Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Wilson was transported on the Lord Raglan, departing 3rd Mar 1858 and arriving 1st Jun 1858 with 270 passengers.
Lord Raglan (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 272 |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: The bio of John Pitts is at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/pitts/john/61095
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: WILSON, John; inmate #4863, arrived 1 Jun 1858 per Lord Raglan Date of Birth: 1826 Marital Status: Married, 1 child Occupation: Labourer, weaver Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Date: 1855 Sentence Place: York, England Crime: Robbery & wounding Sentence Period: Life Ticket of Leave Date: 31 Jan 1861 Conditional Pardon Date: 16 Jan 1866 Comments: To South Australia, 16 Aug 1878 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
24 February, 1858: Sent from Portland to board the Lord Raglan for transportation to WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records to 1876). --00--
3 November, 1857: Admitted to Portland prison -- inmate #7413. Listed as 32 (when convicted), weaver, married, Church of England; semiliterate. Convicted of robbery with another being armed and wounding; transportation for life. Next of kin -- wife, Ann Wilson, 73 Copper Lane, Top of West Gate, Bradford. Previous conviction -- August 1846, sentenced to 3 months' jail for "bastardy". --0--
6 May, 1857: Admitted to Dartmoor prison -- as a public works inmate; served 5 months 27 days; behaviour "very good". --0--
1 April, 1856: Admitted to Wakefield prison -- served 13 months 4 days in separate confinement; behaviour "very good". John Pitts, who was also at Wakefield, was sent from there to Chatham on 18 March, 1857. --0--
JAILS: 21 November, 1855: Committed at Manningham with John Pitts to stand trial; most likely both men were held at York New City House of Correction. --0--
Newspaper report of the trial: From ‘The Times’, December 14, 1856, p9: “John Pitts and John Wilson were indicted for a highway robbery, with violence at Manningham near Bradford, and stealing from John Pearson £250 in gold and notes, on 13th November last. Mr Hardy prosecuted; and Mr Blanshard defended the prisoner Wilson. The other prisoner was undefended. It appeared from the statement of the various witnesses called, that Mr James Pearson, corn-miller of Sam’s Mills near Bradford (and who appeared in court with his head bound up, and apparently severely injured), on the 13th of November last, having been to Leeds market, left Bradford to go home to Sam’s Mills, about a mile and a half out of Bradford. He had to go down a lane called Brick-lane, and across some fields by a pathway. At the top of Brick Lane, at a crossing, he saw the two prisoners standing. They took the pathway leading to his mill. He followed them, keeping an eye upon them. At the second fence he lost sight of them. On arriving there he looked round to see where they were gone, when they suddenly appeared one at either side of him, in a crouching position. The prisoner Pitts was close to him. He jumped away from him, and was immediately struck on the head with a heavy bludgeon, which knocked him down. When down, the prisoner Wilson got upon his legs, and attempted to rifle his pockets. He struggled violently with him, and while doing so, Pitts placed his arm under his head and tried to throttle him. At this time he felt blood flowing from his mouth. Pitts, being unable to get his hold on his neck, struck him a number of blows on the head with a heavy hedge stake while Wilson held him, until he became unconscious. He was left there lying insensible, and when he came to himself, he found he had been robbed of 40 sovereigns, and 42 £5-notes. He had been confined to his house ever since from the injuries he had received. A girl spoke to seeing the two prisoners walking together down Brick Lane immediately before the robbery. Shuttleworth, a detective police officer at Bradford, on hearing of the robbery and the particulars of it, examined the spot where it took place and found there a pool of blood and the mark of a man’s head on the ground, and also the marks of men’s knees in the clay soil, some of the marks being made by corduroy trousers, and others by what he called ‘snob fustian’. The beer-shops of Bradford were searched that night, and in a room with four men, the two prisoners were found. Pitts was rubbing his sleeves ... ... [illegible text ] ... ... Pitts was on his trial, and the learned counsel could not call him as his witness; the law would not allow him to do so. MR BLANSHARD then proposed that Pitts should be heard first in his defence as he stood first on the indictment, and the rule was that the prisoner whose name was first on the indictment should first address the jury. HIS LORDSHIP said, where some of the prisoners were defended by counsel and some not, the rule was that counsel should first address the jury. MR BLANSHARD then addressed the jury on behalf of Mr Wilson. The prisoner Pitts admitted he had committed the robbery, but denied using any violence or wounding the prosecutor. Wilson he said, was not the man who was with him, but another man whose name he had given to the police. His LORDSHIP having summed up the evidence, the jury found both prisoners Guilty. Sentence of death was ordered to be recorded against them, his Lordship saying he should humbly advise Her Majesty to remit the sentence to transportation for life. (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4633.htm) —00—
TRIAL: 8 December, 1855: John Wilson, 32, a weaver, and John Pitts, a labourer, were convicted at the York Sessions of robbery and wounding being armed, and were sentenced to death — commuted to transportation for life. --0--