William Meek

341

Maureen Withey on 13th April 2022

W. Meek and Lavinia King, for robbing Thomas Howard on the highway of three £l. notes 9s. Cambridgeshire Chronicle, 24 Aug 1821. ---------------------------------------------------- Saturday sen’night, the following convicts were taken from the Gaol, to be put on board the hulks at Sheerness: Wm. Meek, G. Canham alias Chapman, John Poll, Dan Irwin, George Mackintosh, and James Bulley, for life; Henry Flewer, John Tompson, Key, James Watts, and James Tuck, for seven years. Norfolk Chronicle, 5 Oct 1821. -------------------------------------------------- James Bulley's confession, made while on the hulk at Sheerness, implicated William Meek in several of his crimes in and around Norwich: At Sheerness, preparatory to being transported for life, was James Bully, who before his departure made the following confession: I was born at North Walsham, in the year 179?; I came at a very early age to live in Norwich, in the parish of St. Augustine's. About thirteen years of age I went to live servant with Mr. Page, at the Rose Inn: I lived there about seven years, and in the course of that time I got acquainted with bad companions, which caused me to spend all the money I could get. The first crime I committed was, I went into the maids' room, opened a box, and took two pounds out. I went on committing petty crimes till I was turned away; then I went to live at Mr. Geldart's, liquor merchant; I did not live there more than half a year, for I kept going on in the same kind of way as I did at the other place; they found me out, and turned me away. I did not go to service any more; I went about to get what I could. One night I and a boy by the name of Peirce went to Mr. Browne's stables, Magdalen-gates, and broke in, and stole thereout a greatcoat; the same night we stole eight loaves and a cheese and cheese-knife, from a shop at New Catton ; for Mr. Browne's concern we were taken up and tried, and sentenced to four months' imprisonment in Bridewell. When I was released, I got acquainted with some well-known characters in the city, and then I began to be a housebreaker. I and William Meek, and William Golding, went to North Kepps, and broke into a stable; we stole a black mare and brown horse; we were taken up for it, and tried at Thetford ; I and Meek were cleared, Golding was transported for life. We kept going to fairs, pocket-picking, I and Meek, and one not in custody, broke open the house of Mr. Utting, in the parish of St. John's Tiniberhill; we got sixteen pounds and a watch. The week after I and Meek, and three more not in custody, went to Shotesham and broke into a farmhouse, but could get nothing only a sack full of meat. A little while after, I and Meek and Dye, and two more not in custody, went to Long Stratton, and broke into a farm-house, and got a great deal of plate; the same night we went about a mile through the town, and heard of another house, but some one gave the alarm, and we were forced to make the best of our way from thence; about a week after, in Norwich, we broke open a man’s barge, but got very little there but knives and forks. The next we did was a butcher's shop in the shambles; we got seven stone of beef; then, in the day-time, we spent our time in passing forged notes and base coin. One night I and two more not committed, met Mr. Leeds on the Ditches, knocked him and took from him more than two pounds; the next we went to Sparshall's Gardens, in Pockthorpe and opened the bar ; we took from thence two stone bottles of liquor; the next we did was Mr. Gidney's warehouse; we took from thence two sacks of nuts. I and one not committed went to Wroxham, and broke open a gentleman's house there; we got some plate, and two pounds in copper; then we came to Norwich, and one night I and two more not committed met a shrimp-man at the top of Davey-place ; we knocked him down, and took from him his watch, and eleven shillings in money; after that, I and James Tuck and Watts and one more not in custody, met a young man on the Ditches; we knocked him down, and took from him 1/s. and his hat; Tuck and Watts were taken up for it, and committed for trial. The next I did was with John Poll, and two others not committed; we met Mr. Barker on the ditches, we stopped him and took his watch. Poll was taken up and committed for trial; the next, I and two more not committed, broke open Mr. Watling's house, and got many things; we broke 13 locks. I was taken up and condemned at the last Assizes, 1821, to die, but got reprieved for transportation for life. (Signed) JAMES BULLY. P. S. Out of all my companions, Meek, Poll, Tuck, Watts, and Dye, were condemned at the same Assizes with me, but the rest are still at liberty. I forgot to mention, J. Meek, and two not in custody, picked the lock of Mr. Fouldham's house, and took several articles out; Edwards and the young woman, Ann Ranisby, who lived with him, were taken up and but the things being found on her, Edwards got clear, and she was transported at the Quarter Sessions. I and two more not in custody met Mr. Gardiner against the common pump ; I threw him down; we got nothing from him but his hat, for he wound his watch-chain round the button-hole, so that we could not get it, because some person saw us about him, and we were forced to flee him. One morning I and Meek, and three more not in custody, broke into a watchmaker's shop in Bet-street, but got very little, for the watches were taken away. We broke through a door into a grocer's shop; we got one loaf of sugar and some candles; we were prevented from getting more by a little dog's barking, so we went off. Bury and Norwich Post, 31 Oct 1821.

341

Maureen Withey on 13th April 2022

Tasmanian Muster Roll. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-2$init=CON13-1-2P171 William Meek, tried Norfolk, (City of Norwich) Assizes, 13 Aug 1821, Life.