George Mitchell

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Dianne Jones on 28th April 2021

1828: On arrival in VDL, George MITCHELL was listed as 28, a gardener and single. He said his father, William Mitchell, a farmer’s labourer, was at Ryegate. “I have worked in a market garden, in a nursery ground and among glass to qualify me to take on the situation of a gardener in a gentleman’s service,” he said. “I have since been in the service of Squire Saunders, Lewisham, 2 years, and 1 year with Squire Hunter Farningham.” (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-29$init=CON31-1-29p229) 1837, April: He received a Ticket of Leave. 1841, 12 April: He was granted a Conditional Pardon. This was extended to the Australian Colonies on 17 August 1847 (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-29$init=CON31-1-29p229). Footnote: George’s older brother William Mitchell also had his death sentence respited to transportation for life. He arrived in NSW per Eliza in 1828 and died in hospital at Bathurst in 1840.

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Dianne Jones on 28th April 2021

1828, 19 March: George MITCHELL’s death sentence was respited, and a sentence of transportation was pronounced on 31 March (see https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/life?id=obpt18280221-33-defend327). 1828, 3 May: He was sent from Newgate to the Retribution hulk at Woolwich; and was sent from there on 10 July for transportation (see UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849).

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Dianne Jones on 28th April 2021

1828: George MITCHELL petitioned for clemency. The following is a summary record from the National Archives: “HO 17/16/39 … Prisoner name(s): George Mitchell. Prisoner age: 27. Prisoner occupation: Gardener. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey, February 1828. Crime: Housebreaking; in the dwelling house of John Wilson of Marchmont Street [Camden, Middlesex]. Initial sentence: Death recorded and commuted to transportation for life. Gaoler's report: 'Orderly and quiet'. Annotated (Outcome): 'Nil May 2 1828'. Petitioner(s): George Mitchell (the convict) undersigned by John Wilson (prosecutor) and James Pringle (former employer) with six inhabitants of [Camden]. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Previous good character; innocent of the crime, only receiving unknowingly the stolen goods from his brother. Additional Information: He was convicted with William Mitchell (his brother) who was also transported for life.” (see https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14455941)

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Dianne Jones on 28th April 2021

1828, 21 February: George MITCHELL, born in 1801, a gardener, and his brother William, a servant born in 1794, were tried at the Old Bailey: “515. WILLIAM MITCHELL and GEORGE MITCHELL were indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of John Wilson, on the 28th of January, at St. George, Bloomsbury, and stealing therein 2 sheets, value 8s.; 2 pillow-cases, value 4s.; 1 shirt, value 18d.; 2 remnants of linen, value 6s.; 2 table-cloths, value 10s.; 10 knives, value 3s.; 6 forks, value 2s.; 21 books, value 16s.; 2 razors, value 2s.; 1 canister, value 18d.; 1 candlestick, value 2s.; 8 ounces weight of black lead, value 1s.; 1 bed-winch, value 2s.; 1 pair of stockings, value 4s.; 1 cigar-tube, value 1s.; 1 tobacco-stopper, value 6d.; 1 wafer-stamp, value 6d., and 1 scent-bottle, value 18d., his property. MR. ADOLPHUS conducted the prosecution. JOHN WILSON. I live at No. 40, Marchmont-street, in the parish of St. George, Bloomsbury; I rent the house, and live there. ELIZABETH ARCHER. I am servant to Mr. Wilson. On Monday night, the 28th of January, my master went to bed before me; I saw all the places perfectly safe; my master keeps a potato-warehouse; I was called up about half-past two o'clock, to make my master a cup of warm tea, as he was taken dangerously ill; I went into a lodger's room to get a light, and then came down stairs; I opened the parlour door, and saw the back parlour window open; also the cupboard and the shop doors open, and the shop shutter was down - that shutter opens inside; I ran up directly, and alarmed my master - I did not assist in searching the premises myself; I found a pair of stockings under the parlour grate - they were both lying together, wet and dirty, as if they had been pulled off the feet; I found the victuals on the table, which I had put away before I went to bed; the roast-beef was on the table, that is, the bones were - none of the beef was left; I had heard a rustling in the parlour while I was knocking at the lodger's door for a light- it was a noise as if a person was moving about; the window of that parlour was open - it looks into the yard; you go through there to the shop - I do not know the prisoner. COURT. Q. You left the parlour window shut down? A. Yes; the catch was not fastened, but it was shut close down; I found the cupboard door open, and the shop shutter; they must have come in at the parlour window, and then into the shop, as the shutter opens inside. GODFREY DUMMESET. I am servant at the Three Cranes public-house, Queen-street, Cheapside. The prisoners came in together there about half-past nine o'clock in the morning of the 29th of January; I did not see them bring anything in, but William came to the bar, and said, "Landlord, have the goodness to take care of this bag for me" - he said he had come out of the country, and wanted me to take care of the bag till he came back, which would be in about an hour and a half; they left it there, and did not return till about half-past ten o'clock at night - they came together, called for a pint of beer, and sat sometime in the bar - they then moved into the tap-room, and I heard them at high words, but what passed I do not know- I was sitting in the bar; George came up and said, "Landlord, don't deliver that bag up, for it is stolen property;" Reece, the patrol, was in the tap-room - I delivered it to him; he said as it was stolen property, he insisted upon taking them to the watch-house - he took the bag, and the prisoners followed him; they were both rather intoxicated, and were taken into custody at the watch-house. THOMAS REECE. I am a patrol. I heard what passed, and took the bag in charge; the prisoners followed me to the watch-house - I had the bag on my shoulder - I detained them at the watch-house, and gave the bag to Statham, the officer; neither of them objected to go to the watch-house; George told me where he lived - I found everything he said correct. RICHARD GEORGE STATHAM. I am a constable of the night, and received the prisoners in charge with the bag; I was not in the watch-house when they first came in: I asked their names - William said his name was John Wilson, that he came from Yorkshire, and had come that day from East Barnet, and brought the bag with him. I found the bag contained sheets and other things; I searched, and found on him 11s. in silver, and 2s. 5d. in copper; and on George I found 5s. 6d. in silver, a cigar tube, a wafer-seal, a scent-bottle, a tobacco-stopper, and a knife; George said the other man was his brother, and that his name was Mitchell, but denied all knowledge of the bag. Prisoner GEORGE MITCHELL. Q. Did not I tell you my brother gave me the things found in my pocket? A. Yes. JOHN WILSON. (Examining the property in the bag) This pair of sheets is mine - here are also two table-cloths, twenty-one books, two pillow-cases, a candlestick, and a tea-canister, which are mine; the cigar-tube and other things found on George Mitchell are mine - I cannot swear to the knife; they were all in my house the night I was robbed: I found my account-books thrown into my cistern, and all my receipts for money paid were torn up, and thrown about; some fifth was left behind. The prisoner William was once in my service, and left about twelve months ago - he has two club-feet; the robbery appeared to me to have been done by a man who knew the way of the house - the servant gave me a pair of stockings found in the house; (looking at them) - they appear to belong to a very short foot, and that raised my suspicious; I found the prisoners in custody. Prisoner WILLIAM MITCHELL. Q. Is there any difference in those stockings from common ones? A. They appear to have been worn by a man having a short thick foot; not that they have been made on purpose, but they have been worn with such a foot. Prisoner GEORGE MITCHELL. Q. Do you claim everything there? A. All but the knife and stockings; here are a pair of razors, which I have not examined yet - one is mine, but the other is not. JOHN LIMBRICK. I am an officer. The stockings produced have been in my possession till the present time. WILLIAM MITCHELL's Defence. I came from the country, where I had been hawking china; a friend wrote to say I had a brother laying dead; I came to town on Monday, and found he had been dead some time - I was to return to my master in Yorkshire that day fortnight; I stopped with a friend in Clerkenwell all day, till near ten o'clock, and then went to get lodgings at a friend's in Tottenham-court-road - they were gone to bed; I at last got lodgings at a court in the New-road: I got up in the morning, and went to see my brother, and just by the new church I saw some things laying, which I picked up and put into my pocket - I then went further, and found this bag - I took it up and went to my brother, and after breakfast I was taking it to a friend, to know what to do with them - a shirt came out, and I saw it looked like stolen property. I went part of the way to Billingsgate with my brother, who was going to get some fish; and in Queen-street I said, "I won't take the bag all the way - I will leave it in this public-house till we come back;" he could not buy any fish that day, and we stopped and had some beer, and went to a public-house; we stopped there almost all day, till evening - I was very much in liquor: we called at this public-house for the parcel; he was more drunk than I was; I did not know what I did: we fell out about family affairs, and hinted about the bag being stolen; the officer, being in the house, took the bag up - we followed him; I had no objection, as I knew myself innocent. GEORGE MITCHELL's Defence. My brother gave me the things that were in my pocket - I did not know what they were for; I was rather in liquor: I said I would keep them in remembrance of him. We fell out at the public-house - he said I was a rogue; I said I did not know I was more one than him, and perhaps the things in the bag were stolen - I said it out of aggravation: the officer came to the bar, and said, "Do you say they are stolen?" I said, "They are likely enough to be - I can't say:" he said, "Then I shall take charge of the bag and the person it belongs to." He took my brother, and said, I must go to the watch-house, but he should not want me to stop. JOHN WILSON re-examined. I think there must have been more than one person in the house, as one man could not get up to the back window himself: it is nearly ten feet from the yard, and one man must have been lifted up to the cistern, which is twelve feet from the ground - he could not get up to it alone: some of the things are marked J. E. W. Three witnesses gave the prisoner William a good character. W. MITCHELL - GUILTY - DEATH. Aged 34. G. MITCHELL - GUILTY - DEATH. Aged 27” (see https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/).