Rachel Stewart

116

Tony Beale on 4th April 2021

The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Wed 6 Oct 1852 Page 2 Maitland Quarter Sessions. STEALING SHOP GOODS. John Christian and Rachel Christian were indicted for stealing 7 yards of carpet, the property of Edward Ogg, and 10 yards of plaid, 10 yards of doeskin, and 10 yards of tweed, the property of William Patey Peek, at Maitland, on the 1st September, 1852. In a second count they were charged with receiving the goods. Mr. Purefoy appeared for the defence ; attorney, Mr. Turner. The witnesses called were George Wood, Thomas Hall, Archibald Nicholson, Joshua Smith, John Mayo, William Coulter, George Smith, Ephraim Skelton, Jasper Brown, John Ferguson, Alexander Kay, Charles Wilson, Archibald Robinson, and George Wells Shaw. The particulars of this case we reported in the Mercury quite recently, on the committal of the prisoners for trial. The witnesses were closely examined with a view to trace the actual taking to the old woman, Mary Stewart, the mother of the female prisoner, and who had pleaded guilty as above to a similar charge. Mr. Purefoy requested the court to reserve two points, one that there was no legal evidence to bring home possession to the prisoners, and the other that there was no proof of guilty knowledge. Mr. Purefoy then addressed the jury for the defence, confining himself principally to the charge of receiving. He contended that there was no proof of guilty knowledge at the time of receiving the articles, supposing even that the jury were satisfied that they did ever receive them ; there was nothing whatever to prove or imply, that either of the prisoners knew that the box contained stolen goods. The identification of the goods in the box as the property of Mr. Ogg and Mr. Peek was very imperfect, and left it quite a matter of doubt whether the goods were theirs at all. Even if the jury thought the goods were theirs, and that the box was placed in the barn by the old woman, there was nothing to prove that the prisoners were ever in possession of it or the goods, or that if they were it was with a guilty knowledge. He commented on the high character for many years given to the male prisoner by Mr. Mayo, his employer, and Mr. Wood. The Crown Prosecutor replied. The jury retired for above an hour, and re- turned with a verdict against the male prisoner of guilty ; they acquitted the female prisoner, believing her to have acted under the control of her husband. She was discharged, and Christian was remanded for sentence. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) Fri 30 Jun 1899 Page 8 Family Notices CHRISTIAN. — Friends of the deceased Mrs. RACHEL S. CHRISTIAN are invited to attend her Funeral : To move from the residence of her son in-law, Mr. W. Dawber, De Vitre-street East, Lambton, THIS AFTERNOON, at 2.15 o'clock, for P.M. Cemetery, Sandgate R. THOMAS & SON, Undertakers. CHRISTIAN — Friends of Messrs. JOHN and WILLIAM CHRISTIAN are in- vited to attend the Funeral of their deceased beloved Mother, Mrs. RACHEL S. CHRIS- TIAN : To move from the residence of Mr. W. Dawber, De Vitre-street, Lambton, THIS AFTERNOON, at 2.15 o'clock, for P.M. Cemetery, Sandgate. CHRISTIAN. — Friends of Messrs. H. BAYLEY, W. DAWBER. R. CAMP- BELL, W. STONE, W. BUCHANAN, J. BUCHANAN, H. CROPPER, and G. LYNCH, are invited to attend the Funeral of their deceased beloved Mother-in-Law, Mrs. RACHEL S. CHRISTIAN : To move from her late residence at Lambton, THIS AFTERNOON, at 2.15 o'clock, for P.M. Cemetery, Sandgate

343

Maureen Withey on 5th May 2020

York City Sessions. M. Stewart, (40) and Rachel Stewart, her daughter, (10),were charged with stealing a piece of printed cotton, the property of Mr Crummack, of Castlegate. John Stewart (30) was charged with receiving the same. Mr Bliss stated the case. The prosecutor keeps a linen draper’s shop in Nessgate, in this City, and on the 2nd of February last, the two female prisoners went into his shop and after looking some goods, left without buying anything. Mr. Crummack, soon after, missed a piece of cotton; and the following Monday, observing the prisoners pass, he got assistance Robinson, the police officer, who pursued, and apprehended them, on the Castle Mills Bridge; the male prisoner having the property in his bat.—The Jury found Mary Stewart, and John Stewart Guilty; and Rachel Stewart, Not Guilty.—To be imprisoned 9 calendar months to hard labour. Yorkshire Gazette, 13 April 1833. Hull Easter Sessions MARY STEWART (46). JOHN STEWART (30). and RACHAEL STEWART (10), Pleaded Guilty to the charge of stealing on the 18th January, piece of print, the property of Anthony Eastwood. Mary and John Steward also Pleaded Guilty to former conviction at York. The female prisoners also Pleaded Guilty to the charge of stealing, on the same day, from Francis Rhodes and Andrew Riddell Rutherford, two silk handkerchiefs, their property. John Stewart Pleaded Guilty to receiving the same knowing them stolen. Hull Advertiser, 11 April 1834.

Married John Christian, 1843, C of E, [Hexham, Newcastle][491/1843 V1843491 27C] Died 29th June, 1899, Lambton, NSW Buried 30th June, 1899, Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle, Wesleyan Methodist, grave is unmarked. John Christian died 24th February, 1899. Buried at Sandgate Cemetery. Rachel was tried and sent with her mother Mary Stewart for the same crime. Hunter Valley Directory 1841 entry for Rachel: Maitland (May 1842) Rachel was 12 years old, single, Catholic and could read. She had ruddy and pock pitted complexion, grey eyes and light hair. She had a mark of a burn on her right cheek. She was 4' 2" tall [Convict Indents]

32

Vicki Osborn on 5th May 2020

Married John Christian, 1843, C of E, [Hexham, Newcastle][491/1843 V1843491 27C] Died 29th June, 1899, Lambton, NSW Buried 30th June, 1899, Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle, Wesleyan Methodist, grave is unmarked. John Christian died 24th February, 1899. Buried at Sandgate Cemetery. Rachel was tried and sent with her mother Mary Stewart for the same crime. Hunter Valley Directory 1841 entry for Rachel: Maitland (May 1842) Rachel was 12 years old, single, Catholic and could read. She had ruddy and pock pitted complexion, grey eyes and light hair. She had a mark of a burn on her right cheek. She was 4' 2" tall [Convict Indents]