John Frederick Box

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Maureen Withey on 21st October 2023

National Archives, Criminal Petitions. HO 17/5/160. Prisoner name: John Frederick Box. Prisoner age: 16. Prisoner occupation: Apprentice to an oil cooper. Court and date of trial: Central Criminal Court [Old Bailey] August 1838. Crime: Forgery, falsifying a receipt to defraud his master William Thucker, an oil cooper. Initial sentence: Seven years transportation. Gaoler's report: Character not known. Annotated: Clearly proved. Nil. Petitioner(s): Mary Ann Box (the prisoner's mother) undersigned by 12 people of London, including the prosecutor. Grounds for clemency: The prisoner is his mother's only child; her distress; she asks for him to be sent to the penitentiary rather than be transported; the prisoner's mother is a widow who has struggled to bring up her son and sacrificed her belongings to raise the £10 for his apprenticeship fee; the prisoner has been lead astray by an older youth; it is his first offence. Additional Information: Prisoner held on board the hulk Euryalus. Date: 1838.

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Nicholas Kingman on 28th November 2022

Transcript of trial at the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court) JOHN FREDERICK BOX, Deception > forgery, 20th August 1838. Reference Number: t18380820-2070 Offence > Deception: Forgery Verdict > Guilty Sentence > Transportation 2070. JOHN FREDERICK BOX was indicted for feloniously forging and uttering a certain acquittance and receipt, for the sum of 3l. 14s., with intent to defraud John Giles Pilcher, and another. WILLIAM THACKER . I live in Willow-walk, Orange-hill, Bermondsey. if he prisoner was my apprentice—I made out a bill to Messrs. Pilcher, of the organ's-lane, for one dozen of half-firkin casks, at 1s. each, and receipted the bill—that bill has been lost—(looking at a bill)—this is a copy of the one I wrote, but no part of it whatever is my hand-writing—I believe it to be the prisoner's hand-writing—I have seen him write, and from my knowledge of his writing I believe it to be his. Cross-examined by MR. CHAMBERS. Q. When did you see him write? A. When he signed his indentures—I have compared it with his indentures, that leads me to conclude it is his—I am a cooper by business. COURT. Q. Have you kept your memory alive by looking at what you have seen him write? A. Yes—I am not able to speak to it on oath, but I believe it is his-if I had seen it elsewhere I should have taken it to be his writing—I did not authorise that bill to be drawn out-Messrs. Pilcher were indebted to me for a dozen of half-firkins—the prisoner did not pay me for them—I did not give him authority to sign my name for money received on my account. MR. CHAMBERS. Q. I think your son manages your business? A. Yes, he is here—the prisoner received money in the business, and also the other apprentice, in my absences—I cannot say whose hand-writing the first line of this bill is—it is not mine—I believe it is not my son's-nor the second, third, or fourth line-with the exception of the paleness of the ink I do not think there is any difference in the writing—I have got my son's hand-writing in my pocket, with the signature of this indenture—I have not been comparing that with the bill, only before the Magistrate, but the Magistrate would not go into that—I did not do that because I suspected it was my son's hand-writing—the prisoner confessed to me that he drew the money and forged the bill, and said my son persuaded him to do it—he told me that in New Walk, Dock-head—I took my son's hand-writing to show that it was not his writing—the prisoner told me he had destroyed my bill that I made out for twelve shilings—the Magistrate said he would have no comparison of hand-writing—I had no hand-writing to compare but the indenture—it was before I went to the Magistrate that the prisoner told me he had written it—I promised to forgive him if he told the truth—I cannot tell how it became a question whether it was my son's hand-writing—the prisoner told me he wrote it, but I could not swear to the hand-writing—their hand-writing is very much alike—my son has had a quarrel with the prisoner, and just after the Coronation he took him before the Magistrate for an assault, because he would not do his work—he had been apprenticed since December—I had 5l. premium, 4l. from Newington-school, and 1l. from his mother—I was to receive 5l. more after twelve months—he was to learn the art of a cooper—I was brought up to the trade and served seven years—I have a situation in the employ of Thomas Jones and Co., oil merchants—they require a cooper—my private business is conducted by my son—I have been looking at my son's hand-writing since I went before the Magistrate—my son pays me all the money he receives—it is only a trifling business. JOHN GILES PILCHER . I received this bill from the prisoner and paid him 3l. 14s. taking off 4s. discount—it was precisely in this state when produced to me—it is signed by Russell, who is in our concern, and if it had been 100l. I should have paid it—it is his duty to examine and mine to pay. Cross-examined. Q. Did you know the prisoner before? A. I never saw him before to my knowledge—I am quite sure it was him—it was about half-past twelve o'clock. JAMES RUSSELL . I am warehouseman to Messrs. Pilcher, of Morgan-lane. On Saturday, the 11th of August, the prisoner brought this bill to my desk—the only charge in it then, was in one line for 2 1/2 dozen of firkins, 1l. 4s.—I put my name in the corner for him to go and receive twentyfour shillings-two items have been added since, making it 3l. 18s.—I was at home when some firkins came—the prisoner brought part of them, which made up the dozen—I now find a hand-writing on the bill for 3l. 18s. instead of 1l. 4s. Cross-examined. Q. Can you recollect who brought the rest of the casks, was it the prosecutor's son? A. No—I do not think he has been on our premises for some months—this was a little business we gave him—we thought we were dealing with Thacker, the younger—he formerly used to work on our premises. WILLIAM THACKER, JUN . I carry on the coopering business on my father's account-no part of the receipt produced is my hand-writing, nor was any of it written by my direction, or with my knowledge—the prisoner never paid me this 3l. 14s.—he never produced the bill to me—I first saw it in Mr. Russell's hands—the hand-writing does not bear the least resemblance to mine—I have no knowledge of the prisoner's writing—I never saw him write—I have had several quarrels with the prisoner. Cross-examined. Q. Do you recollect witnessing an indenture of apprenticeship? A. Yes, I signed my name to it—I have not been studying the hand-writing on that indenture—I cannot say that my father has shown it to me—he told me he had brought it here—he did not exactly tell me why he brought it—he did not tell me it was to compare with the prisoner's hand-writing—my father produced the indenture at Union Hall—the prisoner stated before the Magistrate that I told him to do this—there was no dispute about my hand-writing—I did not tell him to write it—I have had a good many quarrels with him—I have received a great many bills during the time I have served my father—I made these half-firkins, but did not carry them home—I have received a great many bills from the Messrs. Pilcher—I discovered this last Monday week—I do not receive the money—my mother receives it—either I or the apprentice go for it—Messrs. Pilcher did not understand that the transaction was with me, they knew to the contrary—Mr. Russell is their managing man—he knew it was on my father's account—I received the order from the ware-houseman—my father told me on the Tuesday night that the prisoner said I directed him to do this—it was not till Thursday morning that we went before the Magistrate—I was sworn before the Magistrate—I cannot say whether my deposition was taken in writing. Q. Did you receive 11s. 6d. from the prisoner? A. No—my mother told me he had given her 11s. 6d.—I never saw the bill before the addition was made to it—I did not know of these words being added—I did not give the prisoner pen and ink to put any words in—I met him in Page's-walk after he had got the money-about twenty yards from our house, and asked him if he had received the money my father had made out the bill for—he said, "Yes"—I did not say "Give me and my mother 11s. 6d. each, and do what you please with the rest"—my mother had made out the bill for 12s., and he said they had taken off 6d. discount. JAMES RUSSELL re-examined. When I affixed my name to the bill the prisoner went away from me—I was very busy, and did not look which way he went—I gave him the bill to go across to the counting-house for the money—there was nothing to prevent his going away, and making the addition to it. (The bill being read, was for two dozen York firkins, 2l.; two dozen do., 1l.; 4s.; one dozen tar, 14s.; total, 3l. 18s.; discount, 4s. 0d.; balance 3l. 14s.) GUILTY of uttering. Aged 16.— Transported for Seven Years. Before Mr. Justice Bosanquet.

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Nicholas Kingman on 26th November 2022

John Frederick Box was born to John Frederick Box and Mary Anne Giddons on the 29th September 1821, in Newington, Surrey, England, which is now in the London Borough of Southwark. On the 20th August 1838, he was convicted of feloniously forging and uttering a certain acquittance and receipt, for the sum of 3l. 14s., with intent to defraud, and was sentenced to seven years transportation. His job was listed as an Apprentice to an oil cooper. He served his time in Van Diemen’s Land, and afterwards, he moved to New South Wales where he married Eliza Duggan on the 9th April 1849. They moved to Mount Cole, Victoria where they had 11 children, and John changed his name to George Jones, possibly to remove the stigma of being a convict. His children mainly used the surname Box, but also used Boxx and Jones. He died on the 10th August 1874 of heart failure in Mount Cole, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Mount Cole cemetery. John’s will was signed George Jones, and his death certificate had the name John Frederick Box, and the informant was written as his son, John Jones.