William Ray

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 6.0, 02 October 2012), October 1787, Trial of WILLIAM RAY (t17871024-28). WILLIAM RAY, Theft > burglary, 24th October 1787. WILLIAM RAY was indicted for burglariously and feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Thomas Moody , about the hour of six in the evening, the 20th of October, and burglariously stealing therein, one ounce of silver, value 5 s. a silver tea-spoon, value 2 s. a metal tobacco stopper, value 1 d. two copper medals, value 2 d. twenty guineas, value 21 l. sixteen half crowns, value 2 l. three crown pieces, value 15 s. one piece of copper coin, called a halfpenny, the property of the said Thomas Moody . A second count, for feloniously breaking and entering the same dwelling house, about the hour of five in the afternoon, of the same day, no person being therein, and stealing the above things. The case opened by Mr. Leach. William was found Not guilty of the burglary, nor of breaking the house in the day time on of the theft. Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH. William was sentenced to 7 years transportation at the Old Bailey in Middlesex London. He arrived in Australia on board the ship "Albermarle", part of the Third Fleet, on 13 Oct 1791. He built and operated the "Plough Inn" between 1816 and 1826. He was freed by servitude and died in 1835.

In the colony, William married Sarah Mary Wade. William Ray alias Jay of the parish of St John Parramatta and Sarah Wade of ditto were married in this church by banns this fourth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and eight by me Anthony Fenn Kemp J.P. Both William and Sarah signed the register in the presence of Henry Neal and Judith Brian who both made their X marks. The marriage was annuled in 1830, but not before Sarah Mary had been involved in a complex relationship with Nathaniel Boon (Convict, Admiral Gambier, 1811). The children born, seem to come from either/or father! The relationship between William and Sarah Mary and Nathaniel is quite confusing. Sarah Mary seems a lot like her mother in regard to carrying out concurrent intermingled relationships. # See Mary Brooker (Wade) (Convict, Lady Juliana, 1790) and her relationships with Edward Harrigan (Convict, Salamander 1791) and Jonathan Brooker (Convict, Atlantic, 1791). Real intermingled families!

So in the 1828 Census we have:- [Ref R0196] Ray, William, 52, FS, Albermarle, 1821, Milkman at Airds. [Ref R0197] Ray William (jnr) 14, BC. (No sign of Sarah Mary, she is elsewhere) We also have: [Ref R0200] Ray, Mary Sr., 35, born in the colony, Protestant, lives with Nathaniel Boon, Airds. [Ref R0201] Ray, Mary Jr., 19, born in the colony. [Ref R0202] Ray, Sophia, 16, born in the colony. [Ref R0203] Ray, John, 11, born in the colony. [Ref R0204] Ray, Edward 2, born in the colony. The elder 3 children are clearly the children of William Ray… But what about Young Edward? He fits neatly into the Boon family. [Ref B1624] Boon, Nath’l, 37, free by servitude, Al. Gambier, 1811, 7 years, Protestant, settler, Airds, 66 acres, 66 acres cleared and cultivated, 2 horses, 15 horned cattle. [Ref B1625] Boon, Nath’l. Jr. 4, born in the colony. [Ref B1626] Boon, Margt 2, born in the colony. [Ref B1627] Boon, Thomas, 2 months born in the colony. [Ref B1628] Boon, Maria, 6 born in the colony. These 4 MUST be the children of Sarah Mary and Nathaniel, not of William. In 1830 Sarah Mary actually had triplets! James, Jonathan and Nicholas Boon.

William, a gentleman's servant, was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey on 24th October 1787 for breaking and entering and stealing one ounce of silver, value 5 s, a silver tea-spoon, value 2 s, a metal tobacco stopper, value 1 d, two copper medals, value 2 d, twenty guineas, value 21 l, sixteen half crowns, value 2 l. three crown pieces, value 15 s. and one piece of copper coin, called a halfpenny. he was sentenced to transportation for 7 years . Left England on 27th March 1791. Ship:- the 'Ablemarle' sailed with 282 male convicts on board of which 32 died during the voyage, this included 2 executions. Arrived on 13th October 1791. In the colony, William married Sarah Mary Wade (daughter of convicts Teague Harrigan, 'Salamnder' 1791 & Mary Ann Wade, 'Lady Juliana' 1790) on 4th April 1808 at Parramatta, they had 5 children between 1809-1822. The couple were married by Captain Anthony Fenn Kemp, a Magistrate, Captain Kemp of the N.S.W. Corps, was one of the three magistrates appointed by the Interregnum Government of Lt. Colonel Paterson and Captain Macarthur and this fact has considerable bearing on Sarah's later actions. By 1813 they had moved to the vicinity of Campbelltown and in 1816 William received a grant of sixty acres of land near the Bow-Bowing Creek, on the Sydney approaches to Campbelltown, District of Airds. There they first farmed and then opened an inn, known as 'The Plough' (William had built the inn between 1816-21), to help support their farming activities- there having been a widespread drought in the colony during 1816-19 with a total crop failure in 1818, and, with permanent water and a road frontage, it was an ideal location. By 1822 their economic position had improved and they had a horse, twelve pigs and crops of wheat, barley and potatoes. The existence of the horse may indicate that they actually had a plough. The marriage seems to have broken down in 1822-23 when Sarah removed herself and the four younger children to the next door farm of Nathaniel Boon who had arrived in the colony as a convict aboard the 'Admiral Gambier' in 1811. 8 children were born of this union between 1824-1837, including triplets much to the surprise of the colony. In 1831 Sarah married Boon, although William was still alive. This was now possible as Governor Macquarie had been instructed by the Home Government to cancel all contracts entered into under the Interregnum Government instituted after the overthrow of Governor Bligh by the Rum Corps. Consequently, in strictly legal terms Sarah was no longer the wife of William Ray. In the meantime, what appears to be a most amicable relationship existed between the two families. In 1825 the three middle children were back living with William and in 1826 he sold the Inn and seven acres to Nathaniel, at the same time disposing of an adjoining twenty five acres to James Ryan, thought to be a front for Nathaniel, the latter undoubtedly becoming owner. William Ray and William Jnr. then moved over the hill to farm the remainder of the grant. William died on 17th October 1835 at Airds, New South Wales, and was burried at St Peters Church, Campbelltown. Old Bailey Trial Transcription: Reference Number: t17871024-28 839. WILLIAM RAY was indicted for burglariously and feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Thomas Moody , about the hour of six in the evening, the 20th of October , and burglariously stealing therein, one ounce of silver, value 5 s. a silver tea-spoon, value 2 s. a metal tobacco stopper, value 1 d. two copper medals, value 2 d. twenty guineas, value 21 l. sixteen half crowns, value 2 l. three crown pieces, value 15 s. one piece of copper coin, called a halfpenny, the property of the said Thomas Moody . A second count, for feloniously breaking and entering the same dwelling house, about the hour of five in the afternoon, of the same day, no person being therein, and stealing the above things. The case opened by Mr. Leach. The witnesses examined separate. JOHN MOODY sworn. I am son to Thomas Moody ; I was going home between five and six, me and a man out of my father's fields from work; I went into the house, and went to look for a candle, and instantly pulled off my shoes, and went up stairs, nobody was at home; going up stairs I saw the prisoner. Was sort of light was it? - Duskish. Could you distinguish the features of a man's countenance? - Yes, I knew him directly; I asked him what business he had there, and how he came there; he said the doors were open, and he came in; I tried to catch hold of him, and he chucked some pieces out of his pocket, some things in a bag on the floor, and two pocket books; I saw my father's desk was broke open. Was there any other articles that he chucked out? - No, not that I saw; I called out that there was a thief in the room; my father came in while I was up stairs. How do you know that? - Because he was not in the house when I came in, my father came up, and another man, Mr. William Stephens , junior, and one Bradbury, and secured him, and we took him to the Whitechapel Rotation, and to the watch-house. Did you search him in the house? - Mr. Stephens did, and found nothing, but one of Mr. Stephens men searched him in the watch-house in my presence. How late before had you been in the house? - Not since one o'clock that day; I am sure there was no person in the house at the time. Prisoner. Ask him which way he came in? - At the back door. Was it open or shut? - I cannot tightly say; we went up stairs after we catched him, and I think he got in at the fore window; we never perceived till yesterday, there is half a pane of glass broke. Prisoner. My Lord, there was a chair woman in the house all that day? - Yes, when I went out I left her there. Was any person in the house when you went into it except the prisoner? - None at all that I saw. JOHN BRADBURY sworn. I was digging potatoes for Mr. Moody, and we left off sooner than usual, about five when we came home, we opened the sash to go into the house to take the key out to unlock the door; I was with John Moody , he pulled off his shoes, and went up stairs, in a minute he called out there were thieves; I ran up stairs, and found John, and the prisoner struggling; I laid hold of him, and as soon as I seized him, he dropped money at twice; he dropped a purse of money with some bad shillings and sixpences in it; we found nothing upon him more then that. Was the door locked when you came in? - Yes. CHARLES DOMER sworn. I am an officer; I searched the prisoner when he was brought to the watch-house, and under his right ham, at the bottom of his breeches, I took sixteen half crowns, three crowns, a halfpenny, and a metal button. THOMAS MOODY sworn. Court. Look at that property, and see if you know any part of it? - There should be a halfpenny, and a little button here; this button is mine, and here is some writing on the halfpenny, and the bag likewise upon oath; I cannot say what money I lost, I know there were crowns, and half crowns, but the quantity I cannot say; I believe them to be mine. Prisoner. It is very hard for a man to swear to a button, and a bag, and a halfpenny, that has no mark. Prosecutor. I know the button to be mine, the bag is mine; I am clear in the bag, and I believe the money to be mine that is in it; what the tale of it is I cannot say, there is some writing on the halfpenny. What writing is it? - I am no scholar to tell you what it is, there is some letters on it; I know it by the mark that is on it. (The halfpenny marked on the woman's side, Joseph Fletcher , November 13th, 1738.) - STEPHENS, senior, sworn. I searched the prisoner, and found one shilling and one penny upon him. Some pocket books produced that were picked up by John Moody . - STEPHENS junior sworn. I picked up a bag, which I laid on the bureau, which Mr. Moody afterwards took out, and it contained twenty guineas; I picked it up close to the bureau; I picked up some of the papers, and the books, and gave them to John Moody . Thomas Moody. I found a knife in my yard; my bureau was broke open, I believe by this knife, because we have found places which it will fit extraordinary well; we tried the places. Stephens, junior. This is Mr. Ray's knife. How do you know that? - I was sitting with him last Thursday evening, and he pulled this knife out of his pocket, and he presented it to the man, that was there, and said he could like to have the point filed off; the man instantly took out a file, and began filing it; and I said you cannot take it off with that, I can take it off at home for you presently; he said I wish you would; he immediately put it into his pocket again. Prisoner. There is no particular marks on that knife. John Moody . I found some broken silver in a room, where I saw him chuck it down, and I saw him chuck the pocket books down. Thomas Moody . I know this spoon to be mine; I have two or three of them they are marked. Court to Prosecutor. How much money did you lose out of your bureau? - Why, I do not know in particular; the conjuror he left the principal part of the property behind him; he took twenty guineas I believe out of my bureau; I found it not in the place where I left it, and the bureau broke open; I found it in the inside of the bureau, but when the flap of the bureau was down, it was not in the place I left it. Prisoner. My Lord, I was in next door; I kept company with a young woman that lived at his house; I went in, finding her not there, I went up stairs; before I could well get up stairs, John Moody came in; I told him I found the door open; they came in, and took me prisoner. What business had you there? - I went in after a young woman that I had sat hours with before. Court to Moody. Had you any young woman in your house? - We have a young girl there. Did this young man come after her? - I never saw them together in my life. Prisoner. I expected several people to come, but it is a very wet day, I do not think they have come. Court. Shall I ask any of these witnesses as to your character? - If you please, my Lord. Court to Stephens. What sort of character did this young man bear to this time? - The character of a thief. What, before this? - Yes, he bore a very bad character. Jury. What business? - I know no business he ever was. Prisoner. I am a gentleman's servant. Court to John Moody . In what part of the bureau did you leave your money? - I left it in a drawer, and when I went up, the flap of the desk lay open. GUILTY, 39 s. Not guilty of the burglary, nor of breaking the house in the day time. Transported for seven years .