Alfred Gilding

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Maureen Withey on 11th April 2026

Alfred's Conduct Record shows that he was tried for forgery in 1824, but found not guilty. The Case was reported in The Hobart Town Gazette, 18 June 1824. Alfred Gelden and John Davis were then arraigned for a forgery on the Bank of Van Diemen's Land. The prisoners pleaded—Not Guilty. There was a second count in the information, charging an utterance of the said forgery, knowing it to be one, with intent to defraud. We shall give the depositions at some length, because they may produce a beneficial consequence. Mr. Solicitor Ross, as Bank Solicitor, opened the pleadings, and was eloquently aided by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, who discribed the vast and general mischief in a mercantile community of the crime charged against the prisoners; and called Houghton Inton, who said, I know the prisoners, and saw them on the 2d. April, opposite the Blair Arms. Davis asked Gelden to have some drink; he agreed, and said,"let's go in here," (meaning into the Blair Arms,) Davis answered no, "we'll go to Bob Macguire's!" Davis then gave Gelden a 10-dollar note on the Bank, and said "you must pay, as I owe Macguire 4s. 6d., which he would stop, if I offered the note!" The prisoners then walked away, (Here the note was shewn to the witness, and he positively swore to its identity.) Julia Macguire stated, that her husband kept the Coach and Horses, where she saw the prisoners, at the latter end of March or beginning of April. They called for a pot of beer, and Gelden tendered in payment a 10-dollar note on the Bank. Witness changed it in two of Mrs. Lord's 4-dollar notes, and 8s. 6d. of various small bills. Witness had not seen any other 10-dollar notes; she put it away in the drawer; and her husband, some days after, paid it, with other money, to a man named McKay. (Here the witness identified the note, by its amount, and a piece of white paper pasted on the back.) From the time she put by the note, to the time it was paid away, which was a week or eight days, she daily saw it in the drawer. Robert Macguire corroborated the principal facts already stated. Before the note, now in Court, was put into his money drawer, he had never seen a 10-dollar note, nor had he since seen one. Mr. John Gardiner, Bank Accountant, was then called ; and he proved first, that the Bank had never issued 10 dollar notes; the note in question had been issued as for 1 dollar. A Gentleman named Broadfoot presented it to the Bank, about the beginning of April, and enquired if it had been altered. The books, on being examined, proved it had. The alterations were these —the letter T had been abstracted from town, the O in one erased, and the N E reversed, which produced the word TEN. On all the Bank notes, however, the amount was figured in the margin as well as written in the body. In this altered note the marginal figure remained 1. The prisoner, Davis, had called twice at the Bank before this note was presented for payment; he the first time wanted some bank notes in exchange for Mr. Blackwell's, but was refused them. A few hours afterwards, at his second call, he brought two dollars, and required bank notes for them, but he was told that no entry could be made for less than 20 dollars. The bank printer was then striking off some note forms in the press-room, into which prisoner obtruded, and witness sat filling them up. The number of the note in question was taken, and only from that circumstance, in conjunction with the alterations before stated, did witness feel empowered to identify it. William King, the Bank copper-plate-printer, recollected the calls of Davis. Here closed the prosecution, when Gelden called Messrs. Mather and Bisdee, in whose several service he had long been, and who spoke in no inconsiderable praise of his character as an honest man. The Jury, who had paid most laudable attention to all the evidence, found Davis—Guilty ; but Gelden—Not Guilty.

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Maureen Withey on 11th April 2026

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.—About six years ago, Ann Spencer, a young female of this town, was transported to New South Wales, and we are happy to find that she is now, to use her own expression, “doing better than any one who ever came from the place”, by a letter, which  has been received from her, we are enabled to collect some information respecting some of the individuals belonging to Nottingham, who have become amenable to the laws of their country, but whom we trust will return to it as useful and honorable members of society. The letter is dated Feb. 28th, 1827, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land—John Lamb and William Potter, convicted in the County, were both well. Benjamin Walker, was sentenced to seven years' transportation at the Town Epiphany Sessions, 1820, for stealing a pair of breeches, is now a free man, and hopes to be at home in about twelve months. Henry Green, transported for life at the Town Lent Assizes, 1825, for highway robbery, was at Port Dalrymple. Joseph Clarke, sentenced to seven years' transportation at the January Town Sessions, 1823, for stealing a coat and other articles;   and Sarah Clarke, (we believe his wife) in the July Town Sessions, 1823, for picking pockets, sentenced also to seven years, were both employed at the Governor's house. Alfred Gilden, another convict, tried for Molly in the County, was doing very well indeed, and had a great run of trade.  The letter adds, They hang every ... from fourteen to fifteen, and for very trifling offences. Two Nottingham men were hanged here very lately, and one was shot dead in the bush. ... Nottingham and Newark Mercury, 18 Aug 1827.

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Maureen Withey on 11th April 2026

Tasmanian Records. Muster Roll: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON13-1-2/CON13-1-2P87 Alfred Gilding, Tried Nottingham (town) assizes, 10 March 1820, Life. Convict Conduct Record: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON31-1-15/CON31-1-15P26 No 199, Alfred Gilding. See record for details. Convict Conduct Record, Continuation; https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON32-1-1/CON32-1-1P194 See record for details. Conduct Record (Neatly rewritten) https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON34-1-1/CON34-1-1P126 No 199, Alfred Gilding. Tailor, age 21, native place, Nottingham. See for full details.

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Anne Hebden on 4th April 2014

Left behind in England a wife Mary and two children, Elizabeth and Thomas. He stole a leather bound notebook and a hawkers licence and was sentenced to death. They were very poor and dependant on parish aid and both Alfred and Mary along with the children spent time in the workhouse.