Talk:James Davis (escaped convict)

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A fact from James Davis (escaped convict) appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 3 November 2024 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that convict James Davis (pictured) escaped custody in Australia and lived with Aboriginal Australians for 13 years?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2024/November. The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/James Davis (escaped convict).

James Davis (escaped convict) has been listed as one of the Social sciences and society good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do so. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it.
Review: October 7, 2024. (Reviewed version).

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GA Review

Passed. IntentionallyDense (talk) 01:46, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

This review is transcluded from Talk:James Davis (escaped convict)/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: SkywalkerEccleston (talk · contribs) 01:55, 29 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Reviewer: IntentionallyDense (talk · contribs) 12:14, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Will review this shortly. IntentionallyDense (talk) 03:38, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Hi IntentionallyDense, I have edited the page and left some notes for you. Ready for your further review. SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 12:14, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I will go over your comments in depth tomorrow as I’m currently on mobile and just checking notifications before I go to sleep. Thanks for being patient with the review process and addressing my criticisms! IntentionallyDense (talk) 05:11, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Review

Rate	Attribute	Review Comment
1. Well-written:
	1a. the prose is clear, concise, and understandable to an appropriately broad audience; spelling and grammar are correct.	See comments below. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	1b. it complies with the Manual of Style guidelines for lead sections, layout, words to watch, fiction, and list incorporation.	See comments below. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
2. Verifiable with no original research, as shown by a source spot-check:
	2a. it contains a list of all references (sources of information), presented in accordance with the layout style guideline.	IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	2b. reliable sources are cited inline. All content that could reasonably be challenged, except for plot summaries and that which summarizes cited content elsewhere in the article, must be cited no later than the end of the paragraph (or line if the content is not in prose).	Some issues were found; see comments below. IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	2c. it contains no original research.	per above. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	2d. it contains no copyright violations or plagiarism.	IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
3. Broad in its coverage:
	3a. it addresses the main aspects of the topic.	See comments below. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	3b. it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).	IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	4. Neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without editorial bias, giving due weight to each.	IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	5. Stable: it does not change significantly from day to day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute.	IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
6. Illustrated, if possible, by media such as images, video, or audio:
	6a. media are tagged with their copyright statuses, and valid non-free use rationales are provided for non-free content.	Great use of images! IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	6b. media are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions.	IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
	7. Overall assessment.	On hold until nominator can address issues outlined below. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Source Review

He eventually settled back with the Ginginbarrah people and his adoptive father Pamby-Pamby. He was allotted a flat named Toon about eight miles off the Mary River. I'm not seeing this in ref 12. Could you maybe tell me where on page 65 you are getting this information? IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
"[Davis] was claimed as [Pamby-Pamby's] son by one of the fighting men and has remained with them ever since"

According to the Australian Geographic source, Davis was living with Pamby-Pamby's tribe at the time of his discovery by Petrie.

I will change the sentence to "By 1842, he had settled back with the Ginginbarrah people and his adoptive father Pamby-Pamby." SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 03:36, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
ref 16 and ref 17 could be combined unless there is a reason you made the page numbers different. IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Done SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:58, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
ref 14 doesn't have a page number. IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Done SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:52, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I don't believe YouTube is a reliable source. I do see that the two times it's used as a source there are other sources used, is the youtube source needed? IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
YouTube source removed SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:53, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
~~I'm going to have to check with someone but I'm not sure if commons files are considered reliable sources.~~ IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC) Nevermind it's fine. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:16, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Davis was convicted for stealing 2 shillings 6 pence (half a crown) from a church box. I'm not seeing this in the source. IntentionallyDense (talk) 12:52, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
"Convicted two years later for stealing 2s. 6d. from a church box in Surrey, he was sentenced to be transported for seven years"

2s 6d is half a crown - https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/weightsandmeasures/money.aspx SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:55, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for clarifying. IntentionallyDense (talk) 22:27, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Prose review

I feel like the lead could be made into one slightly bigger paragraph as opposed to two very tiny ones. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I have added to the heading SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 03:30, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I'm confused as to why you put "James Davis" in quotes. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I have done this because two "James Davis" arrived in New South Wales in August 1825. This article clarifies the common mistake that the James "Duramboi" Davis was convicted at Surrey. He was actually convicted in Glasgow. Is there a better way to make this clarification? SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 03:01, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Is the information under "Surrey" about the other James Davis? If so then I feel it is a bit off topic to include that. I understand what you are trying to do by including it but it makes it more confusing in my opinion. IntentionallyDense (talk) 22:29, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
No worries, I will rewrite this bit. SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 23:57, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
IntentionallyDense I've u SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 00:05, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
My reply cut off. I've updated this section, it's ready for your review SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 00:06, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Looks much better now! IntentionallyDense (talk) 01:44, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Broadness

He grew up in Broomielaw, and at 14 he was apprenticed to his father at the Old Wynd. I think it's worth saying what he was apprenticing for. IntentionallyDense (talk) 18:32, 5 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Done. SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:51, 6 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Hilst talk 01:23, 28 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

(

Comment or view
Article history

)

James Davis

... that convict James Davis (pictured) escaped custody in Australia and lived with Aboriginals for 13 years?

Source: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/davis-james-1965

Reviewed:

Created by SkywalkerEccleston (talk). Number of QPQs required: 0. Nominator has fewer than 5 past nominations.

SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 02:13, 7 October 2024 (UTC).[reply]

Will review this. BeanieFan11 (talk) 22:45, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

General: Article is new enough and long enough
New enough: Long enough:

Policy: Article is sourced, neutral, and free of copyright problems
Adequate sourcing: Neutral: Free of copyright violations, plagiarism, and close paraphrasing:

Hook: Hook has been verified by provided inline citation
Cited: Interesting:

Image: Image is freely licensed, used in the article, and clear at 100px.
Freely licensed: Used in article: Clear at 100px:

QPQ: None required.

Overall: Interesting subject. Article looks good. No QPQ required. Appears good to go! BeanieFan11 (talk) 22:57, 7 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Gravestone

The image description in the Death section reads: Davis's grave in Toowong Cemetery, 2024. The gravestone has since fallen over and cracked. If this is true, and the stone has cracked since the photo was taken in 2024, that requires a source (and maybe a mention in the article body). If the stone has cracked before 2024 then it needs to be reworded. Renerpho (talk) 12:21, 3 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I have corrected the caption SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 15:01, 3 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Details about his death

Not a lot of detail is given in the "death" section, even though it is available in reliable sources.[1][2] Is there a reason to leave it out? This does look like an interesting story to me. Charles Lilley presided over the case, should we link to his article?

Also, the article says that Davis was assaulted by his wife Bridget, yet was later found not guilty and consequently discharged (apparently because it couldn't be proven that she had assaulted him). This seems contradictory. Either she assaulted him, or she didn't. Renerpho (talk) 12:40, 3 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I think that this should be fleshed out. Could you please add this info into the article? SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 15:30, 3 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I added these sources to the article SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 09:31, 5 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@SkywalkerEccleston: Ah, thank you! I hadn't seen your reply. Your version looks good to me. Renerpho (talk) 03:57, 7 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

All good 👍 SkywalkerEccleston (talk) 04:22, 7 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]