William Holt

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 3rd September 2021

1825 - New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters. Year - 1825 Name; William Holt Age; No details Class; Unable to read Ship; General Hewitt - 1814 - Life Remarks\Assigned; DIED in Nov 1825 - Sydney

71

Robin Sharkey on 29th August 2021

The Craven Bank was a small provincial bank, established in 1791, based in the town of Settle in North Yorkshire. Forgeries of notes of Craven Bank had apparently been circulating in the north - Joseph Greenwood had been acquitted of passing a forgery at a shop in Halifax in September 1812, but had been acquitted even though three notes were also found on him. Description of William Holt (per ship's ihdent): William Holt, Aged: 23 years Born: York; trade: Tailor, Height 5ft 7in & 1/2. Fair ruddy complexion, red hair, hazel keyes. The 1814 Muster, the year of his arrival, was taken between mid October and mid November. There are two entries for William Holt in November 1814. One is for him being assigned to "Mr Thrupp". This is Alfred Thrupp, Assistant Naval Officer in NSW, who had come out to NSW on the "General Hewett" (and on board met Sarah, the daughter of Capt Piper returning from school in England, and married her in May 1814). Thrupp also had another "General Hewett" convict assigned to him, William Cressford. William Holt had also been assigned to Mr Simeon Lord. Simeon Lord had been a 7 year convict during the 1790's and once emancipated began developing his extensive business interests, from public houses to sealing to manufacturing ventures, to trade. He had even been made a magistrate in 1810, by Gov Macquarie. Importantly for William Holt, Simeon Lord had grown up in Dobroyd, near Todmorden in Yorkshire. Todmorden was the place Holt came from. He was a 19 yr old transported in 1790 shortly before William Holt was born. However, perhaps Holt had got a recommendation to go to Simeon Lord, perhaps Lord looked out for the convicts who came from his local area, perhaps Lord, as a young man, had known Holt's parents in Todmorden. In 1822, he was employed as a tailor in Sydney, The 1822 muster incorrectly recording his sentence s being for 14 years. In the Sept 1825 Muster, he was recorded with a Ticket of Leave. Sadly, William Holt died in November 1825. He would have been aged about 34 years.

71

Robin Sharkey on 29th August 2021

William Holt initially received the death sentence, which was commuted to transportation for life, at the Lancaster Lent Assizes which commenced on Sat 20 March 1813, for uttering forged notes. He was originally committed in early October 1812 and had been in prison for six months, probably the whole time in Lancaster Castle, awaiting his trial at the next Assizes. These were held at Salop in Lancaster the following Lent. He was soon transported on “General Hewett” departing August 1813 and arriving 7th February 1814. Leeds Intelligencer, 5 October 1812 p.3 “William Holt and Thomas Shaw, both of the township of Todmorden in Lancashire, are, on the prosecution of the Craven Bank Company, committed by Francis Drake and William Horton of Rochdale, clerks, two of his Majesty’s justices of the peace, to Lancaster Castle on a charge of uttering two forged one pound notes, purporting to be notes of that company of the date of 1 April last, and purporting to be signed by John Peart, according to the usual date and signatures of such forged notes of the above firm, as have hitherto made their appearance.” Lancaster Gazetter, Sat 20 March 1813 p.3: "Lancaster Assizes "The Calendar of Prisoners who are to take their trials at our assizes, which commence this day, before the Hon. Baron Thomason and the Hon Justice Le Blanc, we are sorry to say, contains no less than seventy-three offenders, many of whom are charged with capital offences. They are as follows: "William Holt charged with having uttered a forged Craven Bank note to George Peel at Rochdale. "Thomas Shaw charged with having uttered a forged Craven Bank note to Robert Butterworth at Rochdale." Lancaster Gazette, Sat 10 April 1813 p. "Lancaster Assizes "Crown Side "On Saturday morning, the Hon Baron Thompson passed sentence upon the remainder of the prisoners convicted at our Assizes. Elizabeth Dewhurst, Martha Hughes and Robert Barber, for uttering forged Bank notes. Thomas Shaw and Wm Holt for uttering false Craven notes … — Death"

William Holt initially received the death sentence, which was commuted to transportation for life, at the Lancaster Lent Assizes which commenced on Sat 20 March 1813, for uttering forged notes. He was originally committed in early October 1812 and had been in prison for six months, probably the whole time in Lancaster Castle, awaiting his trial at the next Assizes. These were held at Salop in Lancaster the following Lent. He was soon transported on “General Hewett” departing August 1813 and arriving 7th February 1814. Leeds Intelligencer, 5 October 1812 p.3 “William Holt and Thomas Shaw, both of the township of Todmorden in Lancashire, are, on the prosecution of the Craven Bank Company, committed by Francis Drake and William Horton of Rochdale, clerks, two of his Majesty’s justices of the peace, to Lancaster Castle on a charge of uttering two forged one pound notes, purporting to be notes of that company of the date of 1 April last, and purporting to be signed by John Peart, according to the usual date and signatures of such forged notes of the above firm, as have hitherto made their appearance.” Lancaster Gazetter, Sat 20 March 1813 p.3: "Lancaster Assizes "The Calendar of Prisoners who are to take their trials at our assizes, which commence this day, before the Hon. Baron Thomason and the Hon Justice Le Blanc, we are sorry to say, contains no less than seventy-three offenders, many of whom are charged with capital offences. They are as follows: "William Holt charged with having uttered a forged Craven Bank note to George Peel at Rochdale. "Thomas Shaw charged with having uttered a forged Craven Bank note to Robert Butterworth at Rochdale." Lancaster Gazette, Sat 10 April 1813 p. "Lancaster Assizes "Crown Side "On Saturday morning, the Hon Baron Thompson passed sentence upon the remainder of the prisoners convicted at our Assizes. Elizabeth Dewhurst, Martha Hughes and Robert Barber, for uttering forged Bank notes. Thomas Shaw and Wm Holt for uttering false Craven notes … — Death"