William Gadd

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

WITNESS in a court case: 3 January, 1866: SUPREME COURT—CRIMINAL SIDE. [Before His Honor Chief Justice Burt.] Wednesday, Jan. 3, 1866. Samuel Ryland and Joseph Hinton, expirees, charged with stealing, on the 6th November, an ox, the property of John Scott; a second count charged with receiving. Mr. Howell appeared for the defence. John Scott—lives near Bunbury; prisoners lived adjoining. I had cattle on my run, of which I have missed two steers since November, both black, white belly, and one white feet, the other black; my brand is JR on right side. At the police barracks I was shown a bullock's skin, which I then and now identify as that of "Jacob," one of the missing steers. I have not sold a black beast for two years, or given any authority to kill one. Patrick Kelly, police corporal at Bunbury— In November last went to the house of a man named Larcom, with whom the prisoners were living. Near a house lately occupied by prisoners I found the skin produced, and also the entrails and other parts of a bullock, buried in the ground, apparently three or four days previously; there was also a spot with a quantity of blood on the ground where apparently a beast had been killed, that was only three or four yards from where the skin was buried. In the house occupied by Larcom and prisoners I found a cask of beef, which had I should think only been killed about nine days; Larcom and Ryland were in the house; Ryland said to me that the beef did not belong to him. Larcom said that he had brought it the day before with the prisoners, other things, from the Doctor's house they had occupied. Ryland made no reply. Cross-examined—I believe Larcom's house was rented from a man named Connolly. The prisoners had been living at Dr. Sampson's farm for some time. I do not know when the prisoners removed from the Doctor's house to Larcom's. Larcom is now in the Convict Establishment for receiving the meat. I know a c.p. named Gadd, but nothing of his character. WILLIAM GADD [my emphasis]—Lives at Bunbury and knows the prisoners. Was in Nov. last at a house belonging to Dr. Sampson occupied by the prisoners; there was some beef in a pot on the fire; I asked why they were boiling so much meat. Ryland replied they had just been salting a hundred-weight or two of meat they had bought, and as the cask would not hold it all, they were boiling the rest. I saw the cask. I had my dinner off the boiled beef. On the following Friday I went from Larcom's house with the prisoners to the Doctor's house; they went to get away their things. I saw them put their things into the cart, and among them was the cask I had seen previously; I saw all the things taken into Larcom's house. That same night I went there again and I saw Larcom and Hinton taking beef out of the cask; they boiled the brine and the beef was then put back again. When the police were at Larcom's I was there; Larcom and Ryland were also there, Ryland and me were then at work with a man named Bishop, and when we saw the police Ryland did not want to go in as he said the meat had come on the cross. Cross-examined—I had taken the Doctor's house after prisoners should leave it. I have had no quarrel with the prisoners. I have been a convict, and am now an expiree; I have been six years in the colony and have never been in trouble. I lived four years with Dr. Sampson. This closed the case for the Crown. Verdict-Guilty; 5 years' penal servitude each." (The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times, Fri 5 Jan 1866, p3 at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3750442).

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

IN WA: From his FREMANTLE jail record: GADD, William; inmate #4715, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1831 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Brewer [also listed as a brewer on WA Convict Records, 1846-1930, Convict Department Estimates and Convict Lists (128/1 - 32)) Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Birmingham, Warwick, England Crime: Larceny Sentence Period: 6 years penal servitude Ticket of Leave Date: 5 Dec 1859 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

10 September, 1857: Sent from Portland to board the NILE for transportation to WA, according to his jail record. However, he does not appear on the manifest of convicts boarded from Portland. Presumably, with a sentence of just 6 years, he was a last minute inclusion to make up numbers (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). Behaviour on voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

25 March, 1857: Admitted to PORTLAND jail, Dorset -- inmate #6904. Portland, Portsmouth, Chatham and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40). William Gadd was listed as 25 when convicted, single, labourer, able to read and write imperfectly, Church of England, relatives dead. Previous conviction for fraud, 13 June 1854, 4 years' penal servitude (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1875). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

1 September, 1856: Admitted to LEICESTER County jail -- served 6 months 24 days in separate confinement; behaviour "very good". “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Millbank, Wakefield, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails such as Leicester. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th February 2022

JAILS: 26 April, 1856: Admitted to BIRMINGHAM Borough jail -- served 4 months 6 days; behaviour "good" (details from Portland record). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 25th February 2022

TRIAL: 7 July, 1856: Convicted at Birmingham General QS and sentenced to 6 years' penal servitude for stealing a wheelbarrow, with a previous conviction and sentence of 4 years for fraud, in 1854, taken into account (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Warwickshire; 1856). --0--