Joseph Basset

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D Wong on 28th May 2019

ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 8 AUGUST 1856 – CORNWALL SUMMER ASSIZES – CROWN COURT, THURSDAY JULY 31 (Before Mr Baron Martin) – The following prisoners were sentenced this morning:- JOSEPH BASSETT has been found Guilty of Burglary in the house of Mrs Ryan, in the parish of Falmouth. The Judge said, not many years ago, you were convicted of stealing some small articles, for which you were imprisoned two months in the house of correction. Very soon after you came out of prison, you and your brother, who was also concerned in the robbery for which you now stand to receive sentence, were again convicted of what might appear upon the face of it, to be a slight offence, the stealing of some timber, which I apprehend was out of doors, and if it had not been for your known bad conduct and character, I do not think such a severe sentence would have then been inflicted upon you as transportation for seven years for that offence. I have no doubt the court did right in that case. I presume you obtained a ticket of leave and returned, both of you, and immediately began your crimes afresh. You broke into Mrs Ryan’s house, and stole all the plate you could lay hands on, about ?30 worth. It is a most serious offence. It is the bounden duty of all persons who administer the law, to protect houses by night. You must be conscious that your race is now run. The sentence of the Court is that you be Transported for the term of your natural life. ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 1 AUGUST 1856 – CORNWALL SUMMER ASSIZES – CROWN COURT, WEDNESDAY 30 JULY (Before Mr Baron Martin) – BURGLARY – JOSEPH BASSET, 27, cabinet-maker, was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Mrs Ryan, of Berkeley Vale, in the parish of Falmouth, and for stealing therefrom various articles of plate. The prisoner’s brother, John Bassett, has been committed for the same offence, but he had escaped from prison, as we stated last week. Mr Bevan and Mr Hodges appeared for the prosecution against Joseph Bassett, who was undefended. We gave the full particulars of this case, at the time it was brought before the committing magistrates; a short notice of it will therefore now suffice. Mrs Ryan is the widow of a naval officer living at Berkeley Vale, Falmouth. She and her servant, Mary Oates, went to bed about ten o’clock on Sunday night the 25th of May. Next morning at six o’clock, Mary Oates found that the house had been entered during the night, and that a great many articles of plate had been stolen from the back parlour. A man called Brice saw the prisoner and another man near Mrs Ryan’s house about a quarter to twelve on Sunday night, May 25th. A coast-guard man, called Rabey, saw the prisoner about three-quarters of a mile from Mrs Ryan’s house, on the road to Penryn, about one o’clock in the morning. The prisoner and his brother were afterwards seen together between Falmouth and Penryn, between the latter town and Truro, and at Grampound, on the road from Truro to Plymouth. The prisoner was carrying something in a handkerchief. At Plymouth he offered to sell various articles as old silver in the shop of Mrs Reynolds. The assistant in the shop, named Brown, had suspicious, detained the articles offered, and sent for the police. The prisoner and his companion decamped but they were subsequently apprehended at Truro. The articles offered for sale by the prisoner, consisting of dessert spoons, forks, tea-spoons, salt-spoons, &c., were produced, and identified by Mrs Ryan. The jury found the prisoner GUILTY, and two former convictions for felony were proved against him, one in June 1852, and the other in April 1853. There was another indictment against the prisoner, for a burglary in the house of Mr Haly, of the parish of Falmouth, but this was not prosecuted. Sentence was deferred. Joseph was 30 years old, 5'3¼" tall, middling stout, dark coplexion, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, cut on crown of head, slightly pockmarked, cut left thumb and forefinger, single and semiliterate. Father: Francis Mother: Susannah Mansfield Provis. 23/7/1859: TOL 30/10/1862: Married Jessie Gearring/Guerin at York, WA. Children: 1865: Susanna 1867: Joseph Francis 1871: John William 1873: Thomas 1876: Mary Ann ????: Emily Elizabeth 24/6/1867: CP. 17/2/1880: Joseph died at the asylum, Western Australia, aged 52.

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Georgia on 28th May 2019

Stole timber