John Pitts

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Dianne Jones on 15th January 2022

FOOTNOTE 2: John Wilson was also transported to WA, arriving on the Lord Raglan on 1 June, 1858. At Freemantle jail, he was inmate #4863. His bio can be found at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/wilson/john/46502. --00--

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Dianne Jones on 15th January 2022

FOOTNOTE 1: From 'The Times', December 14, 1856, p9: "John Pitts and John Wilson were indicted for a highway robbery, with violence at Manningham near Bradford, and stealing from John Pearson £250 in gold and notes, on 13th November last. Mr Hardy prosecuted; and Mr Blanshard defended the prisoner Wilson. The other prisoner was undefended. It appeared from the statement of the various witnesses called, that Mr James Pearson, corn-miller of Sam’s Mills near Bradford (and who appeared in court with his head bound up, and apparently severely injured), on the 13th of November last, having been to Leeds market, left Bradford to go home to Sam’s Mills, about a mile and a half out of Bradford. He had to go down a lane called Brick-lane, and across some fields by a pathway. At the top of Brick Lane, at a crossing, he saw the two prisoners standing. They took the pathway leading to his mill. He followed them, keeping an eye upon them. At the second fence he lost sight of them. On arriving there he looked round to see where they were gone, when they suddenly appeared one at either side of him, in a crouching position. The prisoner Pitts was close to him. He jumped away from him, and was immediately struck on the head with a heavy bludgeon, which knocked him down. When down, the prisoner Wilson got upon his legs, and attempted to rifle his pockets. He struggled violently with him, and while doing so, Pitts placed his arm under his head and tried to throttle him. At this time he felt blood flowing from his mouth. Pitts, being unable to get his hold on his neck, struck him a number of blows on the head with a heavy hedge stake while Wilson held him, until he became unconscious. He was left there lying insensible, and when he came to himself, he found he had been robbed of 40 sovereigns, and 42 £5-notes. He had been confined to his house ever since from the injuries he had received. A girl spoke to seeing the two prisoners walking together down Brick Lane immediately before the robbery. Shuttleworth, a detective police officer at Bradford, on hearing of the robbery and the particulars of it, examined the spot where it took place and found there a pool of blood and the mark of a man’s head on the ground, and also the marks of men’s knees in the clay soil, some of the marks being made by corduroy trousers, and others by what he called ‘snob fustian’. The beer-shops of Bradford were searched that night, and in a room with four men, the two prisoners were found. Pitts was rubbing his sleeves ... ... [illegible text ] ... ... Pitts was on his trial, and the learned counsel could not call him as his witness; the law would not allow him to do so. MR BLANSHARD then proposed that Pitts should be heard first in his defence as he stood first on the indictment, and the rule was that the prisoner whose name was first on the indictment should first address the jury. HIS LORDSHIP said, where some of the prisoners were defended by counsel and some not, the rule was that counsel should first address the jury. MR BLANSHARD then addressed the jury on behalf of Mr Wilson. The prisoner Pitts admitted he had committed the robbery, but denied using any violence or wounding the prosecutor. Wilson he said, was not the man who was with him, but another man whose name he had given to the police. His LORDSHIP having summed up the evidence, the jury found both prisoners Guilty. Sentence of death was ordered to be recorded against them, his Lordship saying he should humbly advise Her Majesty to remit the sentence to transportation for life. (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4633.htm) --00--

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Dianne Jones on 13th December 2021

in WA: From his Fremantle jail record: PITTS, John; #4633, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1830 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Illiterate Sentence Place: York, Yorkshire, England Crime: Armed robbery & wounding Sentence Period: Life, commuted Ticket of Leave Date: 3 Aug 1861 Conditional Pardon Date: 17 Apr 1886 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--

218

Dianne Jones on 13th December 2021

JAIL: He was held at York -- most likely at York New City House of Correction / York City House of Correction -- and then sent to Wakefield prison in Love Lane, Wakefield, Yorkshire, where he spent 11 months 16 days in separate confinement (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). The prison has been variously known as West Riding House of Correction, Wakefield House of Correction, Wakefield County Gaol, Wakefield Prison and HMP Wakefield. 18 March, 1857: He was admitted to Chatham prison, a public works prison for male convicts east of London, at St Mary’s Island in Kent (https://www.prisonhistory.org). His conduct at Chatham and in separate confinement at Wakefield was described as "good". From Chatham, most likely around 10 September 1857, he was sent to board the Nile for transportation to WA. On the list of "male transports" from Chatham he was listed as 29, a labourer, illiterate and single (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Convicts Transported Per Nile (R32)). --00--

218

Dianne Jones on 13th December 2021

TRIAL: 8 December, 1855: John Pitts, a labourer, was convicted at the York Sessions of robbery and wounding being armed, and was sentenced to death -- commuted to transportation for life. --0--