Richard Robinson

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 3rd December 2020

New South Wales Certificate of Freedom. [NRS 12208] Register of Certificate of Freedoms No; 102/734 - Ticket of Leave; 7 Sept 1814 Name; Richard Robinson [renewed 31 July 1826] Ship and arrival year; Surry 1814 Description and Remarks; Native County; London Trade; Cabinet maker Age; 24 years Height; 5 ft 5 1/2 in Complexion; Sallow Hair; Light Brown Eyes; Hazel Additional Remarks; Tried London - Feb 1813

54

Phil Hands on 19th July 2017

Old Bailey Trial Transcription. Reference Number: t18130217-44 280. RICHARD ROBERTSON and THOMAS BLADE were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 8th of February , three hams, value 3 l. the property of Joseph Stiles , privately in his shop . JOSEPH STILES . I am a cheesemonger . I live at No. 108, East Smithfield . On Monday week, the 8th of this month, between eight and nine o'clock, I received some information that I had lost some hams. MARY CHURCHLOW . On the 8th of February, I was coming along East Smithfield, between eight and nine o'clock at night, I saw a man lay down by Mr. Stiles's door. Q. Did he lay down on the ground - A. No, on the steps. A young woman and I stopped to see what he was doing of. We watched him, and saw what he did; he took one of the hams off a shelf that was near the door. Q. What the man that was laying down - A. Yes, sir. He took it away and gave it to Blade, and Blade gave it to another. Q. Who was the man that was laying down - A. Robertson. Q. And then the other, Blade, received it of him - A. Yes, and he gave it to another. Q. Where was Blade standing - A. Not by him within two or three doors of the house. He got up and put it under his coat, and then gave it Blade. Then he went back again and did it again. He went and laid down a second time, and he went and he gave that away a second time, and we stopped him with a ham. There was a young woman with me. He told us if we would say nothing he would give us something to drink. We went and told Mr. Stiles, and just as we went in two patrols came up and stopped him. They brought them into Mr. Stiles. ESTER ROBERTS . Q. You were with Churchlow, were you - A. Yes. I saw Robertson lay down at the door, as if he was intoxicated with liquor. Q. You thought he was drunk at first - A. We did; we thought some one would tumble over him, and when he saw some people busy in the shop he turned upon his side, and took one of the hams from off the bench in the shop. He went away with it, and gave it to Blade. That was just above him he crossed over the street, and went to the door again, and laid down in the same manner as before. He took another ham, and gave it to the same man, and that man gave it to another. Then he came back the third time in the same manner. He laid down at the door, and took another ham away. We followed him. I asked him if he was not ashamed. He told me to hold my tongue; he would give me something to drink. JAMES SIMMONS . I am a patrol. On Monday, the 8th, I was going my round, accompanied by John Bull ; I saw five men running. I catched hold of Blade, he being the first to me. I asked him, where he was running to. He said, he was running after the people that stole the hams. I said, my fine fellow, I shall keep you until I get the man that stole the hams. He seemed in great agitation to get away. I kept him, and took him into Mr. Stiles. I told my partner to proceed after the others. He went and brought Robertson. Q. Had Blade any hams about him - A. No, the hams have never been found. JOHN BULL . I am a patrol. My partner said, you pursue after the rest. The first man I took was Robertson. Q. Had he any hams - A. No. The other three escaped. Q. You could not see what they had, could you - A. No. I brought Robertson back to the shop. Q. Where did you find the shop - A. Close on the spot. We took them back to the prosecutor. As soon as we took them in the shop the young women swore to them. JOHN TURNBRIDGE . I am a constable. I took the prisoners into my charge. Blade, in going along to the watchhouse, declared that he was running after the man that stole the hams. I searched them. I could find nothing upon them. Robertson's Defence. I am entirely innocent of the charge. I was going home on Monday last, I was stopped by the patrol. I am sure I never saw the men nor the women. I have been at a house where the women were common prostitutes. I have four small children, and get my bread by hard work. Blade's Defence. On Monday, the 8th instant, as I was going up East Smithfield, I saw a man come out of a door with something under his arm. A man came from the other side of the road, and challenged me with stealing a ham. I immediately ran across the road to the patrols. ROBERTSON, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 23. BLADE, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 34. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.

54

Phil Hands on 19th July 2017

Richard Robinson was born in 1780, at Southwark St John Horsleydown, across the River Thames from the Tower of London. He married Hannah Rae Chowne, a local Horseleydown woman, in 1805 and by 1811 they had four children to support in this poor area of London. he was a cabinetmaker by calling, he was described as having light brown hair, hazel eyes and sallow complexion. At five feet five and half inches tall he would have been average height for his time. There is no record of Richard having committed any crimes until late on a cold winter night of 8th February 1813. With four cohorts he stole hams from the Joseph Stiles' shop in East Smithfield before being apprehended with one other, Thomas Blade. They were both tried and convicted at the Old Bailey on 17th February 1813 for stealing three hams, value 3 pounds the property of Joseph Stiles, privately in his shop, they were sentenced to death, Richard spent seven months in Newgate Gaol, where he had to endure overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, prisoners paying the Gaolers for food, drink and coal for a fire to survive. Some were lucky enough to have straw and a blanket for bedding. Prisoners were kept in leg irons. Many relied on their friends and family to provide money and other necessities for prison life. On the 10th June 1813 his death sentence was commuted to transportation for life to the colony of New South Wales. He was transferred to the 'Retribution' hulk at Woolwich on 2nd September 1813. Even though the conditions on the hulks were no better than Newgate, he was taken out each day to work which at least gave him the chance to breathe fresh air. He remained there until 23rd December 1813 when he was transferred to Portsmouth for embarkation aboard a transport vessel. Left England on 22nd February 1814. Ship:- the 'Surrey I' sailed with 200 male convicts on board of which 36 died during the voyage, an outbreak of Gaol fever (Typhus) had taken over the ship. Arrived on 28th July 1814. Governor Macquarie ordered that all the persons on board the 'Surrey' be quarantined in a tent camp at North Sydney, the first of this kind in the new Colony. The quarantine was lifted on 31st August and the remaining convicts including Richard, the crew and soldiers were sent to Sydney. The total losses from the voyage of the Surry was 56 which included 36 convicts, the captain, the surgeon, fourteen crew and four soldiers Richard's wife Hannah Rae Chowne and their four children Mary Elizabeth, Richard, Louisa and William, received permission to also go to New South Wales. They travelled on the 'Broxbornbury'. The two ships arrived in Port Jackson in July 1814. All on board the Surrey were sent to quarantine on the north shore of the harbour for six weeks due to a typhus epidemic. As soon as he cleared quarantine in September. Richard was given a Ticket of Leave No. 14/102 restricting him to the district of Sydney. He was assigned to his wife and set about earning a living as a carpenter/cabinet maker. They had a further 4 children in NSW between 1815-1820. In October 1830 replacement TOL No. 29/858 was altered to allow him to travel to the Upper Districts of the River. November 1835 TOL No. 25/942 was issued allowing him to work at property called Merton at the junction of the Hunter and Goulbourn rivers. On 8th November 1836 a letter from the Colonial Secretary indicates an alteration of this TOL to the district Patrick Plains (now Singleton). Richard dwelt in the Hunter region until 1839. Richard continued to behave well as a convict and on 15th February 1839 Governor, Sir George Gipps, granted him a Conditional Pardon No. 38/10044 . He would have to stay within the jurisdiction of the Government of New South Wales for the balance of his sentence. To his credit is that Richard never befell the wrath of the law again. he continued to ply his trade and lived to the ripe old age of 88. He passed away on 20th February 1868 at the Ropes Creek farm of his son-in-law John Bull after fifty four years in the Colony of New South Wales. His remains were interred in an unmarked grave at St Marys Magdalene Anglican Church, St Marys, NSW. His wife, Hannah had died in 1845.

4

Lyndy cracknell on 31st May 2012

He was arrested at 108 East Smithfield, accused of stealing three hams from a shop. The transcript is available at http://www.oldbaileyonline.org if you search for Richard Robertson. His age is also incorrect in the court records, he was 33 not 23. He was married and had four children, the eldest was eight. His wife Hannah Rae nee Chowne and the four children Richard, Mary Elizabeth, Louisa Hannah and William Chowne all travelled to Australia on the Broxbornbury arriving the same day as the Surry on July 28, 1814. The Surry, on which Richard travelled, lost a third of its complement to typhus. Perhaps for this reason, Richard received his ticket of leave the day he cleared quarantine at the end of August 1814. His convict number was 21810, light brown hair, hazel eyes,height five feet five and a half. He had no prior convictions nor any subsequent ones. He worked around the colony plying his trade until the late 1840s, including working at Old Government House, Parramatta. He and his wife reared seven children (two died young). They were all respectable tradespeople, shopkeepers, hoteliers and farmers and most reared large families. Two of his grandchildren became Mayors of Liverpool and Queenbeyan. Richard died of ascites on 20 Feb 1868 at Ropes Creek and was buried at St Mary's Church at South Creek (now St Mary's).

4

Lyndy cracknell on 1st November 2011

Larceny in a shop. He left England at the end of February 1814

Richard Robinson, born in 1780, was arrested at 108 East Smithfield at 8 pm on February 8 for allegedly stealing three hams from a cheesemonger's shop with another man Thomas Blade. They were imprisoned in Newgate and tried on 13th February and sentenced to death. This was commuted to life soon after. They spent some time in Newgate and were then moved to the Retribution hulk at Woolwich. From there in December 1813 they were sent to Portsmouth to assist in the loading of the Surry I prior to its departure at the end of February 1814. Richard's wife Hannah Rae nee Chowne and their four children Mary Elizabeth, Richard,Louisa and William, received permission to also go to New South Wales. They travelled on the Broxbornbury. The two ships arrived in Port Jackson in July 1814. All on board the Surry were sent to quarantine on the north shore of the harbour for six weeks due to a typhus epidemic. Richard was given a ticket of leave as soon as he cleared quarantine in September. He was assigned to his wife and set about earning a living as a carpenter/cabinet maker. He died in 1868 at Ropes Creek and was buried at St Mary's Church, South Creek. He was 88 years old.