A Knock at the Door

There was a knock on the door of Mr. William Dun's house at Paterson on the morning of Thursday 13 April 1843. Mr. Dun opened the door.

"Mr. Dun, Mr. Kingsmill 'ere has an important matter t' inform ya of." said a scruffy little man indicating the other much better dressed man with papers in his hand.

Mr. Dun had not had a good summer and despite his good efforts to raise cattle and work his bullock team, he had incurred significant debt with the produce merchants Campbell & Co. of Morpeth. His crop of maize was his only hope.

Mr. Dun had become desperate, Campbell & Co wanted money well before his corn would be ready to harvest. Trying to determine how he might be able to settle with Campbell & Co. he had consumed significant a quantity of rum while attending the Wallis Plains Race Meeting which was held over the three days of 6th, 7th and 8th January. In his inebriated state Mr. Dun foreseen his solution to his debt problems with those wretches at the Campbell & Co store in the magnificent animals that competed on the race track.

The result of Mr. Dun's foolishness was that he now had no money at all and the 40 acres of maize, although meagre in its prospect, was still a few months from harvest. He knew that Campbell & Co were becoming more and more impatient and would likely take some positive action to recover the monies owed. What he had not anticipated this morning was a knock on his door.

Mr. Dun opened his door, it was a pleasant autumn morning, but his heart sank, there was no need of introduction to Mr. Kingsmill, he was well enough known. With disdain in his voice Mr. Dun said "Here 'bout the money I owes to Campbell I s'pose, what does that wretch want of me? Does he want me bullocks or me cows?". The rather scruffy person was assigned servant Trudgate and he quickly retreated to tend the horse and dray. Mr. Kingsmill could deal with this angry man, just serve him with the official papers of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Campbell & Co v. Dun and we can go.

"Mr. Dun I hereby serve you notice that the Sheriff will cause to be sold, your property, being 14 working bullocks, 40 head of cattle and growing crop of 40 acres of maize, yet to be harvested and any other as may be necessary to settle your debt with Campbell & Co. The sale will take place on this Thursday 20th April coming at 12 noon at your premises here unless you previously satisfy Campbell & Co."

While Mr. Kingsmill was a respected and upstanding citizen of Maitland, in his role as the Sheriff's Bailiff, his presence was dreaded by those unfortunate enough to be unable to pay their debts. Thomas Trudgate was witness often enough to the serving of such notices by John Kingsmill, only 2 days earlier he had accompanied Mr. Kingsmill to Mr. Adair's premises at Paterson for the self same purpose.

For Thomas Trudgate his experience accompanying the Sheriff's Bailiff to deliver the orders of the Supreme Court of New South Wales was not such a bad thing albeit not very enjoyable for the hapless recipients. Thomas himself had experienced receiving a judgement in the Norfolk Assizes a few years earlier "Guilty of burglary, sentence Death". Thomas Trudgate was described as being 5'6" tall with dark hair, hazel grey eyes, he had lost two front upper teeth and had a large nose.

For a man whose name was in question, at the age of 25 in 1835 being tried for burglary, found guilty and of the 4 possible sentences, "Whipping, Fine, &c.", "Imprisonment", "Transportation" and "Death" had received the most severe, he felt fortunate as the Execution or Commuted Punishment was recorded as Transportation for Life.

The Norwich Mercury on Saturday 4th April 1835 reported

"William Price, aged 21, Luke Thumbow, 27, Thomas Trudgate, 25, and John Newman, aged 23, stood charged with burglariously breaking into the dwelling house of Henry Gamble, of Grimstone, and stealing 12 sovereigns, one half-sovereign, several half-crowns, shillings, and six pences, two promissory notes of the value of 5£. each, and a great many other articles."

the report of the trial went on:

"His Lordship asked Mr. Johnson if he knew any thing of these men? Mr. Johnson said Newman was a resident of Norwich, but he had never known him to be in custody; the person called Trudgate, but whose real name was Cushing, came from Cossey, a village about 4 miles from Norwich, and he knew nothing else against him;"

"Trudgate, you have experienced enough of the work of a Sheriff's Bailiff, you might do well to become a Police Constable" said John Kingsmill "you have a Ticket of Leave and I will recommend you". Maybe John Kingsmill was tired of Trudgate having had to deal with him in absconding at least twice and his drunkenness and insolence for which he received 14 days confinement on bread and water in his 8 years being assigned. It was 1845 and Maitland needed more Police Constables.

Constable Trudgate, Thrudgate or Threadgate participated in a number of arrests and was witness at Court hearing but did not always behave himself and was dismissed from the Police Force for improper conduct on 22nd May 1847.

Again Thomas Threadgate became a Police Constable and served in the Namoi District at Wee Waa he received a Conditional Pardon in 1850.

Life was good for Thomas serving in the Namoi, as reported in the Maitland Mercury on 17th May 1854.

"Hunter River District News.

{From our Correspondents}

THE NAMOI.

Large Cod Fish. - Constable Thomas Threadgate caught on 2nd May, in the Wee Waa lagoon, a cod fish weighing 25 lbs, on 4th May one weighing 2 1/2 lbs, and on the following day another weighing 27 3/4 lbs.

Wee Waa, May 10th 1854"

I wonder how many people answered a knock at the door to have their heart sink at the sight of Constable Thomas Trudgate, Thrudgate, Threadgate? And if he considered his fortunate life following the events of 1835 in his dealing with those who transgressed the law.

Lindsay Threadgate July 2011