Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Name Charles Beasely
Gender Male
Christening Date 06 Dec 1776
Christening Place KIBWORTH BEAUCHAMP,LEICESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name Henry Beasely

Charles was a convict who was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 4 Dec 1793 to death for violent theft and highway robbery at age 16. This sentence was commuted to transportation for life and he arrived in the colony in 1798 on the ship Barwell.

The old Bailey Proceeding:
JOHN RABBITTS and CHARLES BEAZLEY were indicted for feloniously making an assault, on the King's highway, on James Seyer, on the 11th of July, and putting him in fear and feloniously taking from his person, and against his will, two guineas, half a guinea, and nine shillings in monies numbered; the monies of the said James Seyers.
JAMES SEYERS sworn.
I am an inn-keeper, at the Crown, in Slough, in Buckinghamshire. On the 18th of July, in the evening, from nine to ten, between the Rose and Crown, near the side of Brentford and Small Borough Green Turnpike, I was in a post chaise, a gentleman was along with me, Mr. Henley; I was going down, and just as I got the other side of Brentford , I went to sleep in the chaise, and the chaise stopped all of a jerk, which waked me, when a little man jumped into the chaise with the pistol in his hand; I was on the right hand side of the chaise; he came in on the off side, my side, and he said, d-n your eyes, your money, or I will blow your b-dy eyes out; says I, my lad, I did not know what was the matter, take that thing away from my head, and I will give you my money; so I immediately put my hand into my pocket, and gave him two guineas and a half, and about eight or ten shillings in silver, and he stepped back on the step of the chaise, and looked at it; then he says, d-n your eyes, you have got more money than this about you, and began feeling my thighs; I says, d-n you, get out of the chaise you rascal, or I will knock you out; I have got no more money, you have got all I had; he stepped back out of the chaise; now, says I, you damned rascal, shut the door after you, after taking my money; he turned about to shut the door with his hand, and I immediately pushed the door open, and I said, d-n you, I will have you if I never have another, and I immediately jumped out of the chaise and hallooed out stop thief! and a parcel of people came out of this Rose and Crown public house, and pursued them, and three of them got through the hedge, and Randall (who was executed) he was caught before he got through the hedge, he was the fourth.
Q. Do you know what became of the other three? - I do not.
Q. Was Randall the little man, that came in or not? - He was not.
Q. Do you know any thing of the prisoners? - No, nothing.
DANIEL DRISCOLL sworn.
I was brought up to the medical line; Randall, (the unfortunate man that suffered) Beazley, Rabbitts, and I, the day of the robbery we agreed to purchase a pair of pistols each, to go on the road with; Randall and I went into Rider's court to a person of the name of Clark, and went in to purchase a pair of pistols, we asked the price of a couple of pair, they asked us something above a guinea for one pair, and something more than 15s. for another; we purchased one pair for a guinea, and another pair for 15s. after purchasing the pistols, Randall and I went out, the two prisoners at the bar were waiting at the bottom of Rider's court, near to Cranbourn-alley, till we came out; when we had purchased the pistols, we set off immediately to the White Horse Cellar, there was as coach plying for Brentford, which we took; we went into the coach, four of us, and they put us down in Brentford; we walked from thence to a house before we came to the turnpike, in Small-Borough Green; the person who kept it, I was informed, went by the name of Turnpike Jack, I rather think the sign is the Castle; we stopped there and had to the amount of three or four pots of beer, and some bread and cheese; after we had paid for the beer and the bread and cheese, we walked through the turnpike, and came to a bye lane on the left hand, which I think, takes us to Isleworth, and charged our pistols in the lane, and walked about round till we came into the same road again; there we waited till the chaise came up; Rabbitt attempted to stop the chaise, I finding him not sufficient, I went up to assist him; after I went up to assist him in stopping the chaise, he went to the horses head; he went on one side of the chaise, and Randall (the unfortunate man that suffered) on the other, and I stopped at the head of the chaise till they had taken what they did in the chaise.
Q. Do you know on which side Rabbitts went? - To the best of my recollection, he went on the right hand side of the chaise, and Randall on the left; but being alarmed at the situation, I did not take particular notice; after they came out, they told me, that they had got two guineas in money and some silver, I met both of them together as they came out of the chaise behind; before they could mention the particulars to me, ten or a dozen people came up out of the public house, which was just by, which alarmed us all; I said to Randall, we had better not attempt against these people, we had better make the best of our way away from them. I made to the hedge first, and got before Randall, and made my escape; I had left my hat and neck silk handkerchief behind me, and got to town; the next morning I sent to Rabbits to know whether he got away or not, and I was informed, that he had, but they thought the rest were taken, and that what money he got, he threw away, for fear it should be found about him; that ended the business of that.
Q. How soon was you apprehended? - I was apprehended some time after, it was on a Sunday, I cannot justly determine what time.
Q. A week, month or two months? - I know it was no great while after.
Q. I don't know what you mean by a great while? - It may be a month or two months after, or it may be less, I have not charged my memory to the time I was taken; I can easily determine it, if it is needful.
Q. You have not yet mentioned, what day it was, that you set out about this business? - I am not certain as to the day, I think it was on a Thursday, and to the best of my recollection the month was in July, near the middle; I saw Rabbitts in the course of three or four days after, I think, but the person I sent, saw him the next morning.
Q. When did you see Beazley? - I did not see him for some time after, because he was in custody.
Q. Did he get out of custody before you was taken, or after? - Before.
M. Knowlys. You have been brought up in the medical line? - I have been in that profession.
Q. How long ago? - I cannot justly determine, I can mention where I lived, it was at Warsall in Staffordshire, about a year and a half ago; but what I have declared on this robbery, I have declared facts.
Q. For that year and a half that you have left Stafford, have you pursued any other profession than that of a thief? - From the predicament I laboured under, I was distressed, and was reduced by a number of circumstances.
Q. I will have a plain aNew South Waleser. - No Sir, I have not.
Q. Could not you as well, and as easily have aNew South Walesered that as any other question? Then it is true? - I cannot say that I have followed my profession.
Q. You come from some place of confinement now to give your evidence, and have been admitted an evidence in order to save your own life? - I understand it so, and because I would be useful to society.
Q. To enable you to recollect a number of robberies you have committed, you have sat down and composed a book, what is the size of that book, is it not a pretty large volume? - As far as I have recollected, I have; I have endeavoured to recollect every thing that I could to make a minute of.
Q. I suppose the work is not quite finished, I should like to know how many short of a couple of hundred robberies, you have put down on paper? - I have done every thing in my power to justice, to society, and myself
Q. You know very well the circumstances of every robbery, that you have been present at, but whether you have applied those circumstances to the proper persons, we must take your word alone.
Court. I wish to know whether you are quite sure, that these people were concerned with you in this robbery? - I am perfectly confident of it; the people where we drank, I dare say, will justify me, that what I mentioned are facts.
CATHARINE NORRIS sworn.
I live at the Castle, Small-Borough Green.
Q. Do you remember this robbery? - Yes, I heard of it the same night, the prisoner Randall was brought into my house, and the pistol taken out of his pocket.
Q. Had you seen him in the evening before? - Yes, about three hours before, and three more with him.
Q. Should you know any of these three? - Yes, all.
Q. How soon after this evening did you see the three people again? - I saw them at Bow-street about seven days ago that I was there; the prisoners are two of them, the man that was up before was the third.
Q. How long were they in your house? - They were not in my house at all, they sat at the bench before the door; it was about half past five, they had four pots of beer, and two slices of bread and cheese, and Randall had a glass of rum at the bar.
Q. Was there any thing particular in the persons or dress of these, to occasion your particular notice of them? - I had a little boy that knew Randall, he called me out to see him, he says this Randall is a very great rogue, I would have you look at him, and I went out and looked at them all.
Q. That was the occasion of your taking so much notice as to be able to swear to them? - Yes.
Mr. Knowlys. What house do you keep? - The Castle at Small Borough Green.
Q. Are you a married woman? - Yes.
Q. Your husband is whom they call turnpike Jack, is not he? - No, that was the person that kept the house before I took it.
Q. When did this affair happen? - It was on the 18th of July, that we are told this affair happened.
Q. You did not see these people till about five or six days ago, how long is it from this time that you heard of this robbery? - I dare say it is four months from this time.
Q. They had their hats on as they were sitting at the door? - Yes.
Q. You only satisfied yourself by looking at them that once? - I looked at them all.
Q. But Randall was the person pointed out to you? - Yes, he was, but I looked at them all. I was afraid they were coming to rob the house, because he knew every part of it better than I did.
Q. You know there is a reward of forty pounds for every one that is convicted of an highway robbery? - Yes, I have heard of it.
Q. Here there are two persons in this case, it would be eighty pounds.
Prisoner Beazley. About a week ago the woman was up at Bow-street, and she only believed we were the three? - I had no doubt at all at Bow-street, I swore to them immediately, I knew them the moment I saw them, I saw them in the street before they were brought into the office.
GEORGE ARNOLD sworn.
I am a labourer; I was going home, and I saw the chaise stopped by four people, and I saw two men get into the chaise, and two were at the horses head, and I went and called out at the Rose and Crown. I know no more of it, I know nothing of the people, I am sure there were four of them.
ALEXANDER TATE sworn.
I am a salesman, I know no more than on the 18th of July, two men came to our shop, and bought two pair of pistols, one pair for a guinea, and another pair for 15s.
Q. Do you know any thing of the two men? - No.
Q. How came you to know it was the 18th of July? - Because I referred to our book.
Q. How came the prosecutor to know that you had sold the pistols? - By the evidence informing the prosecutor of it.
EDWARD RICHARDS sworn.
I am a watchman in New Brentford, on the 18th of July there was an alarm come down, that a gentleman had been robbed in a postchaise; between eleven and twelve o'clock this Beazley came down with a hat and I stopped him, and put him in the cage.
JOHN SHALLARD sworn.
I am an officer belonging to Bow-street. In consequence of the information of Driscoll, I apprehended Rabbitts on the 21st of October.
CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY sworn.
I attend the Public Office at Bow-street. I apprehended Beazley and Bartlett, on the 15th of September. Driscoll was apprehended at the same time. We apprehended Beazley and Bartlet half an hour before we apprehended the evidence Driscoll.
WILLIAM HOLMES sworn.
I am a beadle of Brentford. On the 19th of July I was charged by Edward Richards to bring Charles Beazley to London, to Bow-street.
Prisoner Rabbitts. I leave my defence to my counsel.
The prisoner called four witnesses to his character.
Prisoner Beazley. At first, when I was brought up at Bow-street, there was nobody could swear to me then at all, and I was let at liberty, and then they apprehended me, the 15th of September I believe, again. At the time I was first taken, I was coming out of Windsor, I had been to see my brother at Windsor. I have got nobody to prove it here. I have no friends here.
Charles Beazley. GUILTY. Death.
(Aged 16.)
Recommended to the Jury on account of his age.
John Rabbitts . GUILTY. Death .
(Aged 25.)
Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before the Lord Chief Justice.

Charles Beasley was sixteen years old when tried in the Old Bailey, London for theft on the 6th December 1793. He was convicted of the Highway Robbery of James Seyer an Innkeeper of Slough in Buckinghamshire and the Robbery of a Store. He was sentenced to death by hanging. Because of his age it was later commuted to transportation for life. ( His two partners in crime were both hanged. they were John Rabbitts aged 26 a London Coachman and William Brown aged 27 a London Fishmonger) He spent three years aboard the Prison Hulk "Stanislaw" prior to transportation to Australia. He arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney) on the 18th May 1798 in the Convict Ship "Barwell" He obtained a Ticket of Leave in 1806 and a Conditional Pardon on the 11th July 1811. His English occupation was that of a Stocking Weaver. Australian occupations were that of a Farmer, Inn Keeper and Boat Builder. Description of Charles Beasley:- Birth Place: Leicester, England Native Place: Derbyshire, England Height 5'5'' - Brown Hair - Grey Eyes - Fresh Complexion "Barwell" 796 tons, built on the Thames in 1782. (An East Indiaman) reputedly a fast sailor. Embarked with 296 Male Convicts, nine died on the voyage. Disembarked 287 Convicts. Also the Voyage involved a mutiny. Her Master was John Cameron. Surgeon was Supt. John Thomas Sharpe.

The ship Barwell arrived in NSW 18 May 1798

Charles Beasley, per the ship Barwell, self employed, ticket of leave

By 1806 Charles had been emancipated by Governor King, was self-employed (possibly as an inn-keeper). An absolute pardon followed, and an 80 acre grant at Toongabbie.

"The Humble Petition of Charles Beasley
Most respectfully sheweth
That your Humble Petitioner having been a Prisoner for upwards of sixteen Years and been in the Colony for nearly Twelve Years, was emancipated by His late Excellency Governor King in common with others, and having a Wife and four young Children dependent on him for Support applied as well as others belonging to the Sydney lotal Association to which he has belonged for Years to His Honor Lieutenant Governor Paterson to grant him the Indulgence of a few Acres of Land in order that he might cultivate the same for the better support and as a provision for His Wife and Children when he was pleased to allow him a Grant for Eighty Acres of land which in pursuance to your Excellency's Proclamation he herewith surrenders Hoping your Excellency will take the same into your Consideration by granting him the kind Indulgence of a confirmation thereof...
Sydney 12th February 1810."

Charles had built a 22 ton sloop and his own wharf at Windsor. He carried grain, and in 1811 bought two shipments of cedar from the Hunter River. He sold the sloop in 1813 but continued as a Windsor dealer, publican and farmer.

Name: Mary Thomas
Spouse Name: Charles Beasley
Marriage Date: 1815
Marriage Place: New South Wales
Registration Place: Windsor, New South Wales
Registration Year: 1815
Volume Number: V A

Chas Beasley, free
Hannah Needham, convict per Providence

Name: Charles Beasley
Death Date: 1837
Death Place: New South Wales
Registration Year: 1837
Registration Place: Windsor, New South Wales
Volume Number: V18372591 21

Death.
At his residence, Windsor, on Thursday
the 30th ult, Mr. Charles Beasley, in the
61st year of his age ; an old inhabitant of
the Colony.

Buried at St Matthews