Report of Mr Kenrick, Chairman of the Surrey Quarter Sessions, on 3 collective petitions...

Report of Mr Kenrick, Chairman of the Surrey Quarter Sessions, on 3 collective petitions (2 people, the prisoners; 12 jury members of Rotherhithe, addresses given; and 27 people, most addresses given) on behalf of William Jones and Charles Matthews, labourers, convicted at the Surrey Lent Quarter Sessions in 1809, for the theft of lead piping, value 21/-, property of Thomas Barnes. There is a copy of the disputed indictment and 2 points of law raised in court. Grounds for clemency: youth (age not given), previous good character, the dwelling house from which the piping was taken had not been completed and this had changed the nature of the indictment, a point of law was discussed at length (that the verdict under the judge's direction amounted to a not guilty verdict), they have both spent some time in prison and both have offers of future employment. Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: mercy on condition of imprisonment for 12 months with hard labour. Folios 302-308.