Thomas Slavin

Level 347

Maureen Withey on 31st May 2021

Tasmanian Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-38$init=CON31-1-38p123 No 356. Thos. Slaving. Providence & St Michael. Tried Oct 1809, 7 years. No further information on this record.

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 6th December 2015

Thomas Slavin per “Providence” convict ship arrived NSW in 1811, tried at the Dublin Sessions court in October 1809, being transported for seven years. Ship’s indent before leaving Ireland in December 1810 recorded him as aged 35. (if correct he was born about 1875). His crime was assault with intent to rob and demanding money with menaces. He also pleaded guilty to an assault (made at the same time) in a Dublin street on Thomas Dowling, an attorney, who came to the aid of the first victim, Colonel French. Possibly he had been a coach driver given his attempt ata defence, but possibly this was a complete lie. Slavin’s case was reported at length in the Freemans Journal of 13 October 1809 (page 3) with a great deal of negativity about him and his crime. The opprobrium of the court, prosecuting lawyer, and general public in court was brought down him and reported in detail, probably because of the affluent social standing of the victim who he attempted to extort money from - a well regarded old army Colonel of the upper middle classes - and assaulted - also a Dublin lawyer who was a friend of the Colonel’s son. This was reared at length in the Dublin daily newspaper. See lengthy report further below, as well as the following additional report three months later: Freemans Journal, 6 January 1810, page 3 Providence convict called Thomas Slavin: At a late Sessions before the Recorder of the city of Dublin, a fellow of the name of Slavin was indicted for having attempted to extort a few shillings from an old and highly respectable gentleman by threatening to accuse him of felony, and Slavin was justly sentenced for the offence to transportation. Crimes of so base a kind, we should hope, were confined to such low wretches as Slavin; but to the disgrace of the country, we are well informed that a gentleman of some rank and consideration on the South of Ireland had lately, for the purpose of extorting property from his own aged mother, a gentlewoman of high rank and connexions, charged her with the etc etc SLAVIN’s APPEARANCE The Freeman’s Journal said about Thomas Slavin’s appearance: “The prisoner is a remarkable large and athletic man, with a broad ruddy face …” Their comment on his public attitude was that he “ …appeared insensible of shame or guilt.” WORK in NSW In NSW, Slavin seems to have transformed himself, become a hard worker and trusted employee and not the thug that he once was on the street sod Dublin. He rose to the opportunities that NSW offered, accumulated cattle through hard work (and perhaps some sideways assistance from Mr Samuel Terry?), obtained a land grant and reinvented himself as a small landholder. No evidence of marriage. * 1814 Muster - Ticket of Leave. mustered in Sydney * 7 October 1816 - Free by Certificate no 19/1816, date 7 October 1816. *Worked for Mr Samuel Terry for “upwards of eight years" prior to 1825 (per his memorial of 24/10/1825 and supporting statements of Samuel Terry and others) Probably employed by Samuel Terry from at least 1816 until beginning of 1825. 1818 LAND GRANT * 1818, 10 September - on list of persons to receive Grants of Land: “Thomas Slavin, of Sydney, Recommended by Mr Cowper. To have 50 acres. Other comments: “has a large Stock” This means that he was building his stock up already, while working for Mr Terry at this time. ?“List of Individuals who have received Orders for Grants of Land Since 1st May 1825” SLAVIN Thos, 50 [i.e. acres] 1819 Thomas Slavin’s 50 acres was measured and recorded as being at Prospect District on the east side of the Richmond Road: LAND Grants and Leases - Register: Register no 87 - Thomas Slaven - 50 acres - at Prospect, date of grant - 31 August 1819 Description: Bounded on the south side of Richard’s farm, on the south east by Merritt’s farm, on the north by Pashley’s farm and on the west side by Richmond Road. 1820 -Sydney Gazette 26 August 1820 page 2 Sydney, 25th August, 1820 The Grants document was ready for delivery at this office, on Monday, September 4, including for … Thomas SLAVEN …’ 1821 - SHIP JOURNEY to Hobart (?) 1821 - 3rd March 1821 and 10th March 1821, Sydney Gazette page 4: "THOMAS SLAVEN leaving the Colony in the Ship St. Michael, requests Claims to be presented ; and those indebted are desired to settle the same.” Departing Ships’ crews and Passenger lists: “St Michael” Departure Date: 13 March 1821 Bound to Calcutta via the Derwent Only eight passengers on board, likely that Slaven was only going to Tasmania. He was Free by Certificate no 19/1816, date 7 October 1816. Also travelling was a female convict per “Catherine in 1813 who was not then free, but “specially permitted for the purpose of entering the service of Mr T W Raine.” So, possibly Thomas’ trip was related to Mr Raine (see below) 1825 From about February 1825, Slavin was working for Thomas Raine in Sydney (per petition of 24/10/1825). Raine was was captain of the “Surry” who made six voyages to NSW four of which were as convict transport trips. Between voyages he undertook merchant enterprises. After 1822 when Slaven worked for him from 1825, he founded a general merchant, ship owning and trading firm in parternship with Ramsay called “Raine & Ramsay” which operated until 1828. This is probably where Slavin was working. 24th October 1825 PETITION: Slavin wrote a petition seeking more land. He kept quiet about having already received 50 acres in the Richmond Rd grant of 1818/1819. Memorial - He was then servant to Thomas Raine. Had been in service of Mr Samuel Terry of Pitt Street and claims that “by rigid economy and industry” while in Terry’s service, “accumulated twenty cows with their calves and four breeding mares”. Says that his depasturage costs through annual rent he “finds too burdensome and is likewise possessed of three horses”. Slavin wants to be relieved of “the aforementioned tax” and also to become “an agriculturalist” he is able to fulfil all the stipulations for a small grant. * No mention made of any wife or family. His 1825 petitions was supported by Thomas Raine his then employer, Samuel Terry his ex-employer of eight years, Rev Wm Cowper, Richard Jones, and John Thomas Campbell (ex Secretary to Governor Macquarie). Campbell wrote that he had known Slavin the whole time Slavin had been in NSW and that he, Campbell, had always “understood that [Slavin] presented an unimpeachable character for honesty and fidelity to his employers - he is also a very hard working industrious man, A note on the back of the memorial dated 10th November 1825, states “to receive 50 acres in any surveyed District’ 1825 Nov 12 - On list of persons to receive and grants, 50 acres. 1825 Nov 14 - List Thomas Slavin - 50 acres Lands granted and reserved by Sir Thomas Brisbane. 1828 CENSUS - Slaven does not appear. Would be aged 53 years. ____________________________________ LENGTHY REPORT OF HIS IRISH TRIAL: Freemans Journal, 13 October 1809, page 3 CITY SESSIONS “ On Tuesday last, at the Quarter Sessions for the City of Dublin, held before the Lord Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen, Sir William Worthington Knight, THOMAS SLEVAN [sic] was tried for that “he had by menaces, and in a forcible and violent manner, made an assault upon Colonel [__] French, and demanded money from him with an intent to rob him.”He was also indicted for an assault on Thomas Dowling Esq, To the first indictment he pleaded Not Guilty, but to the second he pleaded Guilty. “ Mr McNally, Counsel for the Prosecution, in addressing the Court and Jury, said the peculiar atrocities attending the commission of the offence charged upon the prisoner on trial called for a statement. Those circumstances were of the most aggravating nature and, if proved to the satisfaction of the jury, which he was confident would be the case, their verdict of guilty would call upon the court for a sentence the most exemplary that the law could sanction. The prosecutor, Colonel French, as a gentleman and a soldier, had always supported a character the most pure and most honourable. He had attained the 80th year of his age in the service of his country and on that service had spilled his blood and been severely wounded; virtue and courage were the known qualities of his life. To him the prisoner was an utter stranger, it would appear that he had never seen the miscreant until the day of the assault and foul imputation, the day when, with a lying tongue, and pestiferous breath, he dared attempt to sully the reputation of an honourable veteran and respectable gentleman. “ On Tuesday 19th September last the Colonel, passing near a gateway in North Frederick Street, was accosted by the prisoner - “Give me the thing you promised me” said the wretch, looking fiercely. Colonel French conceived the demand to be for money and answered: “I owe you no money, I never saw you before, and i will give you none,” In a tone of insolence and threat, the villain replied “I will stick by you till I get it,” which evinces he meant money, and audaciously got close to the Colonel, walking with him in that manner, and violently threatening him with the persecution of sticking close by him until they came into Great Britain street. “Here, fortunately, the Colonel met his son, Captain French, and Mr Thomas Dowling the Attorney, and at this very instant the fellow was repeating his threatening demands for money, with these words “I will make you sorry, and wherever i meet you I will attack you - I will stick to you till I get it,” At this time the Colonel appeared greatly agitated - probably the old soldier was not under an impression of fear, but of indignation; but he was in a situation, from the menaces of the prisoner, which would naturally impress terror on the mind of ordinary persons, and that was sufficient to satisfy the law. “The prisoner was immediately seized by Captain French and Mr Dowling, but at that instant a funeral coming by, he struck Mr Dowling violently on the head, and escaped into the crowd. He was however taken before a Magistrate. The prisoner’s conduct before the Magistrate was the most horrid that a vicious mind under the instigation of the father of lies could conceive. He first denied the charge against him - he then acknowledged the facts and defended his infamous conduct, by imputing to Colonel French a charge the most abominable - an attempt upon his person in a coach and promising him money - said he had drove the Colonel to Charles Street, with some Ladies, who went into a house, when the Colonel coaxed him into the Coach. Such an accusation was novel in this country, it had been practised in London without success - the accusers had been hanged. A villain had extorted money by such a charge from the Hon Mr Fielding; the taking under threat was by the Judges held to be a forcible taking with a felonious intent, and the villain was now publicly executed. “The law in the present case he would leave entirely to the court, merely submitting that the circumstance stated, when proved, were sufficient to show threats and violence, which brought the prisoner within the penalty of the Act of parliament under which he was indicted. “Colonel French was then called, and proved the facts as stated above by Counsel. He also swore he never saw him before, he never even was drove [sic] by him to Charles Street, or any other place - had been but twice in a coach since he came to Dublin, once when he dined with lord Harrington, Commander-in-chief, another time when he dined with a friend, but no ladies were with him on either of these occasions. The prisoner interrogated the witness as to the coach, and was answered in the negative. “Mr Dowling proved the complaint made to him and Captain French in Great Britain Street, by the prisoner by prisoner; the apprehending of him, the rescue, the assault and the re-taking of him [i.e prisoner]. He also proved the particulars of the wicked charge by which the prisoner tried to defend himself before the Magistrate. “Mr McNally said he would not trouble the Court with more evidence - there could be no doubt on the credit of the witnesses already produced, or on the truth of the facts sworn to by them. “The prisoner being called on for his defence persevered in his villainous charge, but called no witness either to facts or to character. The Recorder acceded to the position of the Counsel for the Crown, that the offence charged was clearly within the meaning of the act. He expatiated on the enormity of the crime, and having recapitulated the evidence, the Jury instantly found the prisoner guilty - and he was immediately sentenced to be transported for seven years. The conviction and sentence were received with universal satisfaction by a very numerous auditory. “The prisoner is a remarkable large and athletic man, with a broad ruddy face, and appeared insensible of shame or guilt.”