William Vyse

4

Baldwin Hamey on 25th April 2017

The William who died in New York on 29 December 1843 was the son of Thomas Vyse and only 33 years old, so not the William who was convicted of receiving stolen property (obit in The Times 16/01/1844)

221

D Wong on 21st July 2015

William never arrived in Australia - he is also listed as having arrived in VDL per Lady Harewood in 1829. There are no records of him in either state. William was the son of Thomas Vyse and Alice. Thomas Vyse was a straw hat manufacturer at No. 3, Cripplegate-buildings, and No. 76 Wood-Street, Cheapside, both in the City of London; at Luton, in the county of Bedford; at New York, in the United States of America; and at Florence. After his petition for clemency - which he must have received William went to oversee the New York side of the business and died there of apoplexy in 1843.

221

D Wong on 19th July 2015

Reference: HO 17/98/61 Description: Prisoner name: William Vyse. Prisoner details: Aged 46, from Islington [Middlesex]. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey September Sessions 1828. Crime: Felony. Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Annotated: Negative. This man ought to be transported as soon as he conveniently can be. Petitioner(s): Sarah Vyse, the prisoner's wife, undersigned by Thomas Vyse, 17 Finsbury Square [Middlesex], and Charles Vyse, 30 Ludgate Street [City of London], the prisoner's brothers, undertaking to stand security for him. Thomas Vyse, the prisoner's brother. John Scheffer, 15 Fenchurch Street [London], formerly horses' leather manufacturer in Birmingham, and inventor of life preserver. Grounds for clemency: The prisoner is in poor health and has been of good conduct in custody; character witnesses not called at trial; his brother, Thomas Vyse, has a straw hat manufactory in Florence, Italy, where the prisoner and his wife would be employed if a conditional pardon were to be granted. Additional Information: Prisoner held on board Leviathan hulk at Portsmouth [Hampshire]. Date: 1829 Jan Held by: The National Archives, Kew

221

D Wong on 19th July 2015

Old Bailey: This was a very long trial – the following is a shortened version – the full version can be read at: http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18280911-195-defend1129&div=t18280911-195#highlight. WILLIAM VYSE, Theft > receiving, 11th September 1828. Reference Number: t18280911-195 Offence: Theft > receiving Verdict: Guilty Punishment: No Punishment > sentence respited THIRD DAY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13. Fourth Middlesex Jury - before Mr. Justice Gazelee. WILLIAM VYSE was indicted for feloniously receiving, on the 15th of July , 30 pieces of paper of great value, (to wit) 30l. of lawful money, each of the said pieces of paper being stamped with a stamp, value 5d. the same being the stamp directed and required by the statute, in such case made and provided on every promissory-note, for the payment to the bearer on demand, of any sum of money not exceeding 1l. 1s. of the goods and chattels of John Whitehead and others, lately before stolen by a certain evil-disposed person unknown, he well knowing the same to have been stolen, and the said pieces of papers being so stamped as aforesaid, and each and every of the said stamps being at the time of committing the said felonies available and of full force and effect ; against the Statute, & c.; and that at the General Session of the delivery of the Gaol (of our late King George the 3d.) of the county of Kent, holden at Maidstone in the said county, on the 5th of August, in the 52d year of the said King, he by the name of William Wyse, was in due form of law convicted of felony. SECOND COUNT, The same, only omitting the words used in italics, and saying, "being duly stamped as directed,&c." THIRD COUNT, for feloniously receiving on the same day, 30 valuable securities, commonly called promissory notes, each being for the payment to the bearer on demand of the sum of 1l. and the value of 1l. of the property of the said John Whitehead and others. lately before stolen by a certain evil-disposed person unknown, he well knowing the said valuable securities to have been stolen, &c., and the said valuable securities at the time of committing the said felonies being of great value (to wit) 30l.; against the Statute, &c.; and that he was previously convicted as above. FOURTH COUNT, for feloniously receiving on the same day, 30 other valuable securities of great value, (to wit) 30l. of the property of the said John Whitehead and others, lately before stolen by a certain evil-disposed person unknown, he well knowing, &c.; against the Statute and setting out the previous conviction. Further along in the trial it is stated that he had been sentenced to transportation before (in 1812): The certificate of the prisoner's former conviction was put in and read; it certified that, on Wednesday, the 25th of August, in the fifty-second year of his late Majesty's reign, at Maidstone. William Vyse, labourer, was convicted of being at large before the expiration of the term of seven years, for which, at Hertford, in the forty-first year of his late Majesty's reign, he had been sentenced to be transported; and received sentence of death, but his present Majesty, then Prince Regent, was pleased to pardon him, on consideration of his being transported for life. (Signed) JOHN CLARK, 10th Sept. 1828. Deputy Clerk of the Assizes. ROBERT SMITH . I am commander of the Prudentia hulk, stationed at Woolwich. I know the prisoner; in 1812, I was first mate of one of the hulks at Sheerness; I prosecuted him at Maidstone, in that year, for returning from transportation; I had seen him on board of one of the bulks in 1802 - I am sure he is the same man; I had him in my charge after 1812, and I have seen him since on board the hulk I now have the charge of at Woolwich - he came to see another person; he said "How do you do?" and I have seen him since at Newgate. MR. BRODRICK. Q. Are you the person who prosecuted him at Maidstone on behalf of the Crown? A. Yes. WILLIAM BACON . I was formerly an officer of Bow-street, I first knew the prisoner in 1801, at Hertford, where I gave evidence against him and two others; he was convicted, and sentenced for seven years' transportation; I gave evidence against him at Maidstone for returning before his time - I have no doubt he is the same man. Cross-examined by MR. LAW. Q. Then the felony was committed twenty-seven years ago? A. Yes, he was tried the second time for no other felony, but for returning before the time; I did not know that he had the King's pardon. WILLIAM LIMBRICK . I am an officer. I know the prisoner; I saw him tried at Maidstone in 1812; he is the same man. Prisoner's Defence. I declare myself totally innocent of this charge; I mean to say, that before your lordship and before God I have been imposed upon - I am not guilty of the offence; and the porter of the Angel has stated wrong; I told him if I had more local paper I would give him the preference. COURT to CHARLES DOBSON . Q. When was the prisoner taken? A. On the Friday after the Tuesday he had given me the notes, he came on Thursday, and I told him to come on the Friday; he came, and was taken. GUILTY. Aged 46. Old Bailey Proceedings supplementary material, WILLIAM VYSE, 4th December 1828. Reference Number: o18281204-1 Punishment: Transportation Navigation: < Previous text (trial account) Corrections: Add a correction The KING v. WILLIAM VYSE , convicted at the September Session. The Learned Judges having confirmed the conviction in this case, the prisoner received sentence of Transportation for Life. William was aged 46 when tried, he lived in Back Lane, Islington and carried on a straw business. No records found of him. There is one death listed on the NSW BDM in 1857, aged 45 at Armidale - the age is way out, I think this might be the William Vyse on board Hive 1834.

4

Elizabeth Fleming on 18th July 2015

Received stolen bank notes from the Warwick Mail Coach robbery on 21st November 1827. Tried and convicted at the Old Bailey, London on 11th September 1828. Was held in the prison hulk ship 'Leviathan' moored in Portsmouth harbour. Transported aboard the prison ship 'Waterloo' leaving March 1829, arriving in Sydney Cove on 9th July 1829.