George Digby

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

NOTE: Year of Birth is taken from official records but day and month are not known. The latter dates have been entered as 01/01 because the site does not allow those fields to be left empty.

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

DEATH: 1856, 3 January: George Digby, #235, holder of a Ticket of Leave, died in the Convict Hospital having been admitted on 27 December with a fracture of the spine (fractured vertebra) (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for Geo Digby; Convict Establishment, Receipts and Discharges; Receipts and Discharges, 1855 - 1859 (Rd1 - Rd2); and Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for George Digby; Convict Establishment, Medical; Daily Medical Journals, 1854 - 1865 (M14 - M16)). Notes by the Convict Hospital’s doctor record that George Digby was working for a stonemason called Lawrence and was “engaged in undermining” for a hotel building when the undermined portion fell on him on the morning of the 24th November, 1855, “severely injuring the spine and causing paralysis of the lower limbs.” He was seen at the time of the accident by Dr Shipton and attended afterwards at the request of Mr Lawrence “who promised to pay expenses, the accident having in a great measure resulted from his want of foresight in not adopting measures to avert what must have been apparent to every casual observer...” The report says another physician then attended the injured man but “resigned the case and he is consequently transferred to me, by a magisterial order”. The Hospital doctor recorded that his patient initially responded well to morphine but began “sinking rapidly” on the 25th December. On the 1st January, he wrote that his patient “cannot survive long”. George Digby died on the 3rd of January (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Establishment, Medical; Medical Registers By Patient, 1855 - 1856 (M3)). --000--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

OTHER: GEORGE DIGBY Birth: 1827 [see above] Death: 3 January, 1856, at Western Australia; fractured spine Convicted: Burglary with violence; sentenced to 20 years on 26 February, 1849, at Central Criminal Court, London Literacy: Literate Family Status: Unmarried Occupation: Stonemason Transported: To WA on the Mermaid arriving at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 13 May, 1851. He had been collected from Portland prison. Convict No.: 235 Ticket of Leave: Granted on 7 June 1853 at Western Australia (https://waconvicts.fhwa.org.au/g0/p10.htm#i235). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

IN WA: WA Convicts General Register: George Digby, convict #235, aged 23 as at March 1852 [born 1829]; single; labourer; Church of England; School – National School; reading “good”, writing “fair”; convicted 26 February, 1849, at Central Criminal Court [Old Bailey]; sentence 20 years; “declined giving” names of parents/and friends. Information obtained from prisoner/others as to his religious, moral character, etc: Attended Divine Service – not regularly Received Sacrament – never Habits – usually sober and attentive to work Intellect – sound State of mind -- hopeful Knowledge, secular – very limited Religious knowledge – ditto Alleged cause of crime – makes no statement Name of person referred to for character – Makes no reference (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for George Digby; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 1-299 (R21A); image 423). Physical description: 5’5” tall, dark hair, hazel eyes, sallow complexion, pockpitted (slightly), no other marks (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930 for George Digby Convict Department; Estimates and Convict Lists (128/1 - 32); image 379). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

VOYAGE OF 123 DAYS: “The Mermaid, with 209 convicts and about 40 pensioners, sailed from Torbay on the 16th January, and put back in consequence of the small pox having broken out on board. According to private letters, she was lying at Plymouth on the 22nd Jan 1851.” (The Inquirer, 23 April 1851, p3 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65738865). “The Mermaid, with 209 convicts and a detachment of pensioners with women and children, 60 in all, arrived yesterday.” (The Perth Gazette and Independent Journal of Politics and News, 16 May 1851, p1 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3172472). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

1850, 28 December: George Digby (18) and William Cullum (24) were sent from Portland to board the Mermaid for WA. The latest report on their behaviour listed Digny’s as “indifferent” and Cullum’s as “very good”. Both were deemed to be in “good” health, while Francis Pike’s health was said to be “indifferent” and he remained at Portland (England, Criminal Lunatic Asylum Registers, 1820-1876 for George Digby; Quarterly Returns of Prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons; 1850; December; image 11). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

1850, 6 March: George Digby, Francis Pike and William Cullum were sent from Millbank Prison, Westminster, and admitted to Portland Prison; listed as inmates #1190, 1189 and 1191 respectively. In a report for the March quarter, each was listed as of “good” behaviour (England, Criminal Lunatic Asylum Registers, 1820-1876 for George Digby; Quarterly Returns of Prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons; 1850; March; image 36). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

1849, 5 May: George Digby, Francis Pike and William Cullum were sent from Newgate to Millbank Prison, Westminster. They were listed as: Digby #17396, Cullum #17395 and Pike #17397. George Digby was described as 20, single, semiliterate and a labourer (UK, Criminal Records, 1780-1871 for George Digby; Prison Registers and Statistical Returns; 1848-1850; HO 24/4; image 246). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

JAILS: 1849, 3 March: NEWGATE Prison, London Name: George Digby Age: 20 Birth date: 1829 Arrest place: Middlesex Trial or committal date: 3 March, 1849 Trial or committal place: London, London, England Jail: Newgate; #112 Charge: Burglary, Assault, Wounding, Stealing Sentence: Death [commuted to 20 years] Occupation: Labourer, from Whitechapel (London, England, Newgate Calendar of Prisoners, 1785-1853 for George Digby; Piece 56: 1849; image 93). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 24th November 2023

TRIAL contd/4 JOHN BENJAMIN LEE. I live at 20, Cadogan-place, Chelses. On the afternoon of Sunday, 11th Feb., I picked up this lantern in my garden, which is separated from No. 19, by a wall about six feet high—I examined it, laid it down again on the garden chair, and left it there—I beard on the Tuesday that the prisoners were taken, and told the servant to fetch the lantern in—she did so, and gave it to the policeman—I can undertake to swear it is the same lantern—I examined it carefully. Cullum's Defence. There was a chisel found, the policeman says he found it; and before the Magistrate a cook from 19, Cadogan-place came forward and said that she found it; and as to the footmarks, the policemen say they took the shoes from us on the Sunday afternoon, instead of that it was Sunday morning about eight or nine o'clock, and it was not found out for a fortnight after that Digby's shoes fitted as well as ours; there is nothing particular in my shoes more than there would be in another persona buying a pair at the same shop. Pike's Defence. On the Saturday night, as I was going home I was taken short, and went down this Mews, which is not connected with any gardens; the policeman came down and prevented me; I did not think I was obliged to give him my proper name and address, as I did not want any bother about it; next morning I was in bed, and the policeman came and took me; I asked what it was for, and they said for putting Cullum over the wall; I denied the charge, but I did not deny having been that way; that ia a falsehood of the policeman's; they asked me what time 1 was at home on the Friday night, and I said half-past twelve, which I was; as to my shoe resembling the marks, there are plenty of shoes the same size; it is false what the policeman says about meeting me with these two men at half-past one on the Friday night; I was in bed at half-past twelve, as my landlady, and the young woman I lived with can prove; I had no cap on that night; I wore a hat; I do not associate with these men; I certainly know them, by having lived about Knightsbridge a good many years, and I own that Cullum lives in the same house with me, but I have no intimacy with him; I am perfectly innocent of what I am accused of. MATILDA MOORE. I live at 2, Pine Apple-court—the prisoner Pike lived with me—he was taken out of bed from me on Sunday morning—he had come home on the Saturday night about half-past twelve—he had come home early all the week—on the Friday night we both went home together about half-past twelve—he did not go out again. Cross-examined by MR. ROBINSON Q. What time did he come home on the Friday? A. We left the King's Head, Knightsbridge, about a quarter or ten minutes to twelve, went home together, and went to bed—he was not out at all afterwards—we have lived together about seven months—I was in bed first on the Saturday night—he was at home by half-past twelve, and did not go out afterwards—we were at the King's Head on the Saturday night, and went home early, because neither of us were very well—I had been with him all the Saturday evening, except about an hour—he went out before I did—we did not go near Cadogan Mews on the Saturday night—I was at home at twelve, before him—I parted from him about twelve, and went home, and he came home about half-past—he was with me the whole of Friday night. CULLUM— GUILTY Aged 24. DIGBY— GUILTY Aged 20. PIKE— GUILTY Aged 18. Death recorded. (There were two other indictments against the prisoners.)” Note: The death sentences for all three men were commuted to transportation for 20 years. -- Other information from the Old Bailey records: Born 1829. Gender male. Height 5’5”. Occupation Stone mason. Religion Protestant (unspecified). Has tattoo no. First recorded 1849. --00--