Isabel Strachan

221

D Wong on 22nd November 2019

National Records of Scotland Title Trial Papers of Isobel Strachan or Burnett, lately prisoner in the tolbooth of Stonehaven, now prisoner in the jail of Aberdeen, for the crime of theft by housebreaking. Dates 29 September 1819 Description Libelled that Isobel Strachan stole the following items between April and September 1819: Two muslin habit shirts, a pillow slip and a towel, the property of Henry Lumsden, a striped petticoat, a muslin habit shirt, a woman's neck frill or ruff belonging to Isobel Smart, dairymaid, a striped petticoat belonging to Elizabeth Ross, cook maid, a woman's cotton wrapper, a muslin habit shirt and six muslin caps, belonging to Agnes Duncan, housemaid, a white muslin gown belonging to Miss Mary Tower of Logie, all from a washing house adjoining to the house of Invery in the parish of Strachan occupied by Henry Lumsden; A piece of printed cotton and a piece of green cotton cloth, three pieces of carpeting from Cairnton Cottage in the parish of Upper Banchory, belonging to Sir David Moncrieff of Moncrieff; A bird's cage, a pair of stockings, a dozen boules [bowls] and a dozen plates, from a larder at the farmhouse of Cairnton occupied by William Primrose, farmer; A sable cloth and cotton counterpane, the property of Archibald Farquharson, a light blue and white printed cotton gown and a dark blue cotton printed gown, the property of Jean Gray, housekeeper, a red and black printed cotton gown belonging to Ann Carnegie, ladies maid, a brown worsted petticoat, belonging to Isobel Craig, laundry maid, a bed gown and petticoat, belonging to Helen Ingram, housemaid, all from the house of Blackhall belonging to Archibald Farquharson; Two pairs of shoes from the property of John Michie at Glassil in the parish of Upper Banchory; A hasp of yarn and a bolster striped cover, property of John Hunter, five muslin caps, belonging to Jane Hunter, his sister, from a green in the immediate vicinity his house at Upper Banchory on the water of Dee; A skirt of a gown and two frills belonging to Elizabeth Henry, housemaid, from a bleaching green at the house of Dee Bank in the parish of Upper Banchory, occupied by Colonel William Wood. First day of trial: 29 September 1819. Plea: Guilty. Verdict: Guilty in terms of confession. Sentence: Transportation beyond the seas for 7 years. Papers include: Indictment; declaration of Isobel Strachan; list of witnesses; trial execution letters. Creator name High Court of Justiciary. North Circuit, Autumn: Aberdeen 5/4/1827: COF Listed as Isabel Burnet - alias Strachan alias Elizabeth Handley. 18/2/1828: Permission to marry George Handley (Larkins 1817) -Isabel Strachan alias Burnet/Holland (Morley 1820) - George was 40 and on Bond, Isabel was 34 and free. 1828: 2 entries on the NSW BDM - Isabella Holland married George H Hanly at St Mary's, Sydney. and Isabella Holland married George H Brown at St Mary's Sydney. 20/12/1832 Sydney Gazette: STATE of the Female Factory, Parramatta, on the 15th December, 1832. 1663. Johnson Mary, Pyramus, needlewoman, to Elizabeth Handley, Market-street, Sydney. 26/4/1836 Sydney Gazette: The point reserved in the case Elizabeth Handley and Mary McGarry, convicted of larceny, reported in our last number, came on for argument yesterday. Messrs. Garling and Nicholls contended at some length that it was not necessary to produce the ticket of Handley in order to show that he was a prisoner of the Crown. Mr. Rowe, pur contra, argued that it was their bounden duty to do so. The Bench, however, over-ruled the objection as originally taken by Mr. Rowe, and sentenced the prisoners each to seven years transportation to such penal settlement as the Governor might please to appoint. 27/4/1836 Sydney Monitor: COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS. Mary Hanley and Ellen M'Gurry stood indicted for stealing certain Bank notes, silver and copper coins, to the amount of £80, the property of Mary Purdy; and George Hanley husband of Mary Handley, stood indicted as an accessory after the fact. It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutor that in the month of March last she resided in Druitt-street ; her residence adjoined that of the prisoners; her bedroom window was opposite the yard of the prisoners' house. - Prosecutrix had sold two houses a day or two previously, and had received the £80 on account of them, consisting of five £10 notes, five of £2, and £20 of £1, which she had deposited in a chest in the first instance, but had removed it on the day of the robbery had taken place, into a basket which stood under the foot of the bed, wrapped up in a piece of calico. .....the article continues... Jeremiah Aldred, of the Sydney Police deposed that he proceeded to the house of the prisoners in Druitt street, on the 11th of February, under a warrant, to search the house ; the prisoner George Handley who is a blind man, was sitting in the shop when he produced the warrant, and told him the purport of it........ The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against Mary Hanley and Ellen McGurry, George Handley not Guilty. 2/5/1836 Sydney Herald: Elizabeth Handley and Mary McGary, convicted of a robbery on Mrs. Purdy on Friday last, were put up for sentence, and received seven years each to a penal settlement. Elizabeth Handley was sent to Moreton Bay. Described as 36 years old, 5'5" tall, fair complexion, sandy hair, grey eyes. Native Place:Scotland.