Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 2 individual petitions (Sir Charles...

Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 2 individual petitions (Sir Charles Gould and the prisoner) on behalf of William Campbell, a mulatto, ship's steward, convicted at the Old Bailey in October 1786, for stealing 10 shirts and other articles, value £6:3:0 [goods and value varies in this record], property of William Bonner, master of the brig Friendship, on the River Thames, on 15 October 1786[?]. Evidences supplied by William Bonner, Captain Brown, master seaman; William Elby, constable; ----- Clarke and the prisoner. Grounds for clemency: previous naval service[?], previous good character, served 4 years of sentence, willing to serve in HM. Navy (as had others he spent time on the hulks who were pardoned on such condition), may have been influenced by others to take part in the theft, promises future good behaviour, and Sir Charles Gould had been told by Mr Justice Gould to apply. Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: enlist in HM. Navy and to find sureties for good behaviour for the time equal to remainder of his sentence.

Folios 233-238.