Charles Bradbury

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greg petersen on 10th June 2019

1828 Freedom certificate granted: GOVERNMENT NOTICE..No.73. Colonial Secretary's Office, April 2,1828 THE periods for which the undermentioned Persons were transported having expired, Certificates have been granted to them accordingly. Charles Bradbury By command of His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor, J. BURNETT.

59

greg petersen on 10th June 2019

Occupation listed as "Wire worker" Height: 5' 4¼", Eyes: Hazel, Hair: Brown

59

greg petersen on 10th June 2019

Was on the Hulk Justitia moored at Woolwich, transported for felony Hulk report: "Orderly" Gaol report: "Not known" F at Birmingham near Warwich, an engraver & publican keeps the White Hart. transported for felony to VDL on board Claudine. Conduct records: 1823, May 12th: Not living under his masters roof ret'd to PH 1824, May 4th: ret'd to PB and be confined in watch house. 1825, Friday 12th August: Police Intelligence, Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser article: Apprehension of a whole Gang of Robbers, by Mr. Humphrey in person. - We have the satisfaction to announce, that a gang of six of these desperate marauders was apprehended on Saturday night, at the house of a ticket of leave man, named John Ray, near the Penitentiary. The greatest praise is due to A. W. H. Humphrey, Esq., the Superintendent of Police, for the able manner in which this desirable event has been effected, entirely owing to the excellent arrangements made by him for that purpose. These men will be so soon put upon their trial, that we are unwilling to enter into details which may even tend to prejudice them. 'We shall limit ourselves, therefore, to the particulars of their apprehension, the management of which, and of obtaining possession of almost the whole of the property which has been stolen from the neighbourhood of New Norfolk, was conducted in the most skillful and adroit manner by Mr. Humphrey. He had been in possession of accurate information of the motions of these men for several days preceding their capture : he knew where they were, and the whole of their proceedings ; that they had established a depot of the produce of their labours, near New Norfolk, and that on a particular day, the whole would be removed in a boat to Hobart Town. He knew of its arrival, and of the different places in which it was deposited, but he forbore to take any of the men into custody, until he could bring a plan which he had contemplated into operation, which he has most successfully done, by taking his measures so as to have the whole of these men assembled in one place, and the stolen property all collected. This having been effected about midnight of Saturday, Mr. Humphrey, attended by those two highly useful and meritorious officers of Police, Messrs. Kirby and Wise, went suddenly to the Main Guard, and taking with him a few soldiers, proceeded to the house of Ray, and there apprehended the seven men following :-William Buckley, Charles Bradbury, John Everett, Charles Jackson, John Taylor, Joseph Broadhead, and John Ray, their worthy host. Although these men were all completely armed, yet so admirably were Mr. Humphrey's measures taken, that the house was entered and the men made prisoners without their having the least possibility of making any resistance. We believe most of the property which has been stolen from New Norfolk and the vicinity, is now in the hands of the Police. We shall give a full report of the trial of these unhappy men ; which will furnish, we have reason to believe, some interesting particulars. Owing to the apprehension of the above gang, private information is said to have been received of the names of numerous notorious thieves, who entirely live by plunder, without any other employment whatever. Some of them have been attempting to effect burglaries by previously obtaining information from persons connected with the servants belonging to the premises, and as this has in some cases come to the knowledge of the master, the necessary preparations are made for their reception. To this we have much pleasure in adding, that the most effective means are about to be adopted, in order to decrease the number of these dangerous characters, either by continually policing them, or giving them a passage to Norfolk Island or Morton Bay. The Police, under the able arrangements made by the Superintendent, have within the last seven days succeeded in apprehending no less than 18 bush-rangers, most of them charged with capital offences. The seven taken by Mr. Humphrey, at the house of Ray, are mentioned above. 1825, Sat 27 Aug: Hobart Town Gazette article SUPREME COURT. SATURDAY, AUGUST 20. Trial of Joseph Broadhead, John Everist, Charles Bradbury, and William Buckley, for robbing Mr. Haywood ; and of' John Ray, John Taylor, and Charles Jackson, charged with harbouring and receiving the same, knowing them to have committed the said robbery. The Attorney-General.-This is an information filed against the prisoners at the bar, charging the first four with breaking into the house of Samuel Haywood, and the three last as being accessories after the fact. Ray kept a house in Town, near the Penitentiary; Taylor was servant to Mr. Wells, but allowed to go upon his own hands; Jackson had been Mr. Haywood's own servant, and was after the time of the robbery in the Public Works. I lament to say that every crime short of murder has been committed on this occasion. (The learned Gentleman then proceeded to state the circumstances of the case, which will appear in the course of the evidence.) Mr. Haywood had been robbed some time before, and a threat of vengeance then held out in case he should take any active steps in promoting a prosecution. This case does not rest on circumstantial evidence. These men are so hardened that they have come into this Court, dressed in the very clothes which they had taken from Mr. Haywood, and have been seen and recognised. After committing the robbery they came to Town about the 1st of August. That circumstance was known; but as they were armed, and possessed of immense property, and it being necessary, to apprehend them all, the proper time for doing so was to be taken. The four first prisoners were traced to the house of Ray. When it was known that they had assembled there, Mr. Humphrey, attended by a sufficient force went to the house, when Ray refused admittance. There are three rooms in the house. In Ray's room in the bed, and on the floor, part of the property was strewed which had been taken from Mr. Haywood. In another room were found the other six men; disturbed from bed, the dress they had thrown off, and which they put on when desired to dress themselves, was Mr. Haywood's. Ray says these armed men came to his house, about 10 at night, and forced admittance against his will, and yet he refused to open his door to Mr. Humphrey. Gentlemen, it is my painful duty to prosecute these men, and it is your painful duty to try them. Mr. S. Haywood.- I live in the Macquarie district; I knew Broadhead, Buckley, Bradbury, and Jackson, in July last; I was robbed on the evening of the 12th July. Some one knocked at the door, who said he brought a letter from Mr. Pearce; Mrs. Haywood opened the door to receive it, and some one outside immediately called out, "Rush in!" I then hastened to get my gun, and a man entered who resembled Everist, he said "Sit down;" as I did not, he discharged a pistol at me; I proceeded on, and he met me at the corner of the table; he closed upon me and a scuffle ensued; during this a second man entered and discharged a pistol at my head; that man was Joseph Broadhead; Mrs. Haywood was outside the door at the time, and screamed "Murder!" I heard Buckley's voice. My hut is 16 feet long, it is a log hut, I saw a pistol flash fire at the door at the same time; we were at length overcome, and conducted by these men to my man's hut, about 60 yards off; Jackson and four other men were in the hut at the time, Jackson had been my shepherd between three and four years, there were two armed men placed to guard the door I was in custody, in the hut for nearly two hours; I expostulated with them on their mode of life, which they agreed was very wretched, one of them said if he had not warded off the second pistol I must have been shot. Broadhead came into the men's hut and tied our hands, a man said he must cut the skirts off Mr. Cawthorne's coat, and Buckley observed that was another they must do for ; Mrs. H. was not tied; I think it was Broadhead who said they should take away every thing, and what they did not want they should burn. Broadhead said that if any prosecution took place on this, or the former robbery, execution should be done, for he had often an opportunity of seeing me when I did not see him; I returned Jackson to the Government Works. By the Court.— When Broadhead fired, it blew off the man's hat with whom I was contending. Mrs. Haywood.— The man who first rushed in was Everist, the second man was Broadhead.— (The witness was much affected in identifying these men)— Buckley was the third man who attempted to rush in, I kept him out; I knew him well, being our, servant so long; he said, if I did not sit-down and be quiet he would blow my brains out; we had no candle but a large fire, and had a perfect opportunity of observing these men. I am positive as to their persons; on my return to my own hut, I missed everything I was possessed of; I can identify some of the property; I made Mr. Haywood's shirts with my own hands, and have mended many of them; I can swear to them; I think Ray was one of the robbers, but I cannot swear to him. Constable Wise.— I am a district constable; I know Ray; I went to his skilling about one o'clock; I rapped at the door five or six times; I told him his house was surrounded with constables and soldiers, and if he did not open the door I would break it in; the door was at last unfastened, and I pushed it open ; I entered and pushed open a door on the left, and found the six prisoners in the room; they were undressed ; there were three pieces and three pistols in the room, all loaded; there was a great quantity of clothes, and four empty knapsacks; the men put on their clothes, which were in the room; I found Ray and his wife, and three children, in another room, with a quantity of linen. Examined by the Court, on the part of the prisoner Ray.— He did not answer me that there was a lot of men in his house, and that he did not know who they were; I did not hear him answer that he was coming immediately when I rapped. Mr. Humphrey.— I took Wise and a party of constables to Ray's house this day fortnight; I entered the room to the left, and found six men in their shirts; I ordered them into the outer room, to give the constables an opportunity to search; the men were desired to put on their clothes; I had given directions to a man, named Barnard Carrol, to purchase some property; I found a draft in a stocking, which was in a hat; I found a paper also in a pocket of one of the prisoners' clothes; I got a gold watch, silver spoons, and some muslins from Carrol; I desired him to purchase any thing that might be offered to him for sale. Constable Kerbey.— I found a check for 200 dollars in a stocking, in a hat; I took it into the room and asked whose it was, and Bradbury owned it. Mr. Pitt proved the property, found at Ray's, to be the same which was then in Court. Barnard Carrol.— I purchased a quantity of things from Buckley and two others; Taylor was one, and I think Everist was the other; I gave a check on the Bank for 200 dollars, and the remainder of £60 5s. in bank notes, dollars, and rupees; I paid the money to Buckley. The prisoners Bradbury, Ray, and Jackson, spoke in their own defence.— Ray called John Bell.— I am a farmer at New Norfolk; I stopped at Ray's place one night; I saw nothing but two men, Jackson and Taylor. The Jury retired for a short time, and I returned a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners. The CHIEF .JUSTICE, in passing sentence, spoke to the prisoners at the bar nearly as follows :— "I am quite sure that no remarks of mine, if you have any reflection, are necessary to remind you of the heinousness of your crime. You were certain that, when you were arrested, but one fate awaited, you. If, however, any of you can show any circumstances that may alleviate your case, I pray you to do it speedily, else I fear it will be too late. Unless you employ the few moments that you have remaining to you in making your peace with Heaven, that opportunity, once lost, will be lost for ever. I have now to pass the sentence of the law upon you, which is, that you be taken from hence to the place whence you came, and that you there be respectively hanged by the neck and may the Lord have mercy on your souls." 1826, November 23rd: Tried & found guilty on the 20th August 1825 on a charge of Bushranging & felony, pardoned but held in Gaol on a charge of stealing a watch in the dwelling house of Josh. Brad? at the MacQuarie district the watch was found in the possession of James Rowles who has since been charged with another offence PB 1827 February 1st, Brickfields_absent from the Brickfields chain gang the greater portion of 14 days. 1827 February 21st, absconded from PB on the morning of the 19th & remained absent til the evening of the 20th, 25 lashes & chain gang 3 months. 1827 April 2nd, Chain gang, in the cook house on Saturday night contrary to orders, sentence extended in chain gang 14 days. 1827 July 24th, Absent from his hut at 7 o'clock on Saturday night one month in chain gang.