John Weston

110

Ron Garbutt on 23rd March 2020

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 23 March 2020), October 1816, trial of JOHN WESTON (t18161030-13). JOHN WESTON, Theft > theft from a specified place, 30th October 1816. 1110. JOHN WESTON was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 18th of October , a silver watch, chain and seals, value 40s. and upwards, the property of Elizabeth Harris , in the dwelling-house of William Balfour . ELIZABETH HARRIS . I was servant in Mr. Balfour's family. I am not now. I now live at No. 13, George-street, Foley Place. On Tuesday evening last, I left Mr. Balfour's; I had only lived there six weeks. Mr. Balfour lives at No. 26, Wilpole-street ; I know the prisoner at the bar; I remember his coming to Mr. Balfour's house; he first came with the stewart of the West-Indiaman. I saw him twice after that. At one time he slept in the house; on the the 18th of October. Mr. Greenfield had told me that he was his brother; the way he came to sleep there was; that he had a long way to go home, and he should be glad of a bed. He slept in the attic story; I slept in the next room; I put my watch under my head when I went to bed. I rose the next morning, at half past seven o'clock; I looked at my watch to see what time it was, and I put it back under the bolster. The prisoner had no opportunity of seeing it there. The watch was concealed under the bolster, but the seal, key, and ribbon were not; any person coming into the room might see them; then I got up, I went down stairs, and I did not see the prisoner until a quarter past eight o'clock. when I was sweeping the drawing-room stairs. He said he thought it was very late; he went out of the house without his hat, and I went up stairs afterwards, is consequence of the manner in which he went out. I went up stairs in search of my watch, and it was gone. I am sure I had seen it at half past seven o'clock. The prisoner had not been in my room to my knowledge. - BROWN. I am an officer belonging to Shadwell. I took the prisoner into custody; I found on him the duplicate of a watch, pawned for one pound ten shillings, and I found a purse with five pounds six shillings in money in it. GEORGE GILES . I am shopman to Mr. Dunbar, a pawnbroker, in Skinner-street, Sommer's Town. On the 19th of October, I received a silver watch in pledge from the prisoner, and a gold seal; they were pawned for one pound ten shillings. (Property produced and sworn to.) Prisoner's Defence. I went to Mr. Balfour's on the day in the indictment, and I knocked at the gate, and I said I wished to see Richard, the black servant, and the other servant said he had gone out at the front door, and I asked him how he did; and he introduced me into the kitchen, and I asked him what o'clock it was, and he took out his watch and gave it me, and said "look, and you will see;" and he went and left me with the watch in my hand; and he came again in about half an hour; and in a short time this young woman came and sat down to supper, and they pressed me to stay and take a bed, and she said it must be aired, and we went up stairs, and she said about a quarter of an hour with me. In the morning I rose, and I thought it was between ten and eleven o'clock; it was so light, and I saw this watch, and I took it, and she told me to go down stairs and get my hat, and not finding it, I went through the kitchen, the way I came. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 18. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Dallas. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18161030-13

221

D Wong on 15th August 2013

John Weston was 18 years old on arrival in NSW. He was transported for stealing a silver watch and chain and seals, value 40s., the property of Elizabeth Harris in the dwelling house of William Balfour. 1827: TOL Sydney 1828: TOL Sydney 1/12/1829: TOL Cancelled for keeping a disorderly house. 1839: TOL Penrith :Born London, trade Hairdresser/Stonemason. 20/8/1849: CP 1821: Married Mary Fahrland/farland/farrell (Lord Wellington 1820). 7/2/1868: Syd. Morn. Herald: John Weston, Stonemason, late of Penrith and Hampshire, aged 66 years, of chronic disease of the brain.

33

Don Weston on 13th August 2013

Re permission to marry John Weston, per "Lord Eldon", at Sydney; also listed as Farling (Reel 6007; 4/3502 p.108 & 4/3503 p.11). Married Mary FARLAND in Sydney 1821.