George Tansley, Henry Williams and William Webb, 1877 

 

Evening News, Tue 6 Feb 1877 ¹

NEWS OF THE DAY.
————

…

“GAROTTING” REVIVED.

    Three determined-looking young men, named Henry Williams, 24, alias Denis Williams; William Webb, 19, alias Booth; and George Tansley, 21, alias Roberts, alias Naylor, alias Scott, were charged today at the Central Police Court with assaulting one John Wyall, and robbing him of seven one pound notes, one sovereign, two half sovereigns, and some silver. All the prisoners are said to be well known to the police. The evidence showed that the three prisoners were drinking with the prosecutor in a public house, in Market-street. When the prosecutor left the hotel the prisoners suddenly seized him by the throat in the most approved “garotting” fashion, and his pockets were rifled of some seven or eight pounds. Yesterday the prisoners were arrested by the police, and this morning the bench of magistrates remanded them until Wednesday.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 6 Feb 1877 ²

CENTRAL POLICE COURT.
MONDAY.

BEFORE Messrs Hunt, Palmer, Spence, Harris, and McLean.
…
    Henry Williams (24), William Webb (19), and George Tansley (21), were charged with assault and robbery. Constable Scott apprehended Webb about half-past 8 o’clock yesterday morning, and on searching him found three £1-notes. Constable Havens apprehended Williams about 9 o’clock. Constable Quin apprehended Tansley about 10 o’clock yesterday morning, and on searching him found one £1 note, one sovereign, and two half-sovereigns.

    John White, of Clarence-street, labourer, deposed that he was with the prisoner Tansley at Harris’s public-house, Market-street, from about half-past until 8 o’clock yesterday morning, and they left together; he could not say if the other prisoners were there also—he was drunk; soon after leaving Harris’s some man put his arm around his neck and threw him down, when a second took hold of his feet, and a third put his hand into his trousers pocket and took out his purse, in which he had seven £1 notes, one sovereign, and two half-sovereigns; they then ran away and as he rose to his feet he saw the three prisoners rush into a public-house at the corner of Market and Sussex streets; they soon afterwards came out, and he asked them to give back half of what they had taken from him; they laughed at him; all the prisoners were known to him; believed it was Tansley who took his purse, but could not say who laid hands upon him; a number of persons were about; one of the notes produced by the police he identified as one of those he had in his purse.

    Matilda Eddington deposed that she resides at Hickey’s public-house, Kent-street and Market-street; about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning she heard a noise as of men disputing in the street and looked out of the window; she saw prosecutor crossing the street, followed by a man who wanted to fight, which prosecutor refused; she saw the three prisoners following White; Williams put his arm round his neck and threw him down backwards, Webb took hold of and held his legs, and Tansley took from his pocket a purse; the three went away, and she heard prosecutor call after them, “I know you all;” she told Mr Hickey what she had seen. The prisoners were remanded until Wednesday.

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Evening News, Thu 8 Feb 1877 ³

ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.

    The three men, Henry (alias Denis) Williams, William Webb, alias Booth, and George Tansley, alias Naylor, were brought up, on remand, at the Central Police Court, on Wednesday morning on the charge of assaulting John Wyatt, on Sunday morning last in Market-street, and robbing him of a purse containing £9 in notes and gold and some silver. After hearing the evidence the bench committed the accused for trial at the Criminal Court.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 8 Feb 1877 ⁴

CENTRAL POLICE COURT.
WEDNESDAY.

BEFORE Messrs Curran, Gorus, and Harris.
…
    The men Williams, Webb, and Tansley, charged with assault and robbery (reported in yesterday’s paper), were committed for trial at the Criminal Court, and were allowed bail.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 14 Feb 1877 ⁵

The Sydney Morning Herald.

…
    CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—The following is the list of cases for trial at the Central Criminal Court commencing this morning:—Hugh Roche and Walter Tonn, sodomy; James Johnson, rape; Fred Cohen and Thomas Chapman, rape; Andrew Dunn, rape; John Albert, inflicting grievous bodily harm; John O’Brien, assault and robbery; Frederick Clough, assault and robbery; Patrick Murphy, assault and robbery; Alfred G Davis, forgery; Patrick J Ronan, embezzlement; Patrick J Ronan, embezzlement; [sic] John F Cooper, forgery; John P Cuff, forgery; James Frampton, unlawfully wounding; George Griffiths, assault on the high seas; Henry Williams, William Webb, and George Tansley, assault and robbery; Edward Bones, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm; Charles Percival and Edward Stewart, stealing; Archibald McInnes, beastiality; William Luxford, murder; Joseph Craigson, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Fri 16 Feb 1877 ⁶

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
THURSDAY.

BEFORE his Honor Sir James Martin, CJ.

SENTENCES.

    Henry Williams, William Webb, and George Tansley, who were convicted on the previous day of assault and robbery (the two latter being defended by Mr Buchanan, instructed by Mr RB Smith), were brought up for sentence. Prior convictions for a similar offence were proved against Williams, and convictions of vagrancy and minor offences against all the prisoners. Williams was sentenced to five years’ hard labour on the roads, and Webb and Tansley each to two years’ imprisonment, with hard labour, in Darlinghurst gaol.

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George Tansley, Gaol photo sheet ⁷

 

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. -

Date when Portrait was taken: -

Name: George Tansley
(aka George Wilson, George Naylor)

Native place: Windsor Year of birth: 1858 Arrived        Ship: - in Colony }   Year: - Trade or occupation previous to conviction  }  Religion: C of England Education, degree of: R&W Colour of hair: Light Brown Colour of eyes: Blue Height: 5' 7" Weight     On committal:  in lbs     }  On discharge:  Marks or special features:

Where and when tried: Sydney 2nd Sessions 1st March 1880 Offence: Steal from the person Sentence: 2 years HL Remarks:

(No. of Previous Portrait ...  )  PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS

Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Water P Office Central P Office Sup Crim Court Central P Office Sup Crim Court Water P Office	9 27   9 19 14 21	12   2   8   3   2   5	1872 1875 1876 1876 1877 1879	Stealing Stealing Assault & Robbery Resist Police Assault & Robbery Drunk, Obscene Language & Assault a Constable	4 months HL 1 month HL Acquitted 2 months imprisonment 2 years HL  7 days & 5 months imprisonment

 

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Henry Williams, Gaol photo sheet ⁸

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details 

No. 4891

Date when Portrait was taken: 19-9-1890

Name: Henry Williams
(aka Henry Davis)

Native place: BC Sydney Year of birth: 1848 Arrived        Ship: - in Colony }   Year: - Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Stone cutter and barber Religion: Catholic Education, degree of: R&W Colour of hair: Brown Colour of eyes: Grey Height: 5' 8½" Weight     On committal: 180 in lbs     }  On discharge:  Marks or special features: Cross on steps with lighted candles under two palm branches under 5 corned stars outside right upper arm. Woman’s head inside right forearm, scar on back of right forearm from burn – Heart inside wreath inside left forearm. Three moles over (?) – mole on left cheek. Scar close to lip on right side of chin – Two scars under right ear – one scare deeply indented – the other with flesh protruding, Bold on top of head.

Where and when tried: Sydney Gaol Delivery 9th October 1890 Offence: Assault & Robbery Sentence: 15 years PS, the 1st three years in irons Remarks: Convicted with Henry Thomas & William Everson

(No. of Previous Portrait ... 120 Parramatta )  PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS

Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
CPO ditto ditto ditto ditto Sydney Q.S CPO ditto ditto Sydney Gaol Delivery Sydney Gaol Delivery CPO Sydney CC Sydney Q.S CPO CPO CPO CPO CPO CPO CPO	23 10 27 11 10   3 19 26   5   5   7   7 14 31 24 31   8 22 30 13   7	3 12   3   5   1   6   5   5   9   2 11   2 2   1   6 12   7 10   9   1   8	1865 1866 1867 1867 1868 1868 1870 1870 1870 1877 1870 1877 1877 1882 1884 1884 1885 1885 1886 1887 1888	Stealing Vagrancy Obscene Language Vagrancy Vagrancy Stealing Vagrancy ditto Riotous   Assault & robbery Riotous Assault & Robbery Stealing Unlawfully on premises Assault Indecent language Maliciously damage property Suspected person ditto ditto	1 month L 3 months L 14 days C 3 months L 3 months L 18 months L 7 days C 3 months C 3 days C   6 years Roads 7 days C 5 years PS 2 years & 6 months L 6 months L 6 months L 3 months C 10 months L & C 3 months L 6 months L 6 months L

 

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William Webb, Gaol photo sheet ⁹

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 1649
Number on Gaol Register: 914/77

Date when Portrait was taken: 8th Feb 1877

Name: William Webb
(aka William Booth)

Native place: Sydney Year of birth: 1857 Arrived        Ship:  in Colony }   Year:  Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Laborer Religion: R. C. Education, degree of: R&W Colour of hair: Dark brown Colour of eyes: Hazel Height: 5' 7¾" Weight     On committal: 136 in lbs     }  On discharge:

Special Marks: Scar on each side of chin A.B. on left fore arm. scar on left knee and calf scar on right shin  General Description:

(No. of Previous Portrait ...  )  PRISON HISTORY

Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
Water Police Court ditto ditto ditto CPO Sydney CC	24   1   9   7   5 14 31	1   5   1 11   2 2  10	1876 1876 1876 1876 1877 1877 1878	Assault Gambling & assault police Assault police Gambling Drunk & disorderly Assault & robbery Sentence remitted	(?) to Police 1 month & 14 days C 14 days C 1 month C 7 days C 2 years L

 

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¹  Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Tue 6 Feb 1877, p. 2.

²  The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 6 Feb 1877, p. 7. Emphasis added.

³  Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Thu 8 1877, p. 2.

⁴  The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 8 Feb 1877, p. 7.

⁵  The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 14 Feb 1877, pp. 4. 5. Emphasis added.

⁶  The Sydney Morning Herald, Fri 16 Feb 1877, p. 2.

⁷  SRNSW: NRS2326, [2/2109], Maitland Gaol photographic description book, 1873-1922, No.–, p. 80, R5127. Emphasis added.

⁸  SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6052], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1890-1890, No. 4891, pp. 150-1, R5103. Emphasis added.

⁹  SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6041], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1876-1877, No. 1649, p. 203, R5099. Emphasis added.

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