VIC - Marriage(s) -Look up please

[annecaroline]

Hi

The register just stated under parent's names that Jane was dead.I would say it was when the children were admitted.She was alive in 1855 as you will read in my next post-still typing it out

Annie

[annecaroline]

Okay here we go!

William Heasman had debts of £718.6.0!
He had a hotel which is referred to as the Palmer Street Hotel,not sure if this is its name or just location ,or both.
Owed money to the usual suspects Tooth & Co,Tucker & Co ,the butcher etc every one you would expect a hotelier to owe.

 Below is the bit I found most interesting:Dated 20 April 1855

Estate placed under Sequestion on 6th March 1855 and shortly afterward the Assignee was informed that a considerable quantity of property has been fraudently removed from the insolvent's premises a day or two before his insolvency.

The assignee procured a search warrant and in a house at Paddington occupied by one Frederick Alfred Poole and Ebenzer Bransgrove was found and seized a quantity of property ,which several respectable witnesses afterward swore belonged to the insolvent.
Information was filed showing the 3 persons named Heasman,Poole, & Bransgrove were all concerned in the fraudently concealment of the property and a warrant was procured for their apprehension.
Frederick Alfred Poole and Ebenzer Bransgrove were arrested and W M C Stephen the solicitor was employed by the assignee to prosecute.The two prisoners were committed to take their trial at the Criminal sittings of the Supreme Court.At the last sittings (in the early part of the present month)they were brought up and remanded to Prison until the sittings in June next.
The insolvent William Heasman has not yet been apprehended but the Superintendent of Police assures the Assignee that every exhaustions are being made by the force under his command to discover his whereabouts.The property seized under the search warrant is stored at the room.

In the file there is a letter from his wife Jane-she states she has 6 children.And is begging they be allowed to keep their wearing apparel,I have taken a copy of the letter but as my scanner is not working at home ,I will have to take it to work and scan it in.
But will type it out for you as I know you would all like to read a.s.a.p
But it appears that William has done a runner.

Annie

[annecaroline]

Hi Ladies

Here is Jane's letter

Not dated

To the creditors of William Heasman
Gentleman I beg most respectfully to solicit your attention while I relate to you my most unfortunate case.I am gentleman the wife of William Heasman and I can with confidence state that when we took the Palmer Street Hotel we had every intention of paying every body their just debts but in an unfortunate moment my husband listened to the evil advice of others and the consequence is I am left with six children in a utterly destitute condition without a farthing to get food for them and even their little clothes taken from them,I am therefore gentlemen compelled to throw my self and children upon your kindness in order that you may commiserate my forlorn  situation and to enable me to get  mine and my poor childrens boxes of clothes.Anxiously a waiting your kind reply or to answer any questions
I am Gentleman yours respectfully
Jane Heasman

Annie

[Lucy2]

Dear Annie

Thank you so VERY much.     

That is such wonderful (and most helpful) information, and you have clearly gone to a lot of effort to both gather it and post it here.     Your contribution is truly appreciated.    You are indeed   .... a CHAMPION !

Oddly, now that the "Palmer Street Hotel" is mentioned, I recall some time ago, when checking online indexes, seeing a William Heasman, connected with this.   I discounted it simply because I imagined "my William Heasman" was tucked away in his little corner of Victoria, raising his brood, and keeping out of mischief !   There's a lesson in that too, I know,  ..... discount, absolutely nothing !    (And certainly not with this "mob" - Richings and Heasman)!

I so appreciate your efforts Annie ... many thanks again.

Kind regards

Lu     

[Lucy2]

Hi again Annie

....  was so excited and overwhelmed by all that great info,
I missed your comment about "writing a book".

Hey, I'm thinking BIG   ....  definitely "made for the movies" sort of stuff isn't it?    And all you wonderful contributors, would also get a "slice of the pie" !

Cheers

Lu               

[annecaroline]

Hi
I found a brief mention of Bransgrove and Poole appearing court.

The Maitland Mercury
Supplement Volume 1, Number 1143 (16 June, 1855)
page 1
http://www.nla.gov.au/ferg/issn/14403676.html

Annie

[JAP]

Annie, It is wonderful of you to provide all this information.

But the story is getting all too overwhelming.

I'm wondering (perhaps everyone is) whether Jane was in on the con initially?  Obviously she would have been destitute once all their possessions had been sequestrated and William had done a runner.  But, before that, it seems very strange that William could have removed all Jane's clothes and all the clothes of the six children from the place where they lived, and taken them elsewhere, without Jane knowing.

What a sad business it all is.

JAP
PS: The NLA site seems to be down - hope it's back on line in the morning.

[annecaroline]

JAP

I think it was the assignee who took the clothes.In those days wearing apparel was considered part of your assets therefore worth money to help pay back creditors.

Annie

[tropicalj]

Hello  there

When  the baliffs  were sent  in they  would  take everything  including clothing,  I  don't reall  there was anything  to  suggest that the clothing  was in  one  place or another/  Had  it been  in  the  home  when  the baliffs came  it  would  have been confiscated  and  then  perhaps  if  it was amongst  the "stolen loot"  once again  it would have been confiscated.  700 pounds in  those days was a  considerable debt,  he must have had  charm  this William Heasman, even though  he was a bounder and a scoundrel to boot

People  were left with  just  the  clothes  they  had  on  indeed  the outer clothing such  as a  coat etc  could also be taken  to  met  the debt.!

Annie  did  this  letter  indicate where Jane and  the children  were  living?

kind regards Jenn