Antonio Berengo

Level 53

Beth Taylor on 27th September 2019

Antonio Beringo (or Berengo) (c1785-1828) arr in Sydney on the ship Admiral Gambier (2) on 29 Sep 1811. He had been tried at Middlesex GD [see trial record below] on 6 Dec 1809 & was given a life sentence. He was a native of France, a sailor, 5’5” tall, dark ruddy complexion, black hair & dark eyes. Date of Pardon – 31 Jan 1818. CP – 880. . Also – Antonio Berengo, aged 24, tried OB, highway robbery 6 Dec. 1809, death sentence, “pardoned for transport for life, removed to the Portsmouth Hulks 16 May 1810.” (Source: www.ancestry.com.au England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892, Class: HO (Home Office) 26; Piece: 15; Page: 13). Antonio was received into the Perseus Hulk at Portsmouth on 06/12/1809 until taken on board Admiral Gambier [sailed 12/05/1811]. (Source: : www.ancestry.com.au UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849, Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books; Class: HO9; Piece: 8) 1809 – ANTONIO BERENGO, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 6th December 1809. 49. ANTONIO BERENGO was indicted for feloniously assaulting Alexander Harvey, on the 12th of November, in the King's highway, putting him in fear, and taking from his person, and against his will, a watch, value 10 l. a gold seal, value 30 s. a gold watch key, value 10 s. his property. ALEXANDER HARVEY. I am a baker ; I live at Deptford. On Sunday evening, the 12th of November, near 10 o'clock as possible, I was coming along the bottom Well-street, in Whitechapel parish. I was alone; three men rushed out of a house upon me, and knocked me down in the kennel. Q. Did you perceive which of the three knocked you down. - A. No; I could not exactly; it was very dark. Q. Were there any people in the street near you. - A. No; there was a young man happened to come up when I was knocked down; his name is Samworth; I got up again; I found my coat all over mud; I was going to pull it off. Q. Where was the blow given you that knocked you down. - A. I do not know where. Q. You are not sure whether it was upon your head or not. - A. No; it was done so quick. Q. Did you perceive yourself stunned. - A. No; I got up, and was pulling my coat off about half off my arm: in the mean time they were all three round me: the prisoner pulled my watch out of my pocket, and ran away: the prisoner is the very man; I will swear that he is the man; he was in blue clothes at the time. Q. You were not present when he was taken, were you. - A. Yes; I kept him in sight all the time; the watchman stopped him; I holloed out, stop thief; the watchman came up, caught hold of him, and they both fell together; I was close by, he was taken to the watchhouse. Q. What became of the other men. - A. God knows, we followed after him, the watch was picked up off the ground where the watchman and he fell down, about a yard from them. Q. Who picked the watch up. - A. A small boy picked the watch up in my sight, the boy gave the watch to Mr. Griffiths the officer, he happened to come up. JOHN SAMWORTH. Q. On the night of the 12th of November, were you in Well-street. - A. Yes; I was coming up Well-street about ten o'clock; I saw Mr. Harvey and three sailors together; one of the sailor went up to Mr. Harvey and knocked him down in kennel. Q. You did not see what he knocked him down with, did you. - A. No: with his hand, I believe; Mr. Harvery got up again out of the kennel, and his coat was very muddy, and as he was pulling it off, the prisoner at the bar snatched his watch, and ran off with it. Q. You saw him do it. - A. Yes, I ran after him and Mr. Harvey likewise; I never lost sight of him; after we had ran some distance, and did not get any ground, we cried out, stop thief, and the watchman met him and knocked him down in the kennel, and fell upon him; he was secured in White Lion-street: I was not two yards from him all the way: Mr. Griffiths came up at the time, I told him he had taken the watch away. Mr. Griffiths searched him, we got the watchman's lanthorn and looked about: a little boy picked the watch up by where they fell. Prisoner. Q. Did not he wish to fight me. - A. He did not, that I heard. Court. Q. to Prosecutor. I wish to ask you from the circumstance of your attempting to pull off your coat, had you any intention of fighting any of these men. - A. No; I attempted to pull off my coat, it being so muddy: I had not time to say any thing; I had not been there two minutes before the young men came. JOHN WATTS. Q. You are the watchman of White Lion-street. - A. Yes; I heard the cry of stop thief in White Lion-street; the prisoner was running full speed, I catched him in my arms; we scuffled together, he endeavoured to get away; we both fell. JOHN LEWIS. Q. What do you know about this. - A. I was standing at the bottom of Lemon- treet, Whitechapel; I heard the cry of stop thief: I ran over the way, and saw the prisoner and the watchman fall with the prisoner underneath. JOHN GRIFFITH. Q. You are a police officer. - A. I am. Q. Did you come up to the cry of stop thief. - A. I did; I was near the place, I heard the cry of stop thief; I was in Chamber-street: I ran up directly, and when I came up they were just got up out of the kennel, the watchman and him; he had hold of him: I pulled the prisoner of one side, and searched him: I heard a person say here is the watch, a boy gave it me. I have had the watch ever since. Q. to Samworth. You said the boy picked up the watch, did you see him pick it up. - A. Yes; I stood a little way off: I saw him pick it up, and give it to Mr. Griffiths. HARVEY. That is my watch, the maker's name is Salter, I know it by the seal and chain. This is the same watch that was pulled out of my pocket that night by the prisoner at the bar. Q. to Griffiths. You were present at the examination of this man. - A. I was all the time; after the evidence was gone through, the magistrates asked him what he had to say about taking this watch; he said he did take it. I believe he made mention that the person wanted to fight him and he took the watch for that. Prisoner's Defence. There were so many questions put to me I did not understand them. On the Sunday night in the house that I was in, with two other sailors and three young women. I called for half a pint of gin for me and my companions, in the course of a quarter of an hour there came in a strange man; the landlord turned him out of the house. I stopped a quarter of an hour, and thinking it time for me to go to my lodgings the servant cautioned me from going out of the door that he had gone out of; she told me there was another door that she would let me out. I went out, and this man seeing me, he challenged me to fight; I refused, and then he challenged me with taking the watch, which I deny. GUILTY - DEATH, aged 24. The prisoner was recommended to his Majesty's mercy by the Jury, on account of his mild behaviour. Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Baron Graham. (Source: Old Bailey on-line www.oldbaileyonline.org ) 1813, 23 April – Antonio BERENGO was sent to Newcastle with a 6 months sentence after having been tried on 10 April. Crime not stated. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Sent Reel 6003; 4/3492 p215) 1814 Muster: Antonio BERRINGO, con, Admiral Gambier, boatman, Sydney, on stores (5773) 1818, 5 Jan. – Antonio BERENGO petitioned for mitigation of his sentence. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Petitions Fiche 3183; 4/1854 pp5,20) 1818 - Antonio BERINGO per ship Admiral Gambier, received a Conditional Pardon on 31 Jan. 1818, described as – native of France, sailor, tried Middlesex GD 6/12/1809, life sentence, 5’5” tall, dark ruddy complexion, black hair, dark eyes. (Source: SRNSW Convict Pardons, Reel 774, 4/4430, p108) c1822-1825 - Between 1822 and 1825 Antonio Beringo (or Berengo) was living in Sydney as the defacto husband of Amelia Major (with her children) although there is no record of a marriage. Antonio is not listed as the father to any of Amelia’s children and they may have separated at some point and she may have returned to live with Tiernan for a short time. There are no known children born to Amelia and Antonio. [Note: Amelia Major (c1795-1863) arr Sydney 1814 on the ship Broxbornebury as a convict with a 7 year term] 1822 Muster: Amelia MEASURE (?), FBS, Broxbornebury, 7 years, wife of A. De Baring (sic), Sydney (A14574) & children – Sarah 5 & John 2 – both BC & listed under Measure Antonio De BARING (sic), CP, Admiral Gambier 1811, life, labourer, Sydney (A00813) 1823 – 1825 Muster: Amelia MAJOR, FS, Broxbornebury, 7 years, wife of Antoine (?) Baringo, Sydney (32415) & spouse – Antonio BERENGO, CP, Admiral Gambier 1811, life, waterman, Sydney (11208) & children – Amelia 13, Sarah 8 & John 5 – all BC & named as Berringle & children of Amelia Major (11673-5) 1824, April – Memorial of Antonio, a free man with a wife & 3 children & was finding it hard to pay rent & would like a block of land to build a house. He lived in Argyle St, Sydney. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Memorial Fiche 3077; 4/1836A p261) 1824, 5 May – A reply is sent from Col Sec Goulburn to Antonio, who was known to Captain Piper, stating that he could have any vacant allotment he chose. (Source: SRNSW Col Sec Papers, Letters Sent Reel 6013; 4/3511 p124) 1828 Census: • Anthony BERINGO, 46, CP, A. Gambier 2 1811, life, watchman, Harrington St, Sydney (B1061) • Amelia MAGOR (sic),aged 30, FBS, came per Broxbornebury 1814, 7 years, prot., wife of Anthony Beringo, Harrington St, Sydney *(M1420) • Sarah TERRELL, child, BC (no age) [Note written: “Supposedly children of Anty (?) Beringo, Harrington St.] • John TERRELL, child, BC (no age) [Note written: “Supposedly children of Anty (?) Beringo”, Harrington St.] • Amelia TERRELL, child, BC (no age) [Note written: “Supposedly children of Anty (?) Beringo”, Harrington St.] • James TERRELL, child, BC (no age) [Note written: “Supposedly children of Anty (?) Beringo”, Harrington St.] • Also: Rose SHEARIAN (aged 36), lodger & Margaret WILLIAMS (aged 4), lodger. All living Harrington St., Sydney, same address 1828 - Antonio Beringo died in 1828. No burial record found in NSW BDM. “An Inquest was held yesterday at the Saracen's Head public-house, on the Rocks, on the body of Anthony Baringo, a native of France, and many years an industrious wood-cutter in this Colony. Verdict-Died by the visitation of God. Anthony Baringo has left a large family to lament his loss ; and the worthy Madame Rens, in honour of her countryman, has taken upon herself to defray the expenses of his funeral.” (Source: Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 10/12/1828, p2) From the book “Journey to a New Life…” the story of the ships Emu & Broxbornebury by Elizabeth Hook (3rd ed. 2014). I am the author & can be contacted on hookey5609@yahoo.com.au for further info