Clara Sutton

116

Tony Beale on 6th October 2021

Clara Sutton in the New South Wales, Australia, Convict Applications for the Publication of Banns, 1828-1830, 1838-1839 Name: Clara Sutton Gender: Female Birth Year: abt 1810 Age: 20 Arrival year: 1827 Arriving Vessel: Rl Charlotte Spouse Name: James Smith Spouse Gender: Male Spouse Birth Year: 1802 Spouse Age: 28 Spouse Arrival Year: 1825 Spouse Vessel: Princess Charlotte Marriage Year: Abt 1830 Application Date: 10 Nov 1830 Application Place: Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia Rev John Keane New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 for Clara Sutton Ticket of leave butts (NRS 12202) No 40/2670 dated 3/12/1840 In Bathurst

343

Maureen Withey on 8th March 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 08 March 2021), January 1827, trial of CLARA SUTTON (t18270111-102). CLARA SUTTON, Theft > pocketpicking, 11th January 1827. 379. CLARA SUTTON was indicted for stealing, on the 14th of November , 1 pelisse, value 20s., the goods of John Bacon , from the person of Elizabeth Bacon . JOHN BACON . I am a copper-plate engraver , and live in Chancery-lane. On the 14th of November, between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, I sent my daughter home with a pelisse to Mr. Pitt's, No. 3, Helmet-court, Strand; I had borrowed it: she returned afterwards, and gave me information: the pelisse was then in my care; I have paid for one in lieu of it. The prisoner wrote a letter at the office, stating that some things were at Mrs. Holmes', and I there found the duplicate of this pelisse. ELIZABETH BACON . I am eleven years old . My father sent me to Mr. Pitt's with this pelisse - I met the prisoner at Temple-bar - she asked if I was the little girl whom she gave 6d. to the day before; I said, No; she then asked if I would go on an errand - I said, Yes; she took me down the Strand , and told me to go to No. 8, Wellington-street, and tell the servant that a young lady at the bottom of the street wanted to speak to her - when she had showed me the house, she went down the street a little way, and said, "I will hold your bundle while you go" - she took it - I went and told the servant, who said, "Tell her to come to me;" I went back, and she was gone with my bundle. I did not see her again till she was in custody; I afterwards saw the pelisse - I am sure of her person. GEORGE COOPER PAGE . I am a pawnbroker, and live in Long-acre. I have a pelisse pawned on the 16th of November, by a female, in the name of Sutton - I cannot identify her. EMMA HOLMES . I live with my husband, in Castle-street, Long-acre. The prisoner lodged in my front room, with some people named Sharp, for five nights - she left on the 23d of November, and left some duplicates in the room, which I gave up.(Property produced and sworn to.) GUILTY . Aged 16. -------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 08 March 2021), January 1827, trial of CLARA SUTTON (t18270111-103). CLARA SUTTON, Theft > pocketpicking, 11th January 1827. 380. CLARA SUTTON was again indicted for stealing, on the 18th of November , 1 bag, value 3d.; 1 frock, value3s.; 1 petticoat, value 2s.; 1 pair of stays, value 4s.; 1 pair of stockings, value 9d.; 1 pair of shoes, value 3s.; 1 pair of mittens, value 6d., and 1 apron, value 8d., the goods of Samuel Spratt , from the person of Dinah Spratt . SAMUEL SPRATT . I am a watchman of St. Brides , and live in Black-horse-court, Fleet-street - my daughter Dinah belongs to Bridge-ward School , and she received her bag of clothes from that school on the 18th of November - the duplicates of these goods were afterwards found, and they were redeemed. DINAH SPRATT . I am eleven years of age, and belong Bridge-ward School. I received the bag containing the articles stated - I was going home down Ludgate-hill , and met the prisoner, who told me to go to Hatton-garden, call at a house, and tell the cook that a young lady wanted to speak to her - she said she would take my bag, as it would look so to take it to a lady's house; she took it off my arm, but she did not take my bonnet; as, she said, it would look so for a lady to hold a bonnet in the street, I might take that - I went to the house she described, but the cook said she knew no young lady. WILLIAM MARTIN . I am master of the Bridge-ward School - I got the duplicates and this property from Mr. Wells, the pawnbroker, of Broad-street, Bloomsbury, and Mr. Baker's. EMMA HOLMES . The prisoner lived with some lodgers of mine, and left some duplicates in an old pocket-book - Mr. Martin took some of them, and got this property out of pawn; I went with him. JOHN WENTWORTH . I am assistant to a pawnbroker - I delivered up this stays and petticoat to Martin. DAVID TRAIL . I am in the service of Mr. Wells, the pawnbroker - I gave up part of this property to Mr. Martin; it was pawned on the 18th of November - I cannot say by whom.(Property produced and sworn to.) GUILTY . Aged 16. Transported for Life . There were three other indictments against the prisoner. -------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/2/781827 Feb 18 Prisoner name: Clara Sutton. Prisoner age: 16. Prisoner occupation: In service. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey January Sessions 1827. Crime: Stealing a pelisse from Elizabeth Bacon (and a pair of stays form Dinah Spratt). Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Annotated: Nil, refused 27 March 1827. Petitioner(s): The prisoner and John Bacon and Samuel Spratt, the victims' fathers. Two petitions from John Ellis Sutton and Elizabeth Sutton, the convict's parents. The parents and prosecutors. Grounds for clemency: Respectable parents but forced to go into service; got into bad company; could not produce character witnesses at her trial as they lived in Shropshire; aware of the enormity of the offence; feels contrition; father formerly a solicitor in West Bromwich [Staffordshire] reduced to great distress; large family forced into service.