Edwin Henry Powell

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D Wong on 10th May 2019

Old Bailey: EDWIN HENRY POWELL. Deception: forgery. 26th February 1866 Verdict Guilty > unknown Sentence Imprisonment > penal servitude EDWIN HENRY POWELL (38), Feloniously forging and uttering a cheque for 20l. with intent to defraud. MR. SLEIGH conducted the Prosecution. JOHN HOPKINS. I am managing clerk to Ebenezer Howard, of Leadenhall-market—upon the morning of 18th December, a man came there, and ordered game and poultry to the amount of 18l. or so—it was not the prisoner—in the evening the prisoner came and said he had called for the goods, which had been ordered by the gentleman in the morning, who, he said, was the principal clerk of Messrs. Brown and Sons, and that he had a horse and cart in Gracechurch-street waiting for the goods—there were no porters in the market, so two of our own men took them down to the cart—I asked him to give me Messrs. Brown and Sons address, and he said, "10, Princes-street, Cavendish-square," which I wrote on the back of a cheque for 20l. which he handed me—I gave him 2l. change—in the ordinary course of business, the cheque was paid into the bankers, and came back again, or was brought back—I have since been to 10, Princes-street, Cavendish-square, but could learn nothing there about the prisoner, or Brown and Sons—there were no such people there—there is another Princes-street in Hanoversquare, to which I went, and I there found a firm of Brown and Sons, who denied all knowledge of the cheque. Prisoner. Q. Did you inquire of Brown and Sons, whether I was known there, describing me, or the person who called in the morning? A. No—I merely asked if they knew anything about the cheque, that is all. OLIVIA MARGARET GRIFFITHS. I am a widow, and keep the Globe public-house, in Marylebone-road—about 6th January, the prisoner came to my house—I had known him previously as a casual customer—he asked me to change this cheque for him (produced) which I did—I paid it to my brewers, and after some days it was brought back to me. STEPHEN CUTLER. I am chief clerk at the London and County Bank, Knightsbridge branch—in the year 1562, Messrs. Bacon and Green kept an account for a short time with us, and there was, of course, a cheque-book issued to them—the two cheques now produced came out of that cheque-book—the account was only kept with us seven or eight months—no such persons as those represented by the signatures of "Brown" and "Fleet-wood," kept an account with us—I know nothing about them at all—the cheques were presented to us in the ordinary course, and returned by us in the usual way—we have had other cheques from the same book presented to us—perhaps twenty at different times during the last six or eight months—those were all forgeries. ELLEN WALKER. I am a widow, and keep the Queen's Head, High-street, Marylebone—I know the prisoner as an occasional customer—on Saturday, 6th January, he came about 8 o'clock in the evening, and asked me to change this cheque (produced) for him—I refused at first, but he pressed me, and stated that he had just received it for his month's salary—I then gave him the money, and on the 9th I paid the cheque in to my brewer's account at the bank—subsequently it was returned to me. MORRIS SHEARING. I am clerk in the London and Westminster Bank, Temple Bar branch—no such person as "T. Marshall," (whose signature is attached to this cheque for 7l. 12s. referred to by the last witness), keeps an account with us—it was presented, and refused on the ground that the drawer had no account at the bank. HENRY BALDWIN (Policeman, D 159). I apprehended the prisoner on 15th January, on a warrant which I had obtained the same day—I read it—it charged, "That he unlawfully, by means of a false pretence, obtained from Ellen Walker the sum of 7l. 12s."—he said, "I am very sorry for it" Prisoner's Defence. I received the cheques from another man, and did not know they were forgeries. GUILTY.—He was further charged with having been before convicted in January, 1858; to which he PLEADED GUILTY.— Fifteen years' Penal Servitude. Edwin Powell was 39 years old on arrival. Occupation: Surveyor. Henry was married Emily Sylvia Godet on 13/3/1851 and had 4 children, he was 5'11¾" tall, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, fair complexion, middling stout, ruptured right side, bald. 15/11/1872 TOL 1875: Married Frances Mary Prince at Fremantle, WA. Children: 1876: Frank Edmond 1877: Claude Prince 1879: Lucy Eugenie Prince 1882: Grace Eveleen 25/2/1881: COF Comments: Conditional Release 1877. Clerk, self-employed, 2 Mar 1876 Fremantle. Edwin’s children Walter (with wife Charlotte and son Walter R) and Blanche arrived on the Fitzroy in Fremantle in 1882. Frederick arrived either in 1875 or 1882 and Kate (Katie) with her husband Daniel Arnold in 1883. A story of son, Walter Powell can be found at: https://www.cockburnlibraries.com.au/blog/cockburn-history-coogee-hotel-post-office/ 15/11/1893 The Daily News, Perth, WA: GENERAL LICENSE. To the Worshipful the Justices of the Peace acting in and for the district of Fremantle in Western Australia. I, Edwin Henry Powell (Hotelkeeper) married, now residing at 'The Stanley' Hotel, Hannister-street, in the town of Fremantle, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the next Licensing Meeting, to be holden for this district, for a License for the eale of Wine and Beer the produce of the colony, in the house and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situated at Bannister-street, aforesaid, containing eight bedrooms and five sitting rooms, exclusive of those required by my self and family, rented by me from Cornelius Glasson, of Fremantle, Publican, and now occupied by me, and licensed under the sign of the 'The Stanley' Hotel. I have held a License of the said Hotel by Transfer from the said Cornelius Glasson for the past three weeks. Given under my hand this 14th day of November, 1893. EDWIN HENRY POWELL. 19/5/1898: Edwin Henry Powell died at Fremantle, WA.

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Leah on 10th May 2019

Edwin had a wife (Emilie) and at least three children in Marylebone when he was transported. When Emilie died in the early 1870s, Edwin remarried and had four more children, two of whom survived to adulthood. The Powells made a life for themselves in Fremantle, Western Australia, and his older children eventually emigrated to join him the the early 1880s.