Samuel Pawsey

341

Maureen Withey on 1st May 2026

NSW BMD. Births of Children of Samuel and Ann Pawsey: Samuel Pawsey. b. 1835. CT district. (Church of England, Black Creek; Bulwarra; Cloden; East Maitland; Hinton; Hunter District; Maitland; Morpeth; West Maitland) Ann Pawsey, b 1837. CJ District (Church of England, Sydney, St James) Samuel seems to have built up a business as a tailor after his marriage and the births of his two children. Caution. WHEREAS JOHN FORD (Taylor), an hired servant, under Articles of Agreement with the Undersigned, and having absconded from, his Service ; — Notice is hereby given, that any Person employing or harbouring the said John Ford after this date will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the Law. SAMUEL PAWSEY. Remarks — Long Nose, Bald Head, red Whiskers, and having no Certificate of Freedom. May 2, 1836. A CARD. SAMUEL PAWSEY, TAILOR, DRAPER, &c. CA8TLEREAGH - STREET, Three doors from the Sign of the " Leaping Bar” and adjacent to King-street, SYDNEY, RESPECTFULLY acquaints the Public, that he carries on the above Business, and solicits a share of patronage and support. N, B.— LIVERIES done to order of the best materials and on the most reasonable terms. Commercial Journal, 2 Jun 1838. But it seemed his wife Ann died in 1840. There is a death on the NSW BMD, for Anne Pawsey, Reg: 769/1840, Anne Pawsey, age 22. Things went wrong after this. The Sydney Monitor of 1 Dec 1840, under the Heading of Police Report, has a list of Drunkards, which includes Samuel Pawsey. He was confined by Constable, fined 20 shillings, which he paid. THE VAGRANT ACT. — Samuel Pawsey, whose size almost proclaimed the nature of his " profession," being impelled by circumstances, appeared before Captain Hovell, charged with being a vagrant under Bob Nichols' Act. The Chief Constable said, that since the 12th March last the defendant had been convicted six times of drunkenness. When at the Court the last time he had a narrow escape of being sent to jail as a vagrant ; he was discharged at that time with a caution, but it was of no use to him. Captain Hovell said, it was within his own knowledge that there were three convictions recorded against defendant for drunkenness. He had been reprimanded and cautioned that if he ever appeared again he would be committed as an idle and disorderly vagabond. But as he had neglected the admonition he would have to put up with the consequences. Pawsey.—Upon my veracity, your Worship, I have not lost one hour since my last conviction ; in fact since that unfortunate circumstance, the recollection of which is positively repulsive to my mental faculties, I have acted with strict " credulity." Captain Hovell.—Do you plead guilty to the charge ? If you do not we shall have to take evidence. Pawsey —It is entirely opposed to my nature to trouble your Worship in any manner, but conscious innocence revolts at the idea of a plea of guilty. Constable Peard was then called, and deposed that he took the prisoner in charge on Wednesday night last, in Auburn-street. He was acting in a very riotous manner at the time, and was " in a state of liquor." Cross-examined by Pawsey.—Now, Mr. Peard, you are, I suppose, aware of the sacred obligations of an oath ? Was I not stooping down to pick up a penny opposite Mr. Wilson's shop for the purpose of embarking in the speculation of a fig of tobacco when you apprehended me. Peard.—I don't think you were. Pawsey.—Was I drunk ?—but it's no use asking you that, as you have sworn it. Have you not often threatened to take me up because I refused to work for you. Peard.—No. Pawsey.—Your Worships ; upon my honor it is a positive fact ; indeed Mr. Peard has not settled the account for the last work I did for him. (To Peard.) Did you not see me in a public-house on Wednesday afternoon and request me to sing " There's a good time coming, boys." Peard.—No. Mr. Newcombe deposed that the defendant had been three times convicted for drunkenness during the last twelve months. He produced the record. Pawsey being called on for his defence said : Since my discharge from gaol I have never been a day idle. It was on a Sunday that I escaped from Foster's horrid cells, and on the following day I threaded my needle and heated my goose. Every Sunday I attend Church twice in the day, and have attended to my private religious duties with a strictness equal to that pursued by your honor. I solemnly declare that since my liberation from gaol I have confined my liquid diet to wine ; and if your worship will deal leniently with me this time I will enter into a positive engagement never to touch brandy, rum, whiskey, gin, wine, porter nor ale, but drag out the rest of my miserable existence on syrup and peppermint. When Mr. Pawsey concluded he extricated the remains of cheap white handkerchief from a secluded part of his inexpressibles and applied it to his optics. Pawsey (in a voice stifled with emotion)—I went to Church last Sunday. Capt. Hovell. Had you paid attention to the sermon, it is probable you would not have been here to-day. However, I will give you time to repent, you are sentenced to three months hard labor in Goulburn gaol. Pawsey—(Surprised.)—What NOW, your Worship. Goulburn Herald, 12 Oct 1850. DISGUSTING CRIME.--Samuel Pawsey, a diminutive tailor, well known in Goulburn, was received into the gaol here, on Monday last, committed from Berrima on a charge of incest. The person upon whom the offence was committed is his own daughter, a little girl of about eleven years of age. The unfortunate child prosecuted one Goold, at the Spring Assizes, held in 1848, for a capital offence; the man was convicted on the second count, (the minor offence of attempt, &c.) and received sentence of twelve months imprisonment. The Goulburn Herald, 3 May 1851. * The case alluded to above, the trial of the man who sexually assaulted his daughter, can be found on TROVE, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/253058963?searchTerm=Samuel%20Pawsey Samuel Pawsey was found guilty of an assault upon his own daughter, with intent, &c, and sentenced to be imprisoned for two years in Goulburn gaol. Sydney Morning Herald, 24 June 1851. Larceny. Samuel Pawsey was arraigned at the bar charged with stealing a coat, the property of Samuel Chauntler of this town. Samucl Chauntler was called and said, I reside in Goulburn; I rented a billiard-room about six weeks; about the 16th or 17th of October last, Pawsey was there; I don't remember the exact day of the week; there was a coat there; he agreed to purchase it; he agreed to make me a pair of trowsers: I saw the coat about 12 o'clock at night, the night I missed it; I saw the prisoner two or three times that night; he was inebriated but not drunk. The Jury without leaving the box returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged. Goulburn Herald, 23 Dec 1854. NSW BMD Samuel Pausey, age 43, Death Reg 1081/1855 MC District. (Church of England, Bungonia; Goulburn; St Saviour's (Co. Argyle); Goulburn Plains; Lake Bathurst; Marulan )

341

Maureen Withey on 1st May 2026

Convict Permission to Marry. Samuel Pawsey, per Bengal Merchant, age 19, 7 years, Free; and Ann Macnamara, per Palambam, age 15, 7 years, Bond. Date of Permission: Sydney, 30 Sep 1833. NSW BMD Marriage Ref:113/1833. Samuel Pawsey and Ann Macnamara, CA district. (Church of England, Sydney, St Phillip’s.) NSW Convict Index. Anne Macnamara, per Palambam, 1831, Certificate of Freedom, No 40/0561, 25 Mar 1840. Remarks: wife of Samuel Pawsey, per Bussorah Merchant, 1828, fbs (as stated on her CF)

341

Maureen Withey on 16th August 2025

FOURTH DAY. MONDAY, MAY 15. London Cases, Second Jury. Before Mr. Common Sergeant. 1069. JOHN SMITH and SAMUEL PAWSEY were indicted for stealing, on the 20th of April , 1 bag, value 1s.; 27 printed books, value 2l. 17s. 6d., and 12 pamphlets, value 3s. , the goods of James Robins and Joseph Robins, the younger . JAMES ROBINS. I am in partnership with my brother Joseph - we are booksellers , and live in Ivy-lane. On the 20th of April I put twenty-seven books and twelve pamphlets into a bag, and tied a list up with them. I delivered them to Scott, our servant. THOMAS SCOTT . On the 20th of April I received the bag with the books and pamphlets about twelve o'clock; I took it down Ludgate-hill, where I saw Pawsey - he asked if I had not a heavy load; I said, "Rather so;" he asked where I was going; I said, "On to Saunders', in Fleet-street;" he walked on to Bridge-street, and then asked if I had a mind to earn 3d. - I said, "How do you mean?" he said, "To go to a house down the first turning in Bride-lane;" he said I must have another person to go with me - he tapped the other prisoner on the shoulder, and asked him to go with me; we then went down Bride-lane , to go to No. 7, down a turning, the name of which I forget, where we were to get two bobbins of silk; Smith and I were going on; Pawsey then said I could not go in with my bag, and I must leave it at a door - I said, "You will not open it;" he said No; we were then going straight on towards Fleet-street; I said the other lad did not say that, and I would run back and ask him- I went back, and saw that Pawsey had got my bag on his shoulder, and was walking away; I called to him, and took it from him - I then met the officer with Smith. HENRY HUGHES . I am a watchman. On the 20th of April, about ten o'clock in the morning, I was on Holborn-bridge, and saw the two prisoners together, going up Skinner-street, and watching people as they passed. I then missed them, but saw them again in the Old Bailey, where I heard Smith say to Pawsey, "We will go this road" - they went on to Ludgate-hill, and I saw Scott go along on the Bridge-street side; Smith tapped Pawsey on the shoulder, and pointed to him, with the books; he crossed, and spoke to him - Smith followed, and talked to them, till they got to Bridge-street - they then turned down, and were talking for some minutes; Scott seemed loath to part with the bag, but it was put down on the step of a door, and Smith and Scott went on to the corner of Bride-lane - I passed on to see where Pawsey was, and saw Scott coming back, calling out, "Halloo, you have got my books"- I said, "Run on - it is all right;" I then pursued Smith, and took him by the collar as he was going down Bride-lane, in a direction to have met Pawsey again. SMITH's Defence. I was going over Blackfriars-bridge, to see for a place, and this boy came and asked if I would go on an errand - I asked if it was far; he said No. The prosecutor put his bag on the steps for this lad to mind. When we got to the top of the street we both forgot the number of the house - he went back, and when he got to the corner he cried out "My books are gone," and I ran to get them - the officer then took me. PAWSEY'S Defence. I do not know the other prisoner at all; when the gentleman came to me the lad had got his books on his shoulder, and was going home with them. SMITH - GUILTY . Aged 16. PAWSEY - GUILTY . Aged 14. Transported for Seven Years . --------------------------------------------------------------- The National Archives. Hulk Records. HO-9-2_4 Hulks at Chatham. Euryalus Received: Twenty five from Newgate, 24 May 1826. Samuel Pawsey, age 14, Larceny. Tried Middlesex, 11 May 1826, 7 years. How disposed of: NSW per Bussorah Merchant, 19 Mar 1828.

9

sms on 28th January 2013

Correction to earlier Contribution>(He Was A sailor By This Time)is incorrect.When he first arrived of the ship he is recorded as being an errand boy,At the time of his death he is recorded as being a tailor

9

sms on 26th January 2013

Samuel was convicted at the young age of 14 on the 11th May 1826 for the theft of twenty-seven books and twelve pamphlets from brothers James and Joseph Robins.The Robins brothers servant Thomas Scott was delivering package of books and pamphlets when he came across Samuel and his (16 yo) friend John Smith .In the Old bailey Thomas Scott said On the 20th of April I received the bag with the books and pamphlets about twelve o'clock; I took it down Ludgate-hill, where I saw Pawsey - he asked if I had not a heavy load; I said, "Rather so;" he asked where I was going; I said, "On to Saunders', in Fleet-street;" he walked on to Bridge-street, and then asked if I had a mind to earn 3d. - I said, "How do you mean?" he said, "To go to a house down the first turning in Bride-lane;" he said I must have another person to go with me - he tapped the other prisoner on the shoulder, and asked him to go with me; we then went down Bride-lane , to go to No. 7, down a turning, the name of which I forget, where we were to get two bobbins of silk; Smith and I were going on; Pawsey then said I could not go in with my bag, and I must leave it at a door - I said, "You will not open it;" he said No; we were then going straight on towards Fleet-street; I said the other lad did not say that, and I would run back and ask him- I went back, and saw that Pawsey had got my bag on his shoulder, and was walking away; I called to him, and took it from him. Samuel Pawsey and John Smith faced the old bailey for this tricky attempt of theft on the 11th May 1826,both were convicted and sentenced to 7 years Transportation.Samuel Died in Goulburn Gaol in August,1855.He Was A sailor By This Time