George Sheals

174

Iris Dunne on 1st December 2020

NSW BDM Death Reg. No. 4631/1861, aged 75, Died Richmond, dated 9 June 1861

174

Iris Dunne on 1st December 2020

Find A Grave Memorial ID No. 122168376, Birth 1786, Death June 1861 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122168376/george-shields

2

Stephen Shields on 30th November 2020

Iam a decendant of George Shields

54

Phil Hands on 6th June 2017

Tried and convicted at the Old Bailey on 3rd December 1806 for stealing 2 silver candlesticks, sentenced to death, this was later commuted to transportation for life. Left England on 2nd July 1808. Ship:- the 'Admiral Gambier' sailed with 200 male convicts on board of which 3 died during the voyage. Arrived on 20th December 1808. On arrival he was assigned as a general servant to Elias Bishop of Richmond. Married Jane Holmes (daughter of convicts William Holmes, 'Earl Cornwallis' 1801 & Sarah Haynes 'Glatton' 1803) in 1819 at Richmond, they had 12 children between 1819-1841. He was granted a Pardon in 1820. In the 1828 Census he was recorded as having 12 acres of cleared and cultivated land at Richmond Old Bailey Trial Transcription. Reference Number: t18061203-14 14. GEORGE SHEALS was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 20th of November, two silver candlesticks, value 5 l. the property of George Soley Foyle , in his dwelling house . ELIZABETH HANCOCK . Q. Who do you live servant with. - A. I live at Mr. Foyle's, No. 3, Brunswick-square . Q. Do you remember on the 20th of November last, having the care of a pair of silver candlesticks. - A. Yes, I brought them down from the upper room, and set them in the pantry. Q. From the upper room, facing the street, which looks into the area. - A. Yes. Q. About what time in the morning was it you brought them down. - A. Between ten and eleven, I left them there upon the dresser, in the pantry. Q. I suppose they could be seen from the street, could not they. - A. I am not quite certain. ANN FOYLE . Q. You are wife to George Soley Foyle , are you. - A. Yes. Q. You live in Brunswick-square. - A. Yes. Q. Do you remember seeing these silver candlesticks on the 20th of November last. - A. Not till I saw them in the man's hand; I had been down in the kitchen, when I saw them in the man's hand. Q. About what time in the morning. - A. About half past eleven, I was leaving the kitchen, going up the inside stairs, I saw a man in the passage leading to the area, in the same passage that I was in myself, with the candlestick in his hand. Q. You mean the passage below stairs. - A. Yes. Q. What did you see this man do. - A. He was going towards the door with the candlestick in his hand; that is all that I saw. Q. I understand you, ma'am, to say only one candlestick. - A. I saw only one. Q. A silver candlestick was it. - A. A silver candlestick. Q. Did you see him go up stairs yourself. - A. No; as he turned into the area I lost sight of him. I immediately acquainted my servant with it, Elizabeth Hancock ; she with myself immediately ran to the area, and on the area steps I saw one of the sockets which he had dropped; the servant with myself went to the top of the area steps in the street, and I saw the same man about five doors off; he was going towards the Colonade. He turned into Grenville street. Q. Did you see any thing in his hand then. - A. No, I did not. I told my servant Elizabeth Hancock to follow him, she followed him and cried out Stop thief. Q. She ran after him. - A. She ran after him, I heard her cry Stop thief, and he was secured and brought back by the constable. I saw no more of him after the servant left me and cried Stop thief. Q. You did not see which way he ran. - A. No, I did not. Q. You cannot say, whoever this man was, whether it is the prisoner at the bar. - A. No, I did not see his face. Q. (to Elizabeth Hancock ) By your mistresses directions you ran after this man did you. - A. Yes. Q. Which way did he take. - A. Towards the Colonade. Q. Then you cried stop thief did you. - A. Yes. I lost sight of him before I got to the corner of the square; he turned round the corner towards the Colonade. Q. Could you see what he had in his hand. - A. No, he was stopped before I got up. SAMUEL ENGLAND . I live at No. 10, Colonade. Q. Do you remember on the 20th of November last hearing the cry of stop thief. - A. Yes; I saw the prisoner at the bar before I heard the cry of stop thief. Q. Was he running. - A. He was running, he was coming from the Mews up the Colonade steps. Q. Had he any thing in his hand. - A. Yes, two silver candlesticks. Q. Was one in each hand. - A. I believe he had got them both in one hand; I said to him you seem in a hurry, he made me no answer, I took particular notice of him and watched him, I suspected that he had stole them; he ran along the Colonade, and when he was about fifteen yards past me I heard the cry of stop thief; I ran after him and put my hand on his shoulder and stopped him. Mr. Randell came out of his shop and took the candlesticks out of his hand; then the prisoner was secured. Q. Do you know the prisoner at all. - A. I never saw the man before to my knowledge. JOHN RANDELL . I live at No. 14, Colonade. I am a baker. Q. Do you remember the hue and cry of stop thief on the 20th of November last. - A. No. I had just come out of the bakehouse with a tin of biscuits. I saw the prisoner at the bar run by the window; him and Mr. England seemed to be in a tussle with each other, he had an apron on, I observed the candlesticks under his apron. Judging what might be the case I ran out to Mr. England's assistance, I collared him at the next door and took the candlesticks out of his hand; he made no resistance, I took him by the collar and delivered both him and the candlesticks to Mr. Robey. - ROBEY. You are a constable, I believe, at the Colonade. - A. Yes, I heard some people running by, halloaing out stop thief, I ran out and I met Mr. Randell with these candlesticks in one hand, and the prisoner in the other. Q. You of course took the prisoner in charge and you have had these candlesticks ever since. - A. I have; I produce them. Q. Mrs. Foley look at these candlesticks, do they belong to your husband. - A. Yes, I am quite sure they do, they have his coat of arms upon them. Q. What do you suppose them to be worth. - A. May I say thirty shillings. Q. They are not silver candlesticks. - A. They are. Q. Can you in truth say they are not worth more. A. What is the lowest I may put them at. Q. What did they cost your husband. - A. I do not know. Q. They are large silver candlesticks, they may be worth ten pounds. - A. I will say five pounds. Court. However one may be disposed to favour him, it is impossible to say they are worth less than forty shillings. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 17. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Baron Graham.

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Galinda Wood on 13th November 2013

George was arrested for stealing two silver candlesticks from a property in Brunswick Square, London. He was tried at the Old Bailey on the 3rd December 1806 and having been found guilty was given the death sentence. In 1807 he was sentenced to transportation for life and arrived in Sydney on the "Admiral Gambier" in the 1880's. He was sent as a general servant to Elias Bishop of Richmond. He was granted a Pardon in 1820. In the 1828 Census he was recorded as having 12 acres of cleared and cultivated land at Richmond and in 1831 he applied for the land.

George Shields (Sheals)arrived in NSW on the Admirial Gambier in 1808. The NSW Colonial Secretary papers records him as applying to marry Jane Holmes in 1819. The Colonial Secretary Papers also hold record of him petitioning Governor Macquarie for Emancipation, and the petition signed was by Elias Bishop, whom he had been living as a Government Servant to for 3 years in Richmond NSW. (Elias was one of the First Fleet marines on the Alexander.) By the time of the convict muster in 1822 he had been granted his conditional pardon,and was himself a landholder according to that muster. George and his wife Jane are buried in the St Peters Church Cemetery in Richmond NSW. He is my four times great grandfather.

George Sheals was initially sentenced to death in December 1806 at the Old Bailey for stealing two silver candlesticks worth £5 from George Soley Foyle of 3 Brunswick Square, London. Foyle is my indirect ancestor. He was aged 17 when he was sentenced. (refer - www.oldbaileyonline.org)