Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Robert Abel was transported on the Lady Penrhyn, Scarborough And Alexander, departing 31st Dec 1786 and arriving 22nd Jan 1788 with 356 passengers.
Lady Penrhyn, Scarborough And AlexanderReferences
| Primary Source | Old Bailey - Online. Ancestry. http://www.historyaustralia.org.au Book: Founders of Australia - Appendix 10 Land Grants 1788-1809 NSW, NI & VDL Land & Stock: NSW Settlers' Muster Book 1800 - List 2 |
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Convict Notes
ROBERT ABELL, 1794 Feb 20 Granted 30 acres in the district of Bulanaming. Rent: 1 shilling per year commencing after 10 years - Robert sold this land to Thomas Moore in JUL 1800
received capital conviction 15 Sep 1784 but reprieved 23 Nov 1784 to 7yrs
ROBERT ABEL, WILLIAM RELLIONS, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 15th September 1784. 794. ROBERT ABEL and WILLIAM RELLIONS were indicted for feloniously assaulting William Rough , on the King's highway, on the 4th day of July last, and putting him in fear and danger of his life, and feloniously taking from his person and against his will, 5 s. in monies numbered, and two copper halfpence, value 1 d. his monies . The witnesses examined apart. WILLIAM ROUGH sworn. I am a labourer , I live in New Gravel-lane; I was robbed the 4th of July, on Sunday evening a quarter past ten, in Stepney fields ; I was going home, and two men came up with a pistol and desired me to deliver my money, if I did not I was a dead man; one of them put a pistol to my breast. What did he say? - He desired me to deliver my money. What were his words? - Your money or your life! I made answer and told him I had no money, I was a poor working man; the other made answer and said, if you have no money we will murder you! then they knocked me down on my face, and mauled me on my head and shoulders; I had nobody to assist me. Was you sensible after you was knocked down? - No; then one of them put their hand in my pocket, and took five shillings and one penny from me. What else was done to you? - They ordered me to make the best of my way home, and if I followed them, or made any noise, they would blow my brains out; I then made the best of my way home; and on the Wednesday following I saw the prisoner Rellions before Mr. Green, at his office; he was taken up on the Wednesday morning. Did you know him again? - Yes. Do you now swear to him positively? - That is the person that had the pistol, and beat it about me, and broke all the stock of it; my arms were all beat to a jelly. Court. Now you remember this man's life depends on your recollection of him? - I am very positive that was the man. Now then as to the other man? - He was taken the latter part of August; I went to the office after I heard he was taken, and as soon as I saw him I had no doubt but he was the person that assisted in the robbery; I am very positive he is the same person. You never saw them before the robbery, did you? - Not to my knowledge; it was a quarter past ten, and quite moonlight. Did you take notice of the dress of the people? - One of them had a longish brownish loose coat, and the other had on a brown short jacket. Which had the short jacket? - The tallest of the two. Was you sober? - Yes, I had only a pint of ale all day. Where had you been? - I had been taking a walk out in the afternoon, and in the evening I called at the Ship in Stepney Church-yard, and had one pint of ale. Court. Only one pint? - No, my Lord. Prisoner Rellions. I am the lad that did the robbery, but he has sworn to this lad very wrongfully. Court. Who was the lad that was with you? - I do not know who he is. What is his name? - I do not know, only his name was Tom. WILLIAM SELBY sworn. I apprehended Rellions at Saltpetre-bank on the Wednesday following, at two in the morning, about the 6th of July, we found a pistol upon him, and took him to the watch-house. What sort of a pistol was it? - A common sized pistol, rather shattered in the stock. JOHN OLIVE sworn. I was along with Elby and Parker; we went out, having some informations, and about two in the morning, the 6th of July, we took the prisoner; I saw the pistol taken from him. JOSEPH LEVY sworn. I went with the other two to apprehend him, Abel was with him. Rellions. It is false, my Lord, this is not the lad. Levy. He was with him, for I had hold of Abel; this is the pistol, it was drawn before the Justice, there was not a ball, there was wadding and powder. (The pistol produced.) Prosecutor. I cannot be positive it is the same pistol. Court. I understood you to say, that the pistol they beat about your head was broke? - Yes. Court to William Rellions . What have you to say? - This lad is innocent, he was not with me; the man swears to losing the money, I am guilty of stopping him, but he never lost a single halfpenny; I was not the lad that had the pistol, it was the other lad; I have friends if I could send for them, but I have no money. PRISONER ABEL's DEFENCE. I know no more of the robbery than the child unborn. Court. Have you any friends? - I have nobody living but a brother, and he is just come home from sea. Court. Gentlemen of the Jury, in respect to the prisoner Rellions, the rule of law is clear, that what he says cannot operate either for or against Abel. WILLIAM RELLIONS , ROBERT ABEL , GUILTY Death . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron EYRE . https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t17840915-18-defend287&div=t17840915-18#highlight Old Bailey Proceedings supplementary material, Robert Abel, 8th December 1784. Robert Abel , capitally convicted at a former Sessions, received his Majesty's pardon, upon condition of being transported for seven years. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=o17841208-3-defend1744&div=o17841208-3#highlight
Index: aged 16, Birth year about 1772
Abel, Robert (1772–?) Robert Abel, was sentenced to seven years transportation for committing highway robbery with William Rellions in 1784. He arrived in Sydney in 1788 aboard the Alexander as part of the First Fleet. On 12 June 1790 Abel was sentenced to 200 lashes for the theft of several pounds of sugar from the Lady Juliana.
Richard Hawkes (c.1750-1832) was found guilty on 28 February 1785 at Reading, Berkshire, of stealing three pounds of hempen yarn. Sentenced to 7 years transportation, he was sent to the Ceres hulk, where he remained until he embarked for New South Wales on the Alexander in January 1787, arriving in Sydney in January 1788 as part of the First Fleet.
Robert Abel was convicted at the Old Bailey, London on 15 Dec 1784 for Highway Robbery, with violence - a pistol. He was given a death sentence but it was commuted to 7yrs transportation to Australia. Arrived on the 'Alexander' to New South Wales 1788.