James Duffield

342

Maureen Withey on 9th March 2024

On Monday last eighteen convicts, under sentence transportation, were removed from our county gaol for the hulks at Portsmouth; viz. Joseph Chapman, Samuel Crouder, Richard Hinton, Thomas Rogers, Thomas Greet, Thomas Hutchinson, John Hackett, Thomas Tuiner, James Duffield, Charles Bates, George Clarke, Edward Saunders, Lowe, Eli Harrold, William Stanley, William Price, Thomas Burgess, and John Cook. Staffordshire Advertiser, 3 Jun 1820.

54

Phil Hands on 20th May 2017

James' father, John Duffield was hung for Treason; indicted for having, at the parish of Darlaston, in the county of Stafford, feloniously and traitorously made and counterfeited a certain piece of coin to the likeness of a shilling. Cambridge Chronicle and Journal Friday 13th August 1819 p. 2 STAFFORDSHIRE ASSIZES. TRIAL FOR COINING. Joseph Wilkes, Thomas Earp alias Reddall and John Duffield, stood indicted for having, at the parish of Darlaston, in the county of Stafford, feloniously and traitoriously made and counterfeited a certain piece of coin to the likeness of a shilling. MR. JERVIS, the leading counsel for the prosecution, said, that the charge against the prisoners was high treason. The principal evidence he should call was an accomplice of the name of Bolton, whose testimony it would, therefore, by the duty of the Jury most minutely and carefully to watch, and to believe it unless fully supported by other and unimpeachable evidence. In March last Bolton went to Darlaston, where he met Duffield, who lived there, and proposed to walk in the fields. When they were there, Bolton asked him whether he knew Mrs. Bissaker (a woman lately executed at Warwick for coining). He said he had known her. Bolton then asked if he would do some work (by which was meant coining) for him. Duffield agreed and the price to be paid for stamping the impression upon the blanks was 3s. per gross. Many subsequent meetings of the prisoners would be proved, and that on one occasion the son of Mrs Bissaker was present. On Saturday, the 17th of July, the prisoners Earp and Wilkes, and the accomplice Bolton, met in a lane at Hasndsworth, where they were seen by a Mr. Green, to exchange parcels, and were also overheard to make an appointment for another meeting, near the same place, on the Wednesday following. On that day, the 21st of July, the constables of Darlaston, in consequence of information from Mr. Green, attended at the New Inn, Handsworth, and apprehended the prisoners. Bolton and Earp came first; and, when seen, Bolton dropped a small parcel into the ditch, which, however, he said belonged to him; upon examination, it was found to contain 1740 metal blanks silvered, of the size of a shilling. Earp had a parcel containing 1140 blanks of a similar kind. Shortly afterwards, Wilkes arrived with an ass and a pair of saddle-bags, in which were found 2589 base shillings, all impressed, complete, and fir for circulation. Duffield was not present; but in his house was found a base shilling, which would be proved to have been struck from the same die as those in the saddle-bags; on the premises were also found two iron presses and a large stamp, instruments which he used in his business. With regard to the prisoners Duffield and Wilkes, there could be no doubt as to their conviction, from conversations held by them with the constables; and there would be no difficulty as to Earp's case, he having been seen by Mr. Green, on the 17th of July, to exchange parcels with Wilkes, and having been apprehended with a large quantity of the blanks in his possession. The above facts having been proved in evidence, the jury conferred together for a short time, and then pronounced a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners. They were afterwards brought up to receive the judgment of the Court, when Mr. Justice Richardson passed sentence of death, and ordered them to be drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution. The prisoners begged loudly for mercy; and the learned Judge was much affected. Duffield only was left for execution. He has a wife and eight children.

105

Denis Pember on 1st March 2017

In 1835, James Duffield married Ann Pincham, at Field of Mars, Sydney. Ann was the daughter of William Pincham (Convict, 1807, “Duke of Portland”) and his wife Ann Patfield. Ann was herself the daughter of George Patfield (Second Fleet Convict, 1790, “Neptune”) and Mary O’Brien (Convict, 1793, “Bellona”). James and Ann had at least 3 children between 1840 and 1846.

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Denis Pember on 1st March 2017

Sainty & Johnson; 1828 Census of New South Wales: Page 131.... [Ref D1707] Duffield, James, 29, Hebe, 1820, life, sawyer at the Establishment, Field of Mars.

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Denis Pember on 1st March 2017

James Duffield was the son of John Duffield of Staffordshire. John Duffield was tried for Treason; indicted for having, at the parish of Darlaston, in the county of Stafford, feloniously and traitoriously made and counterfeited a certain piece of coin to the likeness of a shilling. He was found guilty with several others and executed in August 1819. He had a wife and 8 children, including James. Derby Mercury Wed 22 Mar 1820 p.3.... At Stafford Assizes, eighteen prisoners were capitally convicted and received sentence of death, five of whom, found guilty of a rape at Stoke-upon-Trent, are left for execution. All the other convicts, among whom is James Duffield, son of the man executed at the last summer assizes, were reprieved before the Judges left town. - Against the prisoner Duffield there were five charges of burglary, one of privately stealing, and two others of felony, all committed at Durlaston.