James Thomas

341

Maureen Withey on 8th March 2026

NSW Convict Index. James Thomas, per Albion 1827. ticket of Leave, No 36/1275. District, Inverary; Tried MGD. James Thomas, per Albion 1827. Conditional Pardon, 15 Mar 1845, No 45/415.

341

Maureen Withey on 8th March 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 3 June 1824. Before Mr. Baron Hullock . 879. JAMES THOMAS was indicted for stealing, on the 6th of May , at St. Mary's, Islington , a watch, value 5 l.; a watch-chain, value 18 d.; a seal, value 18 d., and a watch key, value 6 d., the goods of William Nicholls , in his dwelling-house . WILLIAM NICHOLLS . I live at Ball's Pond, in the parish of St. Mary, Islington . On the 5th of May, at ten minutes before five o'clock in the morning, when I got up, I saw my watch hanging on the mantle-piece, at the foot of my bed; being late, I went out without it, and did not return home till eight at night; my wife had missed it before that; I saw it next day at Worship-street; the prisoner is my nephew, and lived in the Curtain-road with his mother; he had lived with me last summer. JANE NICHOLLS . My husband went out in the morning - I went after him, and returned at seven o'clock in the morning, lighted the fire, and put the watch into a box wrapped in a counterpane; I did not lock the box - I locked the door; the window of that room was a little open; a person could get in at it. We have three rooms, all on the ground floor; I went home again at eleven o'clock, and again at ten minutes after five; opened the bedroom door, and went to the box - the counterpane was safe, but the watch was gone. I had seen the prisoner between twelve and one o'clock, sitting in the fields where we work; it is not far from our house; upon missing the watch, I went to my sister, who is his mother, and told her, in his hearing, that I had lost the watch, and suspected him; he began to cry, and denied it; I said if he did not let me know where it was my husband was coming - he took me to a fishmonger's - Connelly came out, and said he would take me to where the watch was; he took me to a stable, and the watch was down a cellar in the stable; the prisoner went with us, and Connelly handed the watch to me. WILLIAM CONNELLY . I am a butcher, and live in Virginia-row, Shoreditch; I was painting a cart close against Ashton's father's stables on Thursday evening, when Ashton came and showed me a watch - he said, "Look here, I have got a watch, a boy told me to hold it;" I said, "Go and put it into the stable till your father comes home," and when the prosecutrix came, I gave it to her. I knew Ashton before. Q. What made you tell him to put it in the stable - A. I did not know better, my Lord. WILLIAM ASHTON . I had known the prisoner for about a fortnight, by his coming backward and forward to my father's stable; he brought this watch to me on a Thursday about five o'clock, and said, "Will you keep this until my father comes home;" he gave it me - I showed it to Connelly, who told me to put it down in the cellar in the coach-house. WILLIAM NICHOLLS . It is mine; I bought it a year ago for 5 l.; I know it by the chain and gold seal. Prisoner's Defence (written). My Lord, permit me to state, that I had no intention of robbing the prosecutor - I constantly lived with him, and was provided for by him; my aunt quarrelled with her husband, and left him for three days; she at that time gave me many articles of clothing to carry to my mother - she told me her watch was in her box, and told me to bring it to her - I went and found it in the box, and brought it to my aunt. GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 13. Recommended to mercy by the Jury, on account of his youth.