Lot 185

Description

Convict love token, 'T J./E A' inside a heart with wreath below with diamond shaped leaves, engraved on a shaved down George III cartwheel penny, reverse features an engraved diamond shape in centre and above a crude spray featuring one diamond shaped leaf at the ends and two other smaller diamond shapes near top edge, in the centre of the large diamond is engraved, 'A/lovers gift' and below this diamond the date, '11 Sep 1828', holed at top. Very fine.

Thomas Jones and Timothy Maloney were indicted for stealing, on the night of 11th of July 1828, one handkerchief to the value of two shillings from the Reverend Thomas Hatch in Regent Street, London. Witnesses said the two boys were seen to take the handkerchief but when spotted they dropped it. They ran away but were caught by a watchman after he heard the cry 'Stop thief!'. After a trail at the Old bailey, London's Central Criminal Court on 11 September 1828 they were found guilty and sentenced to 14 years Transportation. Thomas Jones was one of 160 convicts transported on the convict ship Thames and arrived at Van Diemen's Land on 21 November 1829.

With copy of trial proceedings and other documents.