Susan Davis

343

Maureen Withey on 12th July 2022

Barnstaple quarter Sessions, July 4th 1831. A true Bill having been returned against Susan Davis, wife of Thomas Davis, of Swymbridge, she was put her trial, charged with having stolen, on Friday 6 May last, from Scotland House in this town' yards dark chintz, ? yards of light drab chintz, of red chintz, and yards white calico the property of Messrs S. Vernon. Mr. Y. Gribble conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Elliott, of Southmolton, was the advocate for the prisoner. A number of witnesses were called to prove the allegations contained in the indictment, the substance of whose evidence was, that on Friday the 6th of May, Mr. Buckingham, draper, of this town, having lost some articles from his shop, and having reason to suspect the prisoner, procured a search-warrant and accompanied by the Constable Cousins, and another man named James, proceeded to her house at Swymbridge Newland, at about six o’clock in the evening, where they found her returned from Barnstaple, at the head of her table, exhibiting pieces of cotton print to number of females, who were assembled for the purpose of purchasing of her; on the Constable announcing the object of his visit, these females departed, and the officer searched the house, and although no property of Mr. Buckingham's was found, they brought the prisoner and her stock of drapery, she first said she had purchased at Mr. Hitchcock's, and afterwards at Scotland House, into the town, and on the following morning she was examined by the magistrates, when many of the drapers attended and on inspecting the articles, Mr. Vernon identified them as the mutual property of himself and brother, their private mark being on each article. The prisoner asserted that she had bought and paid for those goods, which was disproved by the several individuals employed in Messrs. Vernon’s Establishment. The prisoner put in a written defence, which she argued the improbability of her going repeatedly to the shop and stealing to such an extent in the day time, and besought the jury to grant her the advantage of any doubts that might arise in their minds, as to the improbability, or the conclusiveness of the evidence adduced against her. Several persons came forward, to speak in behalf of her general character, by one of whom the case against her was materially strengthened. The Recorder having recapitulated the evidence, the Jury, without moment's hesitation, returned a verdict of guilty. The Court sentenced her to Seven Years' Transportation beyond the Seas. North Devon Journal, 7 July 1831. --------------------------------------------------- Susan Davis, who was convicted at our last Quarter Sessions, and sentenced to be transported for seven years, for robbing the shop of Messrs Vernon, Scotland House, was removed from our Borough gaol on Friday last, in order to be conveyed the convict ship at Woolwich. North Devon Journal, 29 Sept 1831. --------------------------------------------------

116

Tony Beale on 24th March 2022

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Bound Indentures 1830-1832 From Devon married protestant with 2 children and can read. ToL 36/1335 and C38/560. Tried on 4/7/1831 4' 11 1/2" Fair ruddy and slightly freckled complexion sandy hair and light blue eyes