| Name: | David Sinfield |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | m |
| Date of Birth: | 1801 |
| Occupation: | - |
| Date of Death: | 1860 |
| Age: | 59 years |
Life Span
Male median life span was 51 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to Life
| Crime: | Horse theft |
| Convicted at: | Middlesex Gaol Delivery |
| Sentence term: | Life |
| Ship: | Dick |
| Departure date: | 2nd October, 1820 |
| Arrival date: | 12th March, 1821 |
| Place of arrival | New South Wales |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 140 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 88, Class and Piece Number HO11/3, Page Number 407 (205) |
| Source description: | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project. |
Anonymous on 4th May, 2012 wrote:
David Sinfield was 20 years old when indicted for stealing one gelding, value 5l., the property of George Burnham.
8/7/1822: Woodcutter for Govfernment House. On return of proceeding of the Bench of Magistrates, Parramatta.
24/6/1823: On list of prisoners transported to Port Macquarrl per ‘sally’, also listed as Singfield.
181/6/1824: On monthly statement of changes in the convicts at Rooty Hill Station; from Prisoner’s Barracks Sydney; Listed as Saintfield.
16/6/1860: Died, aged 59, buried at St Mary’s Penrith.
David may have married Margaret Jackson, in 1848, Church of England, Penrith.
As Margaret Sinfield she visited the Penrith Dispensary 4 times in 1854 and 1855 for rheumatism and dysentry and a painful leg. Margaret died in 1855 aged 57. I could find no children.
Tony Beale on 12th October, 2021 wrote:
New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts’ Applications to Marry, 1826-1851 Granted 20/5/1848
Margaret Jackson (or Lyons) 40 Bond (life) per ship Princess Royal to marry David Sinfield 47 C.P. (life) per ship Dick Rev B Lucas Watson Penrith
BDMs
Marriages
219/1848 V1848219 3B SINFIELD DAVID JACKSON MARGARET MW (Penrith)
Tony Beale on 12th October, 2021 wrote:
Old Bailey Online
659. DAVID SINFIELD was indicted for stealing, on the 10th of May , at St. Matthew, Bethnal-green, one gelding, price 5 l. , the property of George Jonathan Burnham .
GEORGE JONATHAN BURNHAM . I am a chymist and druggist , and live at Bedford. I lost a dun-coloured gelding, thirteen hands high, off New Close, Carlington, near Bedford , on the 9th of May, or early on Wednesday morning, the 10th - I was in London at the time, and received a letter to say it was gone. I heard of it being gone on Wednesday evening the 10th, I had seen it safe on the 7th, about ten o’clock in the morning, and found it on the 16th, in possession of Shearman, in Church-street, Bethnall-green. I am sure it is mine. I know the prisoner by sight, and have seen him repeatedly at Bedford.
EDMUND REEVE . I am clerk to Messrs. Pearce and Son, Surry-street, Bedford. On Tuesday, the 9th of May, about seven o’clock in the evening, I saw the horse at New Close. I knew it before. I have seen it in town since, and am sure it is the same. I do not remember having ever seen the prisoner. I missed the horse on Wednesday morning, about seven o’clock. I was in the habit of going there morning and evening, as my pony was in the same close. I found the gate taken off its hinges. I looked round to see if the horse had got out at any gap, but could not perceive it had. Bedford is fifty miles from town.
JAMES SHEARMAN . I live at No. 178, Church-street, Bethnal-green. I have the horse now in my possession. I bought it of the prisoner, Sinfield, on the 10th of May, about two o’clock in the afternoon - it was tired, and very lame - it appeared to have come off a journey. I asked where he brought it from - he said from Newton, in Buckinghamshire, and that he bought it a little after Christmas; he asked seven guineas for it - I was to give him 4 l. 15 s. I asked him several times where he brought it from - he told me so many different stories, therefore I suspected him, and did not pay him. He said his name was David Toms , and that his father and uncle were farmers at Newton. I asked him to refer me to somebody in town who knew him - he said he was going to Chequer-alley, Bunhill-row, for some things his father had left there. I asked him to take me there, he said he could not, as he was in a hurry to go into the Borough. I said I would not pay him unless he went with me to Worship-street Office - he went willingly. When he got there I mentioned the circumstance to Garton and Armstrong - they detained him. The prosecutor and Reeve have seen the horse.
THOMAS GARTON . I am officer of Worship-street. On the 10th of May Shearman brought the prisoner to me and Armstrong; he told me his name was David Toms , that he came from Newton, and he bought the horse at Leighton, in Buckinghamshire, about Christmas. I asked him whom he bought it of - he said he did not know the man. I then went and made enquiry in Twister’s-alley, returned to him, and said your name is Sinfield, he said, it is. I then asked how many weeks it was since he bought it - he said he hardly knew. I said was it two, three, or four; he said
“It is five weeks ago, and the man’s name was Coster that I bought it of, and I gave him 5 l. for it; I do not know where he lives.” I detained him, and advertized the horse.
Prisoner’s Defence (written). My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury - I have been completely brought into his most serious charge by my inexperience and ignorance; I was bred in Layton, in Bedfordshire, and at the age of fifteen was with my uncle, working at his business, until he was obliged to give it up. I was determined to come to London for work, and when I was within ten miles of town I saw the horse standing at the door of a public-house, and whilst I was looking at him the owner, as I supposed, came out and asked if I would purchase him? I enquired the price, and was informed it was 5 l. Thinking that it would not only help me on the road, but likewise I should make something by him on my arrival in London, I bought it. In Church-street, Bishops-gate, a person asked me if it was for sale, I answered it was, and then agreed about price, &c.; he then questioned me, and asked me to go to Worship-street to receive the money, which I did, without any hesitation, believing he was actually going to pay me the money in lieu of which I found he had brought me to the office, under the consideration of my having stolen the horse.
GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 20.
Recommended to Mercy by the Prosecutor.
Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Bayley.
Anonymous on 4th May, 2012 made the following changes:
date of birth 1801-00-00, date of death 1860-00-00, gender m
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
