5 individual petitions (2 from William Davis, magistrate, 1 from Nicholls, prisoner,...

5 individual petitions (2 from William Davis, magistrate, 1 from Nicholls, prisoner, 1 from Cluff prisoner, and 1 from Richard Gregory) and 5 collective petitions (prisoners, 10 people for both prisoners, 24 people for Nicholls and 13 people for Cluff) on behalf of Charles Nicholls and Henry Cluff, labourers, convicted at Essex Special Assizes Chelmsford on 17 December 1829 for receiving 4 stolen ducks, property of Zachariah Turner of Wanstead on 6 December. There are 2 letters written by Cluff to his wife on his return from Bermuda because of ill health but reports Nicholls is still in Bermuda. Gaoler's report: character unknown. Grounds for clemency: not part of the original crime of stealing the ducks which was committed by John Banning and Peter George, they only concealed ducks beneath cabbages on their wagon when they were thrown into field where they were working, any offence committed in ignorance and foolishness, only marginally involved, previous good industrious characters, first offence, distress of families, when first taken before magistrate William Davis they were discharged for lack of evidence, did not produce any witnesses in their favour at later trial, have completed 5 years transportation in Bermuda so eligible for 'state roll for liberations'. Initial sentence: 14 years transportation. Annotated: nil. NO 19