Rachel Turner

135

C H on 22nd February 2024

Old Bailey Online RACHEL TURNER. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 12th December 1787 Text type Trial account Defendants RACHEL TURNER Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 12th December 1787 Reference Number t17871212-13 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 17. RACHEL TURNER was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 29th day of October last, a muslin apron, value 1 s. a silk border of a gown, value 6 s. a velvet hood, value 6 d. two small pieces of long lawn, value 18 d. nine yards of fine linen, value 19 s. a silk handkerchief, value 1 s. a table cloth, value 3 s. a piece of mode, value 2 s. a shift, value 1 s. a cloak, value 3 s. an apron, value 1 s. four cloths, value 2 s. a piece of printed cotton, value 1 s. a pair of metal butter boats, value 2 s. one muslin cap, value 1 s. the property of Cleophas Comber . (The case opened by Mr. Sylvester.) CLEOPHAS COMBER sworn. I am a wax and tallow chandler ; the prisoner lived servant with me between five and six months; I had a good character with her; during the first part of her service, I and my wife thought her a worthy and good servant. During my wife's laying in, there were things went; I suspected the prisoner; there was no other people I could suspect but the nurse; I had a man and boy, but the things were not likely to be taken by a man servant; I sent for the beadle of St. Martin's parish, William Parsley ; and when he came I called the prisoner into the parlour, and said, Rachel, I am very sorry I have to speak to you on the subject I am going to do; she says, what is that? I said, I have reason to suspect you are dishonest; says she, what makes you think so? I never took any thing that was your's in my life; I said, I have reason to think that you have; says she, who has told you any thing? I said, it is no matter who has told me any thing; I have reason to suspect it, and I am sure you have, and I must insist now on looking into your box, which she seemingly readily complied with; we went to go up stairs; the young woman ran to go before, I called to her, Rachel, stop; let us all go up together; she readily unlocked her box, and the first thing that were presented to view, were the two sauce boats; she was going to take them out; I took the things out of the box, and gave them to the officer; my wife owned the things that were her property, and they were given to the beadle; he has them now in his possession; when all the things were taken out of the box, we came down into the dining-room; I wrote down on a piece of paper the different articles the girl had taken; then the beadle took them into his possession, and the girl to the watch-house; when the prisoner went before the Justice, she signed a paper, and made her mark to it. Was there any thing said to her before she put her mark to that writing? - Nothing at all. Was any promise of any kind made to her? - None at all. Any threat? - None at all. Was it read to her? - It was. Mr. Garrow, Prisoner's Counsel. Who guided her hand to make the mark? - The clerk. The woman did not know what was doing? - She heard what was read over; it was read very distinctly, and in the presence of the magistrate. Had not you said before that, come, Rachel, confess all, and you shall not be hurt? - I never said any such thing. (Shewn to him.) I swear I saw her mark it. And you can swear that is the paper you saw her make her mark to? - I can. Did you witness it? - I did not. Is not that your hand writing there? - It is not here. You said you witnessed it just now? - No; I did not say I set my hand to it. What is there particular in her mark? - A cross. You know her mark pretty well if I am not misinstructed? - On the other side there is my own hand writing. Were the very words taken down? - It was put down that she acknowledged to the things; I cannot particularly say, whether the Justice signed that or no. Mr. Garrow. So this young woman had lived five or six months in your family? Yes. And she came to you with a very good character; and kept it till the good woman was in the straw? - Certainly. That is a time when good servants, pretty ones particularly, lose their characters, and at that time you began to have a little matter of suspicion? - I was uneasy in my own mind. Of course there was a nurse in the house? - Undoubtedly. The nurse is always a gossip; did not the nurse tell some nonsensical stories about you and Rachel; it was very natural for the master and Rachel to have slanderous things said of them when the good woman laid in? - I do not know I am sure, I am sure I do not. Indeed you do? - I insist upon it I do not. Do not be positive; there was a new guinea of a new coinage received in the shop while the good woman was in the straw? - Very probable; my shop is a retail shop. Did not the nurse say, that Rachel had that new guinea? - Not that I know of; I never heard any thing about it. Did not the nurse say it? - I know it is not true. But they will say things of poor women; that you and Rachel were walking arm in arm in Covent Garden together? - I never heard of any such thing. In a word, did not the nurse tell some nonsensical stories that made the good woman a little matter jealous? - There was an uneasiness in my mind. No curtain lectures about it? - Nothing of the kind. When you got Rachel into the parlour, did not you say, if you will confess you shall not be hurt? - I never said such a syllable, nor such a word, nor a word like it. Where were these things kept that you found? - They were kept in a row where my wife was. In the room where she lay in? - Certainly, the most part. In what part of the room? - There was a chest of drawers and another large chest in the room. The nurse in course was pretty generally in that room? - She was frequently there. Were these things there when your wife was brought to bed? - I cannot say. But Rachel, till the down-laying bore a very good character? - Yes; she did. Mr. Silvester. Did that young woman ever hint anything of that sort before? - Never; I mean to say, that I never heard such a thing mentioned till now in this court. REBECCA COMBER sworn. I am wife of the last witness; I lost my property mentioned in the indictment; they were found in Rachel Turner 's box; I was present when they were taken out. WILLIAM PARSLEY sworn. I am constable; I searched the prisoner's box, the property is here; (produced and deposed to) they have been in my custody ever since; I have been beadle eight or ten years. Do you know Mr. Addington's hand writing? - I think I do; I am not sure. Look at that? - I belive it to be his hand writing; I have seen him write. Mr. Garrow. Read that; which of the gentlemen? - Is it Mr. Abington the Tallow Chandler, or Mr. Addington of Bow-street? - I cannot say justly; that is his hand writing to the best of my knowledge; I will not say any more. Mr. Silvester. Was you present when the young woman signed it? - I did not see her sign it; but I saw a pen in her hand; she signed all that which I heard. (Read.) "The examination of Rachel Turner , charged with felony, taken before me this 31st day of October, who says, that two butter sauce boats; a muslin apron and other things, she stole from her master; and that she begs her Master and Mistress's pardon. Beadle. That I swear to. (The things deposed to.) Court. That is a sort of confession I never pay any regard to; it is a confession of the law and the fact too. Mr. Garrow. I remember my Lord Loughborough, during a whole circuit, rejected it. Mrs. Comber. I belive them all to be my property; but there are three that I have marked; the silk handkerchief I marked with my own hand R. U. before I was married; this silk cloak I think I can venture to swear to, on account I had not finished trimming it; I have the remainder of the lace. PRISONER's DEFENCE. My master told me if I knew any thing of his property, and would confess, he would forgive me. The prisoner called two witnesses who gave her a good character. GUILTY . Court to prisoner. This is a very improper return you have made to the mercy of the prosecutor; you have thought proper to instruct your Counsel to throw out such insinuations, the object of which was to destroy the domestic peace of your master and mistress; therefore it will be considered in your punishment. Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH.

8

E on 13th September 2023

She was framed by her boyfriend for stealing all the objects/property.

2

aa on 20th August 2018

Rachel Turner was transported from England, around the age of 26, after stealing a silk scarf from her master. Turner was one of the first people to be defended in court- she was defended by a Mr Garrow, who claimed she had not stolen the scarf, but it was in fact, given to her by her master who cheated on his wife to be with her. Despite witnesses, Rachel Turner was given 7 years transportation to Australia. There, she was assigned to Surgeon John White, to whom she had a child with (Andrew Douglass Keble White). John White was then recalled to England and soon after, Turner married Mr Thomas Moore, a colonial carpenter who later became a magistrate for Sydney Town. They became one of the wealthiest couples in the town.

she was an innocent women who was framed for stealing by her boyfriend who was cheating

she became one of the weathiest person in the Australian settlement, she married Thomas Moore and had one son Andrew Douglas White, to Surgeon John White