George Fenwick Jackson

221

D Wong on 30th May 2021

Kentish Gazette Kent, England 28 Feb 1815 On the 13th instant, a young man of good adddress, who states his name to be George Fenwick Jackson, of Nassau, in New Providence, one the Bahama Islands, was apprehended at Bishops- Wearmonth, after a desperate resistance, in which he snapped a loaded pistol at the Police Officer, and safely lodged in Durham Gaol. He had taken his passage from Chatham, in the brig Harmony, of Sunderland, Capt. Marshall, and while the vessel was entering that harbour, he took the opportunity of going below and broke open the Captain's desk, from whence he stole £23. in Bank of England Notes, and got on shore before the robbery was discovered. On searching him after his apprehension, there were found on his person some cards of address of the landlord of the Britannia inn, at Sheerness, a license to let post horses, directed to Mr. Fairhall, of Queenboro'. A red morocco pocketbook, containing several drafts, one of them for £200. upon Mr. Alex. Stacey, tailor, Palace-street, Canterbury, indorsed with several names, and the last to whom it was made payable, Jan. 24. 1815, "Weddell Till, and Weddell," also several bills for clothes, and blank bills for different sums of money, ready for negotiating as opportunity might offer. He appears about 27 years of age, five feet 11 inches high, fair complexion, brown hair, and hazel eyes, was dressed in a brown great coat, blue double breasted under coat, black waistcoat, grey worsted pantaloons, short black gaiters and shoes, and is a Freemason. ___________________ Originally landed in NSW the sent to VDL arriving 1/8/1816 per 'Kangaroo' George Fenwick Jackson was listed as 27 years old on arrival. Native Place: Durham. Occupation: Merchant and supercargo. George was 5'11" tall, fair pale complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes. Conduct Record VDL: 1/3/1817: Forging and uttering a promissory note purporting to be drawn by George Miller of the v. of 15 with intent to defraud Richard Hazard - no sentence ..taken from Gazette 1817. 17/11/1817: Embezzling a coat the property of the Crown - 3 months in the chain gang. 11/6/1818: Stealing cabbages in T. Alexander's garden - 1 month in the chain gang. 13/7/1818: Neglect of duty - to work for the Gov. for 1 week in his own time. 26/8/1818: Forging and uttering an order on J. Ferguson 100£ - 5 years to Newcastle. ___________ Colonial Secretary Index (NSW): JACKSON, George Fenwick. Per "Atlas", 1816 1818 Dec 19: On list of prisoners sent to Newcastle per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6006; 4/3499 p.215) 1819 Aug: On monthly return of prisoners punished at Newcastle (Reel 6023; 4/1718 p.87) 1819 Aug 16: Prisoner at Newcastle. Murdered John Williams with an axe following a dispute over a piece of tobacco (Reel 6067; 4/1807 pp.49, 51-2) {{18 September 1819 Place: Newcastle Source: SG Details: FRIDAY.-George Fenwick Jackson was indicted for the wilful murder of John Williams, at Newcastle, on the 14th ult. From the testimony adduced on the prosecution it appeared that the deceased was working at the lime-kilns, and the prisoner was also employed falling trees near the deceased; that the prisoner re- quested the deceased to give him some tobacco, which the deceased refused, alleging as a cause he had none, upon which some violent language occurred, and the prisoner seized an axe and struck the deceased on the back part of head with the edge of the instrument, which killed him on the spot. The prisoner endeavoured to make it manifest to the Court that the crime for which he was placed at the bar proceeded wholly from accident; that the deceased had threatened to strike him with a saw, in the course of the dispute, and having the axe unfortunately in his hand at the moment, it gave a swing, which put an end to the life of a fellow creature. The prisoner not having any witnesses to support his assertions, the Court retired, and after the absence of nearly an hour, returned a verdict of Guilty. His Honour the JUDGE ADVOCATE proceeded immediately to pass the awful sentence of the law, which consigns the prisoner to suffer death on such day as His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR may think proper to direct ; and his body afterwards to be given up to be dissected and anatomized.}} 1820: Under sentence of death. Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3204; 4/1861 pp.42-42a) 1820: Commutation warrant (Reel 6070; 4/7020 No.61) 1820 Aug 4: Re commutation of sentence (Reel 6007; 4/3502 pp.180-1) 1820 Aug 5: Under sentence of death, but mercy extended to (Reel 6049; 4/1744 pp.97-9) 1821 Dec 5: In Sydney Gaol under sentence from the Criminal Court. To be sent to Port Macquarie (Reel 6008; 4/3504A p.118) 1821 Dec 5: Prisoner to be sent to Port Macquarie (Reel 6052; 4/1751 pp.75-6) 1821 Dec 8: Son and heir of a Baronet. Seeking an interview with the Governor to plead for mercy (Reel 6052; 4/1752 p.10) 1821 Dec 27: Prisoner sent to Port Macquarie per "Newcastle"; appears as George Frederick (Reel 6008; 4/3504A pp.205-6) 1821: On list of convicts at Port Macquarie (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.342-3) c.1822: On list of criminals convicted of murder; in 1819 (Reel 6070; 4/1265 p.152) 1823 Sep 3: Sentence commuted to life (Reel 6019; 4/3864 p.65) 1825 Nov 18: Chief Constable at Port Macquarie. Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3248; 4/1874 p.112) 1825 Nov 29: Prisoner at Port Macquarie. Accused of perpetrating a fraud against John Moutin & others (Reel 6069; 4/1817 p.98) 1/2/1833: Source: State Records NSW Copies of Conditional Pardons Registered; Reel Number: 775; Roll Number: 147; Volume Number: 4/4493. (Ancestry) Details: Merchant from Durham. Born c. 1789. Has an impediment in his speech from paralytic affection. Was originally tried at Durham gaol deliver 25 July 1815 and sentenced to 7 years transportation. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for life for a colonial crime in 1819. Granted a conditional pardon 1 February 1833