Paul Winchurch

6

Mrs Carole S Hiscock on 29th November 2022

son of William Winchurch 1790-1849 born Dudley,Worcester, England. Baptised 9 Feb 1812 at Saint Thomas, Dudley, Worcester, England. Married 26 Dec 1832 • Parish Church, Sedgley, Staffordshire, England to Mary Anne Foxall 1811-1848. Father of Sarah Winchurch approx 1833-1921 - both remained in England. Details after transportation unknown

6

David Hope on 28th September 2012

Court Report Staffordshire Advertiser 22 March 1834

The Staffordshire Advertiser March 22 1834 BURGLARY AT WEDNESBURY William Chandler and Paul Winchurch were charged with a burglary at Wednesbury. Mr John Crowther examined - He was disturbed in the night of the 12th of January, by the barking of the dog, and having got up, he saw two men going out of the dining room into the drawing-room. They were short men, and had a lighted candle with them. He threw up the sash and shouted "thieves" and "murder". Witness dressed himself, called up a servant and went downstairs. The window, and shutter, and door of the drawing-room had been forced open, and some articles had been taken out of a table drawer in that room. In the dining room a drawer was half open and a large silver cup gone out of it. Three silver spoons were also missing from a side-board drawer, and two umbrellas had been taken from the hall. When day-light came the marks of footsteps were visible on the stone sill of the window, and in the grass-pot there were foot marks of two persons. Mr Hay examined - Was a silversmith at Wolverhampton. On the 13th of February, Chandler brought him three silver table-spoons which he wanted to sell. Witness hesitated, when prisoner told him they were his own spoons, and he wanted to sell them as he was going to America. On that, witness bought them and gave him the full value, 31s. 6d. In a short time he returned in company with the other prisoner, and brought a large silver cup for sale. The witness then began suspecting the property had been stolen, and made some excuse to gain a little time, and sent for Mr. Diggory, the constable, who apprehended them. Mr. Diggory examined - On searching Chandler, he found a pawnbroker's duplicate for two umbrellas, which he obtained from the pawnbroker. He compared the shoes of the prisoners with the marks at Mr. Crowther's. To the best of his judgement they matched. The shoes of one prisoner were much longer than those of the other. After they were apprehended they escaped from the watch-house, the iron bars having been filed from the outside. They were re-taken last Thursday week. Mrs. Elcock examined - Her husband kept a public house at Wednesbury. On Thursday week the prisoners came to their house, and went into a back room where they had some drink. In consequence of hearing something, she went into the cellar beneath the room where they were, and overheard them say "they would finish the old ______ , and then go away". She had heard Mr Crowther's name mentioned two or three times before. Mr. Crowther identified the silver cup, the spoons, and one of the umbrellas. The prisoners said they found the articles. They had no witnesses to character. Guilty. Judgement of Death recorded. The Judge said, they must expect to be sent out of the country for life. They were well-known. Paul Winchurch was christened on 9th February 1812 at St Thomas, Dudley. His parents were William Winchurch and Ann Waite. William and Ann were married at Kingswinford, Stafford on 26th August 1810. On 26th December 1831 Paul Winchurch married Mary Foxall at Sedgley, Stafford. Paul and Mary had one daughter Sarah who was baptised on 19th April 1835 at Saint Thomas, Dudley, Worcester. Paul Winchurch was a protestant and could read and write. His occupation at the time of his arrest was Coal Miner. He had no former convictions. There is no evidence that he had been in trouble before however, and the judge said he and Chandler were 'well known'. Barrows Worcester Journal Thursday August 23rd 1832 Issue 6763. Committed to the County Gaol - By Thos. Hawkes and T. Bager, Esqs, Paul Winchurch, charged on suspicion of stealing 21 sovs. at Dudley, the property of person or persons unknown. The UK Prision Hulk Registers and Letters Books 1802-1849 record that Paul Winchurch was received from the Stafford on 13th May 1834 and was placed on the Prison Hulk "Fortitude". His number was 1093 and he is described as: Paul Winchurch, 22, Convicted of Burglary 11th March 1834, Stafford, Sentence; Life. How disposed of: 25th August 1834. Character and connections very bad, sullen disposition, an old offender and desperate character. Tried 3 times. Capitally attempted to escape from the Constable. Paul Winchurch is described as being five feet two and a half inches tall, with a dark sallow complexion. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were dark chestnut. He has a scar on the left side of his forehead, MJW tattooed on his upper left arm and a scar on the lower part of same. He had a small dimple in his chin. There is a note - "Uncle, Thomas Winchurch, twenty-two years ago" - this may be a reference to a relative already in the colony who came to Australia 22 years previously. Thomas Winchurch was a 'nailor' who arrived in Australia per the 'Indian' in 1810 as a Convict. He petitioned the Colonial Secretary in 1819 for a the 'mitigation of his sentence'. The NSW BMD records his death in 1823 (aged 37) , buried from the Church of England, Sydney (V18235785 2B/01823 and V1823884 8/1823). There are no other references to any Winchurchs in the NSW BMD records and I have not found out what happened to Paul Winchurch after his arrival in Australia. He did not receive a Ticket of Leave or a Certificate of Freedom, at least under the name of Paul Winchurch. In the Australasian Chronicle (Sydney, NSW : 1839-1843) Thursday 8 September 1842 p 4 Article there is a list of unclaimed letters for the month of August - one of the names listed is Paul Winchurch. There is a reference in the NSW Police Gazette of 3rd February 1864 to a black leather bag being found in Druitt Street Sydney (on 31st December 1863) containing 11s 3p and a rent receipt in favour of Mr Winchurch.