Elizabeth Brownent

341

Maureen Withey on 1st March 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 01 March 2021), September 1806, trial of ELIZABETH BROWNING (t18060917-72). ELIZABETH BROWNING, Theft > grand larceny, 17th September 1806. 479. ELIZABETH BROWNING was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 18th of August , a set of bed furniture, value 1 l. 10 s. a sheet, value 2 s. a table cloth, value 7 s. and a gown, value 8 s. and sixteen yards of linen cloth, value 5 l. 5 s. the property of George Smith . GEORGE SMITH sworn. I live in Rope-Maker street, Moorfields , I am a hot-presser . Q. Did you at any time lose any linen cloth, some bed furniture, and sheets. - A. Yes, on the 18th of August I missed it; the prisoner at the bar lived with me as a servant . Q. Had she the care of these things. - A. My wife was out of town; the prisoner had not the care of them, only the management of the linen, she had not the keys of the drawers. Q. When did she leave your service. - A. She went to Margate on the 18th of August with a child of mine, by the advice of the faculty; on that day about noon I had occasion to go up stairs for the cotton bed furniture; that led to the discovery. MARY M'LACHLAN sworn. I keep a pawnbroker's shop in Grub street; the prisoner came to my shop four times in the month of June; the first thing she brought was the bed furniture, I lent her one pound ten shillings upon it; after that she pledged a table cloth, a sheet, and a gown, in the name of Brown. ROBERT SAMUEL HUDSON sworn. I am servant to Mr. Read, pawnbroker, Red-cross street, Cripplegate; I produce a piece of linen pawned at our shop on the 31st of July, it was pawned by a woman. Q. But the face of the woman you do not recollect. - A. No. - FIELD sworn. I apprehended the prisoner, I found the duplicates in her box; I fetched the box from on board the hoy at Margate, and brought it to Mr. Smith's house; I produce the duplicates. Q.(to prosecutor) Do you know the prssoner's box. - A. Yes, the prisoner gave me the key of it, it had been in my house. (The property produced and identified by the prosecutor.) Prisoner's Defence. I went to live with Mr. Smith, in consequence of his putting away his wife; when I went into the family he had one child blind and deaf; in consequence of my taking care of the child and restoring her to health, he seemed to have a partiality for me, and he even offered some familiarities, and gave a woman every encouragement; the bed furniture and the other articles were in my own care; after I had been in the country, he told me if I would confess, and give him up the duplicates, he would not hurt me; in consequence of that I gave him the keys of my box. Q.(to prosecutor) Did you ever permit this woman to dispose of any of your property, to pawn it for and money. - A. Never; I kept the keys of my drawers myself, and when I was at work, I carried them in my jacket pocket. The prisoner called one witness, who gave her a good character. GUILTY , aged 31. Transported for Seven Years.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 1st December 2020

New South Wales Certificate of Freedom. [NRS 12208] Register of Certificate of Freedoms No; 1/1282 Name; Elizabeth Brownent When and where tried; London G D - 17 Sept 1806 Sentence; 7 years Ship and arrival year; Sydney Cove - 1807 When time expired. 17 Sept 18130 Date of Certificate; 6 Dec 1813 Description and Remarks; Native County; London Trade; Servant Age; 49 years [1764] Height; 5 ft. 4 in Complexion; Fair Hair; Brown Eyes; Hazel Additional Remarks; None