Mary Ann Harrison

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 9th April 2021

1845, 23 June: Frederick Fewster per Katherine Stewart Forbes (1832) and Mary Ann Harrison were granted permission to marry (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON52-1-2p034). 1845, 21 July: Frederick Fervester [sic], 25 a tailor, and Mary Ann Harrison, 34, were married in the Penitentiary Church, Hobart Town (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-4p375j2k). 1845, 4 November: She received her Ticket of Leave. 1850, 6 August: Mary Ann died in Hobart Hospital (see http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON40-1-6,258).

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 9th April 2021

1841: On arrival in VDL, Mary Ann Harrison was listed as a widow with one child. She had a previous conviction for theft and had served 6 months. She said she committed the second crime "to get transported having lost her character" (see http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON40-1-6,258).

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 9th April 2021

1840, 23 November: Mary Ann Harrison was convicted at the Old Bailey for picking a pocket and stealing a watch and other items. Below is a transcript of her trial: "#231. MARY ANN HARRISON was indicted for stealing, on the 11th of October, 1 watch, value 26s.; 2 seals, value 2l.; 1 chain, value 1s.; and 1 key, value 4d.; the goods of Thomas Pepper, from his person: and that she had been before convicted of felony. THOMAS PEPPER: I am a butcher, and live at Baker's-row, Walworth. On the 11th of October, about nine o'clock at night, I was at the end of New-street — I had had some drink, but was quite capable of managing myself — the prisoner accosted me, and said, where was I going — I said, not with her —she drew my watch out of my fob in a moment after accosting me — I told her she had got my watch —she said she had not — I said I would hold her till she gave it up — she said she would not, and she would send word to my wife — I called out, and a policeman came up — I gave her in charge, and as she was going to the station I saw her drop the watch — she denied having it — I did not see it drop from her, but I saw it rolling on the ground. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS: Q. Did you always say you saw it roll on the ground? A. I saw the person pick it up — I was sober — I did not tell the Magistrate I was the worse for liquor — she took hold of my arm — she was not walking with me. WILLIAM COOK: I am a policeman. On the night of the 11th I was returning home, and met the prosecutor and the prisoner in company with the witness — they told me she had taken a watch from him — I asked if he charged her with stealing it — he said he did, and he was confident she had it about her — I immediately took her, made her walk a little in advance, and when we got about a hundred yards I distinctly saw it drop on the ground from her person. HENRY WENMAN: I am a walking-stick manufacturer. I saw the prisoner pressing the prosecutor to go down a street — he objected, and walked on towards the end of the street, and she was with him, having hold of his arm — at the bottom of the street I heard him say to her, "You have got my watch" — she said, "Nonsense, don't talk in that way; people will think by and bye that I have it, if you talk so; I shall send after your wife" — she called a lad, and sent him for his wife, and a policeman came up — he gave her in charge — the watch fell in front of her, and there was nobody in front of her. Cross-examined: Q. Did you tell the Magistrate about what she said about his wife? A. Yes — the man is a butcher, and this being close to his house, people knew him as a tradesman — I imagined that she knew him — they did not appear intimate — he was not sociable — he might have drunk something, but was not tipsy — I should believe him if he swore he was the worse for liquor, but I would sooner believe what I saw. (Property produced and sworn to.) SAMUEL GARDINER: I am a policeman. I have a certificate of the prisoner's former conviction from the office of the Clerk of the Peace for Surrey —(read)— I was a witness at the trial — she is the person who was convicted. GUILTY. Aged 28. — Transported for Ten Years (see https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/).