William Davies

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

DEATH NOTICE: "DIED. DAVIS.—At the Narra Tarra Mine, on the 25th March, through Heart disease, WILLIAM DAVIS, Aged 43, a native of Waterford, Ireland. Much regretted by his employers and fellow workmen." (The Western Australian Times, Fri 9 Apr 1875, p4, Family Notices). The same notice was published in the WA Times again on 13 April and 20 April. --00--

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

DEATH: His WA Convict record says he died at Champion Bay from "disease of the heart" on March 25, 1875 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for William Davies; Convict Department, Registers, General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: DAVIES, William; inmate #9709, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1834 Date of Death: 23 Mar 1875 Place of Death: Champion Bay, heart disease Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Baker Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Carmarthen Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 15 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 24 May 1873 Comments: Labourer, gardener, limeburner, general servant, miner (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

“The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary’s, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn, and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty’s ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land.” (Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, English Shipping, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271) —00—

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

15 October, 1867: William Davies, inmate #779, and Charles Williams, #780, were sent to board the Hougoumont for transportation to WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Davies, Portsmouth Prison, Registers of Prisoners, 1866-1868). --0—

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

14 March, 1867: William Davies was sent from Millbank where he had served his allotted time in separate confinement. He was admitted to Portsmouth Prison. So, too, was Charles Williams (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Willm Davies; Millbank Prison, Register of Prisoners, 1866-1867). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

6 July, 1866: Both men were sent from Pentonville to Millbank Prison, Pimlico, London. William Davies was listed as inmate #2157, 33 years old, single, a baker and Roman Catholic; previous conviction and 5 years’ penal servitude in 1861. Family – brother and sister named Ryan, 10 Court Clive Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. By this time he had served 3 months 19 days at Carmarthen and 16 days at Pentonville where his behaviour was “good” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Willm Davies; Millbank Prison, Register of Prisoners, 1866-1867). --0—

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

JAIL: 20 June, 1866: William Davies alias Daniel Ryan was admitted to Pentonville Prison, Caledonian Road, London, from Carmarthen. Listed as inmate #3778, Roman Catholic, sentenced to 15 years P.S. (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Wm Davies; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners, 1866-1869). Note: His accomplice, Charles Williams, alias Owen Pritchard, inmate #377, was also admitted to Pentonville on the same day. “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Pentonville, Millbank, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0—

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

Trial contd: Elinor Williams—I was a servant with the prosecutor last year. My fellow-servant was Elizabeth Limit. We went to bed together on the 30th October last, and, we were the last, all the others having gone before us. The doors and windows were locked and bolted before we went to bed. The cheese-room window was also fastened and safe. We got up the following morning at about half-past five, and when we went out to the yard we saw the lattice of the cheese-room window broken, and some of the things that were in the cheese-room out in the yard. Cross-examined—On going to bed at night, we are in the habit of leaving our shoes at the foot of the stairs. When we came down in the morning we came down without our shoes as usual. We did not see what had taken place in the house, because we first of all went out to the yard, saw what had been done there, and then returned to the house, and saw what had been done there. Re-examined--We put our shoes on before going out to the yard. Elizabeth Lewis corroborated the evidence of the last witness, and added that she found a bottle about fifty yards from the house. She did not know the bottle, never having seen it before, but it contained wine. --Prosecutor recalled said the bottle was his, said that the cupboard in which it was kept had been broken. --Mr. W. Price, landlord of the Black Ox, Llandovery, said that the prisoners came to his house on Saturday, the 28th October last, and remained there until Monday, when they left, saying they were going by train. —Cross-examined, he said that the prisoners did not tell him where they were going. If they had gone by train the first station would be in Llanwrtyd. --Mrs. Price, wife of the last witness, said that the prisoner Charles Williams gave his name as Charles Oxley. They gave her orders to get dinner early as they wished to leave by train. She didn't know that they had lost the train that day; she provided dinner early enough for them to catch the train that day. Did not notice that whistle sounded soon after they left the house. --Mary Williams said that on the 30th October she saw the prisoners on the road, two miles from Llandovery, and between the station and Llanwrtyd. --Mr. W. Morgan, King's Head, Caio, said—On the 31st October last, about ... in the morning, I saw the prisoners and they asked me 'How are you to-day?' ... Thomas Lewis was with me. This was from fifteen to twenty yards from the road leading from Llandovey to Lampeter. L am sure that Charles Williams was one of the men we met. --Thomas Lewis said that he was with last witness when he met the men on the road, and he was quite sure that the prisoners were they. Ann Roderic said--I keep the Cross Hands on Lampeter mountain. On the 31st October last the prisoners came to my house about 7 o'clock in the morning and stayed there about 20 minutes ... They had a quart of beer, some bread and cheese, and one of them said my cheese was not good and had butter instead. They said they would call at 9 o'clock the next morning and have breakfast in my house. My husband asked them if they were going to Llanybydder fair, and they said they did not know. They went towards Lampeter. P.C. John Davies said — On the 31st October I went to Clynglaes [Cynwyl Gaeo] from Gilfach, and saw footmarks in the direction of Caio [or Caeo]. I followed the tracks as far as Pumsaint [half way between Llanwrda and Lampeter], and from Pumsaint on to the Cross Hands, on Lampeter Mountain. There were two sets of footmarks—large sprigs in the heels of one and no nails, and the other pressed on the inside of the heel. From the Cross Hands I went on to Aberystwyth, and there I saw the prisoners walking side by side in the street, and apprehended them. I searched them, and on Charles Williams I found what I now produce -- two £5 notes of the Llandovery bank, two £5 Bank of England notes… gold, silver and copper [coins], a bunch of skeleton keys, two pocket-knives, a razor, a pair of galoshes, a piece of soap, and matches. On William Davies I found three £5 notes of the Llandovery Bank, two Bank of England notes… gold, silver and three farthings in copper, a jemmy (a burglar's tool, made of iron, about a foot in length, bent and flattened like a chisel at both ends), a bottle of lamp oil, a pair of galoshes, a pocket knife, a comb, and matches. I brought the prisoners to Llandovery. Went after that to Gilfach and examined the window where the marks corresponded with the jemmy. (Here the witness produced two pieces of the window-frame with the marks of the jemmy upon them, and the jemmy awl. The marks were compared by the learned Judge, the counsel, and the jury). I examined the cupboard, and found that one of the skeleton keys would open that. I also saw the marks of a sharp instrument on the lock of the desk. I took off the boots of the prisoners, now produced, and to the best of my judgment they correspond with the footprints which I traced to the Cross Hands. Cross-examined by Mr. Allen—I saw the footmarks of two persons on the road. I apprehended the prisoners on the 31st October… There were no nails in the boots, and I have since examined those marks with the prisoners' boots and they corresponded. Thomas Jones, labourer on Were farm, saw the prisoners on Saturday at the Black Ox, Llandovery, and on the following Monday saw them again on the road from Llandovery to Llanwrda, at 12 to a quarter past 12 o’clock. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr. Allen made an elaborate defence for the prisoners, in which he suggested that the policeman had confused the marks of the stockings of the servants, who had come downstairs without shoes on, with the marks of galoshes. Although the prisoners had upon when apprehended such tools as were used by burglars, it was not to be inferred even from that suspicious circumstance that they must be the men who had committed the burglary for which they were now tried. His Lordship summed up the evidence at great length, and the jury after a short retirement brought in a verdict of guilty against both prisoners. Charles Williams was further convicted on the evidence of Mr. George Stephens, Governor of the Gaol, of a larceny committed in 1852 in the same Parish of Llanwrda, and for which he was committed to his custody for six months. Williams Davies pleaded guilty to a burglary, committed in 1861 at Denbigh. His Lordship in passing sentence said that the commission of three successive and successful crimes within a few hours, and the fact that the prisoners were armed with tools such as are used by burglars, was a proof that they were burglars on a professional tour through the country. The sentence of the court was that they be committed to penal servitude for fifteen years. It should be mentioned that the grand inquest, through their foreman, Mr. Jones, highly commended the conduct of the policeman who tracked and captured the burglars, and recommended him to the favourable consideration of the learned Judge as one deserving of reward. His Lordship said that, after hearing the case, he would attend to their recommendation. After the case had been heard, his Lordship ordered that a reward of 30s. be given to P.C. John Davies.” (Saturday 10 March 1866, Carmarthen Weekly Reporter, p3, available at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 29th January 2023

NEWSPAPER REPORT of Trial: "THE PAIR OF BURGLARS. True bills having been found by the grand inquest, Charles Williams, alias Owen Pritchard 29, and William Davies, alias Daniel Ryan, 33, who described themselves as bellhangers, were arraigned on an indictment charging them with having burglariously broken and entered the dwelling house of Joseph Williams, Gilfach, in the parish of Llanelli [Llanelly], stealing therefrom £27, his property, on the 30th October last. True bills were also found against the prisoners for having committed the like offence at Clydach, in the same parish, stealing therefrom £... 17s. 6d, the property of Evan Jones on the 30th October, and also at Aberbran Fawr, Llanspyddid, in the county of Brecon, stealing therefrom [money]..., the property of Evan Powell, on the 27th October last. The prisoner Charles Williams was also detained for breaking out of the county gaol at Carmarthen, and a true bill was also found against him for this offence. Neither of the prisoners, however, was tried for either of these crimes. Being found guilty on the first indictment, the learned Judge directed the prosecution to abandon the other charges. Mr. Bowen and Mr. De Rotten prosecuted, instructed by Mr. Jones, Llandovery; the prisoners were defended by Mr. T. Allen, instructed by Mr. George Thomas. The prisoner William Davies has a rather cloudy expression of countenance with thick wavy hair and beard; while Charles presented a more lively and respectable look and smiled as unconcernedly as if he were witnessing a play. Joseph Williams said—I am the prosecutor in this case, and live at Gilfach... On the night of the 30th October last I put in my desk two £5 notes and two sovereigns. I had three £5 notes in the desk before, I saw them all safe there about half-past 8 o'clock on the night in question. I went to bed before 9 o'clock, leaving the servants downstairs. ...[O]n the following morning, I saw the parlour door open, the desk open, and the parlour window lifted up, and the front door partly open. I then went to Llandovery for a policeman, the notes and the sovereigns having been stolen. The notes were those of the Llandovery Bank and had a black ox on the corner. One of the notes had two small holes in it near the ox and was partially obliterated at the top on the right side and appeared whiter than the other part. There was no particular mark on the others by which I could identify them except a blue mark on one of them. The notes now produced I believe are mine, and will swear to the one partly obliterated, but cannot swear that the one with the blue mark is mine, but I believe it to be. Cross-examined by Mr. Allen—I described the notes to the policeman before they were shewn to me, but I did not mention about the holes in one of them near the ox. I knew the notes by the marks when they were shewn to me. The servants are up first in the morning. The man-servant does not sleep in the house. Contd.../2