William Beggs

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 12th February 2026

Old Bailey. Thursday, the Sessions ended, when sentence of death was passed upon the following upon the following Prisoners : … William Beggs, … Kentish Weekly Post, 19 June 1810. Old Bailey ..., for stealing goods in a dwelling-houle; William Beggs, for a like offence;  ... London Chronicle, 15 June 1810. Tried at the Old Bailey, 6 June 1810. 423. WILLIAM BEGGES was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 24th of April , a silver milk pot, value 2 l. 10 s. four silver tea spoons, value 12 s. a pair of sugar tongs, value 6 s. the property of Charles Nevinson ; and a watch, value 5 l. the property of William Hazard , in the dwelling house of the said Charles Nevinson . THOMAS HUTSON . I am a servant to Charles Nevinson , No. 4, Saville-Row . On the 24th of April I cleaned the plate and put it into the pantry, after that I went into the privy in the area; I saw the prisoner come down the area step and go into the house. I thought perhaps he might be coming after some business: he came out so soon that I had suspicion of him. I ran into the pantry and missed the cream jug, four tea-spoons, the sugartongs, and a silver watch that was hanging against the door, belonging to William Hazard , the porter there. I immediately pursued the prisoner, he was walking along with his hands in his pocket. As soon as he saw me he ran down Swallow-street as hard as he could run; I holloed out stop thief several times; he ran down George-court, next Piccadilly, down Church-passage, into Jermyn-street; he was stopped at the corner of Well-street, in Jermyn-street; I did not see him stopped. WILLIAM HART . Q. Tell me whether ever you saw the prisoner and when - A. Yes, on the 24th of April, between eleven and twelve, I saw the prisoner running in Swallow-street, I followed him he went through Church-passage, and in Jermyn-street, a little way down he was overtaken, I saw him chuck some silver down an area in Jermyn-street. Q. Did you see the silver picked up afterwards - A. Yes, a pair of sugar tongs, and one spoon hit against the rails and flew out on the road I picked the tongs up and the spoon and then he was stopped. Q. Was any thing found on him - A. No, I gave the tongs and spoon to Gregory the constable. The watch has never been found. JOSEPH GREGORY . I am a constable, I live close by. On the 24th of April, I heard the cry of stop thief, the prisoner was stopped at the corner of Well-street. Q. Did you take any thing from him - A. Nothing at all, the property was stowed away; I produce a spoon and a pair of sugar tongs. ANN CARBUT . I am a servant to Mr. Cooper, 109, Jermyn-street. I heard something jingle in the area, it seemed like glass, I thought it was the window broke, upon my going into the area I saw a cream jug and three silver tea-spoons, I took them up stairs, and gave them to my mistress Mrs. Cooper. This is the cream jug and the three spoons. Q. to Hutson. Did the prisoner pass that way - A. Yes, he passed by 109, Jermyn-street. SAMUEL VENHAM . I stopped the prisoner at the corner of Well-street, nothing was found upon him, he said, he was not the person. Q. to Hutson. What do you say as to these articles - A. They are my master's property, I cleaned them up that morning. Q. Your master is Mr. Nevingson is he - A. Yes. Q. What is the value of the cream jug - A.2 l. 10 s. the spoons 12 s. and the sugar tongs 6 s. WILLIAM HAZARD . Q. What are you in the house of Mr. Nevingson - A. I am his porter, I know no more than my watch was lost at the time, it has not been found again. Prisoner's Defence. I was passing Saville-row, I heard a cry of stop thief, and a great quantity of people running, I immediately ran, and cried out stop thief, a man stopped me I am innocent. - GREGORY. When I had him in custody he told me he had been down in Mr. Nevingson's-house, he went down into the area to find a privy to ease himself, and he said so before the magistrate. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 19. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Justice Grose.

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 12th February 2026

Colonial Secretary Index. BEGGS, William (Per "Admiral Gambier", 1811) see BIGGS, William BIGGS, William. Per "Admiral Gambier", 1811 1817 Dec 8 Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3174; 4/1850 p.23) 1818 Jun 1 Memorial (Fiche 3011; 4/1822A No.5 p.13) 1825 Of Phillip Street. Memorial (Fiche 3120; 4/1840B No.51 p.307). Reply, 28 Feb (Reel 6014; 4/3513 p.504) 8 Dec 1817- Petition for mitigation of sentence. This was very faint and I was unable to read it. 1 June 1818. Memorial. Over written at top: 50 Acres. To his Excellency the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie. The humble Petition of William Biggs Respectfully sheweth That your Petitioner arrived in the Colony in the Ship Gambier 2 time. That your Excellency was pleased to grant unto your Petitioner an Emancipation and having a wife and one infant child, is desirous of procuring a farm in consequence of not being able to procure Sufficient Employment supporting himself and family in the way of his trade being that of a Blacksmith. Your Petitioner therefore humbly trusts your Excellency will be pleased to Grant unto him such a quantity of land as to your Excellency may seem fit with such other Indulgence as are usually granted to individuals desirous of becoming settlers And your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray, &c… Sydney 8 June 1818 (Signed) Wm Biggs. I believe the Petitioner to be an industrious man. (Signed) William Cowper.