Jeremiah Bryan

221

D Wong on 11th April 2020

Jeremiah Bryan was listed as 36 years old on arrival. He was 5'5½" tall, dark pale and pockpitted complexion, dark brown hair, hazel eyes. Colonial Secretary Index: BRYAN, Jeremiah. Per "Canada", 1819 1825 Jun 3: Convict servant of Arthur Hill. To be victualled from the Stores for six months (Reel 6014; 4/3514 p.446)

341

Maureen Withey on 10th April 2020

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 10 April 2020), September 1818, trial of JEREMIAH BRYAN (t18180909-59). JEREMIAH BRYAN, Royal Offences > coining offences, 9th September 1818. 1120. JEREMIAH BRYAN was indicted, for that he on the 25th of July , at St. James, Clerkenwell, feloniously did dispose of and put away, a certain forged and counterfeit bank note (setting it forth, 62,107, 1l. March 6,1818, signed A.Consett), with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , he knowing it to be forged and counterfeited . SECOND COUNT, for feloniously offering to Robert Curtis a like forged bank note, with the like intent, he knowing it to be forged. THIRD AND FOURTH COUNTS, the same, only calling the forged instrument a promissory note for payment of money, instead of a bank note. FOUR OTHER COUNTS, the same, only stating the prisoner's intent to be to defraud the said Robert Curtis . ROBERT CURTIS . I am a butcher , and live in Old Gravel-lane, Middlesex . On Saturday evening, the 25th of July, about eleven o'clock, the prisoner came to my shop, and bought a shoulder of lamb, which came to 3s. 1d. He tendered me a 1l. bank note, I asked him his name and address, he said, "John Sergeant, 15, Ratcliff-highway." I told him I supposed it was a bad one, and questioned him farther where No. 15, Ratcliff-high way was; he then said he lived up a little street, near the Black Dog, public-house, but the name of the street he did not know, as he had not been there long. I asked him where he took the note? he said he took it of a gentleman on Tower-hill, for work; and that he had worked very hard for it. I rubbed the word London, and told him again I thought it a bad note; he told me not to deface it, but to give it him again. I told him I did not think it prudent to return it to him, as it was bad. I sent my boy for an officer. I took him myself to the watch-house. Q. Did he attempt to run away - A. No; he went out of the shop, but did not attempt to go away - He knew I had sent for an officer. I was near enough to prevent it,if he had attempted. I left him at the watch-house. As I returned I met Jackson, the officer, and returned with him to the watch-house, and put my name on the note. I had kept it in my pocket all the while. I then told him I should send an officer to see if it was his right address; he then said I had bullied him at the shop, and therefore he was terrified, and that his name was Jeremiah Bryan, and that he lived at No. I, Little Prescott-street. He said he had found the note on Tower-hill, about thirty or forty yards from the pump (looking at the note), this is it; the prisoner put his mark on it, and I and Jackson signed it. Jackson told the prisoner he had better mark it. Prisoner. Q. Did I not stop in your shop twenty minutes and outside, when you sent for the watchman - A. I sent to a person at the top of Old Gravel-lane, to come and see if he knew the prisoner - He came, and said he did not know him. I do not know whether the prisoner was outside or not. COURT. Q. From the time you intimated to him that you thought it bad, was you near enough to see him if he ran away - A. I think I was. He told me I had better go to his address; I thought proper to go to the watch-house first. He offered to go any where with me. I never parted with the note till I had marked it. Q. At the time he gave you the address had you told him you suspected it was bad - A. No. I had said nothing to intimidate him before he gave me his address. FRANCIS JACKSON . I am constable of St. George's in the East, the prisoner was brought to the watch-house. I saw Curtis sign the note, and requested the prisoner to mark it-(looking at it)-this is it. I asked the prisoner where he took it? he said he took it of a gentleman on Tower-hill for work. I asked him what part of Tower-hill the gentleman lived at? He gave me no answer. I asked him the gentleman's name? he said he did not know it, and then told me he did not get it of a gentleman, but found it on Tower-hill. I asked him why he said he received it of a gentleman if he found it? he said he thought it better to say he worked for it than that he found it. I took it to the Bank Inspector. CHARLES CHRISTMAS. I am a bank note inspector. I look at the note-it is forged both in paper, plate, ink, and signature. It is not Consett's signing. ALEXANDER CONSETT. I am a signing clerk of the Bank. The note is note signed by me. (The note put in and read.) Prisoner's Defence. I found it on Tower-hill on the 25th of July, as I returned from work. Not being a scholar, I did not know the amount, but thought it was a note, and took it to Curtis, who said it was forged, and that I had been there before with forged note. I was confused at the charge, but did not attempt to run away. ROBERT CURTIS . I did not tell him I thought he had been to my shop before. FRANCIS JACKSON . I searched his lodging on Monday. His wife had been to him on Sunday, but returned. They were at No. 1, Woolmer's place, Little Prescott-street. He told me he lived at No. 1, Little Prescott-street. I tried to find them out on the Sunday, but could not hear of any such persons there. GUILTY . DEATH . Aged 35. First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Bayley. ------------------------------------------------- Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Jeremiah Bryan, alias Brien O’ Brien, age on arrival, 36, per Canada (5) 1819, Tried at Middlesex Gaol Delivery,, 1818, sentence Life, Native of Cork, trade – Labourer. DOB. 1783.