William Payne

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Maureen Withey on 5th September 2021

Trial of Sir William Payne. Several of our townsmen will no doubt recollect the visit of this personage to Colchester a few months ago. He, and his servant Cole, were last week tried at the borough sessions of Bury St. Edmonds, for obtaining goods &c from tradesmen under false pretences. The trial excited considerable curiosity and interest, and the court was crowded to excess at an early hour. The venerable appearance and quiet demeanour of the prisoner seemed to gain him the sympathy of the assembled multitude, whilst the bold unblushing impudence and effrontery of his servant called forth their execration. We give a summary of the principal evidence: Mr. Hasted, sadler, Church- gate-street, was first examined, and his testimony was corroborated by his apprentice Clark. It appeared that Mr. Hasted was induced, by the false representations of the servant Cole, who had said his master was a baronet, and possessed a large estate near Ware, in Hertfordshire, to let the prisoner have a whip, a set of gig-harness worth 5/. and several other articles of saddlery; that the said William Payne called at his shop one day, accompanied by the servant Cole, dressed in livery, with a gold hat-band, and introduced the prisoner to Mr. H. by touching his hat to his master, and saying - Here is Sir William; that Payne continued the deception, and gave orders for more goods orders for more goods under this assumed name. There were several other witnesses examined, who fully proved the practices for which the prisoner was arraigned. The Recorder addressed the jury, and begged them to divest their minds of any bias that rumour might have created, and judge solely from the evidence to-day adduced. If they had any doubt that the prisoner Payne had not sanctioned his servant in propagating the fictitious title of baronet, he ought to have the benefit of that doubt ; but for his own part, he saw no reason why they should doubt the evidence of Mr. Hasted and his apprentice, when they both positively swore that he was addressed as Sir William in their presence, and that, he gave them no reason to doubt the propriety of his claim to the title. The jury, after consulting a few minutes, found the prisoner - Guilty. The servant, Thomas Cote, was next placed at the bar, and almost the same evidence gone through, when his legal adviser suggested that he thought it rather a novel case to try Cole for the crime of which Payne had been convicted; but it having been proved that Cole had given orders for more goods than were charged in the indictment against Payne was one of the reasons why he now stood at that bar. The evidence in both cases was much alike, and the jury found Cole— Guilty. The Recorder then sentenced William Payne and Thomas Cole each to seven years' transportation. Essex Standard, 9 Feb 1833.

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Maureen Withey on 5th September 2021

On Wednesday last James Green, William, alias Sn Wm. Payne, and Thomas Cole, were removed from our Gaol to the Leviathan Hulk, lying at Portsmouth, the former to be transported for life, and the two latter for 7 years; Bury and Norwich Post, 20 Feb 1833. -------------------------------------------------- Hulk Records. HO-9-8_7 Received from Bury St Edmunds. 14 Feb 1833. William Payne, age 60, Obtaining goods by false pretences, Tried 4 Feb 1833, Boro of Bury St Edmunds, 7 years, NWS 29 April 1833. Thomas Cole, age 35, Obtaining goods by false pretences, Tried 4 Feb 1833, Boro of Bury St Edmunds, 7 years, NWS 29 April 1833.

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Penny-Lyn Beale on 27th January 2021

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Death Name: William Payne Age: 66 [1768] Date of Death: 4 Nov 1834 District: Sydney, Dr Mitchell

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Penny-Lyn Beale on 27th January 2021

1833 - UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, Case No; 85 William Payne Age; 66 Disease; Atrophy Date; 14 August at Sea Discharged; 31 Aug 1833. Hospital, New South Wales