William Oliver

341

Maureen Withey on 19th December 2025

National Archive. HO-9-4_2 page 18/49. Hulk Records. Woolwich Hulks, Prudentia, Retribution or Justitia. Received 18 September 1816. William Oliver, age 46, Having forged BE notes in his possession. Tried Durham Ass 10 Aug 1816, Sentence, Beyond Seas, 14 years, Transported 20 Nov 1816.

341

Maureen Withey on 9th December 2025

Monday last, William Oliver, of this city, and Barbara. his wife, were apprehended at Darlington, in the act of uttering forged notes, purporting to be those of the Bank of England. They were taken before Rev. Thomas Le Mesurier on Tuesday morning, and fully committed for trial. On being searched, there were found upon them forged one pound notes amounting to £100, and base 3s. bank tokens to nearly same amount. Durham County Advertiser, 20 April 1816. William Oliver, and Barbara his wife, charged with forging certain notes, purporting to Notes of Bank of England, and also uttering the same, and also with counterfeiting Bank of England tokens, To be transported 14 years. Durham County Advertiser, 17 Aug 1816. pursuance of their sentences, were sent off to the Hulks on Sunday last, from Newcastle gaol. And on Monday, ... William Oliver, and ..., from this gaol for same destination. Durham County Advertiser, 21 Sep 1816. ---------------------------------------------------------------- On Sunday morning an Inquisition was holden at the George Inn, Castlereagh-street, before C. T. Smeathman, Esq. Coroner for Sydney, on view of the body of William Oliver, then lying dead in the house of Mr. Gilbert Smith, immediately opposite. The Jury attended at half past ten A. M., and having inspected the body, returned to the Juryroom, when evidence was taken; viz. Mr. G. F. Ord, who did or does lodge in the house of Mr. Smith, deposed that on Friday last, about four o'clock, he returned home to dinner, consisting of a cold round of beef, mutton chops, and stewed oysters, with greens and potatoes.— Some parts of the beef had a peculiarly sour, unpleasant taste. Witness partook of each of the aforesaid articles, and drank a little table beer. About ten minutes after dinner witness was seized with a violent fit of vomiting, which continued for about an hour. Took a little brandy, which he immediately threw up. Witness was very ill, and almost incessantly vomiting during the whole night. Deceased was taken ill about two o'clock on Thursday. Some soup had been made on that day, of which deceased partook, and witness heard him say that he was poisoned. The deceased was cook in the family. He continued very ill, complaining of griping pains in his stomach, and a heat in the throat. Question by the Jury—Witness had eaten of the beef the preceding day, but was not at all affected. Witness on Saturday consulted Dr. Bland, who bled him. Witness since then was gradually getting better, but still felt very weak. The Coroner (attended by the Foreman) with consent of the Jurors, now proceeded to the house of Mr. Smith, who was too ill to attend, in order to take his evidence. After the lapse of an hour, the Foreman returned alone and informed his of other Jurymen that a serjeant of the garrison had just told some persons, in allusion to this dreadful affair, that a man had been on Friday last at the shop of Mr. Malcolm, the druggist in George -street, asking for an ounce of arsenic—that Mr. Malcolm refused to serve him, and that the person went away, seemingly for the purpose of getting arsenic elsewhere. It was therefore suggested that one of the Jury should volunteer to make a circuit of the various venders of medicinal drugs in the town, accompanied by a constable, to make enquiry respecting any persons who might have applied at any of such places for poison. Mr. A. Polack offered to accomplish this part of the business, and set out for the purpose about half past twelve o'clock—shortly after which the Coroner re-joined the Jury, and read over to them the evidence of Mr. Smith, taken in presence of the Coroner and Foreman of the Jury, a copy of which the Coroner, having very properly given our Reporter every facility for making an accurate return of the proceedings, we should be enabled to subjoin, were it necessary to state the deposition literally. It was to the following effect:— Mr. Gilbert Smith, master of the Globe Tavern, Castlereagh-street, deposed, that about half past twelve on Thursday he went into the back yard, and discovered deceased, sitting on the pump trough, vomiting very much, disgorging a great deal of water, tinged green, accompanied by bile. Deceased complained that his intestines were inflamed, and that he was in great pain. That yesterday morning, about six o'clock, deceased complained that he was dying. The deponent sent for Dr. Mitchell about one o'clock on Saturday afternoon. The deponent, accompanied by Dr. M'Leod, went into the room of deceased, when he expired. Deponent verily believed deceased partook of the soup made by him (deceased) for the family on Thursday, which soup the deponent stated himself to be of opinion caused his decease. Ellen Hartneck, an assigned servant to Mr. Smith, deposed, that on Thursday last she saw the deceased take a bason of soup for his dinner about two o'clock, and about ten minutes afterwards he was seized with a violent vomiting. It being now a quarter past one, Mr. Polack returned, having procured written certificates from Messrs. Cook and Mashall, Foss, Malcolm, and Mace, druggists ; but the production of these was considered unnecessary in consequence of what followed. The Coroner, and Foreman having again, in the interim, gone over to Mr. Smith's to examine the wife of deceased, who also lived in his house, now returned, bringing with them a large stone jar, containing about two pounds of a white substance, nearly resembling fine flour. Barbara Oliver, wife of deceased, deposed that her husband was cook to Mr. Gilbert Smith, and on Thursday he made soup for dinner, and thickened it with flour. Here the Coroner, or the Foreman, or Captain Rossi, for they had all three gone over together, desired to know from whence deceased obtained the flour. This caused the production of a jar, which, to all appearance, contained at the bottom about two pounds of flour, and above that a paper carelessly wrapped up, containing a white powder, having superscribed the word "poison." Mr. G. Smith having entered the Jury-room though in a very weak condition, stated that he knew nothing whatever of the jar already found. He knew that a quantity of arsenic had been sent to him at Port Macquarie by different gentlemen, for the purpose of curing birds, but how it came into the jar, or how deceased came to make use of it he could not say. Witness had it at Port Macquarie, enclosed in a treble paper, and marked "poison." The quantity in the jar appeared to be about an ounce. This paper had been so carelessly thrust into the jar, that there was nothing to prevent a great portion of the poison mixing with the flour. At this moment Doctors Mitchell and M'Leod entered the room, and having looked at the jar, they suggested that it should be taken strict care of until they could analyse the contents, and that the Inquest should be adjourned until they (the Surgeons) had come to an opinion as to the cause of the death of deceased, by examining the content of the stomach, as the process of opening the body, &c. would occupy some time. The Coroner accordingly adjourned the Inquest until ten o'clock on Monday. When the adjournment took place, it was half past two. The Jury, having again met at the George Inn yesterday, pursuant to adjournment, the Coroner received intimation that Barbara Oliver, the wife of the deceased, William Oliver, had died on Sunday night about ten o'clock, and a letter was read from Dr. Mitchell, stating that it would be advisable not to call the Jury together until the Coroner should hear again from him. … The above catastrophe being the general topic, and several exaggerated reports in circulation as to the extent of the calamity, we give the following as a correct statement up to seven o'clock last evening :—Dead, and interred with the consent of the Coroner and Jury—William Oliver and Barbara Oliver, late servants to Mr. Smith ; and Chas. Smith, aged eighteen months, son of Mr. Smith. There are also two men and one woman, servants of Mr. Smith, in the general hospital in a doubtful state. A Mr. M'Gregor, who lodges at the George Inn opposite Mr. Smith's, and who partook of some stewed oysters at his house on the day of the accident, is also very ill. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are in a fair way of recovery. The Australian, 21 Mar 1829.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 2nd May 2021

1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy) No; 9965 Name; OLIVER, William Age; Ship; Shipley Sentence; Colonial Sentence - 3 years Religion; Assigned; Government Port Macquarie Noted; Against name; DEAD: March 1829 1829 - New South Wales, Australia, Convict Death Register, Name: William Oliver. Ship; Shipley. Age: 57 [1772] Date: 23 Mar 1829 Parish; St James Sydney

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 2nd May 2021

1818 - New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents. Shipley - 1818 Name; William Oliver Age; 46 [1770] Native Place; Durham Trade or calling; Tailor Offence; ---- Trial; Durham - 10 Aug 1816 Height; 5 ft. 5 in Eyes; Hazel Hair; Brown Completion; Sallow

341

Maureen Withey on 27th June 2019

The Colonial Secretary Index, 1788-1825, has information on this person as follows: OLIVER, William. Per "Shipley", 1817 1821 Jul 11- On list of prisoners transported to Newcastle per "Elizabeth Henrietta" (Reel 6008; 4/3504 p.148) 1821 - On list of convicts at Port Macquarie (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.348-9) 1822 Mar 20 - His wife Barbara allowed to proceed to Newcastle per "Elizabeth Henrietta" to join him at Port Macquarie (Reel 6009; 4/3505 p.46) 1824 - Sent to Sydney from Port Macquarie to give evidence (Reel 6068; 4/1815 p.493) 1825 Mar - Former prisoner at Port Macquarie; servant to F Allman. Petition to be allowed to remain at Sydney (Reel 6069; 4/1817 p.73). Reply, 7 Apr (Reel 6014; 4/3514 p.23) 1825 Aug 19 - On list of convicts transported to Port Macquarie per "Amity" (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.532-3)