Edward Lawrence Collman

110

Ron Garbutt on 18th October 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 18 October 2022), February 1819, trial of EDWARD LAWRENCE COLLMAN (t18190217-114). EDWARD LAWRENCE COLLMAN, Theft > embezzlement, 17th February 1819. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18190217-114 427. EDWARD LAWRENCE COLLMAN was indicted for embezzling the sum of 4 l. 4 s. 6 d., which he had received on account of Thomas Lewis and Charles Lewis , his masters . CHARLES LEWIS . I am a dyer, in partnership with Thomas Lewis ; we live in Oxendon-street - the prisoner was our servant about seven months. He was entrusted to receive money for us, and ought to have delivered it every evening to William Rutland - he absconded in September. M. A. Peach was a customer of ours - he never paid me 4 l. 4 s. 6 d. for her. MARY ANN PEACH . I paid the prisoner 5 l. 11 s. 6 d. on account of his masters, on the 19th of May; I gave him a 5 l. note, and the rest in silver. I produce the receipt, which I saw him write (read). WILLIAM RUTLAND . I am the prosecutor's clerk. Miss Peach owed 5 l. 14 s. On the 16th of June the prisoner paid me 1 l. 7 s. in part, he said he had received it on account - he never paid me any more. Prisoner's Defence. I thought I should be able to make the money up. GUILTY . Aged 29. Transported for Fourteen Years . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Common Sergeant.

221

D Wong on 28th October 2012

Edward was 29 years old when he stole £4.4.6d from Messres Lewis & Co., Dyemakers of Oxendon St, London. He was the principal collection clerk. 1812: Edward was a purser in the navy. 1815: Married Ann Collins in London, they had 2 sons, John in 1817 who died 6 months later, and Charles born Aug. 1818. Edward applied to have his wife and son sent to him in Australia. Three weeks before Ann arrived per Providence in 1822 Edward received a letter from Ann's mother stating that Ann had been having a relationship with a man named Cook and that the girl child was his. If this man was still living, she doubted that Ann would have come out to Australia. 1822: Edward was sentenced to 3 years at Port Macquarie for absenting himself from his work as Clerk of the Sydney Barracks. Ann formed a few relationships, one with William Hooper shortly after her arrival, and then in Nov. 1822 with a James Saunders. Meanwhile Edward, finding it distressing to be in Sydney, hearing from others about his wife, volunteered to the Colonial Secretary to work in any capacity as long as it was remote from Sydney. He was sent to Port Macqauarie on the Lady Nelson on 20/1/1823 for 3 years. Edward wrote to the Colonial Secretary, and had his son Charles taken away from Ann and put in in the Orphan School. In 1826 Charles was sent to the orphanage for 1 year. 1828: Edward was in Inverary Park, Argyle. He was appointed as clerk to the bench at Goulburn. 11/12/1828: Edward Collman and James Baker walked a distance of nearly 300 miles taking the census around for a period of 6 weeks. 1828: Edward was admitted to the ben of magistrates at Inverary, and still held this position in Nov 1831. 9/7/1831: TOL Aug 1832: Edward was appointed to the Post Office as deputy postmaster at Inverary. 5/5/1842: Edward died and was buried on 7/5/1842 in the parish of St. Laurence, Sydney. He was living at the Benevolent Asylum at the time of his death. He was 55.