Thomas Watson

Level 135

C H on 8th March 2024

Old Bailey Online THOMAS WATSON. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 6th December 1809. Text type Trial account Defendants THOMAS WATSON Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 6th December 1809 Reference Number t18091206-57 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 55. THOMAS WATSON was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 15th of November , four pounds and half a pound weight of tea, value 23 s. the property of the United Company of Merchants trading to the East Indies . AND THREE OTHER COUNTS for like offence, only varying the manner of charging them. The indictment was read by Mr. Gleed, and the case was stated by Mr. Knapp. Mr. BROOKS. Q. You are superintendant of the East India Docks at Blackwall - A. Yes; I was in that situation in November last. The prisoner was a tide-waiter on board the ship Ceres, laying in the Dock. Q. In consequence of any information that you received, did any thing pass between you and the prisoner - A. He was ordered to go in to his superior officer at three o'clock, the usual hour of leaving work. Mr. Lane directed him. The prisoner said he must go back to the ship, he had left something; he was not permitted to return; he was taken by the collar and put into Mr. Littlewood's office; a letter that had been received was read to him concerning him. Mr. Littlewood said, if the contents of this letter be true I must be convinced of it, you must shew me that you have nothing about you. Mr. Littlewood is the principal officer of the docks; he told Watson that letter must go before the Customs for them to decide. I felt it my duty on the part of the East India Company that he should be searched; he was standing in Mr. Littlewood's office with his hat on, I told him that I did not wish a constable to be called, I wished him to shew whether he had any thing or not; he appeared very much agitated, and then said he had a little in his hat; his hat was taken off and two pounds and a half of gunpowder tea was taken out of the finer sort, and a small quantity of tea was taken out of his pocket of the same description as that in his hat; I told him I was not satisfied, he had more about him, he then took off his coat and waistcoat and untied a handkerchief, which was filled with hyson tea; the handkerchief went round his body, there was about two pounds of tea in it. Q. Were there chests of tea on board the Ceres - A. Yes, many chests of Hyson and gunpowder tea; they belonged to the East India Company. I examined the chests of tea in the warehouse that had been delivered from the Ceres, I found that several of these chests had been plundered. Q. What might the value of this tea be - A. About five shillings a pound, without duty. This tea was under the care of the East India Company. RICHARD OVER. I am a constable. I took the prisoner in custody. In going to the office he said, he would prove that the tea was given to him. The tea was delivered to me by Mr. Brooks. I have had it ever since. Prisoner's Defence. I had the tea given me by the captain's cook on board the ship. THOMAS LLOYD . I was a cook on board the Ceres last voyage. Q. Did you import any tea from the East Indies for your private adventure - A. I did, hyson and gunpowder. The prisoner was employed on board the Ceres. I gave him tea that I had imported. Q. Could he get tea on shore without concealing it - A. I do not know that he had the opportunity. Mr. Knapp. How much of it did you give him - A. That I cannot say, nor when. When the ship went in the dock I left it. Q. Upon your oath, do not you know that she went into the dock about a month before he was apprehended - A. I think so. I was not in the dock on the 15th of November. The first day she went in the dock I went away. Q. Where was it that you made a present of it to him - A. I think at Greenhithe. Q. How long a space of time elapsed between the ship laying at Greenhithe before it came into the dock - A. Probably it might be a month. Q. So, that if he had this tea at all of you, he must have had it near two months - A. I believe she arrived on the 15th of September at Greenhithe, and the 15th of October in the West India Docks. The prisoner called three witnesses, who gave him a good character. GUILTY , aged 29. Transported for Seven Years .

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 31st July 2022

PIRATICAL SEIZURE OF THE UNITY. — This vessel, a colonial schooner of about 30 tons, left Port Dalrymple on the 3d of April last bound for Hobart Town, with Mr. W. H. MANSELL, who was one of the owners, and three seamen on board. Shortly after she had put to sea, however, she encountered a heavy gale, by which she was driven considerably out of her course, in Bass's Straits, and having but little provision on board, was obliged to procure from a small sealing party a quantity of salted mutton birds. On the 23d of the same month (April) she reached the Derwent, moored off Hobart Town, and was the same night boarded between eleven and twelve, by seven armed men, who presented firelocks at Mr. MANSELL and his small unarmed crew, and captured the vessel by surprise, without any possibility of rendering opposition effectual. Having cut her away from her moorings, the desperadoes made sail ; and landing the legitimate owner and crew at Frederick Henry Bay, gave them up the boat with which they had effected the piracy. The persons who were immediately discovered to be absent, and who there could be no doubt were the offenders, are as follow: William Britton, alias Symer, alias Mark Tyler, capitally convicted at the Old Bailey in December, 1810 ; came by the Guilford ; a prisoner for life. Richard Payne, capitally convicted, at the Old Bailey in October, 1811 ; came in the Indefatigable ; also for life. Patrick, commonly called Peter Russell, capitally convicted at the Old Bailey in April, 1811 ; came in the Indefatigable ; for life. Thomas Watson, convicted at the Old Bailey in December, 1809 ; came in the Indefatigable ; a prisoner for seven years. Thomas Curtis, capitally convicted at Bristol in April, 1811 ; came in the Indefatigable ; a prisoner for life. Thomas Bird, convicted at Wells, in Somersetshire, in July, 1811 ; came in the Indefatigable, for seven years ; and Frederick Callaghan, capitally convicted at Northampton in March, 1810; came also in the Indefatigable ; a prisoner for life. As the only provisions on board the Unity comprised about 50 lbs. of flour, and 40 lbs. of salted mutton birds, it is scarcely possible that they should attempt a long voyage without adopting some method of recruiting their stock, in which effort a delay must be occasioned, which it is to be hoped will prove the means of their being secured, and speedily brought to condign punishment. The owners, we are sorry to add, had a considerable property on board, consisting of piece goods, wine, &c. shipped from hence for the settlements on Van Dieman's Land. Sydney Gazette, 21 Aug 1813.