John Blatchley

343

Maureen Withey on 8th April 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 27 Oct 1825. 1763. JOHN BLATCHLEY and STEPHEN CLAXTON were indicted for stealing, on the 17th of October , a fixture, (i.e.) a copper, value 25 s., of and belonging to Joseph Lush , and fixed to a certain dwelling-house . SECOND COUNT, stating, it to be fixed to a building. WILLIAM ANDERSON . I live in James'-street, Lisson-grove ; I am a gardener, my house belongs to Mr. Joseph Lush. About six o'clock on the morning of the 17th of October, I missed a copper, which had been fixed to a wash-house, I had seen it safe at nine o'clock the night before, when I locked the door. (Property produced and sworn to.) EDWARD PARRUSS . I am a watchman. On the morning of the 17th of October, I saw the two prisoners in Lisson-street, about six o'clock - Claxton had the copper on his shoulder, and on seeing me he said to the other, "We must make great haste to get this copper repaired, as they are going to washing." Claxton said to me, "You may depend upon it, it is all right - for there is the brother of the person who own's it," and Blatchley said, "It is your time to go away, you may as well go with us:" I said "Very well." In Portman-square, I said to Blatchley, "You are the brother of the person who own's the copper?" "Not I, indeed," says he. - "Yes," said Claxton, "he is." We then went on to Gee's-court, and they knocked at a door; I then took hold of them and said, "This business must be settled at watch-house." A watchman came up, and I told him take hold of one of them - which he did, and they were taken into custody. GEORGE CULL . On the 17th of October, the under watch-house keeper asked me if I knew any one who had lost a copper. I went out and inquired, and got to the premises at James'-street, Lisson-grove. I found the lock and the staple broken off the door which led into the yard, and from there into little James'-street - they had got the copper over the wall, and had left black marks on the bricks. BLATCHLEY'S Defence. I was going to look for work, and a man asked us, if we were willing to earn a shilling; I said "Yes," and we took the copper to Gee's-court. BLATCHLEY - GUILTY . Aged 18. CLAXTON - GUILTY . Aged 18. Transported for Seven Years . ------------------------------------------- Leviathan Hulk Records. HO-9-8_6 page 13/54. Received from Bermuda, 25 May 1830. John Blatchley, age 18, Felony, Tried 27 Oct 1825, Old Bailey, 7 years, To NSW 26 June 1830, R. Admiral. NSW Convict index. John Blatchley, per Royal Admiral, 1830, Certificate of Freedom, 30 Oct 1832. No 32/0991. He was sent to Bermuda, as a convict, to work on the public works there, the main one being the construction of the dockyard at the harbour. Around 9000 convicts were sent there to work, between 1823 and 1863. They were not allowed to settle in Bermuda after the termination of their sentence, but were returned to Britain, and often sent on the Australia. The death toll in Bermuda was very high, and the work very hard and physical, quarrying the limestone and building the dockyard and public building, while living on board convict hulk ships in the harbour. On his return from Bermuda, he was sent on to New South Wales to complete his sentence, on the ship Royal Admiral in 1830.