William Davenport

218

Dianne Jones on 16th February 2022

NEWSPAPER reporting of the offence: 10 November, 1855 -- from the Leicester Chronicle, p3: "Highway Robbery at Stretton. — At the County Public Office, on Wednesday last, before T. T. Paget, Esq., John Baum and William Davenport were charged with assaulting Richard Vowe Webster, on the 10th October, and taking a [gold] watch from him on the highway at Little Stretton, and John Baum with receiving the said watch, knowing it to have been stolen. Mr Webster stated that he had not known the prisoner Davenport before. First saw him in a room at the County Office, when he picked him out of six others. The watch produced he could swear to [as the one stolen]. — John Thompson, apprentice to Mr Thompson, pawnbroker, deposed that on Saturday night last, about a quarter to eleven, the prisoner Baum brought the watch now produced to the shop and asked 15s. for it. Took the watch up, and having had notice of such watch being stolen, showed it to Mr. Thompson. The prisoner in the meantime ran out and witness went after him, shouting 'Stop thief'. Saw him taken into custody by Supt. Draper, of the Borough Police. - P.S. Wetherall said that last Sunday morning, he went to the Borough station, and saw the prisoner Baum there. Prisoner asked him if he might see his wife. This was refused by P.S. Timson. Prisoner said 'I mean to tell all about this affair, and who I had the watch of. The man is well known, you all know him well. If I had not have had beer, I should not have been such fool as to do it for him: its seldom I go out at all; but on Saturday night me and my wife went up town, and we all three went into the Fox. Witness [was] asked what three and he said Me, and my wife, and the man: and the man asked me if I would pawn the watch for him, as he had very little work to do all the week, told him did not mind doing if he would not do it himself..." (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/)

174

Iris Dunne on 4th January 2018

Convicted: 3 Mar 1856 Convict Index: Occupation - Stone cutter, married, 2 children, aged 31, Birth year: 1825 Convict Records: aged 33, Birth year: abt 1824, married, 3 children, Highway Robbery, 15 years Death: aged 60, Hotham, Victoria, Reg.Year:1884, Reg.No.9230, parents: Saml and Susan Durham

4

Robin Phillips on 3rd January 2018

In 1848 William was convicted of poaching and sentenced to 14 years transportation to Bermuda. William returned in 1855 having received early release. In November of that year he was arrested for assault and highway robbery. This led two a second sentence of transportation, this time for 15 years at Fremantle, Western Australia where his sister’s husband was wander. He sailed on the “Nile” arriving in January 1858. He was granted parole in November 1859 but had to stay in the Perth area. He was able to give support to Elizabeth, the wife of his warder on his death. In 1862 William was granted pardon, which allowed him to leave Western Australia. In 1864 William left to join the Victorian gold rush. He did not make a fortune and died 20 years later in the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum for the aged and destitute.