Hannah Collis

135

C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online HANNAH COLLIS. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 14th August 1837. Text type Trial account Defendants HANNAH COLLIS Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 14th August 1837 Reference Number t18370814-1897 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1897. HANNAH COLLIS was indicted for stealing, on the 31st of July, 1 gown, value 6s., the goods of Thomas Langley. ELIZABETH LANGLEY . I am the wife of Thomas Langley, a smith, living in Little Marylebone-street. On Monday, the 31st of July, I missed a gown and handkerchief from my room—they were safe on the Saturday night—the prisoner is a stranger. GEORGE SPELLER . I am shopman to Mr. Walter, a pawnbroker, in High-street. On the 31st of July, a gown was brought between eight and nine o'clock, by the prisoner, who asked 4s. on it—I offered her 3s.—she would not take it, and took the gown away—I noticed it, and could swear to it by stains under the arm—this is it—(looking at it)—Mrs. Langley called shortly after, and left a pattern of her gown, and about one o'clock the prisoner came to the shop again, and offered another gown—I told her she had offered me one that morning—she said she had—I asked if she had pawned it—she said yes, for 4s.—I asked her where—she said that was no business of mine, and I gave her in charge. GEORGE GRAVES BROOKS . I am the son of Mr. Brooks, pawnbroker, in Bulstrode-street. On Monday morning, the 31st of July, a gown was pawned for 4s., in the name of Ann Stevenson—I believe the prisoner is the person, but I cannot swear positively. (Property produced and sworn to.) PAUL JONES (police-constable D 37.) On Monday, the 31st of July, I went to Mr. Water's shop, in High-street, and took the prisoner into custody—she said she thought there was something, as they kept the gown back, and as I took her by Brook's shop, she said she had pawned one gown there to get another out, which had been pawned five months. Prisoner. Every word he has sworn is false—he met me in the street, took me into the shop, and took the gown from me. (The prisoner put in a written defence, stating that she met the prosecutor at a public-house in Mortimer-street, who invited her to go home with him, saying he had no wife, and they might live comfortably together—that he promised her 5s., but in the morning said he had no money, but gave her the gown, and was to meet her on the Monday night again.) MRS. LANGLEY re-examined. I never heard this before to-day—I saw the gown safe at ten o'clock on the 29th, when I came home to work—I never saw it again—my husband came home about eleven o'clock, I believe, but I cannot say what hour—I cannot say that I saw him that night, for I do not sleep at home—I am sleeping at a lady's house with a female servant—I believe myself that the prisoner slept on our stairs—we frequently have the door open at night this hot weather. THOMAS LANGLEY . I am the prosecutrix's husband—the prisoner is a stranger to me—I never saw her before, to my knowledge—I had had a little drink on Saturday night, the 29th of July, but not to do me any in jury—I slept at home that night, and alone, to the best of my knowledge—I slept alone all the week—I used to leave the door open to let the air into the room—I am quite certain I did not give the gown to the prisoner—I was at two public-houses on the Saturday evening—one at the corner of Titchfield-street—my wife has been sleeping from home about three weeks, nursing a lady—I did not meet any one, and say I would take them home, and make them comfortable—nor give any body any gin, nor any thing else. Prisoner. He knows he gave me the gown at half-past four o'clock in the morning—I was there all night. Witness. I never saw you in the house at all. Prisoner. It is very strange I should know that he lives up three or four pair of stairs—he made a mistake in the room, and they told him he had not come high enough—he told me to hold my noise, as he would not have any body to know I was in the house—I said, "Why did you bring me here then?"—he said he had lost his wife seven months, and he was a miserable man, for his room was all at sixes and sevens for want of a partner to look after his place—I should not have gone into his house if I had not been taken there. Witness. I do live up three pairs of stairs, and made a mistake in the door—I am quite certain I did not take her home with me, and never saw her in the house—she must have got access at the time I went up, or before—I did not bum a light—I had not a halfpenny in the world—the gown must have been taken when I was in bed—I went home about eleven o'clock, I believe—it was not so late as one—I certainly was at the public-house at the corner of Mortimer-street. Prisoner. It was twelve o'clock when we left Mortimer-street—the young man at the house said it was time I was at home, and he said, "Gents., you must all move out, I must fasten the house up"—he told me he had not got a wife, and at the station-house they would not let me speak a word, and I was not allowed to say a word before the Magistrate. Witness. I was inside the office when the prisoner and another woman were brought in twice, but I was not called on. PAUL JONES re-examined. The husband did not appear before the Magistrate the first time—he was never examined—he might be outside. MRS. LANGLEY re-examined. My husband was present at the office, and I stepped up to the prisoner, and said, "How came you to go into my room?"—she said, "I never saw you before, and never was in your room"—my husband was there, and she looked round and said, "I am sure there is nobody here who knows me"—she said she knew nothing of the gown nor me. THOMAS LANGLEY re-examined. I was at a public-house in Margaret street—after leaving Mortimer-street, I walked home alone—my house is half a mile from Margaret-street—it might be between eleven and twelve o'clock when I got home—I do not recollect the people being put out of the public-house in Mortimer-street—I was drinking with two shopmates, nobody else—I did not speak to the prisoner before the Magistrate—I was very near her—there were six or seven people in the room altogether—she could see me—she never alluded to me at all. Prisoner. Q. Did not you give me lemon and water to drink, which you called lemonade, in the night? Witness. A. No, I did not—I never saw you in the morning—I had drink given me by people who I knew, named Barry, Franklin, and Johnson—I began to drink about eight o'clock—I did not sit down in any house—I stood talking to my friends—I did not sit down from seven o'clock till eleven—I went no where else—I might have had a pot of beer and a couple of glasses of spirits, or very likely three—I had nothing to eat—I had no work at the time—I had only come out of the hospital that week with a bad leg—we have a key of the street-door, but it is often left ajar—I have found it so often when I came home—the gown laid just facing the door of the room—the door was about a third open in the morning, as I had left it at night. MRS. LANGLEY re-examined. There was no lemonade in the room—I came home and made the bed on Sunday mornings—I do not believe two persons had slept in it—there were two pillows, and only one had been laid down on. Prisoner. He took the pillow up and shook it, that you should know nothing about it. GUILTY .* Aged 47.— Transported for Seven Years.

108

Nell Murphy on 22nd April 2019

Hannah COLLIS was convicted at the Central Criminal Court, London on 14 Aug 1837 for Larceny - stealing a gown. The prisoner gave a defence that it was a misunderstanding and that the gown had been given to her. Previous conviction for vagrancy and time already spent at a Female House of Correction. 7 yr transportation sentence. Sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) per the ship "Atwick" arriving there 24 Jan 1838. Married woman - husband John STEPHENSON (She stated he had left her 10 yrs ago). Aged 47yrs; cook & needlewoman; 5' height. Native place of birth: Leatherhead Colony of VDL: Assigned to work services 23 May 1838: Drunkeness. 3 mths hard labour at the Female House of Correction. 7 Jan 1839: Drunk. 1 mth hard labour at the wash tubs at House of Correction then to be assigned in the country. Ticket of Leave granted 13 Oct 1840: Absent without leave. To be assigned in the Interior (FHofC). 4 Feb 1841: Drunk. Cells for 4 days on bread & water. 28 June 1841: Died, at the Female House of Correction. (ref. noted on her Conduct Record)

108

Nell Murphy on 18th April 2019

DEATH: 2 July 1841 Hannah COLLIS, convict, per "Atwick". Residence - Female Factory, Hobart. (ref. 34/1/2 no. 700)