George Edwards

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Maureen Withey on 11th December 2025

SUFFOLK SUMMER ASSIZES. CROWN COURT. George Young and George Edwards were each indicted for having jointly and severally uttered two forged notes, purporting to be 5£ Bank England notes, knowing the same to forgery, with intent to defraud Elizabeth Simpson and Mr. Doel . The prosecutrix stated that she was a pawnbroker in Bury St. Edmund’s ; that the prisoners came into her shop on the 4th of May last, and demanded some clothes which had been been pawned 18 months before for 1£. 3s. and produced the note for which they were now indicted, and for which she gave them change.—Mr. Doel, a grocer, in Bury, stated that the prisoners, in the course of the same day, came to his shop, and gave him 5£. note in payment for some goods, which he afterwards found to be forgery. The clerk of the Bank of England proved that both of the notes so uttered the prisoners were forgeries of the same manufacture, and struck from the same plate, bearing also similar dates and signatures.—The prisoner, Young, called a female to prove that she had given him 5£ note in London  but she could not identify note.—The Jury, under the direction of Lord Chief Justice Gibbs, who commented on the improbability forged notes so similar coming accidentally into the hands of the prisoners, and upon the protection that it was necessary give  the paper of the Bank of England in this commercial country, found both the prisoners guilty and the Judge accordingly passed  upon them sentence of death. – they were afterwards reprieved. Cambridge Chronicle, 16 Aug 1816.

341

Maureen Withey on 13th January 2021

it appears, that four prisoners were capitally convicted, and received sentence of death ; viz. James Pleasants and Joseph Bugg, for arson, wilfully setting fire to barns and outbuildings at Lawshall and Martlesham, and George Young and George Edwards, for uttering two resemblances of 5/. Bank of England notes, knowing the same to be counterfeited and forged. Suffolk Chronicle, 17 Aug 1816. -------------------------------------------------- On Monday seven male convicts were removed from Bury Gaol to be put on board the hulks at Portsmouth; viz. James Gleed, James Eighteen, Wm. Simpson, and Robt. Simpson, to be transported for seven years; and Geo. Young, Geo. Edwards, and James Pleasants (the boy convicted of setting Mr. Bradley’s premises, at Lawshall) transported for life. Suffolk Chronicle, 12 October 1816. -------------------------------------------------- Hulk Reports. HO-9-8-4 page 34/52. Received from Bury St Edmunds, October 8 1816. George Edwards, uttering a forged note, tried 8 Aug 1816, Bury St Edmunds, Life, NSW 18 Apr 1817. -------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC NOTICE. THE undermentioned Persons have obtained Certificates, or Tickets of Leave, during the last week. Tickets of Leave. Lord Eldon, James Edwards, Evan. Sydney Gazette, 24 July 1823. -------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. EDWARDS, George. Per "Lord Eldon", 1817. 1825 - Prisoner in Van Diemen's Land. Petition for conditional pardon (Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 pp.44-5)

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Maureen Withey on 24th January 2020

Hobart Town Gazette, 11 April 1818 POLICE OFFICE, HOBART TOWN, 9th APRIL 1818. WHEREAS the Six Convicts hereinafter described did on the Night of Wednesday last, the 8th of this Month, feloniously carry away Two Government Boats from their moorings in Sullivan's Cove, in the River Derwent, and are now supposed to be lurking about some of the Bays in the lower part of the Harbour. All Constables and others are hereby commanded to use every Exertion in their power to apprehend the said Felons, and lodge them in His Majesty's Goal at Hobart Town; and all Persons are cautioned not to harbour, maintain, conceal, or in any way aid or comfort the said Felons, on pain of Penalties that will thereon ensue. George Edwards, 5 feet 7 inches high, dark complexion, dark brown hair, grey eyes, 31 years of age, by trade a Shipwright, was tried at Bury St. Edmonds, sentenced for life, native place Deptford in Kent, has a mark on the right arm a little above the elbow, and run from Port Jackson in the Lord Eldon, and was landed at Port Dalrymple. The whole of the crown Servants who took away the Government launch on the 8th ult. have been brought in, under an escort of the 48th Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant LEROUX, with the exception of Le Gart; who, we are happy to say, is the only absentee now at large, and who is most probably taken 'ere this. Hobart Town Gazette, 16 May 1818. The prisoners who lately carried away the Government launch from her moorings in the harbour, and who we reported in our last Paper to have been conveyed hither under an escort of the 48th Regiment from Port Dalrymple, were on Saturday last brought before a Bench of Magistrates, and severally convicted and sentenced as follows:- John Briggs, 200 lashes, and 5 years to Newcastle; John Richards, George Edwards, Robert Dye, John Smith, and James Jenkins; 100 lashes each, and 3 years to Newcastle; James Flynn, John Johnson, and David Kelly, 50 lashes each, and 12 months in the Gaol Gang. The lenity shown the above misguided men, whose daring and atrocious crime might have been made a capital felony, and caused the forfeiture of their lives, we sincerely hope will operate as a warning to others, who may be persuaded to attempts of a similar nature. Hobart Town Gazette, 23 May 1818. Tasmanian Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-9$init=CON31-1-9p208 18. Geo. Edwards. Place of trial not clearly written?? 1816, Life. Feb 16. 1818. Escaping from Sydney in the ship Lord Eldon. Gaol gang ?? can be retd. to Sydney. May 16 1818 Feloniously taking a boat called a launch together with all her sails & a smaller boat, the property of the Crown, etc. 200 lashes and 5 years to Newcastle. Dec1 1818. ...on board the schooner Sinbad without a pass. 25 lashes. Conditional Pardon 15. 28 Feb 1826. Free Pardon. No 203. 6 Oct 1836.