Prisoner name: James Hawkins. Prisoner age: 16 years. Court and date of trial:...

Prisoner name: James Hawkins.

Prisoner age: 16 years.

Court and date of trial: Berkshire Midsummer Assizes 1823.

Crime: Murder of William Smith.

Initial sentence: Acquitted due to insanity.

Annotated (Outcome): Warrant prepared for his removal to Plaistow February 1825.

Other papers: 6 November 1823 - Letter from George Ernest Eaststaff, Keeper of County Gaol Reading, to John Henry Capper requesting details on how to remove James Hawkins to an asylum.

9 November 1823 - Letter from George Ernest Eaststaff, Keeper of County Gaol Reading, to John Henry Capper requesting an order for the removal of James Hawkins to a proper asylum.

6 December 1823 - Details of James Hawkins in Reading Gaol.

9 January 1825 - Letter from George Ernest Eaststaff, Keeper of County Gaol Reading, to John Henry Capper stating they are unable to find a lunatic asylum in the two neighbouring counties where James Hawkins can be confined.

13 February 1825 - Letter from George Ernest Eaststaff, Keeper of County Gaol Reading, requesting an official order to empower the removal of James Hawkins to Plaistow.

30 March 1825 - Letter from Stephen Casey stating that he had received the lunatic, James Hawkins, into his Asylum, Plaistow House at Essex.

30 March 1825 - The examination of Thomas Hawkins, father of the lunatic James Hawkins relating to his legal settlement.

2 April 1825 - Letter from Charles Manesty and Charles Sawyer, Visiting Justices of the Gaol and House of Correction at Reading, forwarding the examination of Thomas Hawkins.

10 April 1825 - Letter from George Ernest Eaststaff, Keeper of County Gaol Reading to John Henry Capper detailing two clerical errors in the official letter directing the removal of James Hawkins to Plaistow in Essex.

22 May 1829 - Letter from G T Wintle, Resident Apothecary at Radcliffe Asylum, stating that the application for the admission of a criminal lunatic may be inconsistent with the design of the institution. The application will be laid before the committee on Wednesday.

29 May 1829 - Letter from Thomas Eaststaff, on behalf of the Visiting Magistrates, on their application to removal James Hawkins to the Radcliff Lunatic Asylum.

31 May 1829 - Letter from Mr Ximenis, Visiting Magistrate, requesting information on who should pay the upkeep of James Hawkins, the parish or the county. States that the establishment where James Hawkins was sent has broken up.

22 June 1829 - Letter from the Undersheriff of Reading confirming that James Hawkins has been removed from Plaistow to the Melton Asylum. Expense had been incurred and requests information on how will pay the expense.

30 June 1829 - Duplicate copy of certificate made by the Churchwardens and Overseers for the Poor of the Parish of West Challon in Berkshire detailing payment to be made to Melton Asylum for the upkeep of James Hawkins at 14 shillings a week.

Notification of the death of James Hawkins in Suffolk Lunatic Asylum signed by George Wallett, Medical Superintendent.