Thomas Brown

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Maureen Withey on 10th January 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 10 January 2023), April 1803, trial of THOMAS WATKINS THOMAS BROWN EDWARD OSWELL (t18030420-106). THOMAS WATKINS, THOMAS BROWN, EDWARD OSWELL, Theft > grand larceny, 20th April 1803. 420. THOMAS WATKINS , THOMAS BROWN , and EDWARD OSWELL , were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 2d of April , one roll of carpeting, value 30s. the property of George Osborn . GEORGE OSBORN sworn. - I can only swear to the property. SARAH BURGEN sworn. - I am the wife of George Burgen : I was coming from dinner about three o'clock of the day, and about twenty yards off Mr. Osborn's shop, I heard the prisoner Watkins say, d - n your eyes, come along; I immediately turned my head, he was speaking to Brown, and Brown took up the carpet right before him, and brought it away, the carpeting was standing against their own door upon a mahogany table; Brown came away with it, and they turned the corner; I immediately made an alarm to Mrs. Osborn, and the shopman directly went after them, and took them. JAMES NELSON sworn. - I am shopman to Mr. Osborn, No. 135, Tottenham Court-road; he keeps two shops nearly opposite each other: On the 2d ofApril, about three o'clock, my mistress asked me to take down a half rester bedstead which stood on the opposite side of my shop, at the same time an alarm was given by Mrs. Burgen, that two men had taken a roll of carpeting; I pursued them round the New Road; they turned the corner; I took Oswell, the lad, with it on his shoulder; I asked him how he came by it; he said a man had hired him to carry it, and told him he would give him six-pence; whilst I was asking him that, up comes Brown, and he asked me what was the matter; I caught hold of him by the collar, and told him he was a party concerned, and he should not go neither; the carpet was then thrown down in the dirt; by some means Brown got from me, and ran down a passage; there was no thoroughfare, and he could not get out; a young man came up, of the name of Cheese; I said run down there, and he took him; a gentleman on horseback came up, and said, is there any body else; I told him there was a man gone forward with a brown coat, he went and fetched him back; we then took them into custody, and Mr. Tomlins, the constable, took them to the watch-house. WILLIAM CHEESE sworn. - I ran up the court, and caught the prisoner walking down the passage. WILLIAM TOMLINS sworn. - On Saturday the 2d of April, I was constable; this carpeting, and the three men were brought to me to take charge of them; this is the same carpeting; I have had it in my possession ever since. Prosecutor. This is my property; it was partly sold to a lady at Kentish-town. Prisoner Brown's defence. I am a tailor by trade; I was coming from Kentish-town, and a man stopped me, very much in liquor, and asked me the way to St. Giles's; I am entirely innocent. Prisoner Watkins's defence. I know nothing about it. Prisoner Oswell's defence. I was walking along the King's-road, and this man gave me the carpet to carry, and he gave me six-pence. Thomas Watkins , GUILTY , aged 40. Thomas Brown , GUILTY , aged 26. Edward Oswell , GUILTY , aged 12. Transported for seven years . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant. --------------------------------------------------- Hulk Reports at Portsmouth. HO-9-8-2 Received 84 (convicts) from Newgate, 12 May 1803. Thomas Brown, age 21, Felony, Tried at Middlesex, 20 Apr 1803, Sentence: B.S. 7 - Coromandel.

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Maureen Withey on 16th July 2020

Married Mary Smith per Tellicherry 1806. -------------------------------------------------- 1828 census. At Windsor. Thomas Brown, age 45, F.S. per Coromandel 1804, 7 years, protestant. Ann Brown, 56, F.S. per Tellicherry, 1806, 7 years, protestant.