Charles Hall

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

FOOTNOTE: Charles Hall's accomplice William Gregory, alias Charlton, was also transported to WA, aboard the Nile. He arrived on 1 January, 1858. His bio is at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/gregory/william-charlton/95779.

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

DEATH OF CHARLES HALL: 2 May, 1891: From the Eastern Districts Chronicle (York), p3: "A man named Charles Hall died in the York Hospital on Thursday morning last [30 April]. Deceased was admitted into that institution some months back. The cause of death was cancer in the throat." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/148137129)

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

Is this "our" Charles Hall? 1887, 19 February: From the Eastern Districts Chronicle (York), p2: "LOCAL AND GENERAL LAST week a man named Charles Hall was sentenced to two month's imprisonment for the larceny of some ducks the property of Mr. J. H. Monger, which were taken from his farm at Daliak. Whether or not Mr. Hall has been carrying this little game on for some considerable time has not yet transpired, but certain it is that if he has not someone else has, we having heard of several persons losing poultry lately; the contents of meat-safes have been extracted, and small pigs just-killed have, during the night, been taken from the gambols upon which they had been suspended to cool. Doubtless the police will, after this, keep an eye upon all suspicious looking persons, with a view to preventing them in the future from indulging in their petty larceny proclivities." --00--

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

IN WA: From his FREMANTLE jail record: HALL, Charles; inmate #4350, arrived 3 July 1857 per Clara (1) Alias: WILLIAMS Date of Birth: 1821 Date of Death: 30 Apr 1891 Place of Death: York Marital Status: Married 3 children Occupation: Farm labourer Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Date: 29 Mar 1856 Sentence Place: Chester, Cheshire, England Crime: Robbery with violence Sentence Period: 20 years Ticket of Leave Date: 26 Feb 1861 Certificate of Freedom Date: 4 May 1876 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

13 August, 1856: Admitted to DARTMOOR, at Yelverton in Devon, while William Gregory remained at Millbank before being sent to Portland prison, in Dorset, in March 1857. Originally built 1809, Dartmoor became a male convict public works prison in November 1850. Within five years the prison was reserved for less able-bodied convicts (https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/dartmoor-prison/). At Dartmoor, Charles Hall's behaviour was listed as "Good with exception of attempt to escape 16 December 1856". A note on his WA record also says "Met with an accident at Dartmoor". Before or after the escape attempt, for which he was sentenced to a further 6 months? He was sent from Dartmoor to board the Clara for transportation to WA; behaviour during the voyage "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 3640-4432 (R19)). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

14 June, 1856: Both men were admitted to MILLBANK prison, Westminster -- Charles Hall, alias Williams, was listed as inmate #2808; 34 when convicted, married with two children, Church of England, labourer, illiterate. Next of kin: his wife Elizabeth Williams, living at John Healey's, Higher Wych, Malpas, Cheshire. Death recorded for robbery with violence, commuted to transportation for 20 years. No previous conviction noted. Behaviour in separate confinement "very good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; for Charles Hall; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1882-1885). “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. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

JAILS: 16 February, 1856: KNUTSFORD -- Chester Castle jail; served 3 months 28 days. Behaviour "good". William Gregory was held there also. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 27th February 2022

NEWSPAPER report of his committal hearing: 20 February, 1856: From the Manchester Guardian: “BURGLARIES IN CHESHIRE: THE BURGLARS FRUSTRATED Two men, names William Gregory, alias Charlton, and Charles Williams, alias Hall, have been committed by the magistrates at Knutsford, for trial at the Chester assizes, upon three charges of burglary, at places in that county widely distant from each other. It appears that about half-past ten o’clock on Sunday, the 10th inst. Police-constable John Pigot, of the D division, met Gregory in Deansgate, in this city [Manchester]; and as he could not satisfactorily account for the possession of a shawl which he had wrapped round him, and which contained three fowls and a number of cigars, Pigot took him into custody. About the same time, and in the same neighbourhood, Police-constable William Birties, of the D division, met Williams and took him into custody; he having in his possession five fowls, and copper coins to the value of several shillings. The prisoners were taken to the office at the Chorlton Town Hall; and Mr. Superintendent Taylor determined to detain them, while he made inquiries as to some burglaries in Cheshire of which he had heard. Mr. Taylor consequently forwarded to the heads of police in several towns descriptions of the prisoners, and of what had been found in their possession. This led to the discovery by Mr. Halliday, chief-constable at Lynn, that a number of fowls had been stolen on the night (Saturday) preceding the apprehension of the prisoners, from the premises of Mr. Armstrong, a gentleman farmer, residing near Tabley Park; and that there was reason to believe that the cigars were part of a number that had been stolen, on the same night, from the house of Miss Emma Gleave, the Windmill Inn, at Tabley. In this case, the premises were entered from the back, a window being broken and some inside stanchions wrenched out. Two spirits, a number of cigars, and rather more that 5d in copper were stolen. Mr. Taylor had ascertained, when the prisoners were searched and their dress examined, that Williams wore a singularly-nailed pair of boots; there being two rows, of 17 and 18 nails down the centre of each sole. Gregory was found to be wearing two odd stockings; the foot of one being stiff with mud and much damaged, as though it had been walked in, without a shoe, over wet and miry ground. These circumstances led to the inference that the prisoners had perpetrated a daring burglary with violence at Wigton, near Malpas, on the night of Friday, the 8th instant. On that night the house of Mr. James Lloyd, a farmer, was entered in the same way as the house of Miss Gleave; and at the examination before the magistrates, the prisoners were positively identified by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, as the burglars. There seems to be no doubt that, after entering the premises, the prisoners pulled off their shoes, and then ransacked several drawers and cupboards in the lower rooms. Not satisfied here, they armed themselves with a large cleaver and a butcher’s knife, which they found during their search; and having with them a lighted candle, they got upstairs and into the room of Mr. Lloyd, an old gentleman, who was sleeping alone, without awakening him. Mrs. Lloyd was in bed in another room, with a grand-daughter, seven years old; and, by some means seeing the light, she called to Mr. Lloyd to know what he was doing to need it. Gregory instantly ran into the room, seized Mrs. Lloyd by the throat, and swore he would choke her if she gave an alarm so as to wake her husband; and, being followed by Williams, he struck her on the back with the bludgeon. This caused her involuntarily to shriek with pain; and the cry awakening Mr. Lloyd, he jumped up and was making his way to the spot. He was, however, met and knocked down by Williams, who beat the poor old man’s head upon the floor, until blood flowed freely. Gregory also kicked Mr. Lloyd about the legs, and placing the butcher’s knife to his throat, he threatened to “do for” Mr. Lloyd unless he remained quiet. Mr. Lloyd begged for his life; promising to give the fellows a large cheese if they would depart. While this was going on, Mrs. Lloyd, with a good deal of spirit and presence of mind, blew out the light, and ran down stairs, trusting that from their intricacy (the house being a very old one), she might escape and give an alarm. She succeeded; for although she was at first followed by one of the men, she got safely (in her night-dress only) to the house of a neighbour, about 300 yards off; her pursuer having stumbled on the stairs and then retraced his steps. While the burglars were engaged in searching for and re-lighting the candles, Mr. Lloyd also contrived to escape to the house of another neighbour. The burglars seem to have felt that they could not, under these circumstances, prolong their stay in the house for more that a few minutes; and after breaking open a box, without succeeding in getting hold of a £5 note which was in it, they made off, fortunately without finding a purse containing £3.15s, which Mrs. Lloyd contrived to remove from a table and fling aside, during the confusion. On the next morning a Malpas constable examined the premises, and traced footsteps under the window by which the burglars effected their entrance and exit, and also across the garden. There were clear traces of two persons for nearly a mile from the house; one of the men having worn a pair of boots nailed like those found upon Williams, and the other having walked in his stockings only. The marks showed that one of the stockings had been much damaged as the wearer proceeded; and about a mile from the premises was found a much worn stocking, which in make corresponded with the muddy one worn by Gregory, when he was taken into custody. The peculiarity in Williams’s boots enabled the Malpas constable (Steen), to follow the track of the footsteps, from the point at which the stocking was found, to the Beestom Station, on the Chester and Crews line. It was also proved before the magistrate, that on the night of Wednesday the 7th inst. the prisoners called together at a public house five miles from Malpas, and had some beer. Williams is said to be a native of Malpas, and to have left that place rather more than a year ago, after committing some offence; Gregory is a ticket-of-leave man.” (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4350.htm)