Mary Ann Allum

Level 116

Tony Beale on 15th May 2021

Old bailey Online 180. MARY ANN ALLUM was indicted for stealing, on the 15th of November, 3 pints of rum, value 5s.; and 2 glass bottles, value 4d.; the goods of Joseph Francis Bessey, her master. ELIZABETH BESSEY . I am the wife of Joseph Francis Bessey, and live in the Wands worth-road. The prisoner came into my service on the 10th of November, and had only been five days with us—she was our only servant—on the 15th, about one o'clock, I went to the wine cellar—we are not in business—the wine cellar is an inner cellar—the outer cellar is the beer cellar—she was in the kitchen—I took out a bottle of port wine, and locked the inner cellar door—I went up stairs, and put the key in its place—she was then in the kitchen—about half-past two o'clock I walked up the garden, and saw the key of the outer cellar taken from outside the lock, where it always was, and found she had locked herself in the outer cellar—she had no business there at all—I knocked at the door—she made no answer—I went round the garden, and returned—I saw the outer door open, but the key was not in the lock—I asked her for the key—she hesitated to give it to me—I pushed the door open, and saw the wine cellar door ajar—it had been forced—I saw a chisel which had been taken out of the tool box, and laid on a box—I came out and told her that was the tool, I supposed, she had done it with—the door had the appearance of a chisel having been used—I told her she should not remain another night in my house—she made no reply—I sent for an officer, and went with him into her own bed-room—I called her up stairs, and examined her boxes—I found nothing there—at last I found two bottles of rum between her See originalClick to see original two featherbeds; she was drunk, and smelt of liquor—she said it was not my rum, but she could hardly answer me—I have no doubt of it being ours, for my own handwriting was on the corks of the bottles. WILLIAM POWELL . I am a policeman. I was sent for to the house—I went into the prisoner's bed-room—on the 15th of November, the prisoner told her mistress the rum was not hers—two bottles of rum were found between the beds; one of them half empty—she smelt of liquor, but was not intoxicated. ELIZABETH BESSEY . My handwriting is on these corks. Prisoner's Defence (written.)My mistress came to me in the wood-house, where I was getting some wood, and said she did not think all was right—I said I did not understand her, and begged to know what she meant—she said the cellar door was unlocked, and asked how it came so—to which I replied, that I did not know any thing about it, or that it was unlocked—she said it was very strange, and that, if I would tell the truth, she would not hurt me—some words arose, and I was desired to leave the house that night—she then went out and fetched a policeman—there was not any thing belonging to my mistress found in my boxes—the policeman left the room, but my mistress remained whilst I changed my dress; and as I was stooping to fasten my boots, she asked me what I was picking up—I answered, I was not picking up any thing—the policeman was then called in to search the bed, which consisted of two featherbeds, under which, next to the mattress, he found two bottles of rum, which my mistress said were her property—the reason I did not discover them during the four nights I slept at my mistress's house, is that when I made the bed, I did not remove the uppermost bed from off the bedstead, and never saw them till they were taken from there by the policeman. ELIZABETH BESSEY . The chisel was ours—there was no mattress on the bed. GUILTY . Aged 22.— Transported for Seven Years. Third Jury, before Mr. Recorder.

Level 116

Tony Beale on 15th May 2021

New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851 4/12/1838 Mary Ann Allum 23 Bond (7yrs) per ship Mary (5) granted to marry John Harris 28 ToL (life) per ship Adrian Rev Thomas Steele New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom, 28/6/1842. No 42/978. States wife of John Harris per ship Adrian

Level 116

Tony Beale on 15th May 2021

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Bound Indentures 1834-1835 From Hertford single protestant who could read and write. Guilty of stealing spirits. 5' 5" Fair and ruddy complexion light brown hair and dark grey eyes. C42/978. First cousin Elizabeth Hawkins arrived free per ship David Scott Wife of Thomas Powis shopkeeper George Street Sydney