William Patmore

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

IN WA: 1868, 10 January: On arrival, WILLIAM PATMORE was listed as convict #9847, 37 [on arrival], miller; married, three children; literate, Protestant; convicted for “feloniously receiving stolen goods and previous conviction; 14 years’ penal servitude; family – wife Susannah Ann, of 4 Hornsey Road, Holloway, London, and children Rosina, Ann and Alice; behaviour in jail in England “indifferent”; 5’6” tall, light hair, grey eyes, oval visage, light complexion, healthy appearance; marks – right second finger broken (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers, General Register for Nos 9599-10128 cont. (R16)). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

EMBARKATION: 1867, 30 September: William Patmore was sent from Chatham to board the Hougoumont for WA. “The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up, by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn [only two were on the Hougoumont – Thomas Berwick and Lionel Holdsworth, each sentenced to 20 years for fraud], and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank, for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty [not the senior Fenian, Captain Moriarty; rather, this was Bartholomew Moriarty, aged 17]. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

1867, 24 January: Admitted to Chatham Prison, Kent; inmate #8765. Chatham, Portland, Portsmouth and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

1866, 10 May: Admitted to Millbank Prison, Westminster; inmate #1966; 36 years old, miller, semi-literate; Roman Catholic, Protestant on receipt; married with two children; wife Susannah Patmore of 22 Balls Pound Road, Islington, and 5 Picton Street, George Street, Camberwell; visited on 21/1/67 by wife, brother and sister and their child (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Willm Patmore; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners, 1865-1866). “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Pentonville, Millbank, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

JAILS: 1866, March: Held at Newgate Prison, corner Newgate and Old Bailey Streets, London; following his conviction he served 1 month 1 day in separate confinement; behaviour “good” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Willm Patmore; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners, 1865-1866). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

TRIAL: 1866, 9 April: Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court), before Mr Kerr TRANSCRIPT: 388. WILLIAM PATMORE (36), and GEORGE RANDALL (27), Burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Alfred Pond, and stealing therein 1 set of bed furniture, the property of James Muzio. Second Count, feloniously receiving the same. MR. STRAIGHT conducted the Prosecution. MR. RIBTON defended Patmore, and MR. W. SLEIGH defended Randall. HERBERT STAMMERS (Policeman, N 4). I am stationed at Islington—on the night of 29th March, I went to the Willow Tree beer-house kept by Patmore—I found Randall and Patmore there together—I told Patmore I should take him into custody, for having a quantity of things in his house, supposed to be stolen—he said, "There is nothing here but what is my own"—I took him up stairs into the first floor front room—I saw a quantity of dimity curtains hanging up at the window, and round the bed—I asked him where he got them—he said, "My wife bought them"—I said, "Where?"—he said, "I don't know"—I said, "How long have you had them?"—he said, "Three or four years"—I made further search, and found attached to two other windows of the same kind at the back, and round two other beds, a quantity more—I also found some in a box—I took them all down. Cross-examined by MR. RIBTON. Q. Are the curtains all bed curtains? A. Yes; I found them on the bed, and at the windows—though bed curtains, they were used also for window curtains—I found these (produced) in the front room, and these in the back room—I don't know whether the prisoner's wife is here. WILLIAM CRANNIS (Policeman, N 71). I am stationed at Kingsland—I went to the Willow Tree beer-shop, on 27th March, with Stammers—when I got inside, I saw Mrs. Patmore at the bar—we took the prisoners in the bar parlour—I spoke to Randall—I said I was a constable, and should take him in custody for robbery—he said, "All right"—I took him by the arm, and led him through the bar—when he got there, he tried to get off—I secured him, and handed him over to two constables outside—I then went back to the beer-shop, and went upstairs to the front bedroom with the other constable and Patmore—Stammers pointed to these curtains hanging up at the windows, and said, "Where did you get them from?"—Patmore said, "My wife bought them"—I saw these curtains hanging round the bed, and all round the room—Patmore said he had had them for years. Cross-examined by MR. SLEIGH. Q. Did you hear the conversation between Patmore and the other constable? A. Yes. ELIZA POND. I am the wife of Alfred Pond—I live at Hornsey Newtown—at the time of the loss I lived at Rose-cottage, Tottenham—on 18th December, I went to bed at about a quarter to 12—I left the bed furniture in water to soak, in my washhouse—I have to go out of the house through a little yard to my washhouse—the washhouse adjoins the house, but I have to go out of doors to it—when I went to bed, everything was safe—in the morning they were gone—these are the curtains—they belong to a lady for whom I wash—I can identify some of them—this piece is the valance inside a four-post bedstead—I swear this is the outside valance—the rings have been taken off it. Cross-examined by MR. RIBTON. Q. Perhaps there were never any rings on it? A. Yes, I am sure there were—the curtains are not so very old—I cannot tell how many years service they have seen—I have had them four times to wash—they are not mine—I don't know whether I am the "bailee" of them—they were given me to wash—I washed them. LYDIA BUZELEY. I am the wife of Alfred Buzeley, of Tabernacle-row, Finsbury, not very far from the Willow Tree beer-shop—in December last, I saw Randall come to the beer-shop—he brought with him some dimity curtains, wet, in a sack—I saw them taken out in Patmore's parlour—I was in the parlour at the time—the next day I saw them dried hanging up about the rooms—they were bought by uncle and his wife—it was about a week before Christmas—I never saw any money paid for them. Cross-examined by MR. RIBTON. Q. Did Mrs. Patmore pay for them? A. I believe her husband told her to pay for them—Mrs. Patmore examined them before she bought them—they were bought in the parlour—nobody was in the room but myself, Patmore, his wife, and Randall—I did not hear all the conversation, because I had to go into the bar—I don't think curtains of this sort are ever sold at auction rooms wet—Patmore is my uncle—he keeps this beer-shop in the Ball's-pond-road—I went there last January, and again on 6 th February—I was in the habit of staying there, acting as barmaid—a great many people come there for beer, but they don't bring curtains—I don't know whether Mrs. Patmore is here. MR. RIBTON submitted that the name of James Muzio appeared in the indictment instead of Alfred Pond. THE COURT amended the indictment. RANDALL— GUILTY ** on the Second Count.—Seven Years' Penal Servitude. PATMORE— GUILTY.—He was further charged with having been convicted of felony in April, 1859: and again in March, 1858, to both of which he PLEADED GUILTY.— Fourteen Years' Penal Servitude (https://www.oldbaileyonline.org). --00--

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Dianne Jones on 11th November 2023

COMMITTAL: 1866, 29 March: William Patmore and George Randall were committed for trial, by Edward Thomas Busk Esq, Edmonton, on a charge of burglary in the dwelling house of Alfred Pond and stealing a quantity of Dimity curtains and bed furniture. William Patmore was also charged with feloniously receiving a table cloth and other articles, the property of ___ Mordant, well-knowing the same to have been stolen (UK, After-Trial Calendar of Prisoners, 1855-1931 for William Patmore; 1866). --0--