Maria Williams

341

Maureen Withey on 2nd February 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 02 February 2023), January 1824, trial of MARIA WILLIAMS (t18240114-54). MARIA WILLIAMS, Royal Offences > coining offences, 14th January 1824. 262. MARIA WILLIAMS was indicted for that she, on the 1st of December , at St. James, Clerkenwell , feloniously did dispose of and put away, a certain forged and counterfeited Bank note, (setting it forth, No. 10,770, 5 l., dated the 20th of August, 1821, signed T. Holland;) with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , she well knowing it to be forged and counterfeited ; against the statute. SECOND COUNT, for feloniously offering to Mary Ann Pite , a like forged and counterfeited Bank note, with a like intent, knowing it to be forged and counterfeited. THIRD AND FOURTH COUNTS, the same, only calling it a promissory note for payment of money instead of a Bank note. FOUR OTHER COUNTS, the same, only stating her intent to be to defraud William Pite . MR. SERJEANT BOSANQUET and MR. BOLLAND conducted the prosecution. STEPHEN SAMSON . I am shopman to Charles Smith , of Cranbourne-street. On the 29th of November, between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, the prisoner came to the shop, and asked for a pelisse; she selected one, which came to 36 s. She was some time looking it out, and after choosing one, tendered me a 5 l. note. I asked her how she came by it, as I thought it strange, from her appearance, that I should take a 5 l. note of her. She said a gentleman had given it to her. I asked her whether she was certain of it, and if she could swear that a gentleman gave it her - she said a gentleman in Holborn gave it to her. I then took it, and went down from the shew-room into the shop, and gave the note to Mr. Smith. He went over to Mr. Perkins, a linen-draper, with it - returned and told me something, and gave her 3 l. 4 s. in change. I asked her where she lived, and what was her name - she said, " Maria Williams , Hartshorn-court, Golden-lane," which I wrote on it - this was when Smith brought it back from Perkins. This is the note (looking at it) - I know it by my writing on it. I did not mark it before I gave it to Smith. I told an officer about it; and, on the 5th of December, Herring and I went to No. 6, Hartshorn-court, Golden-lane, and she was coming out at the door. Herring said, "Is that Maria?" She said, "Yes; but you have the advantage of me." He took her back, and, I believe, asked if she knew me - she said No, at first, but afterwards said she perfectly well recollected giving me a 5 l. note - nothing had been said about a 5 l. note before. She said she had asked me to come and see her, and that I did, according to my promise. I had not been to see her, nor had I been to her lodging before. ANN CLARK . I am the wife of Thomas Clark ; we keep a coal and potatoe warehouse, in East-street, Manchester-square. On a Saturday night, in November, I think, on the 19th, but it is on the back of the note, the prisoner came, between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, for a bushel of coals, a quarter of a hundred weight of potatoes, four bundles of wood, and a bunch of greens, which came to 4 s. She gave me a 5 l. note. I said I did not think I could change it. She said, could I get change - I said I would try, and went to Kelly, my next door neighbour, and got it; but before that I asked her name - she said her name was Brown. When she ordered the coals, she said they were to go to No. 2, Spring-street. My husband asked if it was Upper or Lower - she said, Lower. I went to Kelly's and got change. Mrs. Kelly wrote the name and address on the note in my presence. She ordered the things to be sent in a quarter of an hour - my husband took them, and brought them back again. LOUISA KELLY . I live next door to Mr. Clark. On a Saturday evening, in November, Mrs. Clark brought a 5 l. note - I do not know the date, but I wrote it on the note, and gave her change, and wrote the name and address which she gave me - (looks at one) - this is it, I have written on the back, "Mrs. Brown, 2, Spring-street;"and on the face, "Mrs. Clark, 20th November." I am sure it was on a Saturday evening. MARY SALES. I am shopwoman to William Pite , mercer, No. 1, City-road. On the 1st of December, about seven o'clock in the evening, the prisoner came and asked to look at a pelisse; she chose one at 30 s. I had taken her into the shew-room, and tried it on - she was about ten minutes with me, and paid me a 5 l. note, which I gave to Mrs. Pite, who took it into the shop and gave it to Mr. Pite, in my presence. He took it out to an inspector, returned in ten minutes, and she was gone. She sat down a little while when he went out, and then enquired the price of a cloak which hung in the shew-room - I said I did not know the price, She said, "There is one hanging at the door, I'll look at that." She went to the door - I was going to take it down to shew her, but she said, "I will call again for the change," and walked away, leaving the pelisse, and never called for that or the change. COURT. Q. Did Mr. Pite say in her hearing what he was going to do with the note - A. No, he went out without saying anything about the inspector. Prisoner. Q. Did you ever see me in your life before you saw me at the office - A. Yes; not before she came to the shop. MARY ANN PITE . I am wife of William Pite . On Monday, the 1st of December, the prisoner came and purchased a pelisse - Sales tried it on. I told the prisoner the price of it; she took out a small dirty pocket-book, and gave me a 5 l. note. I directly took it to Mr. Pite, who was in the shop; he went out immediately with it. The prisoner sat down in a chair for a moment; she then rose from her chair, went to the shop door, and asked the price of a cloak at the door. I told Sales not to take it down, and she walked away - she could not hear me tell Sales not to take it down. WILLIAM PITE. I live in the City-road. On the 1st of December, in the evening, the prisoner came to my shop, went into the shew-room, and after a short time my wife brought a 5 l. note into the shop to me; I suspected it was bad, and took it to Mr. Fleetwood, an inspector, who lives in Providence-row - returned in about ten minutes, and she was gone. - (Looks at a note.) - This is it; I have endorsed it "W. Pite, 1 - 12 - 23." DAVID HERRING . I am conductor of the patrol of Bow-street. On the 9th of December, I apprehended the prisoner in Hartshorn-court - Davis and Sampson were with me - we went into the house. I heard her say before the Magistrate, that she passed the note to Sampson, and had robbed a gentleman. JOHN DAVIS . I am an officer. I attended at Bow-street, and heard the prisoner examined, what she said was not taken down; I stood close to the clerk, and am sure he did not write it down. In the way to the office, she had hold of my arm, and asked me several times what she was taken up for. I did not answer her, and just as I came through Smithfield, she asked me again. I asked if she had had any 5 l. notes lately - she replied, "Oh yes, I passed a 5 l. note for a pelisse, in Cranbourne-alley, to that man," pointing to Sampson, and said she gave 36 s. for it, and had invited Sampson to come and see her. I asked how she came by the note; she said, if she must tell the truth, she had picked up a gentleman in Holborn, who was very much in liquor, and had robbed him of it, and she had no doubt, if that was bad, all the notes were bad, that the gentleman had a large roll of notes, and she took one out of the middle of it. When she got to the office she stated the same to the Magistrates. She was charged, at the second examination, with uttering a note to Pite; what she said was not taken down; she denied all knowledge of it, and said she never had a 5 l. note in her possession in her life, but the one she passed in Cranbourne-street, and denied having been at Pites, or that they had ever seen her there in their lives. Mr. Pite and Sales were present. JOHN LEES . I am an inspector of Bank notes, and have been so for upwards of twenty-five years (examining the notes): that uttered to Pite is forged in every respect, and is signed "T. Holland," there is a clerk of his name, who signed 1 l. and 2 l. notes, but no others; it is not his writing; that uttered to Clark is also forged in every respect, and is from the same plate, and is signed "W. R. West," he is a signer of 5 l. notes, but it is not his signature. They have no water mark. THOMAS HOLLAND . I am a clerk in the Bank, and used to sign small notes, but not fives - this is not my signature. W. R. WEST. I sign 5 l. notes occasionally, the one produced is not signed by me. I was not at the Bank on the 20th of August, 1821, when it is dated. (The note was here put in and read.) Prisoner's Defence. I own giving Sampson a note, not knowing it to be bad; but as to these two young women, they have sworn false. I never was in their shop, and never saw them till they came to the office. JURY to SALES. - Q. You was more than ten minutes with her, are you sure she is the same person. - A. I am positive of it. GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 19. Before Mr. Baron Hullock . --------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/30/781824 Feb Prisoner name(s): Maria Williams. Prisoner age: 19. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey January Sessions 1824. Crime: Uttering forged £5 notes. Initial sentence: Death. Annotated (Outcome): Considered at the Council 19 March 1824. Petitioner(s): Prisoner and Thomas King. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): She is an orphan; she is illiterate so cannot write her own petition; she accepts the justice of her sentence and shows contrition; she was led astray by others and has now been abandoned; there was no convincing evidence; she gave her real address to the court; she had no Counsel. Other papers: A letter from Elizabeth Fry of Plasket House to William Allen of Newington stating that she feels she cannot intervene lest her prison work is jeopardised - the Chaplain of Newgate has drawn up an excellent petition. A letter from William Allen of Plough Court Lombard Street to Mr Peel enclosing E Fry's letter and requesting his attention to the case.

341

Maureen Withey on 14th September 2020

CRIMINAL COURT TRIALS. Thomas Shaw, and Maria Williams, were indicted for having stolen from Mr. John Joshua Moore, of Liverpool, certain monies, viz.—20 sovereigns, gold; one half-guinea, gold; 15 dollars; 20 shillings; a 10l. Bank of England note, and two 1l notes. It appeared in evidence that Mr. and Mrs Moore went from home on the 8th April, and left the female prisoner in charge of the house; she was an assigned servant to Mr Moore. Shaw is a ticket-of-leave man, but likewise a servant to Mr. Moore. Mr. and Mrs M. returned home in the evening, and the prisoner Williams had eloped; the cash box was broken open and the contents gone, viz --18 sovereigns, one half-guinea English, 10 bills on the Bank of England, 3 one pound notes of Cooper and Levey, 3l. 15s. in dollars, a few shillings, and one or two promissory notes. In about half an hour afterwards, it was discovered, that the prisoner Shaw had absconded also. A servant, named Robert Davis, saw the foot tracks of the prisoners, as he supposed, over the farm. Mary Ann Pearce said, that these two prisoners had tea at her house on the evening in question. John Higgins, a corporal in the mounted Police, stated, that he went in search of the prisoners, and found them at a public-house he found, on the person of the woman, five sovereigns, a 10l. (Bank of England) note, and two 1l. notes; she put the notes into her mouth; Bradley put his hand on her throat to prevent her from swallowing them; there was a scramble for some of the bills or dollars when the prisoner Williams put them on the table; she was in a great rage, and apparently in fits. Robert Barry, a constable, deposed that he was one who assisted to search the female prisoner; she scuffled about the room; some money was taken out of her pockets—some dollars and five sovereigns fell to the ground, also some notes; saw the prisoner snatch the notes out of the corporal's hand, and put them into her mouth. Mary Bolton searched the female prisoner in the watch-house, Liverpool; this was a day or two after the robbery was committed; she found in one corner of prisoner's shawl some gold coin; supposes them to be sovereigns, but does not know a sovereign; I gave them to the chief constable; the prisoner said to me, " don't take that and I'll give you tip," meaning she would give me half the money. Henry Allen keeps the Liverpool toll-bar; saw prisoners Shaw and Williams go into the Greyhound public-house on the evening in question; Bradley and Higgins came in to search the woman prisoner ; this was between eight and nine o'clock at night; prisoners went into the tap room and had supper; Shaw asked Allen if he could accommodate his sister (meaning Williams) with a bed; this was agreed to, and the prisoner Williams was to sleep with Catherine Ryan; understood prisoners intended to go to Sydney next morning by the coach. Mr. Moore could not swear to the identical pieces of money; he could swear to the amount, and also to having a Bank of England note for 10l. in the box when it was robbed; likewise the other monies corresponded with what was taken from him; the prisoner Shaw had been searched, but nothing was found upon him. This closed the prosecution. Maria Williams pleaded in defence that she had received the sovereigns from the Bank Solicitor in London, and also the 10l. Bank of England note. Shaw pleaded that he knew nothing of the robbery; he said he paid for everything where they went to refresh themselves. Mary Jewit appeared to give evidence in favour of the prisoner Williams, and deposed she came to this Colony in the ship Grenada, a female prison-ship from England, and during the passage had seen gold, silver, and notes, in prisoner's possession several times; she (witness) brought two or three sovereigns into the Colony with her. The Jury, after retiring a few minutes, brought in a verdict of Guilty against both prisoners. Sydney Monitor, 15 June 1829. Thomas Shaw, and Maria Williams, for a robbery in the dwelling house of Joshua John Moore, Esq. above the value of £5 at Liverpool. — Death. Sydney Gazette, 9 June 1829. ---------------------------------------- A Petition to the Governor has been engrossed, and signed by the Jury, by whom the unfortunate Maria Williams was tried, praying for a remittance of her sentence, she being condemned to die on Monday. The Australian, 10 July 1829. ---------------------------------- 2 p.m. Maria Williams we are happy to say is just respited. Shaw was respited three days ago. Sydney Monitor, Sat 11 July 1829 ----------------------------------- Yesterday, the Government schooner Isabella, from Norfolk Island and Port Macquarie. She brings to Sydney 13 men of the 39th regiment, 6 male prisoners, and 2 females—one of whom is the unfortunate Maria Williams, who was ordered for execution some time back, for a robbery in the dwelling of her master, Mr. J. J. Moore. The Australian, 16 Dec 1829. -------------------------------------- Maria was sent to Moreton Bay penal settlement. -------------------------------------------------- Moreton Bay Convict Record Maria Williams, Grenada 3, Tried at Middx G.D.. 14 Jan 1824, Life. House maid. Colonial conviction: Crim. Court Sydney, 6 June 1829, Stealing in a dwelling house above £5, sentence – “Death” commuted to transportation for Life, commuted to 7 years, 18 Aug 1837. -------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Letters regarding Moreton Bay. In a letter dated 12 July 1837, the Commandant of Moreton Bay forwards the particulars of Maria Williams/ Grenada 3 - hospital nurse – recommending commutation of sentence. Recommending a mitigation of sentence to seven years. Notes re above and Governor’s decision. ----------------------------------------------------- Her name is on a list dated 19 June 1838, of prisoners eligible under the Provisions of the Act of Council of the 1st Victoria 1838 for the “Conditional Remission of sentences of convicts transported to Moreton Bay,” with the characters of the prisoners. Maria Williams/ Grenada – housemaid.

Crime: Disposing forged and counterfeit bank notes. Fresh complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. 5'2" TOL: 21st October, 1846, District of Maitland. Application to Marry Thomas Bishop, as Maria Raven. By Banns, letter from Rev Middleton, Newcastle to Colonial Secretary Office, 16th May, 1825. Death: 9am 12th February, 1862, at Maitland Gaol, from natural causes.

32

Vicki Osborn on 22nd May 2020

Crime: Disposing forged and counterfeit bank notes. Fresh complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. 5'2" TOL: 21st October, 1846, District of Maitland. Application to Marry Thomas Bishop, as Maria Raven. By Banns, letter from Rev Middleton, Newcastle to Colonial Secretary Office, 16th May, 1825. Death: 9am 12th February, 1862, at Maitland Gaol, from natural causes.