Ellen Anderson

341

Maureen Withey on 10th February 2023

Tasmanian Marriage Record.https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD36-1-1p177j2k Daniel Fox of the parish of Lower Clyde and Ellen Alderson of the parish of Lower Clyde, were married by Banns at the church of New Norfolk, 11 September 1826. Daniel signed his mark X, Ellen signed her name. Witnesses were J.S. Snap and James New, both of New Norfolk.

341

Maureen Withey on 9th February 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 09 February 2023), January 1822, trial of ELLEN ALDERSON (t18220109-69). ELLEN ALDERSON, Deception > perjury, 9th January 1822. 247. ELLEN ALDERSON was indicted for gross, wilful, and corrupt perjury, on the trial of John Jacobs . MESSRS. ALLEY and ADOLPHUS conducted the prosecution. (The Record of the conviction of Jacobs was put in and read.) MR. THOMAS WATSON . I am clerk to the Learned Recorder. I remember the defendant being sworn on the trial of Jacobs, I have a perfect memory of it. HENRY BUCKLER . I am short-hand-writer to the Court The defendant was examined as prosecutrix on the trial of Jacobs. I took down her evidence (reads) "I am the "wife of Israel Alderson, who is an extra tide waiter at the Custom House, and live in Windmill-court, Rosemary-lane. On the 18th of October, between ten and eleven o'clock at night, nearer eleven, I was returning home from work, and as I was going for a bason of soup to a cook-shop close by, I saw the prisoner plainly by the gas lamp; he struck me a severe blow in the stomach, and swore very vulgar expressions and oaths, and took the bonnet off my head, 1 s. from my hand, and a silk handkerchief off, which was round my neck. Q. Was it pinned about your neck - A. Yes. Q. Had you spoken to him - A. I had said nothing to him, he was quite a stranger to me. Q. Did you cry out - A. I could not; the blow was so violent, but I ran to the watch-box, which was about ten yards from the spot; the prisoner continued beating me, and had hold of me by the arm, while the watchman was coming up, he still held my arm, and almost broke it, he held me so tight, the watchman got him from me with difficulty; my arm has been in a mortified state ever since; the watch-man could not manage him, three more watchmen came up and secured him. Q. Did he get from the watchman - A. No; I have not been well since it happened. Q. Did the watchman get your bonnet and handkerchief from him. "- A. No; there was a number of them there threatened what they would do if he was not let go, one of them came up, and the bonnet was found in the passage of the house where I live, with the ribbons torn off. Q. Did you see what the prisoner did with it. "- A. No; for the blow which I had, prevented me observing what he did with it - the handkerchief has never been found. Q. Where did you see the man who came up and threatened what he would do - A. It "was a woman, she came up, as the watchman were taking him away. I am sure of the prisoner's person." The prisoner then asked the defendant "Q. What is your real name - A. Ellen Alderson ." After then, the prisoner had made his defence, she was reexamined, and deposed, (reads) "He was a perfect "stranger to me, I never spoke to him in my life, I never asked him to go home with me." ELEANOR FOLKER . In October last, I lodged in the same house, as the prisoner. I work for a tailor and lodge up two pair of stairs in Windmill-court, Rosemary-lane, she had lodged on the one pair with her husband, the house is let out in lodgings; I remember on Thursday night the 18th of October, she was in my room that evening, from dusk till very near nine o'clock; it was the day Jacobs was taken up, she went out from my place about nine o'clock, and I saw no more of her that evening; she had neither bonnet, shawl, or silk handkerchief on. COURT. Q. You live on the second floor, might she not go into her own room - A. She borrowed a candle of me, went into her own room, returned the candle to me on the stairs, and went out without shawl, bonnet, or handkerchief on; she had no bason or any thing in her hand, she was very much in liquor indeed, I was quite sober; she came home about eleven o'clock, and called up the stairs to me, and said, "It is me," I made no answer; she called again, and I said, "Very well," she had left her door unfastened, I had not asked who was there; I did not see her again that night, she continued to live in the house till the 26th of October; I have not seen her since, till now. Prisoner. Q. I came into your room; told you I was going on an errand, and asked you to take charge of my room - A. She said, she was going to get a pint of beer; the street door is always open - her husband was on board a ship. I am married, and live with my husband; the prisoner had lived in the house five or six weeks; I did not know her before. JAMES M'NIFF . I am a tailor, and live in the front garret, at No. 83, Rosemary-lane. On the 18th of October, from nine o'clock at night, till very near eleven o'clock, I was at the Seven Stars, public-house, Rosemary-lane; I knew Jacobs, by seeing him come there to drink his beer, he was a Prussian. I have since seen him in Newgate; he came to the Seven Stars a little before nine o'clock that night, and was very drunk indeed when he came in - he had a pint of beer and sat down by himself, in the same box as me, and while we sat there the prisoner came in; I am certain of her person; she was very much intoxicated; she took up his pint of porter and drank out of it; he rebuked her; he said, "You have no right to drink that, without my privilege" - she called him a son of a w***e; he spoke to her again. COURT. Q. Did he use abusive language - A. No, he was grumbling; I said "Mr. Jacobs, it is very rude for any one to come and drink your beer, - I should not like it myself;" the prisoner turned round and staggered towards the door, and when she recovered herself, she sat down by the side of Jacobs, and remained there till eleven o'clock - they did not talk together. Q. What happened near eleven o'clock - A. Jacobs got up, and said, I will go home - he was so much in liquor then, that he staggered up against the door, and was near falling; the prisoner was very tipsy, she said she would go, and in following him to the door, she fell down; I said I would go, and went over and picked her up; Jacobs went out - she followed him, and I followed them. Q. At any time during this period had the prisoner a bonnet or hat on her head, shawl or handkerchief on her neck, or bason in her hand - A. She had not, I am quite positive of it; Jacobs went on staggering, and she went after him, they went on as far as the Alderman Parson's head, public-house, which is about two hundred yards off in Rosemary-lane; it is the next public-house; she then put her hand round him, laid hold of his hair, and fell down, he tried to disengage himself from her, and owing to her drunkenness, she fell; a parcel of people came by, somebody helped her up; Jacobs went on, and I crossed the way, and left them - it was in my way home - I live at the further end of the lane. COURT. Q. How do you know this was the night Jacobs was taken up - A. Because I went up stairs and was eating my supper, and heard the call of Watch! I came down and asked a man who was passing, what was the matter - he said, it was a drunken man, named Jacobs, going to the watch-house; I did not go to see him; I had my work to go to in the morning - I did not see Jacobs again. Q. Had you not the curiosity to go to the watch-house next day - A. No, I went to work at six o'clock; I did not see him till after he was convicted; I did not know it would get to such serious consequences; I did not know where he lived; I worked for Messrs. Gilson and Smith, of Poplar, at the time; I had just come from work, and only drank a pint of beer; Mr. Husband keeps the public-house - I am sure she is the woman, I have known her, by sight, four or five years. Prisoner. I have not been in this country eighteen months. Witness. To the best of my knowledge, I have known her four or five years - I am sure it is above eighteen months. JURY. Q. Did he use any violence to her, previous to her falling - A. No, except to disengage himself from her. ELIZA ATKINSON . I live in White's-yard, Rosemary-lane, in the two pair front room, and work in a glasshouse, for Mr. Glover. On the night Jacobs was taken, I was at the end of White's-yard, about eleven o'clock, I never saw the prisoner before that, she asked me if there was any public-house open where she could get refreshment; Jacobs was by her; I did not know him; I saw him next day at Lambeth-street office, under examination. Q. Jacobs was with her - A. Yes, he and the prisoner were standing together at the top of Whites'-yard; they were both very much intoxicated; the prisoner had a blue gown on, and her bosom was all exposed; she had neither shawl, bonnet, or handkerchief on, or bason in her hand. I told her the White Lion, in White Lion-street, was open. Whites'-yard is about twenty-yards from Alderman Parson's head, and more than that from the Seven Stars; she and Jacobs went round White Lion-street, and while they were walking along she called for assistance of the watchman. Q. Did you see what happened to make her cry - A. No, they had got a little way from me; I went up, and she then gave charge of Jacobs for robbing her of her shawl, bonnet, and one shilling. COURT. Q. You heard the charge? A. Yes, Jacobs attempted to strike her. Q. Had he hold of her - A. No, for the watchman knocked him down, then sprang his rattle, and brought more assistance; Jacobs made no resistance; I followed him to Whitechapel watch-house; he was taken from there to Wellclose-square, as they were repairing the watch-house; I was returning home, and two watchmen took me in custody, as the prisoner swore I took the property from Jacobs; the watchman told me she said so, and she swore it at Lambeth-street, next day. When she was giving charge of Jacobs, she said she was a married woman; I said, if she was, she would not be out at that time of night, and an hour after that she gave charge of me. Q. Then you was not taken in charge as you were returning home - A. Yes, the watchman charged me with receiving the property; I was not taken for an hour after, and was at the watch-house - I had been waiting near Wellclose-square. Q. If a gentleman meets you, you go home with him. A. I am out at night - I never saw Jacobs before. COURT. Q. Were you discharged at Lambeth-street A. Yes, I was taken before the Justice - and discharged; I knew nothing about Jacobs' trial; I did not think it would come to such a pitch as it did; Jacobs did not know where I lived - I was not sent for - I knew nothing about Jacobs' trial. Q. When did you first tell any one what you knew of this business - A. About two days after, several people came to Lambeth-street, and I told them; I was applied to to become a witness on this trial about a month or six weeks after. Prisoner. I never saw this woman till she was following Jacobs, and came behind him, and took something from him, and the watchman saw her. Witness. I did not. MR. JOHN NICHOLSON . I live with my father, who is a silversmith, and lives in Cornhill. On the night of the 18th of October, I was passing the end of Rosemary-lane, it was after eleven o'clock; I saw the prisoner - I do not recognise her features - but from her stature and appearance I believe it to be her; I saw Jacobs and a woman (whom I believe to be her) in contact together; he had hold of her arm, and did not seem inclined to loose it - some words passed between them both, and in about two minutes a watchman crossed over and laid hold of Jacobs, and endeavoured to loosen the woman from Jacobs' hold; he released her for a moment, but she came round towards the watchman and he caught hold of her again; the watchman endeavoured to loosen her again, but finding he could not do it easily he struck the man three or four times over the arm; and in consequence of their struggling several watchmen came to their assistance; I do not recollect the rattles springing; they then endeavoured to get him to the watch-house, which they had great difficulty, and trouble to do - he laid hold of the shutters, and did what he could to prevent them; then one of the watchmen came behind and struck him a violent blow over the head, and knocked him down; both him and the woman were drunk, beyond a doubt - there was never more than a dozen persons collected. Q. Did any of them use any threat to the woman what they would do, or threaten any violence - A. None whatever, I am positive of it - Jacobs was taken to the watch-house - I left them. COURT. Q. Did you hear whether the man was charged with any offence - A. As far as I saw, the woman was running about the street saying, "I will give charge of him," but I did not hear what she charged him with; she had neither bonnet or shawl on - she was brandishing her hands about. Q. How came you to hear of this matter - A. At the time it occurred, I did not hear the man's name, nor did I hear the trial, but I read the trial in the Sessions Paper; and hearing the man was ordered for execution, I supposed it to be the same party as I had seen; I made enquiry; went to Newgate to see the man, and knew him to be the man; he referred me to his master; when I went to see him I told him what his dress was at the time - it was a slouched hat. Prisoner. It is false that I was ever in the middle of the street - or said I would give charge of him. Witness. I am sure of it. Prisoner's Defence. All I have to say is, that when I was here before I told the truth; when I was at the office all the blunder I made was, the watchman said it did not matter whether I said where I was going, and at the office I said I was going for a pail of water; but before you, my Lord, I told the truth. The prisoner then handed in a paper complaining that she was prosecuted by a wicked set, who were determined to have her life, that they had come forward at the expence of 3000 l. to prosecute her, and had purchased witnesses against her; that it was a conspiracy against her life; that she considered herself entitled to the name of Alderson, as she lived with Alderson on honourable terms. JAMES M'NIFF re-examined. She was at the Seven Stars, public-house, two hours - the landlord is not here. GUILTY . Confined Six Months and then Transported for Seven Years . London Jury, before Mr. Common Sergeant. ------------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Records. Convict conduct Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON40-1-1$init=CON40-1-1P14 No 24. Ellen Anderson. Tried Old Bailey Jan 1823, 7 years. See record for details. There are many instances of drunken behaviour. 1827, Referred to as ux Dan Fox- wife of Daniel Fox. Again convicted 14 Sept 1844 in New Norfolk for stealing a shawl, to be imprisoned 12 months, sent to the Cascades factory. ------------------------------------------------- Caution. The Public are hereby cautioned against trusting my Wife, ELLEN FOX, as I will not be answerable for any debts she may contract; also all persons are cautioned against purchasing anything from her, as by so doing they will subject themselves to a prosecution. DANIEL FOX. Hamilton, Feb. 24, 1835. The Tasmanian, 27 Feb 1835. -------------------------------------------------- QUARTER SESSIONS, New Norfolk. This Court met on Monday last, before Joseph Hone, Esq., Chairman, and a jury of twelve, when the following prisoners were placed at the bar : Ellen Fox, charged with stealing a shawl. Verdict - Guilty. Sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. [This was a very old woman (aged 78), and the case was clearly proved.] Colonial Times, 19 Oct 1844. ---------------------------------------------------- The year of her conviction at the Old Bailey is incorrectly recorded on her Conduct Record as Jan 1823. Old Bailey Records state it was January 1822.

106

Carol Axton-Thompson on 13th January 2013

Ellen Anderson was convicted at the Old Bailey, London in Jan 1823. 7yr sentence. Transported on the 'Mary'. Arrived Van Diemen's Land Oct 1823. several records of misconduct 14/10/1844: Stealing a shawl - sent to Cascades Female Factory, Hobart, 12 mths.