Ann Taylor
At 4 p.m. on the 4th of June 1809, 14 year-old Ann broke into the house of the widow
Mary Best in Lambeth, and stole some silver and a handkerchief.
Date Tried: August 1809, Surrey Assizes
Sentence: Death, commuted to seven years' transportation
William Taylor
On the 29th of June 1837, William - along with James Wilson,
Rachael Breeds and Harriet Lepper - broke into the house of Thomas
Field in Westfield, and stole various articles of clothing.
Date Tried: 19th March 1838 Sussex Assizes
Sentence: The men were sentenced to be transported for ten years. Rachael and Harriet
were sentenced to one year's hard labour
Mary Thomas
Mary was found guilty of receiving stolen property, including some cloth, a spanish dollar, and
a crown, which had been stolen by Robert Rowland
Date Tried: August 1791 Devon Assizes
Sentence: To be transported for fourteen years
Thomas Underhill
Thomas Underhill was only 13 when he fell in with a couple of older boys,
William Miller and Joseph Lea. Together they stole a pair of trousers from
George Osborn's tailor's shop in Birmingham. Despite desparate pleas for
clemency from his parents, Thomas was transported. Later appeals for clemency
included a glowing testimonial from his employer in NSW, and even an appeal
from George Osborn, the victim of his crime
Date Tried: March 1830 Warwickshire Assizes
Sentence: To be transported for life
William Warren
On the 20th of August 1828, Charles Fox went to Camberwell fair, where William
Warren and Richard Sale stole a handkerchief from his pocket. The Judge
observed that "it was necessary to put a stop to the crime, of stealing
from the person"
Date Tried: September 1828, Surrey Quarter Session, Newington
Sentence: To be transported for fourteen years
George and John Westley
On January 7th 1845, the Westley brothers broke into a barn belonging to
Samuel Key, and stole a variety of articles, including wheat, a pistol, some
steelyards, and pincers. The goods were discovered in their possession, when police
searched their house in Royal Kent Street, two weeks later. Both men had a
previous conviction, and so were transported.
Date Tried: March 1845 Leicester Borough Sessions
Sentence: John was sentenced to be transported for ten years, and George for seven
Robert Whittaker
On December 31st 1833 Robert Whittaker, and along with five or six others, was,
at one o'clock in the morning, in a field near Sprowston, just outside
Norwich. Reading between the lines, it sounds as if the gang were up to a little New Years
Eve poaching. Whatever they were up to, they were disturbed by the gamekeeper and three
others. They shot at the gamekeepers party, injuring two of them.
Date Tried: 26th March 1834, Norfolk Assizes
Sentence: Death, later commuted to transportation for life
George Wilson
On March 25th 1817, George Wilson, along with William Dracas, followed a man down
Holborn Hill, and tried to pick his pocket, unnsuccesfully. When they got to
the Swan Inn at Holborn Bridge, they gave up, and loitered there for ten minutes.
They then followed Henry Pater to the corner of Field Lane, where Dracas took
a handkerchief out of Pater's pocket. They were immediately collared by
William Smith, who had been tailing them the whole time.
Date Tried: 16th April 1817 Old Bailey
Sentence: Transportation for Life
James Winstanley
In 1819 James Winstanley lived in Lambeth, next door to a tailor's shop run by
Levi Davis. One February night, James tunnelled through the dividing wall using an
old knife and fork. He changed into a nice new suit which he took from the racks, leaving
his own rags on the floor, and helped himself
to some silver spoons and other articles. He might have got away with it too,
had he not been reported to the police.....by his own father.
Date Tried: 30th March 1819, Surrey Assizes
Sentence: To be transported for fourteen years
Hesther Wright
Hesther Wright, along with Elizabeth Patrick, stole 5 yards of cloth
from the shop of one Thomas Graham, in Bristol.
Date Tried: 13th January 1817, Bristol Quarter Sessions
Sentence: To be transported for seven years
Mary Wyatt
In January 1846, Mary Wyatt was found guilty of stealing two pounds of bacon from
Henry Dyer Cousins. Six years later, her interest in porcine products went a step further,
when she stole two spotted pigs from Joseph Matravers, which she then sold to a
pig-dealer, John Potter. Potter was surprised, when selling his goods at Taunton Market, when Joseph Matravers'
father recognised his son's stolen pigs, and had him (Potter) arrested. Potter was
released when the real culprit became clear.
Date Tried: 29th June 1852, Somerset Quarter Sessions, Bridgwater
Sentence: To be transported for seven years
