Joseph Bannister

75

iain Frazier on 18th August 2025

Family connections for Joseph (Bannister) are: BANNISTER Joseph (Bannister) was tried for breaking & entering, on 20 3 1814, & stealing teaspoons etc of Ann Esther (Hodgkins) at Old Bailey on 20 4 1814, sentenced to death reprieved to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 4 1815 after a voyage of 6months on INDEFATIGIBLE; he was also assigned to Windsor. He lost an arm & became a bell ringer & marriage witness at St Matthews CofE Windsor. He died at Windsor in 1838. [William (Huggins), possibly brother in law to Joseph (Bannister), married Mary/Dinah (??? her second marriage) in Norfolk; he was a dealer. He was also tried w/Joseph (Bannister possibly brother in law) for breaking & entering, on 20 3 1814, & stealing teaspoons etc of Ann Esther (Hodgkins) at Old Bailey on 20 4 1814, sentenced to death reprieved to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 4 1815 after a voyage of 6months on INDEFATIGIBLE; he was assigned to Windsor. He died in 1820.] [Some details taken from this Website] Reference: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony.

105

Denis Pember on 4th June 2017

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org) 20th April 1814, trial of JOSEPH BANNISTER WILLIAM HUGGINS (t18140420-95). ________________________________________ JOSEPH BANNISTER, WILLIAM HUGGINS, Theft > burglary, 20th April 1814. 380. JOSEPH BANNISTER and WILLIAM HUGGINS were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Ann Hodgkins , widow , about the hour of seven in the night of the 20th of March , and stealing therein six silver teaspoons, value 12 s. the property of Ann Hodgkins , widow; a pocket-book; value 1 s. twenty-five shillings in monies numbered, and four 1 l. notes , the property of Ann Esther Hodgkins . Q. Was your house broken open at any time - A. Yes, on the 20th of March. I left the house about a quarter before two in the afternoon. I was the last person in the house. I returned a little after eight. I am positive I left the house very secure. When I returned I found a great many people about the door of my neighbours. I asked what was the matter; they told me my house was broken open. I went into the shop. I am in the grocery and oil trade. I found nothing gone from my shop. I went up stairs; I found the place in complete disorder, in a state I had not left it. I lost my silver teaspoons. I had left them on the drawers when I went out. Q. Can you tell how they got in the house - A. I cannot. I have seen the prisoner Bannister before; I have served him with tobacco in my shop. ANN ESTHER HODGKINS. I live with my sister. I went out with her, and came home with her. I found the disorder that has been described: I lost a pocket-book containing four one-pound notes, and one pound five shillings in silver; I had left it in my box when I went out; the box was in my bedroom. BENJAMIN JOHNSON. I am an officer. On the 20th of March, I saw the two prisoners in Green's-court; Poulteney-street, suspecting their intention, I followed them down Princes-street to Orange-street; they went once or twice round Orange-street, and into the courts, and looked up to see if there was anylights in the houses; they went from there until they came to Whitcomb-street, to the prosecutrix's house, there they walked about some time; at last Bannister got close to the door, leaving Huggins on the opposite side of the way; when the prisoner Bannister knocked loud at the door, and crossed to the other side of the way to the other prisoner. Then they both crossed over, and Bannister then knocked at the door again; they walked about a few minutes Finding nobody answered the door, the prisoner Bannister tried the latch with something, as if he was trying to open the door; Huggins went up to him. They both got close together, apparently to me, as if they were opening the door with something in their hands; it being night, I could not tell what they had got in their hand. They left the door sharp, and went on the other side of the way; stopped there about half a moment looking about these. They both crossed over to the door again; the prisoner Bannister then entered in at the doorway, into the passage, followed by the prisoner Huggins. They got the door open; Bannister got in, and was followed by Huggins. After they had been there about half a minute, I went up to the door; I found it a jar. I looked through the keyhole, and perceived a light in the passage; seeing that, I crossed to the opposite side of way, and stood upon a high step nearly opposite, two minutes; when I saw the prisoner Huggins come to the window of the one pair; I could see Bannister by the light of the back-room one pair of stairs. Huggins shut the windows to; Bannister was behind on the right of the room, with a candle in his hand. I asked several people to assist me; nobody would. I went to a public-house about fifty yards up in the street, I called out a witness which I have got here to assist me going and detecting them in the house; that witness's name is Chapman. Before I came out of the public-house, the prisoner Huggins ran sharp across the way, and Bannister went down the same side of the way, towards Cockspur-street; I saw them go one one way, and the other the other. After they came out of the house, I lost sight of Huggins about three minutes. I kept my eye sharp upon Bannister in Cockspur-street; I watched him until I came to Spring-gardens; Bannister crossed the way, and went on the side the King's-mews is; then the two prisoners joined together again. Then I suspected they were going back. The young man with me, had a red coat on; I desired him to keep at a distance; I thought they would perceive him. I followed them up Whitcomb-street; they went into the house again the second time; when they went in the house the second time, my witness was not near me. I pulled the door, and shut them inside of the house; they were inside of the shop then with a light. I alarmed Mr. Shephard; he sent his servant out to me. I stopped about five minutes at the door; by my shutting the door it alarmed them inside, and instead of them coming out of the passage door, they unlocked the shop door, and Huggins came out; I catched hold of him, and with that, the other was peeping down by the side of the shop coming out; I catched Bannister in the shop, he was creeping out upon the ground. I then took them into Mr. Shephard's passage, and searched them. On Bannister I found a latch key, which will open the door as if it was made for it, and a small key, and a knife; on Huggins I found a knife, another latch key, and two small keys. I then took them to the watchhouse, and went back to secure the house. Q. Did you find any property upon them - A. Not there. I returned to the watchhouse; I searched them again. I could not search them so well in the passage, there were so many ladies there. At the watchhouse I found on Huggins five three-shilling bank tokens and two shillings wrapped up in the corner of his shirt tail, and a watch in his fob, with three gold seals and a gold watch-chain. On Bannister I found a dollar, a three-shilling token, and two sixpences, and some halfpence. I then went to Huggins's lodgings; he is a dealer in marine stores. I found four picklock keys tied up in this flannel; I went from there to his stable; he keeps a horse and cart; he is a dealer in fowls and fighting dogs. In the hay-rack I found seven skeleton keys. In Mrs. Hodgkins's shop I found this chisel, it was laying down against their feet; it appears to be the chisel that broke open the trunk. I compared it with the trunk where they got the money out; there is a mark on the trunk that corresponds with this chisel. Directly I put to the door; they put the light out. The dollar and money described is the same money, although she cannot swear to it. Mr. Walford. You knew these men perfectly well - A. Of course; I had seen their faces that evening. I set off first at dark from my house to watch them; I disguised myself. I went so on purpose to take them. It was about seven o'clock when they first entered the house; the second time it was just eight o'clock when they came out of the house; I remember the clock striking as I was going along with them to the watchhouse. JOHN CHAPMAN . Johnson came to me a little after seven o'clock; he said, he wanted to speak with me; I went out. He said, two house-breakers had just gone into a house; he wished me to assist in taking them. Q. Did you see them go in the second time - A. I did not. I saw them taken there; I assisted in taking them. Huggins came out first; Johnson took him. The other came out immediately afterwards; I got hold of him. I assisted in taking them into Mr. Shephard's passage. JOHN TURNER. I am a servant to Mr. Shephard. Johnson rang Mr. Shephard's bell on the 20th of March; he said, he wanted somebody to assist him to take two house-breakers in the adjoining house; accordingly me and fellow servant went to assist him. He said, they were in the house, and when I came, out came the prisoner Huggins; Johnson seized him. Bannister came out; I seized him round the middle. Bannister's Defence. I am innocent as a child unborn. Huggins's Defence. The same. BANNISTER, GUILTY - DEATH, aged 32. HUGGINS, GUILTY - DEATH, aged 31. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.

Joseph Bannister was assigned to Windsor along with his co-accused (and probably his brother-in-law William Huggins). He was a government servan, but at some time he lost an arm and was then employed as the bell-ringer at St Mathew's C of E in Windsor where, according to the church records, he was the witness at a number of marriages. He doesn't seem to have married in NSW and died in Windsor in 1838.