Solomon Davis

28

Leonie Fretwell on 10th April 2019

Personal Particulars - 1828 - Tanner & Currier

71

Robin Sharkey on 8th April 2019

____________________________________ REPORT of SOLOMON DAVIS' CRIME Solomon Davis committed his crime - stealing the jewellery goods of another Jewish jeweller - in Bedfordshire in England. He immediately fled with the booty via Holyhead to Ireland but was pursued by his victim, Abraham Lewis, and arrested in Dublin. The charges were made against him in Dublin, and therefore his trial was held there. Dublin Journal 1733-1825, Tuesday, September 05, 1809; Page: 2 ROBBERY AND DETECTION "An instance has occurred last week of a robbery, more unprincipled than robberies generally are, and more quickly detected than any we just at this time recollect. Two itinerant jewellers, both belonging to the Synagogue, happened to meet at the town of Bedford, in England, and to be put to bed in the same room. One of them, Solomon Davis, got up at night and rifled the trunk of his brother traveller of all his trinkets, jewellery, &c and set off for London before day. This occurred on the night of the 26th [i.e. August]. When Abraham Lewis, the person who was robbed, missed his treasure, he instantly set off for London, traced his recreant brother and found that he had taken the route for Holyhead” [Note – Holyhead is on the Welsh coast and was a sailing route to Dublin] "Abraham followed him in a chaise and four, heard of him again at the Head, proceeded forthwith to Dublin, where he arrived last Friday morning. Called instantly at the Head Office of the Police, obtained a warrant and two Peace Officers – met Solomon in the streets and had him arrested. Brought before Alderman Pemberton on Saturday, the latter ordered his lodgings to be searched, where a quantity of the goods was found. This day, a trunk which has not yet passed through the Custom house, is to be examined, and it is expected that father Abraham will recover the entire of his property. This day Solomon is to be tried by the Recorder. This is an instance of dispatch and seeming justice rarely paralleled.” Freemans Journal 1763-1924, Thursday, September 21, 1809; Page: 3 RECORDER’s COURT "On Tuesday [19 Sept] there was an adjournment of the Quarter Sessions held at the Sessions House in Green Street before the Recorder and Aldermen, when several Prisoners were tried, among whom were the following: "Abraham Lewis, a German Jew, was the prosecutor, and Solomon Davis, another German Jew, was the prisoner on trial. The indictment charged the defendant that "he, at the city of Dublin, did feloniously take, steal and carry away, several articles therein enumerated, among which were gold watches, diamond rings, and other valuable ornaments and trinkets, to a very great amount. "The prisoner tendered an affidavit to postpone his trial, stating that he resided in Bedfordshire in England, could not have the benefit of his witnesses there, who were of his own religion, as the White Feasts was now going on, during which time the Jews never attended as witnesses, nor would they travel before the 4th October, and prayed that his trial trial might stand over until the 6th of that month [i.e. 6th October]. The prisoner’s counsel acknowledged that a recent statute had enacted that when stolen goods were transported from England to Ireland, or vice versa, the accused could be charged in wither country. He said that although the affidavit “would be insufficient in a common case, yet he hoped the court would allow the prayer of it in the present case, upon principles of justice.” "Mr Green, Counsel for the prosecution, was proceeding to answer this argument but was stopped by the Recorder who said that the affidavit was deficient in several parts and the trial must go on." There was lengthy detailed reporting of the trial. Excerpts from it follow: “The prosecutor, Abraham Lewis, was then called and appeared with his hair in curious artificial ringlets, and a peaked beard. The Old testament in English, was handed to him to be sworn. Mr McNally [for the prisoner] objected. The rule, he said, was established, every man must be sworn according to the rights of his religion … the Jew must be sworn not only on the Pentateuch, but the book must be in Hebrew, and even that is not the symbol of an Israelite’s belief in God unless the language runs on uninterrupted by mark or punctuation.” Mr McNally quoted cases and observed that a translated bible was not sacred because Jews denied the purity of translation. the objection was allowed and someone went off to find a Hebrew Bible. Divisional Magistrate, Major Sirr, meantime gave evidence of his examination of the prisoner in the presence of the prosecutor in early September. Davis had told the magistrate that he and Lewis were partners. He had admitted that some of the jewellery found in his room was Lewis’s. Some also was his own. Davis’ legal counsel now argued that there was no crime if they were partners because each had dominion over the goods, and property in the goods. Once the Hebrew bible was produced, Mr Lewis was sworn. His counsel, Mr Green, examined him. Lewis gave evidence that he had only known Davis eight days before the robbery – he had met him in Stoney Stratford, Bedfordshire, and that “on returning home to his lodgings he found his boxes broken open and that he had been robbed of all his property.” Lewis then gave evidence that he had followed him to Dublin, as reported in the earlier newspaper article, “and by the assistance of Major Sirr had him arrested, and recovered his diamonds and other valuable articles. He positively denied on his cross-examination that any partnership or trading connection subsisted between him and the prisoner, or that the prisoner had any legal claim whatever on the goods.” “The prisoner of course had no witnesses to produce, either to facts or to character, and the jury without hesitation found him guilty. He was then sentenced to be transported for seven years.”

4

SHIRLEY on 24th March 2015

As per Coroners Inquest: Solomon Davis was born in Poland of Jewish parents; he came from Birmingham. Not sure how he got from Poland to Birmingham and then Birmingham to Ireland

71

Robin Sharkey on 14th January 2015

His stated age on the indent of 29 years is his age on the Indent on Departure from Cork NOT on arrival in Australia. It is different to his stated age at 1828 Certificate of freedom issue.

71

Robin Sharkey on 14th January 2015

PERSONAL PARTICULARS Solomon Davis was NOT Irish. He was ENGLISH, a native of London and was most probably of Jewish heritage. In 1828 he described his occupation as Tanner Harrier. His Original Certificate of Freedom was given to him in 1816, given his 1809 trial. It was no 1707 and dated 2 (?) Sept 1816. Certificate no 28/779 dated 26 August 1828 was for the NSW Colonial Crime committed in 1821. Solomon was born in 1786 (per his Cert of Fr) and was therefore aged 24 years on departure from Ireland at the end of 1810. He was short - only 5ft 2& 1/2 inches, with a dark ruddy complexion, hair brown going to grey by 1828 and with grey eyes and a scar on left side of his forehead.

4

Bonnie Curtis on 10th November 2014

DAVIS, Solomon (ABGR 23198) Born c1782 as he gave his age as 29 years on arrival in Australia, in 1811. Solomon was sentenced to seven years transportation when he was tried in the City of Dublin, in September, 1809. In the 1814 Muster Solomon was a Convict Off Stores, with Mr. John Brennah, at Windsor. (page 25, number 1073) Solomon married Elizabeth Robinson, per Friendship 1818, by Banns at St Phillips Church of England, Sydney, on January 1st 1821. Banns list December 4th, 1820. (Historical BDM's numbers V18212660-3B/1821) On August 30th 1821 Solomon was transported to Newcastle on Elizabeth Henrietta for seven years after being found guilty of theft. When the 1822 Muster took place he was still a Convict in Government Employment, at Newcastle. (page 127, number A05493) When the 1823-25 Muster took place Solomon was still a convict and has a Colonial Sentence and was at Port Macquarie. His children, Henry, age 4, and Margaret, age 2, both born in the Colony, are living with him. (page 145, numbers 18336 -38) His wife, Elizabeth Robinson, was in Newcastle. (page 490, number 38358) In the 1828 New South Wales Census he was Free by Servitude, aged 41 years, and was a Carrier at Phillip Street, Sydney. (reference D0424) Elizabeth was at Moreton Bay, when the 1828 Census was taken. (reference R1059) Their son Henry was listed as being seven years old and living with William Small at Newcastle (reference D0442) while their daughter Margaret was with Thomas Boardman at Wallis Plains. (reference D0481) Solomon received his Certificate of Freedom, number 1/1707, on August 26th, 1828. Henry was born 1821 (Historical BDM's numbers V18215641-1B/1821) and died in the district of Young during 1864. (Historical BDM's numbers 3090/1864) Margaret was born during 1823. (Historical BDM's numbers V18236577 -1B/1823) Solomon died in Sydney during 1861 age 80 years. (Historical BDM's numbers V1861215 - 136/1861 & 524/1861)