambridgeshire. On 19 Mar 1851, William Gentle and William Palmer were put on trial for breaking and entering the house of Sarah Rich, widow of Harlton, and stealing from her stays and pocket money to the value of upwards of twenty pounds.

William protested his innocence all along and even after the jury had returned a verdict of guilty he felt strongly enough to protest to the judge. His protests were in vein and the judge sentenced him to transportation for life.

Both William Gentle and William Palmer were placed aboard the "Ascendent" bound for Bermuda and upon arrival at Ireland Island they were placed aboard the convict hulk, "Coromendal". Life in Bermuda was very rough. They (Gentle and Palmer) were battened down below in the tropical heat with men who had been originally sentenced to death for crimes against the crown ranging from murder, arson, highway robbery, horse and cattle stealing, attacks on police barracks, etc. Rations were ill adapted to the climate, periodical outbreaks of dysentery were responsible for many deaths, and scurvy also took a heavy toll of the prisoners. The worst scourge which flayed Bermuda was West Indian yellow fever which carried off hundreds of victims. The worst epidemic was in 1853 when 160 convicts lost their lives and a far greater number were permanently broken in health.

Attempts of escape were frequent as were attempted murders, brutality, vice and corruption were almost everyday occurrences. Punishments by the lash, the yoke and in the black hole were part and parcel of ones existence. Trade in rum aboard the hulks brought frequent rioting and violence on some noteable occasions. In April 1861, Gentle and Palmer were put aboard the "Medway" for transferance back to England arriving at Chatham on 30 September 1861. William Gentle was convict 4008 and William Palmer was convict 4002.

In early 1863 as convict # 7113, William Gentle was placed aboard the "Clyde" at Chatham and arrived at Fremantle on 29 May 1863. On 23 Jun 1863 he received his Ticket of Leave and on 15 February, 1864 he was granted his Conditional Pardon at York, Western Australia.

In June 1864, William Gentle was reunited with his wife and children when they arrived in Western Australia aboard the "Strathmore". The family moved to the Quellington area, firstly leasing crown land and later purchasing the land. William Gentle died on 5 November 1890 and is burried at York. His wife, Ann (Bolton) Gentle died 17 July 1897 and is also burried at York.