Thomas Pearson

75

iain Frazier on 21st August 2025

Family connections for Thomas (Pearson) are: PEARSON Thomas (Pearson) was born about 1765 & became a shoe & boot maker. He married Sarah (Egggle/linton her first marriage) perhaps at St Leonards Shoreditch in London on 13 4 1793. He was tried for highway robbery in a field at Camden Town, on 20 8 1795, of Mary (Butler) & stealing a silk cloak etc at Old Bailey on 16 9 1795, sentenced to death reprieved to Life, held probably at London or Middlesx Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict with his family on 2 6 1797 after a voyage of 10months on GANGES. He was recorded in 1806 as shoemaker with Ticket of Leave. He was recorded in 1822 at Benevolent Asylum. He died on 26 1 1823 age56 & was buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney. [Some details taken from this Website] Sarah (Eggleton/Eglinton in NSW) was born about 1772. She arrived in NSW with her family on 2 6 1797 after a voyage of 10months on GANGES.>>> Thomas (Pearson) & Sarah (Egggle/linton) produced maybe 5children: 1.Sarah (Pearson) was born about January 1794. She may have (not shown in Smees Records) arrived in NSW with her parents on 2 6 1797 after a voyage of 10months on GANGES. 2.Thomas (Pearson) was born about January 1796. He arrived in NSW with his parents on 2 6 1797 after a voyage of 10months on GANGES. 3.Rosetta (Pearson) was born in 1798. She married Edward (Devine) on 18 8 1819 at St Peters CofE Richmond & produced at least 5children. She died on 11 1 1866 age about67. ..Edward (Devine) was born in 1791 & baptised on 9 7 1791 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. He was recorded in 1828 & 1836 as farmer. He died on 11 8 1859 age about68. ..Details of Edward (Devine)s family are given in entry for Margaret (Smith LADY JULIANA 1790) on this Website. .. 4.John (Pearson) was born in 1800. He died on 6 6 1817 age about16. 5.Elizabeth (Pearson) was born on 7 10 1805 & baptised on 14 10 1810 age5+ at St Matthews CofE Windsor. She married James (Hill) emancipist on 21 8 1822 at Christ Church Castlereagh & produced at least 4children. She was recorded in 1828 with her family. Her mother lived with her at Kurrajong in later life. She died on 16 8 1895 age89. ..James (Hill) was born about 1793 probably in Mayo Ireland. He was tried for sheep stealing in co.Mayo in 1815, sentenced to Life & arrived in NSW as a convict on 8 4 1816 after a journey of 16months on GUILDFORD; he was Protestant. He was recorded in 1828 as householder on 30acres with his family. He was recorded in 1829 & 1837 as a farmer. He was issued his Conditional Pardon no.39/071 on 20 11 1837. He died in 1871 age78 at Kurrajong Hawkesbury. ..[Some details taken from this Website] .. >>>Sarah (Eglinton/Pearson) had a second relationship with Samuel (Solomon) at Richmond with whom she produced 1child & married on 18 6 1820. She later lived with her daughter Elizabeth (Hill)s family & died at Kurrajong on 19 5 1842 age70 mother of 6known children. Samuel (Solomon) was Free by Servitude by 1810. This Samuel (Solomon) is difficult to identify; Smees records show: At birth of his child he was recorded as convict NEPTUNE 1790; & at his marriage he was recorded as convict MARQUIS WELLINGTON 1815. Samuel (Solomon) was born about 1768. He was tried for theft of roofing lead, on 24 9 1788, of Edward (Rogers) & Stephen (Pender) at Old Bailey on 10 12 1788, sentenced to 7years, held at London Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE. He died about 1853 age about85. [Some details taken from this Website] Reference: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony.

54

Phil Hands on 13th June 2017

On 20th August 1793, at the back of Camden Town, Thomas approached Mary Butler and demanded 'money', she passed over some coins. He was not pleased and threatened her with a stick and again demanded 'money'. He then indicated that he would take the silk cloak she was wearing. She gave him the cloak, but as he ran away, she raised the alarm. Two men took up the chase and ten minutes later, Thomas was apprehended in Chalk Lane, he was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey on 16th September 1795 of highway robbery. Mary Butler told the court that he did the robbery 'as mildly as the thing could be done'. Thomas said he had nothing to say, he had never been in trouble in his life, had a job as a shoemaker and had a wife and family, and did not know how to proceed. He said he had 1 child twenty months old and his wife was 'big' with another. He was found guilty of highway robbery and sentenced to death. The Jury recommended mercy, because he had used no violence. Mary Butler also recommended mercy. His sentenced was commuted to transportation for life. Left England early 1797. Ship:- the 'Ganges' sailed with 203 male convicts on board of which 13 died during the voyage. Arrived on 2nd June 1797. His wife, Sarah and two children (Thomas and Sarah) accompanied him on Ganges after she had made a plea to the Government. They had two more children in the colony, Rosetta in 1798 and Elizabeth in 1805. In the General Muster of NSW for 1806, Thomas is listed as a shoemaker with a Ticket of Leave The 1822 General Muster shows Thomas to be in poor health as he is listed as being a resident in the Benevolent Asylum Thomas died on 26th January 1823 in Sydney. On following Musters Sarah is shown as living with John Solomon at Richmond. Sarah late rmoved to live with her daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law James Hill at Kurrajong, NSW, where, on 19th May 1842 she died there aged 70 years Old Bailey Trial Transcription. Reference Number: t17950916-40 411. THOMAS PEARSON was indicted for feloniously making an assault, on the 20th of August , on Mary Butler, in a certain field, near the King's highway, putting her in fear, and feloniously taking from her person, and against her will, a silk cloak, value 5s. and five shillings in monies numbered, the goods and monies of the said Mary Butler .(The case opened by Mr. Knowlys.) MARY BUTLER sworn. Q. I believe you are a widow lady? - I am a widow; I live near Hampstead. Q. Were you going to town on the 20th of August, and at what time? - Yes, at six o'clock in the evening. Q. Whereabouts was it that you met with any interruption? - In the middle field between Chalk Farm and the Britannia. Q. At the back of Gamden Town, or some where thereabouts? - Yes. The prisoner came up to me and said, money. Q. Were you alone? - Yes. Q. When you say the prisoner, are you certain to the person of the man? - Yes. Q. When he said, your money, what did you do? - I put my hand into my pocket, and gave him some silver and some halfpence. Q. In what way was it he addressed you with money? - He came up to me and said, money. Q. After you had given him this silver and halfpence, what past then? -He wanted some more, and I gave him some more. Q. Were you at this time collected or alarmed? - Very much alarmed indeed. Q. Had the prisoner any thing with him at that time? - I moved a little out of the road that I was in, and then I saw a stick in his hand and held over my shoulder. Q. Do you know how much money you gave him the first time? - I cannot say. He then laid his hand on my cloak and laid hold of it, and said he wanted it; I said I would take it off; I took it off and gave it him; I untied it directly. Q. He pulled it off, I think? - He did. Q. After that had passed what became of him? - He went from me then. Q. Had you any opportunity of giving information of this? - I immediately as he left me turned round and see two gentlemen, and I screamed out to them. Q. Had you lost sight of him before you screamed out? - No. Q. On your screaming, did they come up? - They did; they came up directly. Q. Did you see him taken? - No, I did not; he was not taken in my sight. Q. Did you tell the gentlemen what had happened to you? - I screamed out and said something, but they ran strait on after the man. Q. How long after this was it that you see the prisoner again? - In a very little while, it might be ten minutes. I ran after him across the field, as fast as I could, into Chalk-lane, and there he was taken when I came up to him, when I came up a young woman had the cloak in her hand. Q. How she came by it you cannot tell? - No. Q. Where is the cloak now? - It is here. Q. In whose custody has it been ever since? - Mine. (Produced.) Q. Is that the cloak that you lost on that occasion? - It is. Q. Have you any doubt of that being your cloak? - None at all. Q. How long had you had it? - About two or three years. Q. In justice to the prisoner, I would ask you, did he behave with any uncommon violence or severity to you? - No. Q. He did the thing as mildly as the thing could be done. I don't know whether you was ever robbed before? - No, I was not. Court. He did not use any particular violence, nor did not swear at you? - No, he did not Q. You see the prisoner run off, and you see the gentlemen run after him, but you did not see them lay hold of him? - No, I did not. SAMUEL COLLINGBRIDGE sworn. Q. Will you be so good as to tell my lord and jury what you know of this business? - I was walking in company with Mr. Bufford, on the 20th of August, across the field leading to Chalk Farm; when I got about the middle of the field, I heard Mrs. Butler cry out stop thief! the men has robbed me; and I and Mr. Bufford immediately pursued the man. Q. Could you see the man? - He was at some short distance, within sight; we pursued the man as far as Chalk-lane, where he got over the stile, I suppose about a minute before me; when I got over the stile I found the prisoner at the bar in custody of Mr. Bufford. Q. Was the prisoner the same man as you see in custody? - I cannot say that, because I am rather short sighted. Q. You did not see the cloak taken from the prisoner? - I did not. When I came up the prisoner had a stick in his hand, rather a large one. Prisoner. I never was in a trouble before, and I don't know how to proceed; I always worked very hard for my bread. - BUFFORD sworn. I was walking across the field to Chalk Farm, and I observed the prosecutrix throw up her arms, and immediately I see the prisoner run off, and Mr. Colling-bridge and me ran, and at the end of the field he got over the stile, and I got over after him first, before Mr. Collingbridge, and I found him on the other side of the ditch, and I got up to him and took hold of his leg, and he slid down, and there was this stick and this cloak, which I took from him. Mr. Collingbridge then came up. Q. Where was the cloak when you came up? - He had it in his hand when I came up. Q. Are you sure he is the person that you see running from Mrs. Butler? - That I can fastely say. Q. Did you see that cloak delivered to Mrs. Butler? - Yes, I did; I gave it to her myself. THOMAS ARMS sworn. I am headborough of Hampstead. Q. Have you any thing more to prove, than that this man was delivered into your custody? - No, nothing more than I searched him, and found about him this gimblet and this knife. Q. Any money? - He had returned all the money to Mrs. Butler. Prisoner. I have nothing to say, I never was in any trouble before in my life; I am a shoe-maker; I have got a wife and family, and never was in trouble before in my life, and know not how to proceed. Q. What number of children have you? - I have one child twenty months old, and my wife is big with another. GUILTY. Death . (Aged 30.) Recommended to mercy by the Jury, because he used no violence; and also recommended by the prosecutrix .

105

Denis Pember on 23rd August 2015

His wife, Sarah and two children (Thomas and Sarah) accompanied him on Ganges after she had made a plea to the Government. They had two more children in the colony.

105

Denis Pember on 23rd August 2015

On 20 August 1793, at the back of Camden Town, Thomas approached Mary Butler and demanded 'money', she passed over some coins. He was not pleased and threatened her with a stick and again demanded 'money'. He then indicated that he would take the silk cloak she was wearing. She gave him the cloak, but as he ran away, she raised the alarm. Two men took up the chase and ten minutes later, Thomas was apprehended in Chalk Lane. Mary Butler told the court that he did the robbery 'as mildly as the thing could be done'. Thomas said he had nothing to say, he had never been in trouble in his life, had a job as a shoemaker and had a wife and family, and did not know how to proceed. He said he had 1 child twenty months old and his wife was 'big' with another. He was found guilty of highway robbery and sentenced to death. ]The Jury recommended mercy, because he had used no violence. Mary Butler also recommended mercy. He was transported for life.

105

Denis Pember on 23rd August 2015

Thomas appears to have been married in England, prior to his conviction, to Sarah Eggleton, Saint Leonards, Shoreditch, London, 13 April 1793.

Crime date August 20, 1795, trial date September 16, 1795, trial held at the Old Bailey, aged 30 years at the time. Charged with assaulting Mary Butler and stealing a silk cloak valued at 5s and 5 shillings in monies. Sentenced to death commuted to life.