Sussex Assizes 1815.
At the general session of the delivery of the gaol of our Lord the King of the
County of Sussex holden at Horsham in the said county on Monday the 20th. day
of March in the 55th. year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third
by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith before Sir Alan Chamber, Knight, one of the Justices of
our said Lord the King of his court of common please Sir George Wood, Knight,
one of the Barons of our said Lord the King of his court of exchequer and others
their fellow Justices of our said Lord the King deliver the said gaol of the prisoners
therein being
Thomas Hall } Attainted of stealing a gelding price twenty pounds
William Hall } of James Knight
William Randall }
Reprieved transported for life.
The jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath present that Thomas Hall late of the Parish of Maresfield puts himself in judgement on another inditement in the County of Sussex,Labourer, William Hall, late of the same, labourer and William Randall, late of the same, labourer on the fifteenth day of February in the fiftyfith reign of our sovereign Lord George the Third. by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, with force and with arms at the Parish aforesaid in the County of the aforesaid, one cart of the value of Ten Pounds and one set of cart harness of the value of Five Pounds of the goods and chattels of William Austen, did steal and carry away, against the Peace of our said Lord the King his crown and dignity.
Grand Larceny.
Thomas Hall only.
Puts himself. Jury says Guilty. No Goods.
To be hanged by the neck until be dead.
One gelding of the price of Twenty Pounds of the Goods and Chattels of James Knight, then and then being found, did take and lead.
Horse Stealing.
The Sussex Advertiser, 27th. March 1815.
In the Criminal Court, twenty prisoners were tried, ten of whom were capitally convicted, and received Sentence of Death, viz. -
John Row, aged 60, for stealing a gelding, the property of Mr. Gibbs, of Laughton, - James Newman, 31, for stealing a bay gelding, the property of Mr. Leggatt, of Westhampnet. - Thomas Simmonds, 25, for stealing a brown gelding, the property of Mr. Noakes, of Herstmonceux. - Thomas Hall, 32, William Hall, 33, and William Randall, 52, for stealing a horse, the property of Mr. Knight, of Maresfield, and a cart, the property of Mr. Avis, of Forest Row. - William Matthews, 37, (removed from Newgate) for obtaining a horse, under false pretences, of James Carter. - Jane Rogers, 36, for feloniously stealing divers articles in the shop of Mr. Wickens, of Rotherfield. - John Booth, alias Brown, 54, for a burglary in the house of Robert Taylor, of Buxted. - And, Thomas Elliott, for stealing a sheep, the property of Edward Fielder.
They were all reprieved before the Judges left the Town.
My Hall Family.
John Hall, born 17-9-1756 in Maresfield, Sussex, married 1-2-1780 in Maresfield to Hannah Diplock, born 1757. Hannah died 25-3-1832 in Maresfield and John was buried 23-10-1833 also in Maresfield.
Issue:-
William and Thomas Hall, with William Randall, were sentenced to death at the Sussex Assizes on 20-3-1815 for stealing a horse (valued at twenty pounds) and a cart. The sentences must have been commuted because William and Thomas were transported for life arriving in Port Jackson on 30-1-1816 aboard the “Ocean”. Their wives and Thomas’ three daughters arrived free on the 19-1-1816 aboard the “Mary Anne”. I know nothing more of William until his death 14-11-1849 at Broke and his burial two days later in an unmarked grave at Fordwich Cemetery.
Thomas Hall had married at Plumstead, Kent on 3-2-1805 to Sarah Brookes, born in 1787 at Woolwich, Kent.
Issue:-
Thomas Hall presumably drowned in May 1821 as explained in the article in the Sydney Gazette of 19-5-1821.
"We are sorry to have to report a calamity which involves circumstances of a truly distressing nature. A man, named Thomas Hall, who has been for some time past in the habit of supporting his family by cutting wood and burning lime in the various coves, and has lately been at work in Middle Harbour with three other men, on Friday week dispatched one of the men home, with directions to return to him on the Monday following in the event of his not (by that period) reaching Sydney with the boat. Not returning as expected, the man set out through the woods, and after diligent search and enquiry, saw not the least appearance of the boat. After a lapse of a day or two another boat was dispatched in quest of the absentees. Upon arriving at the place from whence the boat is supposed to have taken her load, there was every appearance of a quantity of lime having been removed; but no traces of the poor men could be ascertained. One oar of the boat, however, has been picked up, with a hat, supposed to have been worn by one of the men. From these circumstances, therefore, there can be no hesitation in pronouncing upon the destiny of three unfortunate fellow-creatures, and declaring that they have met with a watery grave. Providentially, two of the men were without families; but Hall has left a pregnant wife, and five young children, to deplore the loss of a good husband, a kind father and a sober and industrious member of society. We are happy to bear testimony that the Benevolent Society afforded the usual prompt assistance on this melancholy occasion; but, as a burden of such magnitude would be too much for the Society to bear for a continuance, it is desirable that some other means should be devised to enable the widow (a deserving woman) to maintain her little family in honesty. The public has never yet been solicited in vain; and we are pretty well assured, that such a doleful relation as this will lead to increase that susceptibility which is ready to manifest itself at almost every call. A poor woman, far advanced in pregnancy, with five orphans, is now constrained to crave relief from a benevolent Public. With this in view, we are authorised to state, that the Rev. Mr. Cowper, and the Rev. Mr. Hill, will be ready to afford any further information that may be required; and that these worthy Gentlemen also will rejoice much in receiving any pecuniary relief that may be afforded in behalf of such charitable purposes. It is rather remarkable that various trials which this poor family have had to contend with: This is the interesting case stated in the last report of the Benevolent Society:- he had but very few weeks become possessed of the boat as his own property; when, by a severe fall, he fractured his collar-bone, which for a considerable time, prevented his daily labour; and now, by this calamity, all the burden of five little children is suddenly cast upon his widow, who, in a few weeks, as already stated, will have to mourn over a sixth."
Apparently the paper received donations to help the widow but Sophia, Harriett and Susanna were sent to the Female Orphanage at Parramatta on 21 June 1821. Mary Ann and John stayed with their pregnant mother.
Sarah Hall married on 17-61822 at St. Phillip's William Jones, a Welsh convict who arrived 7-9-1815 on the "Baring". The 1822 census shows Mrs Jones, Mary Ann, John and Martha Hall in Sydney with the others still at the orphanage. In 1825, the family were at Richmond where Mary Ann, aged 15, married Robert Tennant, a convict who had arrived 7-11-1818 on the "Morley".
Sarah asked for the release of her daughters from the orphanage but they were still there in the 1828 census. The Jones’ were then at Black Creek, Luskintyre and the Tennant’s at Richmond. In late 1828 Harriett and Susanna were apprenticed to John Staff at Parramatta. Sophia married John White at Black Creek on 1 April 1831. Harriett married John Sylvester on16-7-1832 at Richmond and Susannah married John Jackson on 23-2-1833 at Glendon. Sylvester had arrived as a convict 22-7-1816 on the “Atlas” and Jackson, also a convict, arrived 19-12-1830 on the “Burrell”. John married Sarah Farthing 25-5-1840 at Wollombi and Martha married c.1843 Peter Barr who arrived as a convict 16-12-1833 on the “Lloyds”.
Mary Ann Tennant had a de facto relationship with James Smith, a convict who arrived on the “Speke” 18-5-1821 and Harriett may have had a relationship with Robert Biggs.
John Hall married a second time on 18-7-1855 at Black Creek to Margaret McLeod who was born 1835 at Snizort on the Isle of Skye.
Children of William and Sarah Jones were:-
William Jones died of strychnine poisoning 28-7-1867 at Minimbah Fordwich, Sarah died at Yellow Rock Gully 17-9-1872 and both are buried at Fordwich.
John Hall, born 24-8-1819 married Sarah Farthing 25-5-1840 at Wollombi.
Issue:-
Singleton Argus 27-1-1916.
During the past few days the hand of death has fallen rather heavily upon the district - no fewer than four persons having passed away. Two of the deceased being of ripe old ages and two children of tender years. No doubt the extreme hot weather is, in some measure, accountable for the passing away of those far advanced on life's journey, and those entering it.
On Tuesday morning Mr. John Hall, aged 74, died of heart trouble in Dangar Cottage Hospital, to which institution he was admitted on Thursday last. Deceased, who was a brother of Mr. William Hall of Hunter Street, Singleton, was born at Branxton and was unmarried. In the early days he was engaged as a teamster at Broke and 35 years ago he left for Queensland, where he followed various occupations. During the past 17 years he had lived at Scone, being in the employ of Bakewell Bros. Of St. Albans. Failing health caused him to be an inmate of Scone Hospital for 12 months and eight weeks ago he came here on a visit to his brother when again he had to enter hospital. The interment took place yesterday at the Church of England Cemetery.
John Hall remarried 18-7-1855 to Margaret McLeod, born 1835 Snizort, Skye, arrived 5-12-1852 on the “Ontario”.
Issue:-
The Newcastle Morning Herald, Tuesday 5th. November, 1889.
DIED ON A RAILWAY JOURNEY.
On Saturday forenoon, on the arrival in Newcastle of the morning train from Sydney, the form of a woman was observed reclining on the seat of a carriage. Efforts were made to rouse her, but her sleep was the last great one of death. Nobody knew anything of the poor woman, and the Resident Medical Officer at the Hospital, who came down to the railway station under the impression that a patient had arrived for admission to the institution, could only pronounce life extinct. The body having been removed to the morgue, inquiries by the police elicited the fact that it was known at the Hamilton station that the woman was dead; but, not withstanding this, the body was allowed to be taken into Newcastle as if it were so much unclaimed luggage. This too, although the railway authorities at Hamilton had allowed a daughter of the deceased, who had accompanied her mother, to proceed to Singleton, her destination. The consequence of this was that for some time the very name of the deceased was unknown. Similar callousness and carelessness we have not heard of for a long time past. It was found by post mortem examination that the woman died from natural causes; but if she had died of violence the manner in which affairs were bungled would have given the guilty persons every facility to make good their escape. We do not know if the Railway Commissioners have any regulations for their servants who may find corpses in railway carriages; but, if not, it would appear as if some rules for the guidance of railway servants were necessary, and that as little as possible should be left to the promptings of common sense. The Railway Commissioners, we fancy, would have taken into consideration, if the train had been five minutes late, the fact that a dead person had to be removed from it. The woman ought not, in the first instance, to have been allowed to proceed on her journey in a moribund condition, and whoever was responsible for that act is severely reprehensible. But when it was found that she was dead, the body ought to have been removed at the first station where the discovery was made.
The Newcastle Morning Herald, Tuesday 5th. November, 1889.
DEATH IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.
The Inquest.
An inquest was held yesterday morning at the Clarendon Hotel before the district coroner, Mr. G. C. Martin, J. P., upon the body of Jane Eliza Hall, who was found dead in a railway carriage on the 2nd. Instant.
Sergeant McVane, on oath, said shortly before 1 o'clock on Saturday he went to the railway station, where he found the body of deceased lying on a seat in a second-class carriage, with a parcel under her head. There was a bottle containing milk, a small flask of brandy, and a parcel of sweet biscuits also on the seat. He took the body to the morgue and on searching it found 13s 71/2d in her dress.
Margaret Hall, a married woman residing at Singleton, stated the deceased woman was her daughter. Deceased was born at Branxton, was 30 years of age, and left a little girl behind her. She (witness) had heard nothing of deceased for seven years until a week ago, when a letter was received, stating her daughter was ill, and wished to return home. Arrangements were made for the daughter to do so, but her niece wrote from Sydney that she did not think deceased would stand the journey, as she was too ill. The next she heard was when the daughter of deceased went to her on Saturday and told her of the death.
Dr. John Harris stated he had examined the body of deceased. There were no external marks of violence, but the body was much emaciated. Both lungs were extensively studded with tubercles and broken down in several places, forming large cavity. The liver was fatty as in a person suffering from consumption; all the other organs were healthy. He was of the opinion that death was due to exhaustion, the result of tuberculosis or consumption.
By the jury: She must have been suffering from the desease for some months.
Maud Hall, seven years of age, daughter of deceased, stated she and her mother were living with a Mrs. Gregory, in Sydney. On Saturday her mother was carried into a cab, and was driven to the railway station. Her mother was then carried into the railway carriage. There were some ladies in the same carriage, and whilst the train was going along one told her her mother was dead. The lady at a station told the station-master her mother was dead, and took her into another compartment, and when the got to Newcastle took her into the train which went to Singleton.
Harry Johnson, railway porter, deposed that on Saturday he was working at Hamilton Station. The Sydney express arrived shortly after noon, and while collecting tickets a lady told him a woman was dead in the train, and asked what she should do with the deceased woman's ticket, which was for Singleton. He went to the compartment pointed out, and saw a woman lying on the seat dead. He reported the matter to the station-master, and directed the lady and the little girl to go to him. He then went and attended to his business in connection with the trains.
Aaron Noon, railway guard, stated he was guard on the express from Sydney on Saturday. On reaching Newcastle his attention was drawn to the body of a woman lying in a compartment of the train. He had not seen the woman previously, nor heard anything about her. The train stopped at Hamilton about three minutes, and no report of any kind was made to him there. He saw Johnson, the porter, on the platform, and also the station-master, to whom he spoke as the train was leaving. Neither said a word to him about the dead woman, or the child. The station-master appeared to be quite sober, and was not excited, or in a hurry. The occurrence should have been reported to him. Had a report been made he would have telegraphed to Newcastle, and put someone in charge of the compartment until it reached there.
By the jury: He received no intimation at Sydney, or on the journey, that there was a sick person on the train. A man not connected with the department reported the case to him, and he (witness) then reported it to the station-master.
Robert Wilkinson, station-master at Hamilton, stated that on Saturday last he was on the platform when the express train from Sydney arrived. Two ladies informed him that a female passenger was dead in the train. He understood them to say that she died soon after leaving Sydney; that she had a little girl with her, but a man and his wife travelling by the train had taken charge of the little girl. He gave no instructions in reference to the dead woman, nor did he see her. Porter Johnson, he believed, went to him, and said, "Here is the dead woman's ticket," and handed him a number of tickets. He remarked she was lying dead in the carriage, but nothing further. So far as his personal knowledge went, he could not say the woman was dead. He made no enquiries whatever about the woman. The inference he arrived at from the guard handing over to him a little girl going to West Maitland, which had been placed under the guard's charge by the Sisters of Mercy when leaving Sydney, and the fact that the little girl had been taken from one compartment to another, was that the guard and officers of the train knew all about the occurrence. He thought the train must have stopped at some intermediate station or he would not have the parcel and ticket of the child for West Maitland in his possession. He understood the child for West Maitland was the daughter of the dead woman, but now found such was not the case. Two ladies had spoken to him on the platform, and pointed out the child handed to him by the guard for West Maitland as that of the deceased woman. Had he the remotest idea that the guard was unaware of the dead body being on the train he would have taken some steps, but if the guard knew about the occurrence he would take no steps, as the guard would be in charge of the body. Zit was three or four minutes after he heard of the dead body being in the train that the train went on to Newcastle. The guard had said nothing about the dead body being on the train, and he drew his own inference and took no further steps.
By the jury: Porter Johnson should have told him the woman was bound for Singleton. He had the power to detain the train under the circumstances until he inquired into the matter. He did not consider that there was any necessity for him to take action, and would under similar circumstances take exactly the same course as he had taken in this instance. Johnson reported the fact of the dead woman being in the train before he gave him the ticket. No lady with a little girl spoke to him.
George Carroll, head porter at Newcastle railway station, stated that soon after the arrival of the express train from Sydney on Saturday, he saw a crowd looking into one of the carriages. He went there and found the dead woman lying on the seat. The police were sent for and they took possession of the body.
The jury, after a retirement of three quarters of an hour, returned a verdict that the woman, Eliza Hall, was found dead in the train at Hamilton on the 2nd. Instant, and that death was due to exhaustion, brought about by desease of the lungs. They further added that they were of the opinion that the station-master at Hamilton committed an error of judgement in not making enquiries and reporting the occurrence to the guard of the train or to the Newcastle station-master.
Thomas Henry Hall married Mary Ann Smith on 22-1-1885 at Singleton.
Issue:-
Family legend has it that Ethel Ann pulled a pot over herself while in the care of her older sister, Minnie, with her mother lying down sick.
Singleton Argus 8-3-1893.
A fatal accident happened on Saturday last at Broke, to a little girl, 16 months old, daughter of Mr. Thomas Hall. At about midday, the child's mother had poured out the tea for the usual meal, when the little thing, reaching to the table top by some means, spilled a cup of scalding tea over her chest, burning herself severely and also sustaining a shock more serious than the burns. Dr. Bowman was sent for, but could do no more than give what ease was possible to the sufferer, who expired about midday on Sunday from the effects of the scalding and shock to the system.
Singleton Argus 5-6-1902.
On Monday, a man named Thomas Hall, employed at "Neotsfield", while working with wood at a circular saw, unfortunately met with a severe accident, two of his fingers being cut off. He was attended by Dr. Bowman and is doing as well as can be expected.
Thomas Henry Hall died in Singleton Hospital 31-1-1931, Mary Ann died 3-8-1933 at Broke. Both are buried at Fordwich.
Minnie Isabel Hall married George Lewis Baker on 7-2-1910 at St. Andrew's Church, Broke. She married John Pittman in 1920 at Singleton.
"Singleton Argus" Monday 5 March 1962
Death of Mrs M. I. Pittman
The many friends of Mrs Minnie Isabel Pittman, of 146 George Street, Singleton, will regret to learn of her passing at the Singleton District Hospital yesterday afternoon. She suffered a heart attack yesterday morning and was taken to hospital, but passed away about 5 o'clock. She had been in indifferent health for some time.
The deceased was 73 years of age and was the relict of the late Mr John Pittman, who passed away last year. Mrs Pittman was born in the Singleton district and lived at Broke for many years, but moved to Singleton about 12 years ago. She was the daughter of the late Mr and Mrs T. H. Ball (sic), of Broke. She was a highly esteemed by all who knew her and had a kindly disposition. She was a lover of her garden.
The late Mrs Pittman leaves 11 children to mourn their loss - Mollie (Mrs McMillan, Wingham), Tom (Ulladulla), Grace (Mrs Riches, Attunga), Ethel (Mrs Standen, Lower Belford), Jack (Lismore), Jean (Mrs Lee, Lismore), Joan (Mrs File, Candelo), Minnie (Mrs Bartlett, Lower Belford), Harry (Raymond Terrace), Maisie (Mrs E. Moore, Singleton), Dawn (Mrs Duffy, Yass). She was predeceased by one son, Jim.
She was cremated this afternoon at Beresfield crematorium, after service at All Saints Church. Messrs Partridge Bros were in charge of the funeral arrangements.
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