Prisoner name: William Plumb. Prisoner occupation: [Agricultural labourer]. Court...

Prisoner name: William Plumb.

Prisoner occupation: [Agricultural labourer].

Court and date of trial: Old Bailey, 10 April 1828.

Crime: Assisting with others armed in landing un-customed goods, namely brandy and Geneva [gin] at Bexhill [Sussex] on 23 January 1828.

Initial sentence: Death recorded and commuted to transportation for life.

Annotated: 'Nil May 16 1828'.

Petitioner(s): William Plumb (the convict). Martha Miller (mother) [formerly Martha Plumb] undersigned by the Vicar of Bexhill (convict's priest) four parish officers and 39 inhabitants of Bexhill. Four further petitions from Martha Miller. Vicar of Bexhill, undersigned by four parish officers and 16 inhabitants of Bexhill, with a character appended by E J Curteis MP relating to the petitioners. Three further petitions undersigned by 41, 39 and 85 inhabitants respectively. Harry Shepherd (employer of the convict's wife). P Borradaile (neighbour to convict's mother). Thomas Chrismas (neighbour to the convict's mother). Two petitions from Joseph Planta MP.

Grounds for clemency: He was persuaded to plead guilty even though innocent because if all the prisoners so pleaded, they could avoid a capital sentence; his first offence; his previous good character; his good conduct in New South Wales; he was on the periphery of the crime and carried no weapon and committed no violence.

Other papers: Letter from H A Green introducing the bearer as the convict's wife. A farewell letter from the convict to his wife. A further letter from the convict to his wife giving his state of life. Note from [illegible] transmitting a petition to the Home Department. A visiting card from Mr Kollmann, HM German Chapel, St James. Note from Mr Fuller transmitting a petition. Letter from Mr Darby MP transmitting a petition. A pencilled draft reply from Mr Phillips at the Home Department to the petition of Joseph Planta MP. Affidavit by J G Langham (attorney) present when the convict was persuaded to plead guilty.

Additional Information: He was transported to Sydney [New South Wales] in 1829 on the ship Claudina and was then employed by Nelson Lawson of Mudgee [Bathurst, Sydney]. [Thomas Miller [step-father] was also sentenced to transportation for life for this offence]. The papers state that a conditional pardon was granted in 1844.