Sarah Swift

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Maureen Withey on 15th May 2023

CROWN COURT.-FRIDAY. Sarah Swift, 19, was indicted for the wilful murder of Elizabeth at Liverpool. The circumstances of this case will be rife in recollection. The prisoner is a prostitute, and also was the deceased. On the 19th December, deceased and prisoner, with other persons of depraved habits, were drinking together at a public. house in Wapping, when a quarrel ensued amongst them. The prisoner was heard to make use of threatening language to the effect that when she got her (deceased) into a dark corner, she would do her business for her. In about four or five minutes after the dispute, the prisoner went to the house where deceased was residing, in Mason street, where she took out a clasp knife, and stabbed deceased in the neck, from the injuries of which she died. Very many witnesses were called for the prosecution, and a more deplorable case of human depravity, perhaps, was never heard in a court of justice. After an inquiry of some five hours, the jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter. The prisoner was sentenced to transportation for life. Liverpool Standard, 7 April 1846.

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Maureen Withey on 15th May 2023

Charge of Wilful Murder at Liverpool. An inquest was held on Monday, before the Borough Coroner, on view of the body of Elizabeth McGill, aged 20. A female named Sarah Swift was in custody having stabbed her. The evidence given was of great length, bat the principal facts may be briefly stated. Deceased was girl of ill-fame, and lived in a brothel in Shaw's-alley. There were two parties of girls of the same character, to one of which the deceased was attached, and to the other the prisoner. On Friday night last, at half-past eight o'clock, the deceased went into public-house kept by man named Barber, in Wapping, and when going up stairs to the concert-room, was accosted by the prisoner Swift, who told her she must not there, as she had nothing to do with the house to which she and her party did not resort. Deceased, upon this, came down the stairs, and, accosting a young man whom she knew, said, Do you see the you see the way that d b h insults me, adding that if she had been pulled down stairs, she would have kicked the prisoner's brains out with her clogs, and that if she could not do it that way, she would watch her, if it were till daylight, and would catch her in the dark corners of the streets, and kill her with her knife. Nothing further occurred of much moment until between eleven and twelve o'clock the same night. Two Neapolitan seamen, who could not who could not speak English, had, during the evening, been in company with the deceased and her companion, and about and about the time last stated they were passing along Mason-street, when the prisoner, with whom was also a female companion of the same stamp, came up, and after fracas, which one of the foreigners attempted to put stop to, the deceased fell into the arms of those around her, and screamed out murder, saving she was stabbed. This brought others up, and a wound was found in her neck, from which the blood flowed strongly. The knife was identified as the prisoner's. She ran off after the act, and being pursued by one of the girls, threw it on the street, where it was found. It was a common sailor's clasp knife. Assistance was called by her companions, and she was carried home to the house where she lived, in Shaw's-allev, where (or probably before she reached it) she expired. It did not appear that any of the parties on either side were drunk at the time. The female witnesses on both sides were women of the town. It appeared that the knife had divided the subclavicle, and entered the chest to depth of half an inch. As some further evidence was required to explain this tragedy, the inquest was adjourned till Wednesday. Manchester Courier, 27 Dec 1845.

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Maureen Withey on 15th May 2023

Tasmanian Convict Marriage Permissions https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON52-1-3p004j2k Sheik Adam, per Eleanor, and Sarah Swift, per Sea Queen, Permission approved. 10 July 1849. (In this record, Sheik is the first name, and Adam the surname.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Marriage Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-8p23j2k Married at St Luke’s Church Campbell Town, on 14 Sept 1849, Shiek Adam age 31, Cook, He signed his name, and Sarah Swifte, age 20, House servant, Sarah signed her mark X. Married by William Bedford. Witnesses were Elias Baker and Elizabeth Wide, who both signed with their mark X.