HALL

John Hall was born c1808 in London, England.

He worked as a labourer and painter.

His father was a Coachmaker at 148 Holborn, London. He had two brothers. One a Coach Trimmer and the other a painter.

John Hall received his first conviction in 1828:

Fourth Middlesex Jury - before Mr. Common Sergeant.

GEORGE TREEHERNE and JOHN HALL were indicted for stealing, on the 4th of November , 5 books, value 20s. , the goods of Richard Hodgson and Mary Hodgson .

RICHARD HODGSON . I am a stationer , in partnership with my sister Mary, and live in Great Mary-le-bone-street . On the 4th of November I lost some books from my counter, which I had seen safe about half-past six o'clock - the prisoners were stopped soon afterwards; I can swear to them - I knew they were missing, because the place where they stood was vacant.

Cross-examined by MR. ADOLPHUS. Q. Have you a card of your circulating library upon your books? A. Yes, outside and inside.

Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. When did you see them - soon after six o'clock? A. Yes, and they were missing about half-past.

THOMAS PERRY . I am a pawnbroker. On the 4th of November, between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, the prisoners came in company together to pawn the five books with me - they are all odd volumes; I suspected they were stolen, and sent to Mr. Hodgson - his brother came, and identified them; Treeherne said Mr. Hodgson had given them to him to pawn - I said I thought he was a respectable man, and would not send odd volumes to pawn.

Cross-examined by MR. ADOLPHUS. Q. Who placed the books on your counter? A.I do not know, but Treeherne said he wanted 30s. on them - I did not see them came in together, but they were in one of the little boxes.

THOMAS GOOK . I am an officer. I was sent for, and found the two prisoners in the box; I asked them how they came by the books - they said that a person, calling himself Hodgson, gave them to them under the Pantheon; that he came to the corner of Berwick-street, pointed out the shop, and requested them to pawn them for 30s. - they both said so alternately; I said, "You should not take books so" - Hall then said they did not know the man, but they were to have 1s.

Cross-examined by MR. ADOLPHUS. Q. Then one confirmed what the other said? A. Yes - I inquired about Treeherne, and have heard that he is a very respectable young man.

Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Have you made any inquiries respecting Hall? A. Yes - I find his friends are very respectable; Mr. Hodgson's brother was in the shop, and he owned the property as his brother's and sister's; I said, "Is that the Mr. Hodgson" - they said No, he was a taller man.

MR. HODGSON. I have two other brothers - they do not live at my hose; one is only there during the vacation at Cambridge, and the other at the hours of business in the City.

The prisoners received a good character.

TREEHERN - GUILTY . Aged 17.

HALL - GUILTY . Aged 17.

Recommended to Mercy by the Prosecutor

Confined Six Weeks

Then again on 9th December 1830:

JOHN HALL was indicted for stealing, on the 30th of November , 1 handkerchief, value 4s., the goods of Frederick Pridham , from his person.

FREDERICK PRIDHAM . I am an ornamental carver . I was in Oxford-street at half-past five o'clock on the 30th of November; I felt a tug at my pocket - I turned, and saw the prisoner and two more with him; I saw the prisoner pass something to one who was behind him, which I thought was my handkerchief; but I could not swear it - I felt, and missed my handkerchief; I followed them, and the person who I thought took the handkerchief, turned down Harewood-place; I followed the prisoner and the other down Regent-street, and on to Forbe's-passage - they stopped there, and I stopped opposite to them; the other one said, "Go over to him;" the prisoner came over, and asked me if I was following them - I was frightened and said, "Come into this public-house, and we shall settle it very amicably;" the prisoner said if that was all, he would - we went in; I told the landlord, who said he would act as an officer if I told him the case - I said I suspected the prisoner of robbing me of a handkerchief - he detained him, and sent to Marlborough-street; I had had my handkerchief just before in my hand - no other persons were behind me; the man, who I think took something from the prisoner, went down Harewood-place.

Prisoner. Q. Were there no other persons behind you? A. Yes, but you were the nearest - you did ask me if I knew you, and I said No; I meant I was not acquainted with you - I cannot swear you took the handkerchief, or passed it; I saw the others with you, and talking to you - I did not follow the other men; I followed you, and did not lose sight of you - your friends have been with me: I said I would not swear positively you had the handkerchief or passed it to the other persons - they went to Marlborough-street, learned my residence, and begged and prayed of me not to swear to you - I believe the prisoner is respectably connected; he is an apprentice to Mr. Maberly.

Prisoner's Defence. I was proceeding from my employer's - I went down to King-street, and the prosecutor asked me to go into the house, where he charged me with picking his pocket - I said it was not true; an officer was sent for, but nothing was found on me.

GUILTY . Aged 20. - Transported for Fourteen Years.

John Hall married Jane Wiggins on the 18th December 1837 in Hobart.

They had nine children, born in Hobart and Launceston.

Jane Wiggins departed from Gravesend, England aboard the 'Strathfieldsaye' and arrived on the on the 16-8-1834 with her mother (Mary Ann Wiggins nee Bishop) and 3 siblings. Her father, James Wiggins, having been transported aboard the 'Argyle' in 1831.

John Hall received his Free Certificate in 1844.

Died 26-4-1864 at Melville St, Hobart.

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Jane Hall was born on the 29th April 1857 in Launceston, Tasmania. She was one of nine children born to John & Jane Hall (nee Wiggins), all born in Tasmania. John Hall married Jane Wiggins on the 18th December 1837 in Hobart.

Jane’s father died when she was about seven years old, and it seems that her mother had some difficulty in taking care of her and her brothers. Jane, Henry and John were all admitted to the Queens Orphan School in New Town in 1866. At the school Jane would have been taught domestic skills with the view of sending her out to work when she turned fourteen.

She was discharged from the school on 28-10-1869 into the care of her mother & grandfather, who were living in New Town. Her mother remarried about four months later.

On the 2nd March 1876, at the age of about 19, Jane gave birth to a son and named him Arthur Henry Hall. The father’s name is not recorded in any records. Jane either refused to name the father, or didn’t know who he was.

Jane Hall married John Henry Pelham on 13-7-1879 at St. David’s Catherdral in Hobart. At the time she was working as a servant. John Pelham was a tinsmith/solderer. He was born in c1853 and died on 11-5-1935 in Hobart.

Jane bore twelve children to John Pelham, the first one four days before they were married. They were all born in Hobart.

1)William Pelham.   Born 9-7-1879.

                                Died 11-10-1879 in Hobart.

2)Isabella Mary Pelham.   Born 4-9-1880.

                                          Married Francis Hardwick on 22-4-1901 at St. Johns Manse, Hobart.

          Issue:

          a)Alice Annie May Hardwick. b.29-5-1903 in High Street, Hobart.

          b)Mary Grace Hardwick. b.25-3-1905 in John Street, Hobart.

          c)Frederick Douglas Hardwick. b.28-9-1908 in Barrack Street, Hobart.

                                                      d.20-5-1929 at Victoria Dock, Hobart.

         d)Florence Hardwick. b.3-7-1910 in Barrack Street, Hobart.

3)Hannah Amelia Pelham.   Born 26-10-1882.

4)Florence Pelham.   Born 18-11-1884.

                              Died 23-5-1954 in Hobart.

                              Married 1st Bernard Gallagher on 15-8-1902 at North Hobart.

          Issue:

          a)Jane P Gallagher Hobart.

          b)George G Gallagher in Hobart.

                              Married 2nd Keeling.

5)William Frederick Pelham.   Born 29-12-1886.

                                           Married 21-10-1911 to Ada May Warn in Hobart.

          Issue:

          a)John William Pelham. b.6-9-1912 in Hobart.

6)Henry John Pelham.   Born 29-7-1888.

7)Harold Horace Pelham.   Born 7-8-1890.

8)Frances Pelham.   Born 3-11-1892.

                              Married 3-6-1909 to Albert Victor Taylor in Hobart.

          Issue:

          a)Jane Taylor. b.8-6-1914 in Hobart.

          b)Elsie May Carr Taylor. b.12-6-1915 in Hobart.

          c)Florence Doreen Taylor. b.1-6-1917 in Hobart.

          d)George James William Carr Taylor. b.26-10-1919 in Hobart.

9)Frederick Charles Pelham.   Born 12-10-1894.

                                           Died 2-10-1898 in Hobart.

10)Alfred Ernest Pelham.   Born 25-8-1896.

                                       Died 1-2-1898 in Hobart.

11)Albert Pelham.   Born 10-8-1898.

                            Married 20-3-1920 to Elsie Isabel Jacobs in Hobart.

          Issue:

          a)John William Pelham. b.24-8-1923 in Hobart.

12)Elsie May Pelham.   Born 2-3-1900.

                                 Married 8-4-1918 to Joseph James Albert Foster in Hobart.

Jane appeared in the Hobart papers in April 1888 after she appeared as a witness at an inquest into the death of an infant.

Jane was taking care of a child by the name of Clara Jones Robins. The child, aged under 3 months, was brought to her on the 22nd March and Jane took the child in receiving six shillings a week for the care. John was out of work. The child was brought to her by a woman named Ada Robins, who claimed she was not the mother, but that the mother lived down the Huon somewhere. This was not the case. Ada Robins was the mother, and after giving birth gave the child to a Margaret Williams to take care of. All indications are that Margaret Williams took good care of Clara but Ada removed her from there and took her to Jane as Jane lived closer to her residence.

When Clara came into Jane’s care she was already weak and thin, suffering from thrush.  Clara was given care and taken to the doctor several times although all attempts to improve her state of health failed. She was hastilly baptised by a church clerk who described Jane as a parishioner and considered her a respectable woman, though poor.

Clara later died of starvation, diarrhea and convulsions. According to the doctor, Clara had been badly cared for and insufficiently fed. Jane could have been convicted of manslaughter if the jury thought she had caused Clara’s death by neglecting her.

The jury decided that Clara died of convulsions and diarrhea, accelerated by want of proper and sufficient food and attention from Jane Pelham.

Jane Pelham died at 26 central Street, Hobart on 12th November 1927 and was buried two days later in Cornellian Bay Cemetery.

John Henry Pelham died on 11th May 1935 in Hobart and was buried the following day in Cornellian Bay Cemetery.

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Arthur Henry Hall was born on 2nd March 1876 in Hobart.

His father’s name is not recorded in any records. Arthur was obviously born illegitimate, and Jane either refused to name the father, or didn’t know who he was.

Arthur’s mother, Jane Hall, married John Henry Pelham on 13-7-1879 in Hobart and bore 12 children to him.

Arthur would have grown up in this family, and known the other children as his brothers & sisters.

By 1895 Arthur Henry Hall is living in Launceston.

Arthur Henry Hall married Annie Jane Willis on 4-6-1902 at the York Street Baptist Church in Launceston.

It is obvious however that their relationship began well before that. Arthur worked as a wood carter.

Both Arthur and Annie can be found in Launceston as early as 1895.

My assumption is that they ran away to Launceston together, as husband & wife (she bears his name by then, though not yet married). It is quite possible Annie was escaping her marriage to Albert Gobbett, and using Arthur as the means.

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Annie Jane Willis was born on 15-11-1874 in Collins Street, Hobart. Her parents were George & Jane Willis (nee Read) who were married on 28-10-1872 in Hobart. George was 20 at the time and Jane 18.

For more information on Annie Jane Willis refer to the WILLIS file.

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