Ann Westwater

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2025

High Court of Justiciary. William Law, blacksmith, a mere boy, was then put to the bar, accused breaking into and stealing from the house of the reverend Patrick Clason, in Buccleuch Place, the November last, two table-cloths he property of Mr Clason, and a black silk handkerchief, a buff and blue striped silk handkerchief and a black sarsnet gown, belonging to Elizabeth M‘Niven, his servant. The prisoner was also charged with being habit and repute a common thief. The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. The stolen property was seen in the possession of a companion of the prisoner, who was seen to throw it away on being chased by the police; and the black silk handkerchief was found upon the prisoner when he was apprehended.  The Lord Advocate restricted the libel and the Jury found the prisoner guilty of theft, who was sentenced to seven years’  transportation. He was formerly tried in this Court, but escaped by a verdict of Not Proven. Evening Edinburgh Courant, 10 Jan 1828.

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2025

High Court of Justiciary. Daniel Lantwheler, Daniel McLaren, and William Law,  three boys, for housebreaking and theft, and. Margaret Deslie or Duggan, and Ann Westwater, two young girls, for reset of theft, were next placed at the bar. Lantwheler and Duggan were charged with being habit and repute thieves. All the prisoners pleaded Not Guilty. The crimes charged against the boys were committed in the house of Mr J. S. Mack, solicitor-at-law, in Howard Place, Warriston, by entering the bed-room window on the first floor, from  the top of the water-barrel in the back-yard, no less than thirty-four articles of wearing apparel were carried  off, as were a gold watch and appendages, which latter have not been recovered. Agnes and Janet Burnside, servants to Mr Mack proved the circumstances of the robbery, and identified . the various articles exhibited in Court. Mr Mack saw Lantwheler in the Police Office, who had on a shirt and a pair of trowsers, his property The prisoners were apprehended in the house of a woman named Martinshall, in Halkerston's Wynd, where the property was also found, who was severely reprimanded by the Court for suffering the two oldest boys and the girls to harbour in her house, where they cohabited in one room, for which they paid her 8s. per week. Thomas Maconochie and officers of the police proved the habit and repute against the prisoners Lantwheler and Duggan, which closed the case for the Crown. Mr Leslie Melville, who appeared for the prisoner Law,  called his mother, brother, and sister, and also a neighbour, in support of an alibi, who all swore that he was at home  the. whole of the night in question. The Lord Advocate addressed the Jury. for the Crown as did Mr Ferguson for Lantwheler, Mclaren, and the two girls, and. Mr L. Melville for Law. The Lord Justice Clerk closed his summing up of the evidence to the Jury at twenty-five minutes past ten,  which at eleven o ' clock returned into Court with the following verdict :_—Unanimously find Lantwheler and M'Laren Guilty ; unanimously find the libel  against Law, Not Proven ; and , by a plurality of voices. Duggan and Westwater Guilty art and part. Lantwheler and Duggan were sentenced to be transported for life, and Maclaren and and Westwater to be transported for 14 years Caledonian Mercury, 14 Dec 1826, and The Scotsman, 13 Dec 1826.

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 18th October 2025

https://www.oldscottish.com/convict-records-1.html Ann WESTWATER. Unstated Occupation; No fixed abode, formerly Halkerston's Wynd, Edinburgh Tried: Edinburgh, 11 Dec 1826, Transportation - 14 years; Per Princess Charlotte, 27 March 1827, New South Wales.

Level 221

D Wong on 22nd August 2016

National Records of Scotland: Precognition against Daniel Wheler, Daniel MacLaren, William Law, Margaret Desley, Ann Westwater for the crime of theft by housebreaking at Howard Place, near Edinburgh. Daniel Wheler, alias Lantwheler, Age: 15, tailor, Address: Castlehill [Castle Hill], Edinburgh (Guildford 1827) Daniel MacLaren, Age: 17, mason, Address: Canongate, Edinburgh (Manilus 1827) William Law, Age: 14, brass founder, Address: Campbell's Close, Cowgate, Edinburgh (Eliza 1828) Margaret Desley, alias Duggan, Age: 13, Address: Anderson's Close, West Bow, Edinburgh and Halkerston's Wynd, Edinburgh (on board Princess Charlotte) Ann Westwater, Age: 12, Address: No fixed abode, formerly Halkerston's Wynd, Edinburgh, Origin: Born in Canongate, Edinburgh. Ann Westwater was listed as 12 years old when convicted. Family records have her as being born C1809-1811. Ann was found with a white linen shift and cotton petticoat, the property of James Smith Mac, a solicitor in law. Ann was listed as 16 years old, 5' 2" tall, fair freckled complexion; red to sandy hair; hazel grey eyes; a protestant; single; a nurse and housemade who can read. Assigned to the Parramatta Female Factory on arrival. 1831: Had a child, Isabella McAlister at Parramatta: Father: Ceasar McAlister 1835: William Westwater, b. 1835, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia - seems to be the child of William Law, or was adopted by him. 8/7/1836: Application to marry: Law, William, 24 years old; Ship Eliza; Sentence: 14 years; free; Clergyman and Place of Application: Parramatta; Date of submission, 18 July 1836; Stated Single; Allowed Ann Westwater; 23 years old; Ship Princess Charlotte; Sentence: 14 years; Bond; Stated Single; Allowed 6/10/1836: Married William Law (Eliza 1828) who was convicted and transported along with Ann at St. Johns, Parramatta. They had 9 other children, born in Mulgoa and Greendale, NSW. 2/6/1887: Ann died at Penrith, NSW aged 78 from a Compound Fracture of the Arm: Amputation of Same. Ann was buried on the 3/6/1887 at St. Stephens. (William Law died 15/4/1893 and was buried with Ann).