John Anderson

53

Barbara Lister on 25th August 2024

Death sentence commuted to transportation for life.

342

Maureen Withey on 27th May 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 27 May 2023), September 1832, trial of JOHN ANDERSON (t18320906-1). JOHN ANDERSON, Theft > housebreaking, 6th September 1832. First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron Bailey. 1726. JOHN ANDERSON was indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Davies , on the 21st of August , at St. Leonard, Shoreditch, and stealing, 2 coats, value 5l.; 3 waistcoats, value 1l.; 1 pair of boots, value 1l.; 1 pair of trousers, value 15s.; 1 pair of breeches, value 15s.; 1 bat, value 8s., and 1 umbrella, value 1s., his property . THOMAS DAVIES . I live at No. 1, Three Cups-alley, in the Parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch ; I rent two rooms on the first floor in the house, at 4s. 6d. a week, of Mr. Briggs, who does not live in the same house. On the 21st of August, at a quarter before six o'clock in the morning, I went out - I locked the door, and took the key in my pocket: I returned about a quarter-past seven, and found the door wide open - it was unlocked by a strange key or something - the bolt of the lock was not shot: I am quite certain I locked it: I missed one coat, and found a pair of breeches, a pair of black trousers, and two waistcoats in a bundle, ready to be taken away - they were removed down to the ground floor room, and there was a black coat, a pair of boots, a hat, and an umbrella on the floor; I went up stairs to my bed-room, and found a waistcoat on the floor: I had left all these things in my drawers when I went out; I did not see the prisoner there - I know him by sight; I went to the station-house about nine o'clock, and found my coat - this is it (looking at it); I can swear to it - I had left it in my drawer when I went out: I had seen that and all my other clothes that morning. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Have you worn it often? A. Not very; I swear to it by a stain of tobacco on the sleeve, and there is a piece of rag and different things in the pocket - no violence was done to my lock. WILLIAM HENRY CLARK . I am a Policeman. On the 21st of August, about a quarter to seven o'clock in the morning, I stopped the prisoner coming out of Three Cups-alley into George-street, with this coat on, over his own clothes; another young man was with him - I saw them running very fast, and stopped the prisoner; he made great resistance: as I took him to the station, I asked him where he got the coat from - he said he picked it up, he lid not say where; I have had it ever since: I returned to Davies' house, and found the rest of the property - I first saw the prisoner about fifty yards from the prosecutor's house, coming in a direction from it; I had been watching three or four of them for half an hour, and had seen him near the place about six o'clock, in company with three others - he had not got this coat on then; when I took him he had it on over his own black coat: I searched, and found only a knife on him - I cannot say whether the others had any thing about them. Cross-examined. Q. Was he putting the coat on when you saw him? A. No, he had got it on; he had been out of my sight about twenty minutes - the things would make a middling size bundle, such as he could carry; there was no mark of violence on the prosecutor's lock - I found nothing on the prisoner to pick it with. COURT. Q. How could the door be opened? A. By a skeleton-key very easily. THOMAS DAVIES . Here is the stain of tobacco on the coat sleeve, and this blue rag in the pocket; I know that: I am certain I locked the door. Prisoner's Defence. I was going to work, and in George-street picked the coat up, laying in the street; I was in the act of trying it on when the Policeman seized me by the collar, and dragged me to the station-house - I asked what charge he had; he said he would tell me when he got me there - I can prove I was going to work; I am a sofa and bedstead-maker. [Sept. 6.] GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 26. --------------------------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/51/71 Date: 1832. Prisoner name: John Anderson. Prisoner age: 26. Prisoner occupation: Bedstead and sofa maker. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey September Sessions, 6 September 1832. Crime: Housebreaking with burglary on 21 August 1832 in the house of Thomas Davis and stealing several items of wearing apparel. Initial sentence: Death, commuted to transportation for Life. Annotated (Outcome): Considered at Report in Council, 18 October 1832. Petitioner(s): The prisoner, supported by nine other local tradesmen. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Wife and young family totally dependent on him. Was not given adequate warning of the trial to enable him to call supporting witnesses. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Records. Convict Conduct Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-2$init=CON31-1-2P91 No 566. john Anderson. Transported for House breaking & larceny. Gaol report, not known. Hulk report, Orderly. Married 2 children. Stated this offence, Housebreaking. Married, one child. Wife Mary at Shoreditch. Surgeon’s report. Very good. An active and useful man, as assisting Boatswain’s mate, very efficient. Run. Appropriation Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON27-1-6$init=CON27-1-6P60 No 566. John Anderson, Trade, Bedstead and Sofa maker. Assigned to Kings yard. Description Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON18-1-6$init=CON18-1-6P244 John Anderson. Native place, Hampstead. See record for details. --------------------------------------------------------------------

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 31st May 2021

New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters. Year; 1841 No; 566 Name; John Anderson Ship; Emperor Alexander Noted against name; ABSCONDED;