James Haddon

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Robin Sharkey on 14th September 2025

James Haddon On 11 April 1833, at the Old Bailey, James Haddon was found guilty of stealing some pieces of leather off the back of a cart in Red Lion-street, Spitalfields. A police officer had seen him do it and apprehended him at the cart. Because he had a prior theft offence from exactly one year before, he was punished to the full extent and sentenced to 14 years’ transportation. He sailed to Van Diemen’s Land on the convict ship ‘Stakesby’ , departing only four weeks after his trial, and arriving at Hobart on 4th September 1833. At the first trial he was said to be aged 14 years, but exactly one year later at his second trial he was said to be aged 18 years. FIRST OFFENCE, 1832 At the Old Bailey on 5 April 1832, the supposedly-14 year old James Haddon was found guilty of taking two silk umbrellas out of a house in Brunswick-place, City-road on 2nd March 1832 by ducking in to the passageway of the house and taking them when the servant girl, who’d been cleaning the door, went inside for water. Another servant next door saw all this from the window of her employer’s house. On seeing James Haddon come out with the two umbrellas, she called to a young man passing by to go after him. That fellow did go after James, took him with the two umbrellas, and gave him to the officer. Policeman William Perry gave evidence then that he received the prisoner with the umbrellas. James was found guilty and his punishment was a whipping and being confined in gaol for three months. SECOND OFFENCE Old Bailey proceedings, 11th April 1833 801. JAMES HADDON was indicted for stealing, on the 6th of March , 6 splits of hide leather, value 4l, the goods of William Eastland ; and that he had been before convicted of felony . JOSHUA HARCOMB (Police-constable). “On the 6th of March I was in Red Lion-street, Spitalfields , about twenty minutes before five o'clock: Webber called to me - we stood talking some minutes - I saw his cart stand at the corner of the street; I said to him, "Have you any body with you?" he said No. I saw the prisoner on the shafts, taking the leather out of the cart; he moved it over the footboard, and jumped off the shafts - I went and took him as he was coming back towards the cart, as if to take the leather quite away after he had jumped down. CHARLES WEBBER. “I am carman to Mr. William Eastland . This was his leather - these pieces had been moved about four feet from the inside of the cart to over the footboard, ready to be taken; I saw the prisoner get down, and the officer took him as he was coming to the cart again.” WILLIAM PERRY (Police-constable) “I have a certificate (which I got at Mr. Clark's office) of the former conviction of the prisoner, for stealing two umbrellas; he was whipped and confined three months - I am the officer who took him, and know he is the man.” GUILTY . Aged 18. - Transported for Fourteen Years. TASMANIAN CONDUCT RECORD, CON 31-1-21, (Image 12) No 628 – Haddon, James Had been sent to a hulk in the 4 week period between conviction and departure and his conduct on the hulk was reported as “good”. Single. He stated that his offence was stealing 3 hides of leather, and that he had been convicted once befpre for stealing 2 umbrellas, getting 3 months’ gaol. The ‘Stakesby’ Surgeon reported his behaviour as ‘indifferent’. 25 March 1834, neglect of duty and insolence to his mistress, reprimaneded [?] 28 April 1834 – suspicion of stealing a paper contiing 5 s wort of Halfpence, the property of his master, Returned to P-W and scooned [?] to be worked 6 months in the South Rivulet Road Party (sentence from the Assistant Police Magistrate). 7 June 1834, Road party, feigning sickness, 3 days set’d confined on bread and water (sentence by E.D. & R Officer). 6 June 1837, (Underwood) Absent without leave; Reported. 26 June 1837, (Underwood), Insolence, 10 nights bells, doing his work by day. 5 July 1837 (Underwood), Absent without leave, 20 days bells 27 December 1841, Ticket of Leave, Drunkenness - admonished Conditional Pardon No.416, 24 March Extended 18 January 1846 Description List: Con-18-1-20, (Image 150) James Haddon, Labourer’s boy, age 18 years Native place: Spitalfields (London) 5ft 2 inches tall; Fair complexion, Slightly pock-pitted Brown hair, hazel eyes, brown eyebrows No whiskers, small visage (i.e face) Medium length nose, perpendicular forehead Small head, small mouth, small chin Appropriation list – CON27-1-6 – (image 82) No 1628 – James Haddon – age 18 - Labourer’s Boy – assignment written as “vacant” Also no 1629, Joseph Hooper, aged 17, Labourer’s Boy- assignment written as “vacant”