Anthony Colvin

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 21st January 2025

CON31-1-7 Image 346 No; 1961. Status; Married - 3 children. Wife Sarah Offence; Receiving stolen notes & Money, Previous conviction Embezzlement 1844 - 16 February. Ticket of Leave 1847 - March. Conditional Pardon for Australian Colonies & New Zealand 1849 - Waterman at the Queen's Wharf 1852 - 9 February. Residence: Cimitiere Street, advertised boat found in the river. The Cornwall Chronicle. Sat 17 May 1862. Page 4 TOWN TALK AND TABLE CHAT. On Sunday Iast, the 11th instant grim death laid his hands upon ono of our oldest colonists . Most residents of Launceston knew old Anthony Colvin the boat man, who arrived in this colony in the same ship with the late Captain Moriarty, R. N. ' Tony ' was the first waterman on the Tamar. He was a true old British tar, and served under Lord Nelson in H M S.Collossus at Trafalgar.

135

C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online CHARLES CLAMP. MARGARET PHILLIPS. HANNAH JOHNSON. ANTHONY COLVIN. HARRY AUDE. Theft; pocketpicking, Theft; pocketpicking. 6th April 1835. Text type Trial account Defendants CHARLES CLAMP, MARGARET PHILLIPS, HANNAH JOHNSON, ANTHONY COLVIN, HARRY AUDE Offences Theft > Pocketpicking, Theft > Pocketpicking Session Date 6th April 1835 Reference Number t18350406-1060 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty Punishments Transportation 1060. CHARLES CLAMP, MARGARET PHILLIPS , and HANNAH JOHNSON were indicted for stealing, on the 31st of March, 2 £5 Bank-notes, the property of Thomas Jackson, from his person; and ANTHONY COLVIN and HARRY AUDE , that they feloniously did incite, move, procure, counsel, hire, and command the said prisoners to do and commit, the said felony. THOMAS JACKSON . I am a seaman. On the 28th of March, I was paid off at Portsmouth—I had been in the Magician—I came to town on the 31st of March—I had three 5l. notes when I came to town—I got off the coach at the Elephant and Castle, intending to go to Liverpool—I booked a place at the Spread Eagle, Gracechurch-street—I saw Colvin there—I do not know what he is—he shook me by the hand, and said he was an old man-of-war's-man—he said, "Now you have booked yourself, come along with me, and take a cup of tea, and a little breakfast and a sleep," as I had been on the coach all night—I said I did not want any sleep—this was at half-past seven o'clock in the morning—I had never seen him before—I agreed to go with him, but after I got about one hundred yards, I objected to go further—I told him I was going too far, and should not be back in time, that I should lose my fare, as the coach went at half-past ten o'clock—he said, "It is only just here," and that I should not lose my fare, he would be answerable for that, and he would take me back to the place where I came from—he did not say how he would take me back—I stopped in the street—he called a cab—I did not propose that—I told him, on getting into the cab, that I should not be back in time—he said he would be answerable for all that, and I sat down in the cab—as I went along, I kept saying he was going too far away, and I should not be back in time—I did not know where he was driving—he told the man to drive to his house—I objected going several times—we went to a place where he appeared to live, it was a long distance—I had some breakfast, which I gave his wife 2s. for, and she said she did not want any payment, as her husband had invited me there—I said, "You don't get things for nothing, and I don't wish to have things for nothing"—I paid 2s. for the cab, and told the cabman to stop for me while I breakfasted—but when I asked for the cab, it was gone—I wanted to go—Colvin told me to sit down, for I should be in plenty of time, he would be answerable that I should not lose my fare—they brought a pot of beer, and gave me a pipe of tobacco—I tasted a little beer and took a pipe—I said, "There is three or four outward bounders in your house, and I will give them half a gallon of beer," which I sent for—I saw Aude in the same room—it was in the back kitchen—I do not think he took any shave in the conversation in persuading me to stay—when the beer came in, a pack of cards was put on the table—Colvin said, "While we are having the beer, we may as well employ ourselves with a game of cards"—we began to play—Colvin and I were partners, and Clamp and a young man—we had two or three games, and then they bet me half a gallon of beer that Colvin and I lost—I betted that we did not—we played for 1s. at first—Colvin said, "Don't take it up, play for what is down"—we staked for 2s. each—I had lost 1s. and Colvin had put 1s. down for the other man—I put down 2s. to the 2s. which were down before—then they came to 4s.—I was sober—I lost at last 4l. 15s.—nobody else lost any thing—we played for nothing when Colvin was playing with me—I was playing with Aude only when I lost—we played at all-fours—I gave Colvin a 5l. note to go and get change—I wanted to go away after paying the money, and got in the passage to go away—Colvin's wife put her back against the door, and would not let me go out—Clamp came and took hold of me and said, "You are not going yet, you will be going and saying, you have been robbed in this house"—I said, "I call it a dead robbery, you will not let me go out of the house"—Colvin then wanted me to come inside, and sit down—I would not—Clamp struck me, and cut me in the lip, and through the persuasion of Colvin and his wife, they got me into the back kitchen, where I had been sitting before—I tried to strike Clamp in the passage, but could not reach him, Colvin and his wife being between us—I could not get out, the door was fast—Colvin said, "Sit down a bit, and I will go with you directly"—I walked about in the back place, and could not get away—I was vexed and said, would he call a cab and go with me—he said, Clamp should go with me, but I must wait till he had washed himself—in about five minutes I saw him, and he had not began to wash himself—I said, I must go—then the boarders said the dinner was ready, and I must sit down and have a bit of dinner—I could not get out—I asked twenty or thirty times to go away, but I could not—their answer was, "Sit down a bit, you will have plenty of time, do not be afraid"—I sat down and had a bit of dinner—I was almost afraid of myself being in such company—as I had had dinner, I sent for half-a-gallon of beer for the boarders—I thought I might as well be civil—I merely did it to pacify them, in order to get away—I wanted to go very bad—Clamp said he would be ready in a minute, he would go and wash himself, and take me—Colvin told me Clamp would take me to the Spread Eagle, where he had brought me from—I have been in London twice before, going home after being paid off—I said I wished he was ready—that if I had lost my fare, I might get to go for half my fare at night—he went then and washed himself—while he was getting ready, I asked for a cab—Colvin said there was none there, but Clamp would take me and show me where I could get one—Clamp took me up the street, and then said, "I must call here; come along, and then we will go"—this was in King David-lane—he went up some court, and said, "Come in here a bit, I must call here, we will not stop a bit"—I stood at the door he said, "Come in"—I went in, and sat down in a chair close to the window—he sat on the bed talking to a young man—the two female prisoners and Clamp were in that room—one of the women began to sing a song and sat down by my side—that was Phillips—I asked if she could sing the "Rambling Sailor?"—she said, "Yes"—I then asked her to sing it—she did so—I gave her two shillings and sixpence to get something to drink for themselves—she asked me what I would take to drink—I said nothing but a drop of beer—I had my elbows on the window, and fell asleep—I do not recollect her coming back at all—I awoke, and there was nobody in the house—the windows and doors were open—I felt in my pockets, and the silk handkerchief which I had in my pocket over two 5l. notes was gone and the notes also—I found the handkerchief in the room afterwards—I immediately inquired for a policeman, and was shown to the station-house—I had not been there half an hour before I saw Phillips and Johnson going past there—I told the policeman they were the girls who had been in the house—I gave them into custody. Q. Before you fell asleep, had you drank any thing in that home? A. Nothing at all—I had been up about thirty-six hours—there was a bed in the room, and Clamp asked me to lie down, and have a sleep, but I said I could not stop—I did not expect he was going to wait there a moment—I went with the policeman and took Colvin. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Why did not you go off when Clamp had ill-used you, and struck you in the house?—why not leave his company? A. I was a stranger in London—I only went where he took me to—I was not above twenty minutes with him in the street, walking from Colvin's—I was glad I had got out of the house—I was easily persuaded to go into the other house—I stood at the door, and was called in—it was against my will that I went in and stopped so long—Clamp was my convoy—the coach was to leave at half-past ten o'clock in the morning—I got into the house with Clamp at half-past five o'clock in the evening—I wanted to go by another coach—I wanted him to show me where I was to go. Q. Did not you pass by a good many policemen in your way? A. Yes—I did not think it worth while to tell them of his striking me; I forget and forgive those things—I do not mean to say I was robbed in Colvin's house—I was sober—I saw my money safe, and had it in my hand before I went into the second house—I sent for the second gallon of beer to make peace with them—I gave that against my will—I was frightened at being in such company—I saw Phillips searched at the station-house—2s. 2d. was found on her. COURT. Q. Did Aude interfere at all about Clamp's taking you to the Spread Eagle? A. No. Clamp. Q. Did not you give me a 5l. note that afternoon? A. I gave it to Colvin, to get change, and he brought me four sovereigns and two half-sovereigns—I saw no rum in the house—I changed the note before dinner—he changed a note for rum, but it was not the note I gave him. Johnson. He gave this young woman 1s. for rum, and another 1s. to fetch a pot of ale—she brought it back—he drank two glasses out of half a pint. Witness. I never did—I never saw her come back—when I awoke, they were all gone—I did not give her 2s.—I gave her half-a-crown—she sang the song before I gave her the money. COURT. Q. Did Phillips go away before you fell asleep? A. Yes—I was not robbed at that time—Clamp and Johnson remained sitting on the bed—I was asleep, I suppose, nearly an hour—I fell asleep before the liquor was brought, if any was brought—I saw none. ARCHIBALD CHAMBERLAIN (police-constable K 203.) I was at the King David-lane station-house between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, when Jackson came there, and directly afterwards Phillips and Johnson went by—he pointed them out—I brought them into the station-house, and found on Johnson the articles which I produce—they are new—Phillips had nothing with her—they were both walking and talking togethers—I afterwards went to Colvin's house with the prosecutor—it was No. 12, Fox-lane, Shadwell—I apprehended Clamp there—when I went to search him, he said he had got about 2l. 12s. in his pocket—I found three sovereigns, and 14s. 7 1/4 d. in money—three half-crowns, six shillings, two sixpences, and 1 1/4 d.—I did not take Colvin—he was not there; nor Aude. Cross-examined. Q. Was only 2s. found on Phillips? A. A female searched her. Johnson The young man who gave me the money to buy these things is in Court now, and the gentleman who cashed his advance note. GEORGE MUSGRAVE (police-constable K 3.) I was at the station-house when Phillips and Johnson were searched. I asked Johnson how she came by the articles she had in her possession—she said a young man named Prouse had given them to her, that he had just received his advance note, had it cashed, and had given her four sovereigns last Saturday—she requested me to go and see Prouse—when Clamp was brought in, I said, "What money have you about you?"—he said, "2l. 12s. "—3l. 14s. 7d. was found on him—I asked how he accounted for having more money in his possession than he told me—he said his uncle, the prisoner Colvin, if I went to him, would account for it—during the night he asked me to allow him to have some gin—I refused—he said, "To account for the rest of the money, I changed a 5l. note at Mr. Gibbs's, London-dock-house"—I went there, and found he had changed a 5l. note, which I have here. Clamp. I changed the note there, and gave the man his change in Colvin's-house, when he sent me for two pots of half-and-half, and a pint of rum—the prosecutor did not deny but what I gave him the change. THOMAS JACKSON re-examined. Clamp brought me four sovereigns and two half-sovereigns in change, which I took into my possession—I did not give him back any of it. MARY ANN OSMAN . I am the wife of a policeman. I searched Phillips and Johnson—I found 2s. 2d. on Phillips, and a shop-bill for 8s. 7 1/2 d.—she said she knew nothing about the robbery, that the man must have been robbed while she was sent out with half-a-crown for some liquor—I found on Johnson 1l. 15s. in silver, and 1s. 3 1/2 d. in copper—she asked what I was searching her for—I said the man had lost two £5 notes—she said she only knew of 5l. of the money—when I found this money on her, she told me I might keep 5s. myself, and not say any thing about it—I said, "I dare not do that"—she told me to keep all the rest to myself, and bring the 5s. to light—I said, "I dare not do that"—she said, "All I know of is 5l. of it." Johnson. I never said any such words—I said the man I had been living with had got his note advanced, and if she would keep a little silver back, as I was going to be locked up, I should be obliged. Witness. She said nothing to me about a young man. WILLIAM OSMAN (police-constable K 61.) The last witness is my wife—when Clamp was in the cell he called me to the door by name, and said, "If you can keep the lagger out of the way to-morrow, I will give you a sovereign"—the lagger means a sailor. RACHAEL BIGGS . I keep the Anchor and Hope, Shadwell-dock. The prisoner Clamp came to my house last Tuesday week, the 31st of March, in the afternoon, I cannot say the time—the lamps were not lighted—he came for change for a £5 note, and brought a bottle for some rum, which I put in and gave him the change, four sovereigns and 19s., the rum came to 1s.—I should think it was not six o'clock, but I really cannot say—if the lamps had been lighted, I should have written the name on the desk, and I remember writing it on the table where I had a better light—this is the note—it is a Portsmouth note—my house is about a quarter of an hour's walk from King David-lane—we light our lamps as soon as we require them—I think the street lamps could not be lighted, but I really do not know—my house is not half a mile from King David-lane—Colvin's house is nearer to my house a great deal than King David-lane—I only changed one £5 note—there are two public-houses between my house and Colvin's. GEORGE COOPER . I live at the corner of King David-lane. I changed a 5l. note on the 3rd of March for Clamp, between five and six o'clock—he was alone—I parted with the note—I did not notice whether it was a Portsmouth note. Colvin's Defence. On the 31st of March, when I saw Jackson come off the coach, I asked him about a man who came from Portsmouth—I asked him where he was going—he said he did not know where—he was going to book himself for Liverpool—I took him to the Spread Eagle—he asked me to put my hand in his pocket, to take his money out—I would not—he was half drunk—he put his hand in, and took out all his notes, and laid them down—he then put his hand into his fob, and took out two half-sovereigns—the man wanted to charge him 2l. 15s.—I said he might go for 1l. 10s.—he paid his fare, and said, "I should like to have a d——d good breakfast"—I said, "I live in Fox-lane, Shadwell, if you like to go with me, I will return with you"—he said he would, and we got a cab—when he went into the house, seeing the other men sitting there, he sent out for drink to treat them—he had breakfast—then five or six pots of rum-hot—I wanted him to go, or he would have to pay more expenses—he began to play at cards with a black man—the black man had received 3l., a day or two before, and had two sovereigns belonging to himself—as to robbery, I know no more about it than a new-born child—I know nothing about the transaction—I am not an uncle of Clamp's—he must be a false lad to say so—I have clothed him, and let him have every comfort; and now he has got me into this trouble—I told him to take the man to the Coach-office, instead of taking the poor fellow to a house, to be robbed. THOMAS PROUSE . I live in Juniper-row, Shadwell. On the 28th of March, I gave Johnson 4l. 15s., in her mother's house, No. 23, Juniper-row—you go down King David-lane to it—I had had a quarrel with her before that night, but we made it up after that—she had been away very nearly a fortnight—I had received a note from an American vessel—it was for 4l. 5s.—I had been at work eight days, and got three sovereigns from the gentleman besides—I gave her 4l. 15s.—her mother is not here—she is a poor woman, and too busy—the gentleman is here who cashed the note for me—I have known Johnson four years and a half—I lived with her mostly, when I was at home—I believe she lived with other people as well, as I never left her any maintenance when I was away—I do not know Colvin—I have heard of him—I never saw him before, to my knowledge. WILLIAM MINNETT . I live at No. 49, High-street, Shadwell. I gave Prouse three sovereigns on the Saturday—I have the note in my possession now—(producing it)—I do not make a memorandum when I receive notes—he wrote this name on the back of it on the 28th of March—I deducted 1l. 5s. from it, as there was an account between us. (Several witnesses gave Colvin a good character, but it appeared that he had suffered two years' imprisonment for a previous offence.) CLAMP— GUILTY . Aged 28. JOHNSON— GUILTY . Aged 24. COLVIN— GUILTY . Aged 50. Transported for Life. PHILLIPS— NOT GUILTY . AUDE— NOT GUILTY .