George & Mary's headstone
at Yambuk Cemetery
George was a fish boy from Shoreditch, London. He was tried at London on the 9th January 1822 and sentenced to transportation for life to Van Dieman's Land for having stolen a watch. He was 5 feet 5½ tall, aged 17 years and had brown hair and hazel eyes.
He was sent out on the "Prince of Orange", a two decker sailing ship of 359 tons built in Sutherland in 1813. It left England on the 1st of April 1822 and arrived in Van Dieman's Land on the 23rd July 1822 with John Moncriff as Master and John Crocket as Surgeon.
His conduct on ship was orderly and he had no offences against his name while serving his sentence. He received a conditional pardon on November 12th, 1834, which was extended to the Australian colonies on 22nd July 1845 allowing him to leave Van Dieman's Land. He applied for permission to marry MaryAnn Sullivan in May 1832.
George was a ticket of leave man when he married MaryAnn Sullivan, a convict girl on the 25th day of June 1832 at St. John's Church in Launceston.
They had 8 children.
He died at the age of 78 years on the 1st November 1879 and was buried at the Yambuk Cemetery with MaryAnn. MaryAnn died of cancer at the age of 64 years on the 30th March 1873. Jane Rowbottom erected the headstone on their grave in their memory.
As there has been an occasion when the Old Bailey reorganised their website and broke the link to the trial, the original trial transcript is listed below. But the link when working is worth following for other details of "justice" in the 1820s.
GEORGE ROBERTS, Theft > pocketpicking, 9th January 1822.
Reference Number: t18220109-26
Offence: Theft > pocketpicking
Verdict: Guilty
Punishment: Transportation
204. GEORGE ROBERTS was indicted for stealing, on the 17th of December , one watch, value 4 l., one seal value 4 s., and one key, value 6 d., the goods of Mark Reed , from his person .
MARK REED . I am a haberdasher , and live at Aldgate. On Monday night, there was an overdriven ox in the street; I went to the door to prevent the people breaking the window, the prisoner, with several others, came up to the door, saying,
"Take care, here he comes;" the ox was coming. I received a blow on my shoulder, and immediately felt my watch being drawn from my fob. I put my hand down to protect it, it had not got out of my fob; I caught hold of my watch, the prisoner drew it through my hand, by some means or other. I touched the outer case, which came off, and he made his way through the mob with the watch - it was about six o'clock in the evening; I pursued, and as I passed through the gang, I received a blow on my side, which took my breath away, till I got about six houses off. I then cried Stop thief! I was only a few yards from him, keeping my eye on him, and crying Stop thief! He was turning up Black Horse-yard, and was stopped - I never lost sight of him from the time he took the watch, till he was stopped. At the time he was seized, I received another blow on my head - the watch was picked up in the kennel, a few yards from him, I am certain of him.
Prisoner. Q. How could you swear to me - A. He looked me full in the face before he took it.
CHARLES HARRISON . I am a cheesemonger, and live in Lime-street. I was in Aldgate , about six o'clock in the evening, near the Black-horse, public-house, and heard the cry. About three minutes after, I saw the prisoner running down the middle of the road, a gentleman seized him - I heard something rattle on the pavement, and upon looking, saw the watch about four yards from where he was stopped, without the case, the prosecutor claimed it.
WILLIAM BILLETT . I am a tea-dealer, and live in Charlotte-street, Whitechapel. On the 17th of December, I was coming up Hounsditch, and called at the Blue Boar-yard, Aldgate. I heard the cry and ran out, seeing the people running and at the corner of Black Horse-yard, I saw the prisoner seized, and saw him throw the watch out of his right hand, it was picked up.
ROBERT HESKETH . I am a day patrol. I saw some persons knock Mr. Reed down, about a minute before the prisoner was secured; the person who knocked him down was crying Stop thief! I took charge of him, when he was stopped, and the case was given to me.
(Property produced and sworn to.)
Prisoner's Defence. I heard the cry, and happened to go out of the way, they caught hold of me.
GUILTY . Aged 17.
Transported for Life .
London Jury, before Mr. Common Sergeant.