Margaret Smith

Level 116

Tony Beale on 30th January 2021

old bailey Online (Margaret the Younger on board Sarah and Elizabeth) 1840. MARGARET SMITH was indicted for stealing, on the 7th of July, 1 bag, value 1d.; 1 watch, value 2l.; 1 watch-chain, value 3d.; 1 watch-key, value 3d.; and 2 shillings; the goods and monies of William Sibley, from his person. WILLIAM SIBLEY . I live at Colney, near St. Albans. On the 7th of July, I was on my road, between Mimms and Barnett, about five o'clock in the evening—I saw the prisoner and another woman—the prisoner caught hold of me and began to ask me questions—I said I did not want them—she asked me to go with her—I refused—she than began to get my frock up, and get her hands into my pockets, I suppose—I felt her hands about that part of my person—she left me for two or three minutes—I felt for my watch and missed it—I went after them—the prisoner joined the other girl—I got up to them, and said to the prisoner, "You have got my watch"—she denied it two or three times—I said I knew she had it—she said she had picked up one, if that was mine, I was very welcome to it, and gave it to me out of her bosom—it was mine—I also missed two shillings and a purse—a policeman came up and took her—I gave him my watch—the other girl did not come close enough to me to take it. Prisoner. The other girl was with him first. Witness. No, it was the prisoner caught hold of me first. GEORGE WARDEL . I am a policeman. I was on the spot, and saw the prosecutor and two girls—only one went close to him, from what I observed—I watched, and saw the prisoner stop him—I saw her hand under his smock frock, and in three or four minutes she ran away from him—I saw him feeling in his pockets, then turn back and follow her—he caught her, and when I got up I asked him what was the matter—he said he had been robbed by the prisoner—I followed and caught her—I asked her if she See originalClick to see original had any money—she said she had not—I afterwards searched her, and found a shillings in her bosom and two shillings and sixpence in her mouth—I asked her what she had done with his bag—she said he had not got it—I afterwards found it in a ditch, which she had gone within a yard of—this was in Middlesex. (Property produced and sworn to.) Prisoner's Defence. I was coming from St. Albans to Barnet, and met the old gentleman—he stopped talking to the young woman—I happened to be talking to him also—he said he only wanted one of us, and said he would give me sixpence—I said an old man like him ought to be ashamed of himself—he asked me to put my hand to his small clothes, and I did—I refused to go to the field with him, and, as I left him afterwards I saw the bag and watch—I said,—"What is this?"—the woman said it was a purse and watch—I said, it must be his—I went after him, and asked if he had not lost one—he said no, and I left—he afterwards called after me, and said he had lost his watch—I took it out of my bosom and said "If this is yours you shall have it"—the constable came and asked him what was the matter—he said he had lost his watch, but he could not say whether I took it out of his fob, or whether he had dropped it—the constable asked him to give it to him and he would make a job of it—I did not deny having it. GUILTY . Aged 19.— Transported For Fourteen Years. Before Mr. Justice Williams. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Annotated Printed Indentures 1837 From Castlebar Co Mayo Ireland. Single Catholic who could read and write. 5' 1 1/4" ruddy and freckled complexion brown hair and grey eyes New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849 New South Wales General muster 1837 Assigned to Mrs Laidly Sydney New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851 Granted 10/7/1844. Margaret Smith 27 ToL (14yrs) per ship Sarah and Elizabeth to marry Joshua Ashcroft 33 ToL (life) per ship Lady Harewood (2) rev John Tait Parramatta New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 for Margaret Smith no 42/3375 dated 31/12/1842 Allowed to stay in Parramatta district. Recommended for a ToL by matron of FF at Parramatta. 12/4/1847 no 47/539 in lieu of previous ToL. cancelled 23/7/1850 for being absent from district.