Shrewsbury Prisoner 1792- Ann Fowler

[Webby]

Could someone tell me if there are court records available for early convicts?  Would they still be held in the county (if they are available) or at the National Archives Office?

Ann Fowler was transported to Australia in October of 1792 after being sentenced to 7 years (no idea why?).....this has been passed on from other family resarchers, but I would like to check myself if possible. 

Webby

[cazza59]

Hi Webby

I had a look on the Old Bailey site and found this:

ANN FOWLER, Theft > grand larceny, 26th November 1808.


Reference Number: t18081126-68
Offence: Theft > grand larceny
Verdict: Guilty
Punishment: Transportation
See original
741.   ANN FOWLER was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 27th of September , a table cloth, value 15 s. the property of   Isaac Hill .

  ISAAC HILL . I live at  400, in the Strand ; I am a hatter .

Q. Did you lose a table cloth at any time - A. Yes. The prisoner at the bar came to live servant with me on the 6th of September; on the 29th of September she stopped out all night; the following day she behaved extremely insolent and we discharged her.

Q. How long after she was discharged did you examine the state of your linen - A. I think it was the 2nd of October we searched, and missed a great many articles.

Q. Can you say from your own knowledge that there was a table cloth missing - A. Yes. In consequence of which I went to Donaldson the officer; he found a duplicate on her person; we took her up on Sunday morning; the officer has got the duplicate. It directed me to Mr. Turner in Brydges street.

Q. Do you know the table cloth when it is produced - A. Yes, there is my name written upon it in full length, in permanent ink.

Q. What is the value of that table cloth - A. Fifteen shillings.

Q. Are you sure that the table cloth was in your house when she came into your service - A. Yes, it was used the day before.

- DONALDSON. I am constable of St. Martin's in the Fields.

Q. Did you apprehend this woman in consequence of information of the former witness - A. I did. On Sunday the 2nd of October, I took her in custody and searched her; in her right hand pocket I found this duplicate of a table cloth, pawned on the 1st of October, for three shillings; I went to Mr. Turner's on that Sunday morning; he shewed me the table cloth. The prisoner said she had the duplicate of a woman of the name of Turner, at the King's Arms in Oxford road; she told me the woman had gone down to Chatham.

  GEORGE TURNER . Q. Are you the son of Mr. Turner, pawnbroker, Brydges street - A. Yes. On Saturday morning the 1st of October, I took in the table cloth; I advanced three shillings on it; I cannot swear to the person I took it in of; it was a woman.

Q. You gave her a duplicate - A. Yes.

Q. Is that the duplicate - A. Yes; Donaldson gave me the duplicate; that is the duplicate I gave with the article.

Prisoner's Defence. I did not pledge the cloth myself; I had the duplicate given me in the street, by a woman that is gone down in the country.

GUILTY , aged 27.

  Transported for Seven Years .

First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.



If it's the right one, then you can see a copy of the original transcript on the website.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18081126-68-punish372&div=t18081126-68#highlight

If not, then have tried looking at the quarter sessions at the Shropshire Records office?

Cheers
Caz

[Webby]

Caz,
Thank you so much for going to all that trouble.....but unfortunately my Ann Fowler had already arrived in Australia in 1792

I shall have a look at the quarter sessions for Shropshire, hopefully there might be something there, although I get the feeling that the documents for that time probably don't exist anymore!.

Webby

[Valda]

Have you tried

'Ladies of the Royal Admiral 1792.
Copyright © Cathy Dunn 1996 ISBN 0 958786 0 3.
Published January 1996 Milton NSW'

The National Archives research guide

'Transportation to Australia 1787-1868'

is worth reading since there aren't just court records available (Assize court records will be held at The National Archives, Quarter sessions at Shropshire Record Office)

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enationalarchives%2Egov%2Euk%2Fcatalogue%2Fleaflets%2Fri2235%2Ehtm&lBack=-1

Many of the transportation records have been microfilmed and are available at SAG. Though of course the earlier record the more concise it will be. You are likely to find out the nature of the crime and where precisely it took place, but you are not likely to find out any family information.

TNA research guide on Assize Court records gives you information on the sort of information held

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=154

You can find all the TNA research guides here

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp

The Old Bailey was the major London court (trying people who had committed offences in London and some adjacent counties), though there were other London courts. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey are unusual because they are accounts of the actual trials which were written and sold on the streets. Very few such records, unless they appear in newspapers (and they won't as early as 1792 for ordinary convicts) are actual official accounts of trials - e.g. judges notes. Such records only survive for more important trials.

Regards

Valda

[Webby]

Hi Val
Thank you for that info.  I will try for the Quarter sessions records if I can.  It would be great to actually find out a bit more about Ann. 

I have also been at the Old Bailey site and what a great site that is.  Not only all that wonderful information, but for free!!!.   

Regards

Webby