Robert Matthews

74

iain Frazier on 20th April 2024

Family connections for Robert Matthews) are: MATTHEWS Robert (Matthews) was born about 1773/80. He was tried for stealing a horse, on 8 2 1803, of Thomas (Keates) at Old Bailey In February 1803, sentenced to death reprieved to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 7 5 1804 ater a voyage of 6months on COROMANDEL. He was issued his Conditional Pardon on 10 6 1813 & Absolute Colonial Pardon on 31 1 1814. He had a relationship with Hannah/Ann (Edge). He died in 1828 age55. [Some details taken from this Website] Hannah/Ann (Edge) was born on 8 3 1795. She was recorded as an orphan >10yrs w/Mary Ann on stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. She was baptised on 27 3 1806 age11 w/Mary Ann on Norfolk Island. Details of Hannah/Ann (Edge)s family are given in entry for James (Shears SCARBOROUGH 1788) on this Website. Robert (Matthews) & Hannah/Ann (Edge) produced 2children: 1.Margaret (Matthews) was born in 1816. 2.Jane (Matthews) was born in 1818. References: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. G S Oakes Venerable Archdeacon 'Pioneers of Bathurst-Kelso NSW and Bush Memories' Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'

341

Maureen Withey on 23rd August 2021

Convict Index. Robert Matthews, Coromandel 1804, Conditional Pardon, 10 Jun 1813. Robert Matthews, Coromandel 1804, Absolute Pardon, 31 Jan 1814. A Conditional Pardon granted to this man 10 Jun 1813. Robert Matthews, Coromandel 1804, Colonial Pardon, 31 Jan 1814. -----------------------------------------------------

341

Maureen Withey on 23rd August 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 23 August 2021), February 1803, trial of ROBERT MATHEWS (t18030216-31). ROBERT MATHEWS, Theft > animal theft, 16th February 1803. 250. ROBERT MATHEWS was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 8th of February , a mare, value 11l. the property of Thomas Keates . THOMAS KEATES sworn. - I live at the Swan and Hoop Livery-stables, Moorgate ; I let a mare to the prisoner, who came to me on the 8th of February, between ten and eleven o'clock, he called himself Captain Thompson. Q.Had you ever seen him before? - A. Yes; he came into the yard, I asked his address, he gave it me, Captain Thomas, 16, in the Minories; he said, he wanted a mare, to go and see a friend some where about Somers Town; I asked how long he should want the mare; he said, about one hour, that he should not be more than an hour gone; he asked me what I should charge him for the ride; I said, five shillings; I let him have the mare, and he was to pay five shillings, on his return in one hour; that was the agreement between us. Not returning that hour nor that evening, I began to be a little alarmed about my horse, I thought it was likely I should not see it any more; the next day I went to where he gave me his address, 16, in the Minories, and enquired for such a person, and no such person was known. The next morning I went about to all the other stables, thinking he might have put it up somewhere else by mistake; that he might, perhaps be intoxicated with liquor; after making this enquiry, I could not hear any thing about the mare. On the 10th of February, I went to the Office in Worship-street, and had some bills printed. On the 12th, an officer from Westminster, of the name of Bly, came to me in the morning, and gave me information that my mare was at the Red Lion, Cockspur-street, where I saw the mare; and from thence I went to Westminster, where I saw the prisoner, at a little house where the officer took me to, in a little room. I swore to the mare, and the prisoner was committed. Q. Are you sure the mare you saw at the Red Lion was your mare? - A. Yes, she was a bay mare, fifteen hands and three inches high, some white in her face, some saddle marks, with two black spavins; I have had her about five months; I am perfectly satisfied it was my mare. Cross-examined. Q.On the 8th of February, a Captain Thompson came to your yard to have a horse? - A. Yes. Q. You had never seen Captain Thompson before? - A. Never. Q. And you let Captain Thompson this mare for an hour? - A. I did. Q. You agreed with him for five shillings? - A. Yes. Q. Did he give you any thing at the time? - A. No. Q. Do you let horses to any stranger? - A. Yes, if they give me a good address. I would let you one. JAMES GOADBY sworn. - I am ostler to Mr. Morley, at the Red Lion, Cockspur-street, Charing-cross: On Tuesday, the 8th of February, the prisoner came into our yard, and said, he had got a mare to sell - Q. What time in the day? - A.About four o'clock, or it might be a quarter past; I asked him what he would take for her; he asked me what I thought she might be worth; I said, I knew what she was worth to me, what do you set upon her; how long have you had her; he said, he had had her three years and upwards; I asked whether he drove her in reins, or rode her; he said, he had her frequently in his cart, that he was a cheesemonger; he said, he used her to go in a one-horse chaise and a cart, and drove her fifty or sixty miles a day, frequently; he said, he had sold two the same day before; he said, his brother and he were cheesemongers, and came out of the lower part of Scotland, and wanted to make up their debts, as far as possible, and that they had a warehouse in the Minories; they wanted to get as much money as they could, for he thought they should be bankrupts; says I, I will give you five guineas for the mare; he said, O no, he could not take that; I said she was not worth more, she has two black spavins, and has been worked a great deal; I said, however, I would give him six pounds, and no more, and we went over to the public-house, and had something to drink, and I paid him six pounds, and the prisoner went away; I had three friends with me at the time. I suspected, some how, after that, that the mare was not come honestly by, and my friends and I went in pursuit of the prisoner, but could not find him that night. On the Friday in the next week, the prisoner came into the yard again, and brought a brown gelding for sale; I asked him what that had been used to; he said, it had been used to work along with the mare in the cart, at times; I said, it is very lame, what do you expect for him; says he, you must give me more for this than you did for the other; I said, no, I cannot give you any such thing, I would give him three guineas; and desired him to go over the way with a friend of mine; and in the mean time I went to Mr. Bly, the constable; I told my friend to keep him in tow while I went; I told him what I was going upon. I found Mr. Bly at home, and he came immediately with me; we did not find him in the house where I expected to meet him, we went into the yard, and saw him standing; Mr. Bly followed me; I asked where my friend was; he said, in a house near the King's-mews. We went into the Hope, in Cockspur-street, and there my friend was; I went into the back parlour, and called for a shilling's worth of brandy and water, and asked the prisoner if he had a receipt for the horse; in the mean time, I said, I would go andget a stamp; I got one at the stationer's, and went into the room again where the prisoner and my friend was; the officer was then in the room; the prisoner said, will you write it; I said, no, write it yourself; and he wrote a receipt for the money; I said, can you give me change for a ten poundnote? and Mr. Bly came up, and said, I have a detainer against you, to know how you came by these horses; the prisoner said, do you accuse me as a thief, I have always lived in credit; he said, let me go, and I will give you my address; the officer said, I must do my duty, you must go before a Magistrate; he went with us very well a little way, and then he swore he would go no further; he swore he would shoot himself; then Mr. Bly said to me, take hold of his am, I insist upon your assisting me; we called a coach, and with difficulty got him into it, and took him to Queen-square. Q. You are positively sure the prisoner is the man you bought the mare of? - A. Yes. He was committed; the Magistrate read the hand-bill he had received of the mare; I said, that is the mare. Q. Did you shew the mare to Mr. Keates? - A. Yes, the morning after he was committed, he claimed her as his own. Cross-examined. Q.On the 8th, about four o'clock, the prisoner came to you, and offered a mare to sell? - A. Yes. Q. And said he was a cheesemonger? - A. Yes. Q. Did the mare appear as if she had gone in harness? - A. Yes; she was marked with a blaze down her face, two blood spavins behind, white saddle marks on her back, and a little tender before. Q. Was she very lame behind? - A. Yes. Q. How high was she? - A.About fourteen hands three inches high. Q. Had you ever seen the prisoner before? - A. I thought afterwards, I had, with Captain Gray. JAMES BLY sworn. - I am a constable; I took up the prisoner on the 11th, at the sign of the Hope public-house, Charing-cross, upon the information of James Goadby , who thought he had got horses improperly; I got him to write a receipt, and then took him to the Office; when he had got part of the way, he resisted, and with difficulty we got him into a coach; I asked him how he got the horses; he said, honestly, they were his own; I said, if he would bring some respectable housekeeper, in the neighbourhood, I would not take him before the Magistrate. Prisoner's defence. I hired the mare, to go to Nottingham-place, about some money; I did not find the person, I came to London, and being intoxicated, I put the mare in a stable, and as I was in want of money, I thought I would sell the mare, and I might go a voyage, and then I should be able to pay the prosecutor for the mare; I sold her for six pounds. As to my saying I was a cheesemonger, and drove her in a cart, I said no such thing. The prisoner called two witnesses, who gave him a good character. Jury. (To Goadby). Q. Was the prisoner intoxicated when he sold the mare? - A. No; he conducted himself so that I could not suppose he stole it. GUILTY , Death , aged 30. London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.