Rebecca Johnson

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 11th January 2025

FRIENDS OF THE ORPHAN SCHOOLSOrphan Number: 238 Orphan: John BARRETT Mother: JOHNSTON, Rebecca Father: , Mother's ship: Harmony Father's ship: Age when admitted: 7yrs Date admitted: 10 Mar 1829, Date discharged: 12 Sep 1829, Institution(s): Queens Orphan School Discharged to: Remarks: References: CSO5/86/1885, SWD28

221

D Wong on 9th July 2017

Old Bailey: States transported for life. REBECCA JOHNSON, ESTHER MATTHEWS, Theft > pocketpicking, 3rd July 1828. Offence: Theft > pocketpicking Verdict: Guilty; Guilty Punishment: Transportation REBECCA JOHNSON, alias BARRETT, and ESTHER MATTHEWS were indicted for stealing, on the 4th of June, 1 cap, value 6s., and 1 shawl, value 14s., the goods of Elizabeth Grainger , from her person. ELIZABETH GRAINGER. I am single, and lived with Mr. Gibson, of 'Change-alley, but am now out of place. On the morning of the 4th of June, between five and six o'clock, I was coming down Holborn, and between Brook-street and Gray's Inn-lane , I saw the two prisoners in company. at the corner of a court - I do not know the name of the court; I asked them the way to the Strand - they directed me to go across the road; Johnson said it was going to rain, and I had better pull off my shawl and put on another; I took off a red shawl, and put on another, from a bundle which I had; Johnson then took my red shawl and my lace cap, and they both ran off together: I followed them to some street in Cow-cross, begging them to give them back to me; they went into a house, and ran into a one pair of stairs room - I just got up to the door - they pushed me out, and shut the door too; they came out again, and ran down stairs; I got over the balustrade, or they would have pushed me down; I followed them into Cow-cross again, and into a gin-shop; one of them threw a glass of gin into my eyes, which nearly blinded me; they came out again - I still kept up to them, asking them for my shawl and cap; I got the street-keeper, who directed me to an officer - they were taken in about an hour and a half; I have not got my things back; I am certain they are the girls. Cross-examined by MR. CHURCHILL. Q. How long have you been out of place? A. Two months; I had been living with my friends, and had come from Uxbridge that morning; I lived eight months with Mr. Gibson - I do not know how I came to ask them the way to the Strand; I was quite sober - I had taken nothing to drink; I did not tell them anything about a waggoner; they ran through some streets - I kept calling after them, "Give me my shawl and cap;" I did not observe any persons about - I asked a watchman if he would take them, and he said No, but did not say why. I then followed them to the gin-shop; I showed Handley the room I had seen them go into. THOMAS HANDLEY . I am constable of St. Sepulchre. On the 4th of June, at a quarter to eight o'clock in the morning, the prosecutrix came and told me she had been robbed in Holborn, and had followed the women to a house - I went with her to the house, and she showed me the room; I went in, and four women were there; she directly pointed to Matthews, and said, "That is one;" I took her - she afterwards pointed out Johnson, in another room, in bed with two others; I sent for Millen, who went up and took Johnson: the prosecutrix was perfectly sober, but had been crying. RICHARD MILLEN. I am a constable. Handley called me - I went with the prosecutrix into the room, and asked the girls where the other was - they said they did not know; I went up stairs to another room, and found Johnson in bed with two other girls; they all appeared to he asleep: the prosecutrix pointed her out - I told her to get up and dress; she was a long while, and did not dress; at last I found most of her clothes down in the room I at first went into. HENRY RANDOLPH. I keep a wine-vaults. The prisoners came into my house, and called for a quartern of gin; the prosecutrix followed them in, and kept asking for her shawl and cap; one of them threw the gin in her eyes. Cross-examined. Q. How came you not to interfere? A. I could not, as nobody else was there: the prosecutrix was prefectly sober, and so were they. JOHNSON's Defence. She came and asked us where she could get a lodging, and said a waggoner had taken her into a field, by force; she took her ring off, and gave it to me - I put it on my finger; she asked where she could get some gin; I said she had had enough - she was very much intoxicated; we went home - she sat down there for half an hour; I asked her for a pin - she opened her bundle for one, and said she had been robbed of her shawl and cap; she called the watchman - he said he would sooner take her to the watch-house than us. ELIZABETH GRAINGER . I did not open my bundle; I had no ring to give her; I had no conversation about what she mentions. THOMAS GODDARD . I am a watchman of Peter-street, Cow-cross, St. John-street, Clerkenwell; I have been so about two years. I was on duty. and the prosecutrix applied to me, saying she had been robbed, but I had seen her half an hour before, as I was calling five o'clock, coming down Peter-street, from Saffron-hill; I went to my beat, and shut up my box, and then she came and said she had been robbed of a cap and shawl by two girls who were in the passage; I went up, but could not find her things: she said she did not know whether they had taken the ring off her finger; she had one on, and tried to get it off, but could not without putting her teeth to it; she appeared to me to be tipsy: whether she had been crying or not I cannot tell. COURT. Q. Do you know the house the prisoners ran into? A. Yes; the door is open all night: they were both at the door: I had not seen them before: they were found in bed there after. ELIZABETH GRAINGER. I did not bite my finger to get off a ring; I do not wear one. JOHNSON - GUILTY . Aged 21. MATTHEWS - GUILTY . Aged 25. Transported for Life. Rebecca was 22 years old on arrival. Born in Stoke, Suffolk. Previous conviction for Prostitution. Rebecca was 5'2 1/2" tall, dark brown eyes, light brown hair, could read and write, single, ring & little fingers on each hand some what deformed mole on upp. lip left side. mole on rt. cheekbone. Father and Mothrr at Leather Lane Jas. Barratt a Cutler - I worked last for my Brother - keeps a Cutlers Shop Leather Lane. 23/3/1829: Married Evan Williams, registered Hobart. 1832-35 Musters: Assigned to her husband. 25/2/1845: TOL 25/10/1853: TOL Revoked.

4

michael barrett on 9th July 2017

Was accompanied by a son. Married the ships carpenter, a Mr. Williams. Brothers were John Barrett transported on the Asia and Amos Barrett transported on the George which ran aground shortly before arrival in Hobart.