Henry Chambers

71

Robin Sharkey on 1st May 2016

* Henry was only a short man - 5ft 2 & 3/4 inches - ruddy complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyes according to description in Conditional Pardon of 1842. 1832 Ticket of Leave Number: 32/0983 Year: 1832; Allowed to remain in the District of Emu Plains; Native Place: Sussex, Trade or Calling: Brickmaker; Source Reference: SRNSW 4/4085; Reel 918. [Biog Item No. 120117460] Parramatta Jail in 1837 - 1839 records. AGE 45 (so it’s 1837) native place: Sussex Year of Birth: 1792; Height 5ft 3&1/2, Stout build, fresh complexion, Hair brown and grey. Eyes Hazel Connections and History: Transported from London Parramatta Jail in 29 January 1838 Admitted January 29th at Parramatta for remand. Native place: Sussex, Protestant, trade - Butcher(!) Disposed to Police Office: February 3rd 1838 Finally in 1842 he got a Conditional Pardon. Register no 11, pages 229 & 230. *Now 50 years old, spent more than half his life as a convict. At this point listed as a brickmaker. His native place was recorded as Sussex. * 5ft 2 & 3/4 inches - ruddy complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyes. * Names written underneath were of the NSW gentility who recommended him: Charles Forbes, P.M. Sydney Cotton, P.M. (arrived in the 1820’s as a lieutenant in the 3rd Regiment, transferred to 28th Regiment, in 1840 appointed as a magistrate and to act as Police Magistrate at the Female factory and in 1842 left NSW with his regiment for India). John Armistead. Solicitor. 1839 appointed Coroner for Parramatta 1852 - Parramatta Jail in 1852 Slight build, sallow complexion, grey hair and hazel eyes. No general remarks. Connections and History: London Protestant Brickmaker FS R&W UNCLEAR IF THIS IS THE “Somersetshire” Henry Chambers: * Henry Chambers a Lunatic admitted 9 Sept 1856 at Newcastle, 21 days in default of bail. sent to Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum Sept 21st. * Henry Chambers - “insane” NO OTHER DETAILS RECORDED. Tarban Creek record, 24 Sept 1856: * Henry Chambers aged 56. Public. Admitted by G G Warrant 24 Sept 1856 * Nature of insanity: Paroxysmal Mania with Epilepsia * Discharged on 24th Janaury 1857 as “cured”, authority under G G Warrant PROBABLE DEATH: 1868 Death at Parramatta of Henry Chambers “age 77 Years” Therefore born in 1791, so this is probably him.

71

Robin Sharkey on 1st May 2016

NEXT COLONIAL MISDEMEANOURS 1st February 1819 - Sent to Newcastle on “Lady Nelson”. On the list he was convicted by thE Governor on 30th January 1819 and sentenced to two years’ transportation. He was a labourer. * February 1821 - sentence up in Newcastle. * But only two months later was sent back to Newcastle: 16th April 1821 Sent to Newcastle on “Elizabeth Henrietta”. Convicted by the Bench of Magistrates at Sydney on 7th April 1821. Sentenced to Newcastle for One Year. * April 1822 - due to be released from Newcastle * March 1823 - Another Colonial Conviction, was at the Emu Plains convict establishment. On return of convicts Received from the Establishment at EMU PLAINS in March 1823 and sent to Mr William Cox’s Clearing Party * But he ran from Emu Plains: Sydney Gazette 23 Oct 1823 page “Henry Chambers Somersetshire, 31, by trade a Brickmaker. 1825 - Still a convict, he Is in the Carters Barracks. Now aged about 32 years. On return of men and boys belonging to Carters Barracks who have been exempted from the Treadwheel by the Acting Engineer. He is listed as being on Harris’ Gang, as are all the others exempted from the treadwheel. * 1826 - Ticket of Leave: Sydney Gazette 8th April 1826 page 3: TICKETS OF LEAVE John WIlliams, Somersetshire, Henry Chambers, Somersetshire. * August 1826 - Loses his ticket of Leave, and in Jail, and sentenced to the Hulk Parramatta Jail 12 August 1826 Committed at General Sessions, Sydney. Crime: “Attempt at Felony” Deprived of his Ticket of Leave. P.S. {Penal Servitide] 12 months. Discharged 20th December to the Hulk Sydney Gazette, Wed 16 August 1826 page 3: Police Reports “Henry Chambers, prisoner for life, holding a ticket of leave, who had been detected coming out of the door of a butcher s shop, in George-street, between the hours of 6 and 7 the preceding night. The prisoner it appeared had contrived to remove a shoulder of mutton from the hook it was hanging on in the shop, and had also taken a loin and a rump of beef, and a fore quarter of mutton from the shop, and had removed them near to the door, where they were found. Sentenced, to have his ticket of leave cancelled, and to a penal settlement for 12 months.” * 1827 - on the Hulk in Sydney Harbour. ?? * 1828 Census - NOT LISTED

71

Robin Sharkey on 1st May 2016

LIFE IN NSW: “Indefatigable” Indent - Listed as convicted at London Gaol Delivery, 27 October 1813, given Life. Arrived in NSW on 15th April 1815 (departed England in Winter 1814) 1814 Settler muster records him as being at Government Labour 1816 Muster - Government Labour Sydney 1817 -1821 Musters - Government Labour February 1816 - Was forwarded to Windsor for distribution (On list of convicts forwarded there) and assigned to Rev Henry Fulton at Castlereagh (together with another convict on the list) [Per Letter from Wm Cox dated 24th February 1814 at “Clarendon” to Sec John Thomas Campbell listing the persons to whom the “ten convicts last sent” were assigned]. Henry Chambers was the only one from “Spmersetshire” STOWING AWAY, NOVEMBER 1817 Henry stowed way on the “Harriet” departing NSW in late november 1817. He was one of sixteen men and five women on that ship who got as far as the Cape of Good Hope. They had stowed aboard a month before the ship departed. They were discovered and returned from the Cape at southern Africa to NSW. On arrival they were each sentenced to 100 lashes. The “Neptune” bringing 170 convicts from England to NSW and stopping in at the Cape, had these sixteen men loaded on board, with alterations made to the prison to accommodate them, returning them from the Cape to NSW. The Neptune’s Surgeon Reid recorded in his diary that the absconders “ … had contrived to secrete themselves in the hold of the Harriet where they lay concealed for more than a month before they were discovered; having subsisted that time on some 'miserable matter' they had brought away with them and on a small store belonging to the owner to which they had penetrated privately. In this wretched state they continued in a horrible and disgusting condition, so that they were of an appearance extremely forbidding when brought on board”. From Surgeon Reid’s Diary: “March 11th, When they were all on board, I had their hair cut off and ordered them each to be washed in the bathing tub. After this very needful operation, they each received, according to the Governor’s [of Cape of Good Hope] order, two suits of clothing and the ragas in which they came were thrown into the sea.” Surgeon Reid was a prison reformer and treated them humanely but kept them apart from the original convicts loaded on board in England by keeping them locked up in the prison that had been altered to accommodate them. They could take exercise on deck when the other prisoners weren’t there, and had religious books, and no wine allowance. Reid granted the other prisoners’ request to be able to share their wine with the sixteen. Sydney Gazette - 6th December 1817 - Henry first appeared on a list of Servants and Labourers who had absented themselves from their employment, with constables and others urged to apprehend them and lodge them in safe custody. Sydney Gazette 9 May 1818 “From Captain Carns, Commander of the ship Neptune, we learn, that he left the ship Harriet, in which Mr. Alexander Riley left the Colony, at the Cape ; from whom he has brought 15 [sic] male prisoners who had secreted themselves on board the Harriet. Five women were also concealed on board, who are not returned.” Sydney Gazette 16 May 1818 “ The male prisoners who had effected their escape from hence in the Harriet, and returned by the Neptune from the Cape, were this day brought before a Bench of Magistrates, and sentenced to receive one hundred lashes each, and worked in the gaol gang for 12 calendar months. The following is a list of the prisoners' names: Henry Chambers, John Druet, Benjamin Oliver, John Cochrane, Robert Plummer, John Skelton, Patrick Lowry, Nathaniel Ewer, Henry Moore, William Hobady, John Latham, James Quinn, Benjamin Little, Wm. Chapman, Thomas Edwards, and Moses Solomon, a boy. “ It appeared from a written statement transmitted from the Cape of Good Hope, that the delinquents had not made their appearance for a considerable time after the vessel's departure from hence, although it was known by some of the crew they were on board ; and, but for timely information being given to the Commander, the consequences might have been very serious, as it was then represented to have been their intention to take the vessel, after the cargo had been received on board at the Cape, and carry her into South America; in which design they would very probably have been aided by seamen and other persons on board; with which assistance they could scarcely have failed in accomplishing their purpose. The result of this discovery was, that the troops, in concert with the passengers, were compelled constantly to keep the deck till they reached the Cape. “ The Neptune arrived in Port Jackson on the morning 5th May 1818. The 16 were disembarked a few days after the other convicts on board. The original convicts wrote a letter regarding their sentiments about the voyage which they delivered to Surgeon Reid. who write:“This letter was communicated previous to the landing of the sixteen deserters, who signed it in common with their fellow other prisoners.”

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Robin Sharkey on 1st May 2016

Henry Chambers was a hardened thief, though only a young man, operating in London over a number of years with a gang of thieves, notorious and well known to the constables. Transportation to NSW on "Somersetshire" only saw Henry degenerate into a life of regular trouble with the authorities. He was lashed for escaping on a departing ship, sentenced for colonial misdemeanours, held a ticket of leave for only short periods between being re-sentenced and did not get a Conditional Pardon until 1842, after almost 30 years as a convict! He did not appear to have a relationship, spending all his twenties and thirties in or out of various punishments. From Old Bailey evidence in his last trial, he had a mother. From NSW documents (Ticket of Leave in 1826) his native place was Sussex. He later in life had the trade of brick maker (probably learned during his colonial sentences). His London Gang had a modus operandi of hustling others to rob their pockets and take their watch chains and seals. They surrounded their victim in an isolated spot, roughed him up and rifled his pockets. They attended events such as prize fights where there would be crowds. See ‘Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal’ on Friday 20 November 1812, page 2. The gang included James Bainbridge, who was transported several months after Henry Chambers, departing on “Indefatigable” in mid 1814, for a different offence. Bainbridge’s wife, Jemima Bowers, got herself transported for a crime with her friend Mary Fitzgerald, shortly after James Bainbridge left England. These two women were also likely to have been part of the gang since women were referred to in newspaper reports as assisting the gang. Another of the gang members was James Hamilton, alias Fitzgerald, who may therefore have been a relative of Mary Fitzgerald’s. Henry Chambers had been before the Old Bailey on at least two prior occasions (these being written up in the “Proceedings” ) and his activities had been described in newspapers. It was only a matter of time until he was found guilty of one of his street crimes. His reported age in NSW was always consistent with his being 21 when tried in October 1814, so that he was only about 17 when he first came before the Old Bailey in 1810. (1) Pickpocketing Old Bailey Trial 21 Feb 1810 Henry and another boy pulled a handkerchief out of the pocket of a man between 9 and 10 in the night while he was showing his servant how to shut up his windows. Henry look back and the threw the handkerchief from him, and the owner picked it up followed Henry and seized him. Henry’s defence: “I was going down Holborn about half past nine o'clock; some young man ran against me, the prosecutor picked up something, I could not tell what it was, he immediately challenged me with picking his pocket.” He called two witnesses who gave him a good character and he was found not guilty. (2) 16 Nov 1812 - taken in Old Compton Street, crime not reported on but probably ice pocketing, when operating with the gang, which included a woman. (see next para) (3) November 1812 - extensive report of the gang’s activities in the ‘Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal’ on Friday 20 November 1812, page 2. A gang of at least eight people was identified, and it was reported that all the persons recently robbed had been required to attend Hatton Garden police office and identify the men. The newspaper article went on to detail each street robbery recently committed. From this article, the gang included the “well-known James Bainbridge, and James Hamilton, alias Fitzgerald, alias “Young Snuff” as well as Henry Chambers. Their method was hustling others to rob their pockets and take their watch chains and seals. They surrounded their victim in an isolated spot, roughed him up and rifled his pockets. They attended events such as a prize fight at Piccadilly and picked pockets of the spectators. Other gang members included George Ross, a man named Nightingale (Josiah) and one Williams. Several gang members were reportedly often taken into custody charged with being “a reputed thief”. (4) Assault, with James Bainbridge Trial 14 July 1813 Highway robbery on 19th May WITH James Bainbridge - together the men robbed a drunken servant in a passage just below the White Horse Inn in Clare Market. The servant had fallen asleep in the White Horse, supposed to be delivering a letter for his mistress, and was robbed by Bainbridge and Chambers of six one-pound notes when he was in the passage outside, drunk. Chambers and Bainbridge were both acquitted probably because the victim said he couldn’t tell which one had robbed him. (5) Pickpocketing & transportation, Old Bailey Trial 27 October 1813 Stealing on 18th September 1813, a gold chain and three gold seals from the person of William Burdon. Burdon was an attorney and was probably not going to let the matter go. When he entered a narrow passage leading into Fleet Street he was “ surrounded by three or four men; I was hustled by them in a violent manner; one of them was particularly active, both at any job and my coat pocket; I was afraid to call for assistance, knowing that these fellows have always sharp weapons about them” The Police constable’s evidence was that: “ … when Mr. Burdon came about half way under the arch-way one shoved him behind; they began to shove him from one to another; I kept my eye upon the prisoner, and in the hustle I saw him lay hold of the gentleman's chain with his right hand; I saw him double it up together, and put it in his right hand breeches pocket, then directly there was a word spoke, they let Mr. Burdon pass down the court, and they went away.” Burdon said he saw from lamplight that one man was short and had able coat on.. This was Henry Chambers (only 5ft 3). Another constable knew Chambers hung out with his gang at the Golden Key inn and that’s where he went and found him, with 7 or 8 “of them”. There was something of a struggle but Henry was taken there. He was found Guilty, aged 21, and sentenced to transportation for life: “ Prisoner's Defence. Carlisle knows nothing of me. Matthews came into the Key and pointed me out; my having a blue coat on, he told this man to swear to me; and by, a false promise of Mr. Bardon to my mother; he told her he thought I was innocent, and he would have nothing to do in it. I have got nobody to speak for me.” (online reports of Old Bailey Trials)