I am looking any information about MANNERS families in these areas. In particular the following letters are about a girl Harriet born about 1813 who was sent to Tasmania as a convict in 1830. Please contact me for more information. The following are letters petetioning against her transportation. Her parents may be Richard and Elizabeth living at Horsted Keynes.
Chailey Jan 14 1831
Gentlemen
I am sorry to be under the painful necessity of troubling you respecting the unfortunate girl Harriet Manners who lived under my roof with my wife and she during the twelve months servitude (unclear) her to be a good industrious steady honest girl . Had I been aware of the trial coming on at so early a period I should have attended on her behalf but the poor girl was taken and tried without a single individual that was concerned for her knowing it not out of any disrespect but entire omission. I hope and pray that every (unclear) that can be shown will be for sake of the poor mother who has had a large family and is a very deserving woman.
And your petitioner as in Duty Bound will ever pray
Stephen Brown
Farmer Chailey
The late master of the unfortunate
The father of Harriet Manners is a very hard-working man and has a large & industrious family – He has been employed by me for three years , and I beg to recommend his daughter’s situation to (unclear) consideration
Thos Sm John
General Magistrate for Sussex
To Sr John Shelley Lewes 18th Jan 1831
Being so well convinced of your disposition to serve your fuller (unclear) induces me again to solicit your interference with the Sectry of State. Why I take it up is not on account of any knowledge of the unfortunate girl, but knowing her friends, who are distastefully distressed. The sister of the girl lives in my family as cook, and been these 3 years or nearly so. I have always found her everything we could wish as a servant, and her anguish of mind this poor creature has been in, since the conviction of her sister is not to be (unclear). All is wished is a commutation of her punishment. She is but a child only 15, and to be sent away for life is a heavy punishment. Her crime was in robbing her mistress of some clothes, had only been in her service for three weeks, but unfortunately got inticed by a girl she knew who was on the farm, and wore her clothes, her trial as you will see by the inclosed came on the first day, the parties were here in the morn, and were told it would not come on session Wednesday, consequently they were all gone home – you see what is said of her before she went to her last place the girl as committed, you will also see the character of the parents by Gent. St. Johns, and could it be
Commuted to punishment for a little period, or sent to penitentiary it would indeed be relief to her situations (unclear) and I think be the means of restoring the poor girl to her parents (next few words unclear)
Yrs very respectfully
Thos Hiller
