Report of Alan Chambre on 1 individual petition (Lord Sheffield) and 2 collective...

Report of Alan Chambre on 1 individual petition (Lord Sheffield) and 2 collective petitions (4 people, including the prisoners, the prisoner's former employer and the Chief Constable of Monmouth; and 7 people, comprising the mayor, minister, magistrates and others - dated 1812) on behalf of William Watkins and James Watkins, labourers, convicted at the Monmouthshire Assizes in March 1808, for burglary and the theft of 2 half-guineas and 9/-, property of William Jones, labourer, on 25 September 1807. Evidences supplied by Elizabeth Davis, Elizabeth Jones, William Jones, John Davis, Mr Doleman; Thomas Davis, William Dickins, sawyer; Robert Clark, Mr Prosser, magistrate; James Powell, Chief Constable of Monmouth; Ann Jones, Mary Wibby, Elizabeth Watkins, Ann Hughes, John Jones, dealer in livestock; James Jones, Thomas Gunter, constable; Sarah Evans, William Jones, farmer; Joseph Simmons, farmer; William Williams, farmer; David Watkins, Susan Cooksey and Hannah Watkins. Grounds for clemency: previous good character, there are grounds for mistaken identity, no property was found on them, they were convicted on the unsupported testimony of the prosecutor, they would be offered employment from a previous employer and William has a wife and 3 small children. Initial sentence: death, commuted to transportation for life, commuted further to 7 years aboard the hulks. Recommendation: further mitigation at the King's discretion. Folios 88-98.