Charles Weldon

221

D Wong on 15th April 2020

Hull Packet Yorkshire, England 23 Oct 1832: Charles Weldon, (16), and John Preston, (18), stealing a piece of rope, and a jib-sail.—Mr. Reynolds stated the case.—Robert Moore, master of the sloop Swan, said that on the 25th July, the vessel was lying in the Old Harbour, near Mr. E. Gibson's yard. In the morning of that day, he had put the jib-sail below, locked down the hatches, and left all safe. On Thursday, the following day, he was aboard, and all appeared right as he had left it. On Friday morning the vessel was moved into the Old Dock. When there, he found that the locks had been broken, (although they looked as if they were safe) and that the cabin and forecastle had been entered and all the things pulled about. He afterwards missed the jib, the bouy rope, the fore down-hauler, and two blankets. The canvas produced is the jib, it has been cut to pieces ; the rope is that from which the jib was cut.__John Hewitt, who produced the rope, received it from Samuel Gray, dealer in marine stores.___Samuel Gray identified it ; he received it from two firls named Preston.___John Robinson, constable, who produced the sail cloth curt in pieces, received part of it from Gray, and part of it from another dealer named Robert Story.___Story identified it and said he bought it from a girl named Preston.___Mary Ann Preston said she got the rope and canvass from the two prisoners (one of whom is her brother) on the morning of the 26th July. They asked her to sell it ; she sold the rope and part of the canvass to Gray, for 1s 10d., and the remainder to Story for 8d.__Weldon said he had nothing to do with the transaction, further than he was casually in company with Preston ; and the latter said that he found the property in an old hamper.___Mr. Coates produced a certificate of Weldon having been convicted at these sessions of stealing 10s. and another of Preston's having pleaded Guilty to stealing a £5 note, four sovereigns, and other monies ; for which he was imprisoned six months and once privately whipped.___Guilty. There was another indictment against the prisoners which was not proceeded in. To be transported for seven years. John Preston was also on board. Charles Weldon was listed as 18 years old on arrival in VDL (B1814). Place of Birth: Reveran, York. Transported for 'Stealing a Ship's Sail and Looking Glass.' Charles was 5'5" tall, fair complexion, light brown hair, light hazel grey eyes, single, Anchor C.W. ins. rt. arm Star on left arm. 1833 Muster: Assigned to Mrs. Chilton 30/5/1834: Absconded 18/6/1834: Apprehended. 1835 Muster: Public Works. 10/6/1842: TOL 22/37/1848: COF 24/12/1853: Charles Weldon (free) - permission to marry Catherine Moriarty (Martin Luther). 25/2/1854: Permission to marry Catherine Moriarty - approved. 29/1/1855: Married Mary Mersey, at St. Joseph's, Hobart - Charles was 32 a labourer, Mary 20, a servant. (Mary Mersey b 1835 Limerick, Ire., died 21/6/1869 General Hosp, Hobart, of TB). Children: 25/4/1858: Elizabeth 19/10/1860: Female 5/11/1866-11/1/1938: Thomas 8/12/1885 The Mercury, Hobart: INQUESTS. An inquest was held at Franklin, Huon, on the 3rd inst., before Mr. H. J. Daldy, coroner, into the circumstances of the death of a man named Charles Weldon, aged 67, who died suddenly the dame day. From the evidence it appeared that during the morning the deceased had complained of pains in his chest. Upon drinking some rum which he had sent for, however, he stated that he felt better. He had his dinner, and about 15 minutes after he was walking in Mr. Frankcombe's garden, when he fell to the ground and died almost immediately. A verdict was returned to the effect that death resulted from disease of the heart.