William Lewis

341

Maureen Withey on 15th September 2025

NSW Convict Index. William Lewis, per Earl Spencer, 1813, Conditional Pardon, 31 July 1818.

341

Maureen Withey on 15th September 2025

Colonial Secretary Index. LEWIS, William. Per "Earl Spencer", 1813 1813 Oct 14 Glass manufacturer. On list of convicts disembarked from "Earl Spencer" and forwarded to William Cox at Windsor for distribution (Reel 6002; 4/3491 p.560) 1818 Jul 1 Stockman. On list of prisoners presently or lately at Bathurst recommended for mitigation of sentence (Reel 6065; 4/1798 p.107)

341

Maureen Withey on 15th September 2025

Tried at the Old Bailey, 16 Sep 1812. 638. WILLIAM YOUNG and WILLIAM LEWIS were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Edward Holwell , about the hour of two, on the night of the 4th of August , and stealing therein, two girandole candlesticks, value 40 s. a wire-work of a girandole candlestick, value 2 d. two glass shades, value 40 s. a nassal of a girandole, value 1 d. an earthen candlestick, value 6 d. and two brass knobs, value 1 d. the property of Edward Holwell ; and HENRY HOLWELL for feloniously receiving one nassal of a girandole, value 1 d. an earthen candlestick, value 2 d. a wire-work of a girandole candlestick, value 2 d. and two brass knobs, value 1 d. he knowing them to have been stolen . EDWARD HOLWELL. Q. You keep a china and glass-warehouse , in Falcon-street, Aldersgate - A. I do, in the parish of St. Botolph, Aldersgate Without. I am the housekeeper. I have a warehouse there. The warehouse is a part of the dwelling-house. On, the night of the 4th of August I was alarmed by Pearce. There is a communication from the dwelling-house to the warehouse. It is under the same roof. I was alarmed by Pearce between three and four o'clock. In consequence of Pearce's alarm I came down stairs, and discovered that my warehouse window was thrown quite up. Q. Had you seen that warehouse window the night before - A. I had. That window was quite down and safe. I immediately looked round. I missed two girandole glass candlesticks, one earthen-ware candlestick with a gold edge. There were also two glass shades of a girandole candlestick taken out of the warehouse. They were outside. There were two glass trifle-dishes removed from a table, to a table close by the window. I did not miss any thing besides that. The next morning I went to my neighbour, Mr. Deputy King, and I ordered Hawkins to seek out the parties. I had strong reason to suspect William Lewis . He lived with me upwards of two years, as my porter. He had the care of my place. He had left me about two or three months. Lewis was taken on Thursday morning. When he was brought to my shop I saw him. He denied every thing to me. I told him he would not let me alone. I had forgave him before. I was willing to make him a good man again. Young was taken in the City-road. I was afterwards with Mr. George King ; when he spoke to them they confessed it. COURT. Before they said any thing to you, did either you or Mr. King, or any body else, tell them it would be better for them - A. No promises of any kind, or threats, were made use of. Lewis said that he was quite tipsy, and that he did not know what he did. He had not been on this side of the water for three weeks before. Lewis said, he got up and took the things out of the window and gave them to Young. Mr. Bolland. Did Young hear this - A. Yes. Q. Did Young say any thing - A. I do not immediately recollect. I do not think he said any thing at that time. After that we took them to Guildhall. There they were examined. Q. Did you accompany Mr. King and the constable to the house of Howell - A. I did, That was on the Thursday, the next day after the robbery. Howell lived in Stonecutter-street: he keeps a kind of a rag and glass-shop. Deputy King and Hawkins accompanied me. We told Howell our business. Howell said, I might look round I looked round the shop; I saw wine glasses about the shop, like mine. I saw nothing there respecting of this charge. I went up stairs. I discovered the stand of one of the girandoles that was on the mantle-piece when I found it. This is a nassal to a girandole. This wire-work, that the drops are suspended to, there were two drops with it; and this candlestick, an earthenware candlestick. They are all mine. I know they are mine by corresponding with the other pieces. I have not the least doubt whatever. These glass shades I marked them as soon as I found them. I told Howell they were mine; he said, they might, he did not know how he came by them: he afterwards varied the story, and said, if they were mine Lewis had given them to him. Q. Did he say when he had them of Lewis - A. He said, he did not know: his daughter might buy them, perhaps; he could not tell. Q. Look at that letter, and tell me, whether that is Lewis's hand writing - A. I have no doubt it is his hand writing. I have his writing in my books. It is a letter addressed to me. (The letter read.) ="Respected Sir, ="The necessity of my writing this letter to you, is, if you send me out of the country, it will be my destruction, together with my wife and children. I rely on your mercy; and pray consider, Sir, you are a father of children; and what a shocking thing it would be if you were torn away from your family. I hope you will not appear against me. The bearer of this is my wife. I entreat you will pay attention to her entreaties for my preservation.=" Mr. Alley. Q. to prosecutor. I understand, what you found at Howell's were parts of a broken girandole. Did not he say, that they were given to him by Lewis; that they were found in the street - A. I believe he did. Q. To be kept till he called for them. I take it for granted, that the candlestick, if it was whole, it is worth something; but, in the state it is now, it is worth nothing - A. No, it is not. Q. And the other pieces of a girandole are not worth twelve pence - A. No, not now. JOHN PEARCE . I am a watchman. Q. Were you on duty on the night of the 4th of August - A. I was near Mr. Holwell's premises. I was going my round, calling the hour of three o'clock, there I discovered the top of the lamp off, which made me think there was something done that was not right. I looked round, and could not see any body. I picked up the top of the lamp, and carried it to my stand: not being satisfied, I returned to the spot, where I discovered two men standing under the premises. Q. Do you know who either of these two men were, or both of them - A. One of them was Lewis, the little man. I asked him the reason, why he was there at that time in the morning. I told them, they must go to the watchhouse and give an account of themselves. They condescended to go. In going along I discovered the back part of Lewis's coat, or jacket, that he had had a fall; his coat was dirty, and likewise his pantaloons, which gave me suspicion. I called to my brother watchman, Clark; at the instant I called, Lewis ran towards St. Martin-le-grand, and Young ran the other way, Aldersgate-street way Q. Was a man of the name of Fowler with you - A. No, not at that time; he was afterwards. I pursued Lewis, and lost him, and returned back again; then I met the patrol, Fowler; Fowler asked me what was the matter. I told him, and the description of the men; that they had got out of my hands. We then went to Mr. Holwell's, and told Mr. Holwell what I saw, and the description of the party that I saw. I saw Lewis, the next morning, at Mr. Holwell's house. Lewis denied being in Mr. Holwell's house; but, afterwards, in the presence of Mr. King, he confessed, and said, he got in at the window after he threw the sash up. Q. Did you, at any time, hear Young say any thing - A. He made several excuses to Mr. King. First, he said, that Lewis gave him the handkerchief, with some glasses, in order for him to keep till the next day. Q. I am asking you now, whether Young said any thing; not Howell - A. I do not recollect. Q. What did you hear Howell say - A. I heard Howell say, that Lewis gave him the glasses, tied up in a handkerchief, to keep for him until the next day. ="Another time he said, he or his daughter had bought them. He did not know how he came by them. THOMAS FOWLER . I am a patrole of Aldersgate. I was on duty, on the 4th of August. When I came down Aldersgate-street, I saw two lanthorns running, and just as I came along he called out, Bill! I turned round, to look at him, to see who he was; and when I came up to Pearce, he told me he thought there was something the matter in Falcon-street. Young is the man I saw; he had an umbrella in his hand, holding over his head. I am sure he is the man. I could pretty well swear he is the man. He was a tall thin man, pitted with the small-pox; it was about a quarter or twenty minutes past three when I saw him. JOHN LACEY HAWKINS . Q. You are one of the marshalmen - A. Yes; Mr. King gave me the first information. From there I went to the prosecutor, and from there I went to King-street, in the Borough, to Lewis's apartment. The first day I went, I could not find him. A little before six I took him out of bed from his wife. I told him I wanted him. I asked him where he had been after he had been at his club-house last night. I asked him, if he could tell where he was from two till four: he said, I was at home. The landlord of the house where he lodged came and asked what was the matter. I said, I am come to take this man up for robbing his master's house. The landlord said, he was not at home until four o'clock in the morning. I asked him if he could shew me what coats he had on his back. He shewed me one; I found this coat wet and dirty. His pantaloons were a little dirty. I took Lewis in custody, and took him to Mr. Holwell's house. He denied every thing. After I had heard there were two in company, the prisoner told me his club-house was the Rose and Crown, in Monkwell-street. I went there to find the other young man's name. I could not find his name for a long while. We were recommended to the prisoner, Howell, respecting of Lewis, by another person. I began to think it was very strange that he knew both the prisoners, he keeping a glass shop. I told Howell that Mr. Holwell's house had been broken open, and I understood he had bought the property. He said, No. I asked him if he knew a man of the name of Lewis, and a man of the name of Young. He said he knew them. I asked him if he could tell me where Young lived. He said, No. I told Howell I had come to search the place. I pulled out my staff; he said he had no objection, I might search any where. I searched, found nothing; particularly, after we had done searching below, I thought I might as well search up stairs. His wife made a little objection. I went up stairs with Mr. Holwell; and the moment I went up stairs Mr. Holwell found them things. I asked Howell, what he could say now; he was in a pretty mess. He said, he did not know how they came there. I said, you must have bought them. He said, No. At Guildhall, he said, Lewis gave them to him at a house in Red-cross-street; he gave them to him to carry home. While I was leaving Howell's house, that instant I heard where I could find Young, if I would go to the Bun-house, in the City-road, I should find him making of buns. In Mr. King's accompting-house, I heard Young tell Mr. King, that it was Lewis got up. He said, we were all drunk; it was done in a lark; Lewis got up and handed down the things. Young pointed out one that he had not received; the other things he said he had received. After we went in the coach, Lewis said, they will hang us for this. Young shook his head, and said to Lewis, I will take care how I go out a larking with you again. Mr. Alley. Nothing was found upon the man they charge to be the receiver - A. Nothing; but these things were found at Howell's house. In the prosecutor's house some things were only moved, and some were found on the leads. GEORGE KING . Q. Where did you first take the transaction up - A. On Wednesday, the 5th of August, in the morning, being informed that my neighbour Holwell had been robbed, as deputy of the ward, I sent for the watchman: and when he informed me the nature of the robbery, and the description of the parties, I had no hesitation of the criminality of the prisoner Lewis. I knew him for two years. He had committed a theft on my premises. I recommended that Mr. Holwell should take steps to apprehend Lewis. He was apprehended on the Thursday morning. On the Thursday morning I saw Lewis at Mr. Holwell's. Q. What passed between you and Lewis - A. I interrogated him very closely on the subject, on the company that he was in at that time in the morning. He denied any knowledge of the man, except having seen him twice before. Q. Who was the man you mentioned - A. The man that appears to be the other prisoner. He said, that he had only seen him twice before. I requested that he would take his shoe off his foot, and deliver it to me. He did so. I then went up stairs to Mr. Holwell's warehouse, and measured the print of the foot on the counter. It exactly corresponded with the size of the shoe. I made my observations of the marks of fingers, very small, on the window. Afterwards I returned to Lewis, and requested that he would go with me into my accompting house. I pressed him, on all sides, in vain, to confess. I was led to ask him, how he became acquainted with whom he was seen. He told me that he had first seen him playing at a game of skittles. I asked him, where his recollection did not serve him. I asked him, if it was not at Plowman's, in Redcross-square. He answered in the affirmative. Mr. Plowman came, in consequence of my request, to my accompting-house. I asked him, if he knew a man of the name of Young. He said, no, he knew no man, a baker, but a man of the name of Harvey, who had lived in Redcross-street. I then sent for Lewis. Plowman said, that was one in company. I further pressed, in Lewis's presence, who the others were. He said, one was a stranger to him, but the other was a man that bought glass, meaning Howell. Howell was with Lewis on the Wednesday evening, the night after the robbery. Plowman could not recollect Howell's name. He said, he lived some where in Fleet-market. I requested that he would accompany me and the officer in the search of this man's premises, and, after some difficulty, Howell's house was found, in Stonecutter-street. I went into the house, and asked Howell, if his name was Howell, and if he was the master of the house. He answered in the affirmative. He was then told by the officer that a robbery had been committed, and that these parties were suspected. I then asked Howell if he he had seen Lewis lately. He answered, no, not for some time. Have you bought any thing of him lately? No, not for some time. Have you received any thing of him of any description? No, not for some time. Hawkins then said, you have no objection to our searching your premises? No, I have no objection, search where you like. Finding nothing that the prosecutor could identify, we proposed going up stairs. We were in the lower shop. An objection was made to our going up, as the room was in a disordered state. I do not not know by whom, whether it was the wife or Howell. I said, that we were married man, we had no idle curiosity to satisfy. We then entered the room, and found the things. Mr. Holwell challenged the nassal of the candlestick and stand, and the wire work of the girandole. I then said, Howell, what have you to say now? I know nothing about them. I will state to your lordship, that previous to my first interrogation I told Howell that it was necessary for him to be explicit that he might be upon his guard. At one time he said, he supposed his wife might have received them with broken glass. He first denied them. The wife denied, in Howell's presence, and said, the transaction was with himself. He afterwards stated, that Lewis brought them there, throwed them down, and said, take care of them for me. I left him in the custody of the officer, and returned to the accompting-house, and sent for Lewis. I told Lewis, that it required now that he should be very cautious and tell the truth. I asked him, how he came in possession of the things that were found at Howell's, namely the girandoles and the brass-work. He said, that he climbed up the water spout, and entered the window; that the fastening was not turned; that he pushed up the window, and got easy entrance. The first thing that he removed was the girandole; that he handed them off the leads, and gave them to Young. Young was not present; he was in custody then. He said, that on the Wednesday evening he had been at Plowman's with Young and with Howell; that Young returned to him part of the glass and brass-work which, with what he had in his own possession, he delivered to Howell as they came out of Plowman's house. I then had Young brought into the accompting-house. Young confessed that Lewis entered the window and handed down the things to him. He acknowledged that it was done in a bit of a lark, he being in liquor. I then had Howell in, who denied how they came in, in strong and positive terms. He said, when he arose in the morning he found them there, tied in an handkerchief, but by what means they came there, he knew not. I then put the question to him. In Lewis's presence, who had charged him with receiving them coming out of Plowman's house; to which he said, if I did I was drunk. We then proceeded to the magistrate. Mr. Alley. It turns out that this man received these things of Lewis, but he gave nothing for them. SARAH WIGAN . Q. Does a brother of yours keep the Rose and Crown, in Markwell-street - A. He keeps the Rose. Q. Was Lewis and Young at your house on the 4th of August - A. They were. They came about half past ten, and staid till two. I knew Lewis. I never saw Young before that night. They both went out together. I never saw Howell with them. Young's Defence. I was along with Lewis so late as two o'clock. I was going home. Lewis said, stop. When I came to Mr. Howell's window, he said, he should not be a minute. He got up to the window. I did not know for what purpose. He threw these pieces of glass out. I picked it up. On the ensuing evening I gave it to him. I did not know what do with it, nor do I know what he did with it afterwards. Lewis's Defence. I cannot deny what he says. I delivered them to Howell. Howell left his defence to his counsel. COURT, to Mr. Holwell. You have no partner, I suppose - A. No. Young called two witnesses, who gave him a good character. YOUNG, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 37. LEWIS, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 23. [The prisoner, Young, was recommended to mercy by the Jury, believing it to be his first offence, London jury, before Mr. Recorder.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 14th September 2021

1825 - New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters. 1825 Name; William Lewis Age; No Details Class; No Details Vessel; E. Spencer Employment/Remarks; DEAD;