John Adams

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 22nd February 2025

Australian Convict Transportation Registers Convicted Date 26 May 1784 Place of Conviction Middlesex, England 1788 - POSSIBLE DEATH Australia, Death Index Name John Adams Death Date 1788 Death Place Sydney, New South Wales Registration Date 1788 Registration Place Sydney, Australia Volume Number V1788126 4 © 1997-2025 Ancestry

341

Maureen Withey on 27th August 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 27 August 2021), May 1784, trial of JOHN AYNERS JOHN ADAMS (t17840526-40). JOHN AYNERS, JOHN ADAMS, Theft > theft from a specified place, 26th May 1784. 557. JOHN AYNERS and JOHN ADAMS were indicted for feloniously stealing on the 15th day of March last, 214 pounds weight of lead, value 30 s. belonging to Jonathan Mab , and then and there affixed to his dwelling house , against the statute. JOHN ROBINSON sworn. Between eight and nine in the evening, March the 15th, I took a walk round, and at the place called the Circus Building, I went into an house uninhabited, and stood in the door way, with my face towards the door, and the two prisoners came and passed me with each a load, I stood till they got past me, I saw another man behind, he set down his load, I took no notice at all of him, but I went into Quebeck-street and told the people of the publick-house, two of the men followed me, I took one of the prisoners, and pursued after the other two but could not find them, I came round the south side; when I took Ayners, he wanted me to keep it quiet, I told him no, it would not do, then I perceived Adams and another man along with him, I met them half way along the fouth side of Portman-square, I took Adams, and the other man got away, they had both loads on their backs. Court. When you first saw them, were they coming from that way? - Yes, I took the lead and matched it, and found it had been taken from a house belonging to Jonathan Mab , it fitted exactly, it was taken from the middle gutter, there were nail holes, and it fitted exactly, here is one Robinson, who saw the lead matched. - ROBINSON sworn. Did you see this lead tried on the house? - Yes. Did it fit the places? - Yes. Was the place cut out even or irregular? - It was cut out irregular. So that nothing could sit it but the piece itself? - Nothing but the piece itself. (The lead produced.) Court to Robinson. That is not so irregular as you described it? - It is impossible for a man to cut it even without he had a line to cut it by, they cut two pieces out from the gutter, they matched exactly to the place. PRISONER ADAMS’s DEFENCE. I shewed them the man that employed me when he took me. Court. Where is the man, can you produce him? - No, I cannot, I had a gentleman here last sessions that waited two or three days. PRISONER AYNER’s DEFENCE. When they took me, I told them the man that employed me was before me, and they took him. BOTH GUILTY. Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. RECORDER. —————————————————————————— Old Bailey Proceedings punishment summary, 26th May 1784. The Trials being ended, the Court proceeded to give Judgment as follows: Transported for seven years, 40. William Smith , John Ayners , John Adams , John Anderson , James Bagley , Francis Blake , Edward Hudson , Samuel Peyton , William Parker , Joseph Murrell , William Cady , Thomas Darkiss , Joseph Wright , John Hill , Henry Davis , Joseph Levy , James Bradley , Ann Wright , Thomas Tyler , Samuel Matthison , Mary Lawrence , John Archer , Thomas Bradley , William Thompson , Samuel Bennere , James Dealey , John Key , Robert Jones , David Lankey , Benjamin Wright , Robert Morgan , Daniel Daniels , John Chipchase , John Welch , David Richards , John Neale , John Tate , Richard Sanders , Andrew Hackman , Moses Pike , (he has since been pardoned.)