John Winch

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 28th February 2021

CRIMINAL COURT— Tuesday, August 1. John Winch was found guilty of stealing a grid-iron, and sentenced 6 months hard labour at Newcastle. Sydney Gazette, 5 Aug 1820.

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 28th February 2021

John Winch, for stealing at Crayford, three pieces of muslinet waistcoating, the property of William James Whitehead.— Transported for 14 years. Kentish Weekly Post, 21 March 1797. ---------------------------------------------------- SYDNEY POLICE, SEPT. 25.—John Winch, aged 64, (grandfather to six children, thirty-three years in the country, free twenty-four) was brought up before Dr. Dalhunty for an assault on a servant of Mrs. N. Lawrence. Defendant is a retail oyster-merchant, and had opened several fine fat oysters for his patroness, when plaintiff demanded why he had presumed to take a plate out of his kitchen, he being Major Domo thereof ? And suiting his actions to his words, took hold of the plate which being cracked and splitting, the oysters were spilt on the ground. This was an insult the veteran oyster dealer could not possibly bear; the unhappy oysters sprawling on the ground excited his tenderest sympathies. With the remaining moiety of bad delf remaining in his hand, he contrived to damage the rind of the forehead of the young cook. Constables coming by, with that zeal for which they are so much distinguished, they seized the oyster warrior, and put him in durance vile. The next day he appeared before his Worship. Sentence—Bound over to keep the peace, himself in £20, and two sureties of £10 each. The oyster veteran, though honest, was very poor. He accordingly found the sureties, but could not find the money for the bail-bond, namely, the small trifle of ONE POUND TWO SHILLINGS AND SIX-PENCE. Now, how in the world can His Majesty's liege oyster-dealing Colonists, who sell their commodity for twopence per dozen, (and give credit too to our own knowledge) find £1. 2s. 6d. ? That is to say, how can they find the value of a bail-bond to the amount of a gross of dozens of said oysters ; a whole fortnight's gathering, up to their necks in mud ? The unhappy defendant was committed to gaol, but whether in default of bail or bail-bond we don't know—he says the latter. After laying in gaol 20 days, he was carried before the Chairman of Quarter Sessions and discharged. Being ourselves fond of oysters, in the infinite variety of savoury appearances in which a good cook can present them to a keen epicurean appetite, we wondered what had become of our drunken two-penny friend the last month ; and had conceived, that he had either foundered at mud-bank, drunk himself to death, or was lying in ???? back skilling in cockle, or such other like remote and undis?????able Bay, and was yielding up the ghost without a friend to p??? his oysters, or to yield him any other sort of comfort or consolation, ???? carnal, or spiritual. We were not therefore a little rejoiced, when our smiling muddling old friend once more rapped at our door, and proffered his savoury wares. We were quite pleased, socially and sensually. He recounted his late adventures under the influence of a glass, which we proffered him—we bought his oysters without taking credit, which we sometimes are obliged to take for want of change ; we read the old veteran our notes as above narrated, and he was so pleased at the idea of appearing in the Monitor this evening, that we doubt not we have added to his life some dozens of months. The Monitor, Sydney, 1 Nov 1827.