John Steptoe

72

Sheryl on 14th October 2025

Married Hannah Rose, 19 Apr 1829, Norwood, Middlesex, England Court case - 20yrs 21 oct 1830 Newgate, jail, London, England Residence 17 Nov 1830 Portsmouth on prison hulk bound for Australia 14 year sentence for stealing 2 sheep 1831 transported, to Tasmania, Australia Married Mary Ann Johnson, 2 Dec 1844, Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia Leaving Tasmania - 36yrs 25 May 1846 left, George Town, Tasmania, Australia He sailed on the "Shamrock" to Port Phillip, Southern Victoria, Australia

343

Maureen Withey on 1st May 2025

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) October 1830. Trial of JOHN STEPTOE (t18301028-181). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18301028-181?text=Steptoe (Accessed: 1st May 2025). Tried at the Old Bailey, 28 October 1830. 1917. JOHN STEPTOE was indicted for stealing, on the 15th of September , 1 ram, price 30s., and 1 sheep, price 20s. , the property of John Burkett . The facts of this case will appear in the report of the proceedings in the New Court, on the 1st of November, when the prisoner was convicted as a receiver. NOT GUILTY. 2025. JOHN STEPTOE was indicted for feloniously receiving, on the 17th of September , 60lbs. weight of mutton, value 30s., the goods of John Buckett , well knowing the same to have been stoken . MR. PHILLIPS conducted the prosecution. CHARLES CAPEL . I am servant to Mr. John Buckett; he is a London salesman . On the 8th of September he sent fifty-three sheep by me to Southall - I put them into Mr. Hawkins' field, and on the 15th two of them were missing; they had been penned in a field - I remember the marks on their skins; one was pitched brand on the hip in a star, and the ram was marked on the head, the shoulder, and rump, with red ochre. Cross-examined by MR. BODKIN. Q. Did you take them there? A. No; I told out fifty-three, and sent them there - I turned them out at Southall, and desired them to be sent to Hawkins' field - I did not mark them myself; they were not all marked alike - I had driven them to market, and turned them out at Southall; I had told the patrol the mark of the skin before I saw it; I am sure this is the skin of one of them - (looking at it.) ROBERT HAWKINS . The sheep were brought to me on the 8th of September - I saw them in my field, but I do not think they were penned up; I did not put them into my field, but I counted them three times - the gate was shut; I think the last time I saw them was on the 11th - there were then fifty-three. Cross-examined. Q. Were they penned in the field? A. No; the gate was shut, but I believe there was no lock- the gate was not swinging about; there is a hedge round the field. ROBERT SIMMONS . I know Mr. Baxter's field, which is a quarter of a mile from Mr. Hawkin's - I found two sheep skins and eight feet there; I brought them home, and gave them to the constable. ROBERT SIMMONS , SEN. I am the father of this little boy - he brought home the sheep skins, and I looked in the field the next morning, and found the dug under an oak tree. JOSEPH HIGGS . I am a patrol. I heard of the loss of the sheep, and on the 17th of September I saw two men on the road with potatoes, and followed them to the prisoner's house- I saw the prisoner, and told him as I had followed these men, and found stolen property in his house, I should insist upon searching the house - he put himself in an attitude of resistance, and said I should not, he would sooner lose his life - I said I would search; he then begged I would allow time for his wife to dress herself - I said I would, and I waited a sufficient time for that; I then heard a bustle, and went up stairs - the prisoner was not in the room; I asked his wife what she had in bed with her; she said, "Nothing but myself and my child;" the prisoner had been up once or twice to dress himself, and to tell his wife to dress - I then saw in the room a pan and a small piece of mutton in it, and some droppings of brine from the pan towards the bed - I said I should search the bed- his wife began to cry; I searched, and under the bed I found the mutton - I asked the prisoner how he came by it - he said he bought it on Tuesday night; I said, "Who did you buy it of?" he said, "I don't know the man by name, but I should know him if I saw him;" I said,"Did you buy the whole carcase?" he said Yes: I said,"Was the head and skin to it?" he stopped a few seconds and then said, "It is of no use telling a lie, my brother brought it here on Tuesday night" - this is the skin of the ram. Cross-examined. Q. Then you did not follow the prisoner to his house? A. No - it was a quarter-past two o'clock in the morning; he came down undressed, except his shirt - he refused to let me search his house without a warrant - I waited eight or ten minutes; there is one room up stairs and one down - I shut the door of the house, and locked it; I had an officer outside - the prisoner went up stairs once or twice, and I should think he had time to put the meat under the bed; I had his brother in custody, and he called out, "Jack, it is of no use;" I think I have told the precise words he used, as near as I can - I am sure he did not say it was bought; he at first said he bought it, and then said his brother had bought it - I had not his brother then in custody; he had made his escape on account of the potatoes - I have the skin in my possession, and it has been so ever since; I showed that and the mutton that I had found. MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Are you quite sure he said it was of no use telling a lie? A. Yes. SAMUEL OWEN . I am a butcher, and have been forty-four years in the business. I was shown the ram skin, and compared the pieces of mutton with it - I have no doubt whatever that the mutton belonged to that skin; it was not cut up in a butcher-like way by any means - there was a small bit of skin on the mutton. THOMAS GREEN. I am a butcher. I have seen the skin and the mutton - I have no doubt it belonged to that skin. GUILTY. Aged 21. - Transported for Fourteen Years.

2

Lynne Hampson on 1st May 2025

John Steptoe was born on October 22, 1809 in New Brentford, Middlesex, England to Richard Steptoe and Ann Sheppard. He married Hannah Rose in 1829 and they had one daughter Sarah Ann Steptoe. On October 21, 1830 he was in Newgate Jail, London and found guilty of stealing two sheep. He was transported to Van Dieman's Island (Tasmania) for 14 years. He set sail on the Argyle in March arriving in Tasmania on August 3 1831, still only 22 years old. After 12 years he received his Ticket of Leave allowing him to seek employment and on September 28 1844 he was told he could apply for his Certificate of Freedom. On December 2 1844 he married Mary Ann Johnston in Hobart, Tasmania. On May 25 1846 he sailed on the "Shamrock" leaving Tasmania for Port Phillip, Southern Victoria, Australia