And in my series of random posts from newspapers of 200 years ago this week. This is the court report of the Norwich Mercury and the punishments issued.
“George Thurlow, convicted of stealing a quantity of lead from Rev. W. Manning, of Diss—2 years’ hard labour in the Castle. George Archer, convicted of receiving the same—14 years’ transportation. Wm. Bayes, convicted of fowl-stealing—2 years’ hard labour in the Castle. Robt. Dawes, an old offender—7 years’ transportation. Thomas Norgate, convicted of pig-stealing—18 calendar months’ hard labour in the Castle; and Robt. Pawley, convicted of receiving two of the same pigs—14 years’ transportation. Jonathan Forder, convicted of a violent assault on a child at Langley, pleaded guilty—to be imprisoned 6 calendar months. Chas. Dunham, convicted of stealing a quantity of butter from his master—2 years’ hard labour in the Castle.”
Note that the violent assault on a child received only six months in prison, whereas someone who received stolen lead was transported for fourteen years, although he stole it from a reverend which probably made matters worse in terms of his sentence.
With regards to George Archer who received this stolen lead, he was sent to New South Wales on the Sesostris, which had been launched in Hull in 1818. The ship set off on 23 November 1825 and arrived in Australia on 21 March 1826, but George had died en route on 11 December 1825.