Sarah Brown

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Maureen Withey on 12th July 2021

1828 Census at Parramatta, Government Female Factory. Sarah Brown or Webb, age 30, C. Providence, 1822. Sentence 7 years, and Life Colonial, Catholic. Dated Oct 29, 1828.

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Maureen Withey on 12th July 2021

Police Report. Sydney. Wednesday. Sarah Webb, alias Brown, and James Siddons, were brought before the Bench, the former for being a runaway, and the latter for being found drunk in her company. It appeared in evidence, that Sarah was an old offender, and well conversant in the wicked ways, of this world, for she had been sentenced, with her husband, to be executed for stealing in a dwelling-house, and putting the inmates in bodily fear. The sentence or the law was put in force against Sarah's husband, while she was respited, but sentenced to hard labour in the factory. The conduct of this female was of the most hardened description, as she declared she would adopt any scheme to effect her escape. She had been in the bush about five months, and occasionally committed depredations in male attire. Sentenced 3 years to the 3.d class in the factory, and to have her head shaved. The Sydney Gazette, 4 Jan 1828.

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Maureen Withey on 12th July 2021

This day, William Webb, per ship Mangles, and Sarah Webb, per ship *Northampton, were charged before Charles Throsby, Esq. sen. and Mr. Throsby, jun. with entering the dwelling house of Mr. James Foster, and stealing therefrom sundry articles, the property of Robert Cotterell and his wife. It appeared the woman Webb was dressed in man's apparel, and pointed a musket into the house where Rebekah Cotterell was alone ; but, through the vigilance of Mr. Bowman, and two of the Aborigines of this colony, they were traced through a very difficult and rocky country and apprehended with the property that had been stolen from the farm of Mr. Foster in their possession. Both were fully committed to take their trial before the Supreme Criminal Court at Sydney. The Australian, 15 Apr 1826. * Note: Newspaper report says Sarah arrived on Northampton (1814) I think this is a mistake. ------------------------------------------------------- Supreme Criminal Court. THURSDAY, JULY 13. William Webb, and Sarah Webb, his wife, were capitally indicted for a robbery in the home of Robert Cotterel, and therein putting in bodily fear Rebecca Cotterel, at Argyle, on the 26th of March last. The ATTORNEY GENERAL stated the case for the prosecution. Rebecca Cotterel deposed, that she is wife to one Robert Cotterel, living at Argyle; that, on the 25th of March last, the two prisoners, whom she knew, they having been at her house about a fortnight before, came (the female prisoner on this occasion, being dressed in mens clothing) during the absence of her husband from home, and asked for some provisions, which they gave them, and they went away; that shortly after, they returned, and the man asked her "if she did not say she knew them?" Witness replied that " she did not," when he said, "you did say so," adding, that "if she had not said she knew them, they would not have taken any thing but the provisions; he then proceeded to rifle the house of a considerable quantity of wearing apparel, and other property, which he handed through the window to the woman, who stood outside with a musquet in her hand, and who frequently threatened witness, telling her "to be still." Mr. William Bowman deposed, that he is a settler residing in Argyle; that on the 25th of March, he was returning from the interior, and passing by Cotterel's residence, together with his servant, a man came out of the house, saying that, they had been robbed by two bushrangers, one of whom was a woman dressed in man's clothes, and requesting that he would render some assistance in seeking to apprehend them, as they had not been long gone; witness asked why they had not applied for assistance when his cart, conducted by some natives, had passed by some time before; the man said they had done so, but that the natives would not stop; witness sent his servant after the cart, and having obtained two of the natives, they traced the prisoners by their footsteps for nearly three miles, and, after fording a stream, discovered them in a glen at the other side, concealed amongst the high reeds; they had a musquet with them and a quantity of property, which was identified by Cotterel. The male prisoner did not deny having committed the robbery, and observed, that "only Mrs.Cotterel said she knew them, they would not have taken any thing but the provisions, but, as she did, he thought he might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb." The prisoners being called upon for their defence, the man stated that his wife acted entirely under his control, and begged the Court, on that account, to extend mercy to her. The female prisoner pleaded that she was obliged to act as she had done, by her husband. His Honor summed up the evidence, observing, it was so clear and conclusive, that it was impossible lo entertain a doubt but the prisoners were guilty. If, from the circumstances of the case, the Jury could collect anything by which they could suppose that the woman acted under the coercion of her husband, they would so state it in their verdict; if, on the contrary, they saw nothing in the evidence before them to warrant that conclusion, then they had no occasion for such special finding. - Guilty. His Honor then addressed the prisoners on the heinousness of the crime of which they had been convicted. With regard to the female prisoner, he would not pledge himself to make any specific recommendation in her favour, but he would lay the circumstances of her case before the proper authority. It only remained for him to pass the sentence of the law. Sentence of Death was then passed upon the prisoners, at hearing which the unfortunate woman, who did not seem to anticipate such a result, dropped upon the floor, and was carried shrieking out of Court; and, for sometime after her removal, her cries resounded throughout the building. Sydney Gazette, 15 July 1826. -------------------------------------------------- William escaped from captivity, but was later caught, and eventually sentenced to death and hanged. --------------------------------------------------- EXECUTION.—William Ward, Thomas Power, John Curry and William Webb suffered death at the usual place of execution, on Monday morning last. The awful sentence had been passed upon the two former for stealing from the dwelling-house of a person named Michael Foley living at Bringelly, on the previous Monday Curry was convicted of a highway robbery and Webb of house robbery, both heard their awful doom pronounced on the Wednesday preceeding. …. …. Ward and Curry, two Englishmen, fastened a handkerchief round each other's wrists. Power and Webb held one between them; they shook hands together with the hangman, and as they exclaimed "Lord Jesus deliver us", the drop was let fall, and a few moments after put a period to their sufferings. Ward, Curry, and Power were young men; Webb was an elderly man; he was married, and a parent. Round his neck was attached a locket, containing a portion of his wife's hair. The Australian, 23 May 1827.

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Iris Dunne on 27th June 2020

Indents: aged 23, convicted 9 January 1821 in Surrey 18 June 1823, Letter Re: her escape from the House of Correction 27 September 1823, Runaway Sentenced by the Bench of Magistrates to Port Macquarie 1 October 1823, Sydney Gaol "absenting frequently from the Factory" 11 March 1825, Permission to marry at Parramatta, William Webbs (aged 26, Convict from ship Mangles)