John Bowman

343

Maureen Withey on 12th September 2025

Colonial Secretary Index. BOWMAN, John. Per "Earl Spencer", 1813; carver and gilder 1813 Oct 14 On list of convicts disembarked from "Earl Spencer" and forwarded to William Cox at Windsor for distribution (Reel 6002; 4/3491 p.560)

343

Maureen Withey on 9th September 2025

Trial at the old Bailey, 1 July 1812. 532. JOHN BOWMAN was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 24th of June , in the dwelling-house of Thomas Watkins , a bank-note, value 2 l. the property of Samuel Smith . SAMUEL SMITH . I live at No. 13, York-street, Covent Garden , in Thomas Watkins 's house, in the parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden. Q. Do you know the prisoner - A. Yes. He has worked for me two years. He quitted my service about two months ago. I turned him away at that time. Q. Did Ann Robinson live with you as a servant - A. Yes. Q. Did you deliver to Ann Robinson any thing while the prisoner was in your employ - A. Yes, on the 24th of June last a two pound note. Q. For what purpose - A. For the purpose of giving it her mistress to go and buy linen. Her mistress was then gone to market. Q. Was the prisoner present - A. No, he was not present. Q. After you had given this note to Ann Robinson , did you go out - A. Yes. I was going out in the street at the time I gave it her. Q. Is that all you know of the matter - A. That is all. The prisoner was working in the house at the time. Q. What are you - A. I am a carver and gilder . Mr. Arabin. You said that you discharged him - A. Yes. Q. You had not discharged him when you gave Ann Robinson this note - A. He had been discharged two months before, and was taken back again by me. Q. I believe you gave him handsome wages - A. Thirty shillings a-week I gave him. Q. Did not he claim upwards of forty pounds, which you refused to pay him - A. Never to me. Q. You had no hatred against him - A. No, never at all. Q. Do you know a man of the name of Denham - A. Yes; he worked for me, the same as he did. He was a carver and gilder. Q. Now, I ask you whether you never said that you would some day or other contrive to hang or transport him - A. I never thought of such a thing. I never used language of that description at any time. Q. This house, you say, is Mr. Watkins's: is his name John or Thomas - A. Thomas, I believe. He sleeps in the house. He is the landlord. He has got the lease, I believe, of it. I occupy the first floor, and one room below. I pay him forty pounds a-year, and he pays the rent and taxes. We both go in at the common street door. ANN ROBINSON . Q. Do you remember, any time, Mr. Smith giving you a two-pound note - A. Yes, it was between twelve and one, on the 24th of June last. It was yesterday week he gave me a two pound bank-note to give to my mistress. Q. What did you do with it when he gave it you - A. I put it into the table drawer, up stairs. Q.Where were you at the time that your master gave you this note - A. In the passage. Q. Where was the table - A. In the first room on the first floor. Q. Was that a room that your master occupied - A. Yes. Q. Was the prisoner in the house at the time - A. Yes, he was in that room. Q. Did you miss this bank-note note afterwards - A. Yes. My master came in in about ten minutes, and my mistress came in about ten minutes after my master. My mistress asked master for the money. I was coming up stairs then. My master and mistress were in the front room, where I had put the note. They rang for me. I went into the room. Q. After you had put the note into the drawer of this table did you go down stairs - A. Yes. Q. Had you been up again before they came home - A. No. When they rang for me I went into the room. I looked in the drawer for it. It was gone. Q. You say the prisoner was in the room at the time you put it in - A. Yes. Q. Was the prisoner gone at the time that you missed it - A. Yes. He had just gone out. Q. How soon did you see the prisoner again - A. My master went after him, and took an officer with him. Q. to prosecutor. Did you find the prisoner when you went out to seek after him - A. I went to Bow-street, and took an officer with me, and I found the prisoner at No. 14, Crown-street, St. Giles's. Q. What was the officer's name - A. Hatfield. I had sent the prisoner there to one of the workmen. The prisoner was searched. A two-pound note was found in his hat. The officer has got it. The officer found it among some papers, that he had got in his hat. He said, he put it there. - HATFIELD. Q. Did you go with the other witness to search the prisoner - A. Yes. I found him in Crown-street, St. Giles's. I found the two-pound note in his hat. This is the note. Prosecutor. This is the note I gave the maid. Here is my own writing upon it, and the man's handwriting that I took it of, and the day of the month, and a Jew's signature inside. I took two of them of Mr. Davis, a jew, an auctioneer. He used occasionally to sell for me; and there was a balance of accompt between Mr. Davis and me. He gave me two two-pound notes. He wrote, Herries and Co. I wrote on the two two-pound notes, ="of Mr. Davis.=" Mr. Arabin. Did not the prisoner say that the officer had put the note in his hat - A. The officer had searched him, and found it. He said, you put it there to the officer. Q. Had you been in the room after the girl put the note in the drawer - A. No. I went out when I gave the girl the note. COURT. Q. to Hatfield. Did you put the note in his hat - A. I am quite certain I did not put the note in his hat. I found it in his hat. Prisoner's Defence. The man's name is not Smith, in the first place. I came to his service after coming out of trouble. I have been in trouble upon a vexatious point of his. He sent for me to return, and I did return. I was under necessity. I had to attend Westminster Hall for him, upon the name of Lovell. An action was brought against him in the name of Lovell. He wanted me to swear that it was Smith. I went to Westminster Hall. I was subpoened by him in his own home. I went there to say what he directed me. He wrote down that which I was to swear; and because I did not swear that he wanted me, when I came home on the Thursday he found himself aggrieved: notwithstanding that, he said, I must come to work. I did go back; and on the Wednesday following this circumstance happened. He then attended with the officer, and said, he had lost the two-pound note. It is very unlikely I should go to Mr. Coward, the maker of gold size, and going there I met Mr. Bell, the frame-maker. He asked me to go into the Black Horse, Tottenham-court-road. After I left Mr. Bell I went to Crown-street, for pencils. Master came there with an officer. In consequence of that I was taken to the Justice, and afterwards was committed. When I went down stairs to work, as here I am, I put my hat under the bench; and at that period the note must have been put in my hat. Had I known of the two-pound note being in my hat, it is very unlikely that I should have left it there. I know no more about the note than a child unborn. The spite is because I lost him the trial. He has been arrested since in consequence of it. His name is not Smith, but Lovell. The prisoner called five witnesses, who gave him a good character. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 47. Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Justice Gibbs. Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) July 1812. Trial of JOHN BOWMAN (t18120701-16). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18120701-16?text=Bowman (Accessed: 9th September 2025). at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18120916-135?text=Aurora (Accessed: 9th September 2025).