David Barnes

341

Maureen Withey on 1st May 2021

National Archives. Albion 1823. Surgeon’s Medical Journal . ADM 101/1/8B/11823 Folios 5-9: List of 200 convicts embarked on board the ship from HM hulks Leviathan and York, 8 May 1823, (names and details follow), also includes gaoler character references (not recorded below): Folio 6: David Barnes, aged 17, convict, trade painter; where born unknown, offence, burglary; date of conviction 11 September 1822, where convicted, Old Bailey. --------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 01 May 2021), September 1822, trial of DAVID BARNES alias BARNARD (t18220911-57). DAVID BARNES, Theft > burglary, 11th September 1822. 1202. DAVID BARNES alias BARNARD , was indicted for burglary, in the dwelling-house of Alexander Read , about two o'clock in the night of the 13th of August , and stealing one tea caddy, value 2 s.; four spoons, value 1 l.; one pair of spectacles, value 5 s.; one pair of sleeve buttons, value 1 s., one snuffer stand, value 2 s., and one snuff box, value 1 s. , his property. ANN READ . I am the wife of Alexander Read ; we live in Flask-lane, St. George, Hanover-square . On the night of the 13th of August I went to bed last, and fastened all the windows and doors; I heard no alarm in the night, but about seven o'clock in the morning the servant called me; I came down and found the back door cut through in three places and the bolts undone; the door was perforated over the bottom and over the top bolt, and a hole large enough to admit a person made in it, and near enough for them to undo the bolt; the door was open; I missed the articles stated in the indictment, which are worth about 2 l.; there was no appearance of candle having been burnt. SAMUEL LACK . I am an officer. On the night of the 16th of August I was present when the prisoner was apprehended with another man, in Henrietta-street, Covent Garden; and found two centre bits on him, which I have compared with the marks on the door; they fitted; we found a variety of implements on him; I have brought part of the door here to compare the centre bit. BENJAMIN MORRIS . I assisted in apprehending the prisoner about a quarter past twelve o'clock at night; I produce two centre bits which were found on him, also a dark lantern, with two pieces of candle, a cord, a stock, a phosphorus box, a crow bar, eleven skeleton keys, a pick-lock key, two of Bramah's patent latch keys, three chamber door keys, and a blue bag, all found on him; the lantern and bag were in his hat. SAMUEL LACK re-examined. I searched his lodgings, and found a tea caddy among other things there; I shewed it to him, he said it was his own, and claimed every thing found there. Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. You only know them to be his lodgings from something told you - A. The landlord is here; it was in the presence of the Magistrate that he said the property was his. COURT. Q. What he said about the property being his, was before the Magistrate - A. It was; the depositions made were read over to him by the Magistrate's clerk; I heard it read over to him, that he said the goods were his own. (The witness was here dispatched to the office, for the original book in which the examination was taken down, and on returning, his examination was as follows.) I produce the book the examination was taken in; I know the signature to it is the Magistrate's; he told the Magistrate that the property was his own; this is not written down. THOMAS JONES . I am gaolor of Bow-street. When the prisoner was called on for his defence, he said, the whole of the property which was sworn to was his own; the Magistrate's clerk was ordered to take it down; he was writing, but I could not see what he was writing; I was called out of the office. The clerk is out of town. Cross-examined. Q. What is his name - A. John Richmond . SAMUEL LACK re-examined. Q. Did you hear the prisoner say any thing of this sort at any other time - A. Yes, more than once or twice, before the examination. Cross-examined. Q. He did not know what you had taken away - A. I gave his wife, (as he called her,) a list of them, and produced them all before the Magistrate. JOHN SWAINE . I live in Maiden-lane, Covent-garden; the prisoner lodged in my house for seven weeks, till he was apprehended, in the back-room on the first floor; his wife was in the room when the officers searched it. Cross-examined. Did his wife lock up the room when she went out - A. I do not know, there was a lock on the door. SAMUEL LACK . I found the caddy in the first floor back room; a woman was in bed there with her clothes on. MRS. READ. The tea-caddy is mine, and was in a cupboard in the kitchen, on the night of the robbery; which cupboard was broken open. I am certain it is mine. Prisoner's Defence. I bought the caddy for 2 s. 6 d.; the Magistrate did not ask if the things were mine, or I could prove how I got it. GUILTY. Aged 16. Of Larceny only . Transported for Seven Years . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Best.