Martha Pedlay

71

Robin Sharkey on 27th August 2021

MARTHA PEDLEY PETITION TO BANK of ENGLAND The Bank of England would provide a small amount of assistance to prisoners who petitioned them, who they had successfully prosecuted for forging or uttering - but the vast majority of payments were only made to women offenders. Because women remained in the local gaol often for a long time until they were transported, they would face very hard times with no means of support. Martha Pedley wrote letters (or had someone write them for her) seeking support for herself and her child, and also mentioning her associates the two Sarahs - Ashwell and Startin. She did not write until she was already on the "Wanstead" so may only have heard about the Bank's small payments from the London women. [F/25/11/17] 4 July 1813, from Deptford "Mr Kay, Sir, I hope you will Pardon the Leberty I have takein in writen to you But it is nessety for I have Been taken up Ever sence the 30th of October and A small famley and have Been fost to sell all my things to Live on and I am very much Distrest and if you will have The Goodness as to give me A trifle it will be very thankfully Received By me martha Pedley as I have A Child with me and I have no money to Purcehs any thing But the alounce and there is 2 moor women that was Convected at Warwick the same time as my Salfe and very much Disstrest in Deed the Be Honnerd Sir I hope you will atend to the Above and your humble Pektichners is in Duty Bound and will for Ever Pray for you, Martha Pedley, Sarah Aswell, Sarah Startin" Petition from eight women jointly: [F25/11/25] 23 July 1813, from Spithead "Honerd Gentlemen Wee humble thank you for the favour wee have Recevid from your hands and as wee are Likeley to have a Long Voyege and most of us as Childrin and wat you have Been so Good as to give us all moust Expinded with By in a few things as we wanted very Bad and if you Goodness will Remit us a trifle moar it will Be thankfully Receveid By your humble Pertichner and wee shall Be in Duty Bound and will for Ever Pray Sarah Startin, Sarah Ashwell, Martha Pedley, Elizabeth Chedlow, Elizabeth Jones, Catherine Watson, Mary Best, Jane Smith" 637. [F25/11/26] Martha Pedley, Wanstead transport ship, Spithead, 4 August 1813 "Honoured Gentlemen Relying on your goodness I take the Leberty of trubling you with thes few Liens for wich I hope your Honour will Pardon me for and since I Recevied your kind Present I have Been very ill and wee have neather tea nor Suger allowed till wee get out to sea and I wented a few od things that I could not well do with out such as Shoes and Stockings for me and my Child and other Little Necessarys as is not allowed hear and I have Layd out my Last Shillings so if your Honour Can Stand my ferind with sending me a trifle moor if it is Ever so Little it will Be thankfully Recevied and your humble Pertishnor is in Duty Bound and will for Ever Pray for you Martha Pedley"

71

Robin Sharkey on 27th August 2021

RENEWING BIRMINGHAM ACQUAINTANCES Martha Pedley was part of the circle of Birmingham forgers around William Bradley. Bradley was convicted in 1811 at Warwick for forging bank notes, and sentenced to death but commuted to life transportation. He arrived in NSW on “Guildford” in January 1812. The judge at Warwick Assizes had condemned Bradbury in these terms: “You have been in the habit of carrying on this infamous traffic for a considerable time; you had means to make all these notes; I cannot but look upon you as a most dangerous man, and a proper object of the severest punishment of the law.” (Leicester Journal Fri 19 Apr 1811 p.3) William Bradbury forged the notes but he needed a large group of people to pass them ("Uttering") at fairs and market places. Pedley was one of these. In 1814, Bradbury lived in Castlereagh St Sydney and sold spirits out of his house. He had made money shortly after arriving in Sydney by hiring out a borrowed cart in 1813 to help with building the new road over the Blue Mountains, and he never worked for government again after that. This got him a Ticket of Leave and from there he did exceptionally well financially. In these circumstances he brought out Mary, his only daughter, to Sydney arriving in June 1815. His English wife, Alice, did not come. Eventually he would become rich from land grants and acquisitions. MARTHA PEDLEY became the housekeeper to Bradbury's Sydney properties. (Jnl RAHS, Vol 104, Pt 1 June 2018, p.95).

71

Robin Sharkey on 27th August 2021

Martha Pedley, aged 39, was transported for passing forged notes, found guilty in April 1813, with others who seemed to be a small gang: Northampton Mercury, 3 April 1813, p.3 “At Warwick assizes, which commenced the same day, Martha Pedley, Sarah Ashwell, Sarah Startin, and Thomas Powell, charged with passing forged notes, were all found guilty, and sentenced to transportation for fourteen years”. The three women arrived in NSW on “Wanstead”. Thomas Powell appears to have not arrived. Martha and Sarah Ashwell had prior records for offences relating to forged money. • Martha Pedley had been sent to Warwick Gaol in November 1812 for putting off forged bank of England notes, Bank of England tokens, and counterfeit coin. Derby Mercury Thurs 26 Nov 1812 p.3 "Committed to Warwick goal, Martha Pedley, William Howell, John Howell, Thomas Harris (?) John Hitchen, Elizabeth Hitchen, Sarah Connor, &Ko'.sepIj Gibson, for putting off forged bank of England notes, Bank of England tokens, and counterfeit coin knowing the same to be forged and counterfeited." • Sarah Ashwell had been committed to Warwick Gaol in February 1811 for tendering a large number of counterfeit shillings (300) and counterfeit sixpences in Birmingham. _____________________________ Martha arrived on 'WANSTEAD' in January 1814. She had a child with her - included in the October 1814 NSW Muster. In November 1814 she was assigned to S Foster in Sydney town, with her one child off stores with her. "S. Foster" may have been Samuel Foster who came free with his family in 1806 on "Sydney Cove", was a baker originally and in 1814 had a publican's licence in Sydney. By 1822 she had a Ticket of Leave and was her own householder. In 1825 she still had a Ticket of Leave (her sentence expired in 1827) and was a housekeeper in Sydney.