James Corbyn

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Dianne Jones on 9th January 2022

FOOTNOTE: NEWSPAPER REPORT OF HIS TRIAL From the 'Daily News', June 21, 1856, p6: "New Court, Yesterday - Before the Recorder STREET ROBBERY James Corbyn. 29, traveller and Henry Hammond, 43, labourer, were convicted of a street robbery, with violence on George Sheppard, and stealing a watch valued at £12. The prosecutor, a sturdy built man, stated that he was accosted in Halfmoon Street by a woman, and had not been speaking to her long when Hammond came up behind and seized him, and said “what do you do with my wife?”. The woman then snatched his watch and made off. Prosecutor instantly turned on his assailant, and at a blow felled him to the ground, fearfully damaging his face. Corbyn then came up and tried to pull prosecutor off from Hammond when he found himself also in the iron grip of prosecutor, who held both till the police came up. They were ordered to be transported for ten years, the Recorder stating that he wished it to be known that any men of prisoners’ class of offenders if convicted before him would be transported for ten years at least." (Western Australian Convicts at http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4764.htm)

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Dianne Jones on 6th December 2021

IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: CORBYN, James; #4764, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1823 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Draper Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: London, London, England Crime: Robbery with violence Sentence Period: 10 years Ticket of Leave Date: 7 Jul 1858 Conditional Pardon Date: 17 Sep 1859 Comments: To South Australia, 6 May 1864 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/).

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Dianne Jones on 6th December 2021

IN PRISON: 20 July, 1851: He was sent from Newgate to Wakefield, to the West Riding House of Correction, in Yorkshire. Here he spent 12 months in separate confinement and his behaviour was described as good. --0-- 26 August, 1852: James Corbyn was transferred to Portsmouth, a convict public works prison in Hampshire, where he was listed as prisoner #3734; 29, single, able to read and write well, Protestant and a traveller. His family's address was 5 Little Cross Street, Walworth, south London. He was discharged from Portsmouth on 9 October, 1855, with a Licence (parole). But this was revoked on 9 February, 1857, by the Metropolitan Police and he was returned to Portsmouth. By the time he was sent for transportation, he had spent 6 years 2 months and 24 days in public works prisons (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0-- 8 September, 1857: James Corbyn was sent from Portsmouth to board the Nile for transportation to WA. --00--

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Dianne Jones on 6th December 2021

TRIAL: 16 June, 1851 -- Old Bailey; #1337. JAMES CORBYN and HENRY HAMMOND, robbery, with others, on George Shepherd, and stealing 1 watch and chain, value 12l.; his property. MR. M. PRENDERGAST conducted the Prosecution. GEORGE SHEPHERD. I reside in High-street, Kensington. On the night of 20th May, I was in Piccadilly, about 12 o'clock—a woman came to me, and I walked to near the bottom of Half-Moon-street with her—we stopped at a door, and at that moment some one came behind me, and said, "What are you doing with my wife?"—be took hold of me by the shoulders from behind—I turned, and it was the prisoner Hammond—the moment I turned my head, the woman took my watch, and was running away with it—Hammond had got me fast, and I could not release myself—we had a tremendous struggle, and I struck him a blow on the nose; he went down, and I with him—when we were both down, Corbyn came up—he tried to get me away from Hammond—he laid hold of my shoulders, and said, "Loose the man"—I collared Corbyn with my right-hand, and Hammond with my left, and called out "Police!"—the police arrived shortly—I had never loosed the prisoners; they might have used violence on me, but they had not half a chance; I was too strong for them—I said, "I give them in custody"—Hammond said something about giving me in custody for striking him—Corbyn tried to get away. Cross-examined by MR. HORRT. Q. Are you married? A. Yes; I have no family—this was a late hour—I had been having a glass more than I usually take, and was a little the worse, still I knew all that I was doing—I was not half a minute in the doorway; it was a private doorway—the door was not opened—I had not knocked at the door—I did not have a little dispute with the woman—she asked me to go home with her, but I refused—I stopped, because I wished to turn and go back—I might stop nearly half a minute—there was no dispute between me and her—she did not attempt to rob me till the prisoner had hold of me behind—she did not lay hold of me—I did not lay hold of her; I might have held her arm; I did not hold her round the neck—she did not try to get away from me before she got the watch—Hammond did not keep me down, I kept him down—I believe he said he would give me in charge—I called the police—I should think the policeman came in three minutes. Cross-examined by MR. ADDISON. Q. This was about 12 o'clock at night? A. Yes; I gave Hammond a violent blow, and he went down—there was a good deal of blood about him, and about the pavement—I cried "Police!" several times—I had a tremendous struggle with Hammond; I received no blow—Hammond had two black eyes—neither of the prisoners called police. MR. HORRT. Q. Were not the words that Hammond used, "What are you doing with that woman? is she your wife?" A. No; he said, "What are you doing with my wife?" to the best of ray knowledge. WILLIAM LEE (policeman, C 159). On the night of 20th May, I was in Shepherd's-market. About 12 o'clock, I heard cry of "Police!" several times; I went to Half-moon-street, and saw Shepherd holding the prisoners, one in each hand—he gave them in charge—Hammond said, "I think I ought to give him in custody for the blow I have received on the nose"—his nose was bleeding profusely—I believe he used the word "think" more than once; Shepherd said, "I give them in custody for robbing me of my watch; where is the woman?"—I said, "I have not seen the woman"—he said, "The woman has got my watch"—each of the prisoners said, "I don't know anything about it;" Shepherd was excited, and had been drinking—he was quite firm in the statement he gave to me at the time, and also at the station-house—he was quite determined—I had great difficulty in making him release his hold of the prisoners. Cross-examined by MR. ADDISON. Q. Were there repeated cries of "Police?" A. Yes; that street is very quiet, compared with Piccadilly—you can look up it from one end to the other—persons turning in that street would naturally see persons, if there were any there—there are several doorways where persons might secrete themselves—this happened near a public-house door, and just there it is so dark that there might be two or three persons and you not see them—the cries of "Police!" were not from more than one person. CORBYN.— GUILTY. Aged 29. HAMMOND.— GUILTY. Aged 43. Transported for Ten Years (https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 6th December 2021

IN PRISON: 21 May, 1851: James Corbyn, 29, a traveller from Bombay was admitted to Newgate prison in London, having been committed for trial by P Bingham, Marlboro Street, on a charge of robbing George Shepperd and stealing a watch from him. His co-accused, Henry Hammond, was also admitted on the same day (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Newgate Prison; Registers of Prisoners, to 1862). --0--