Lot 3906

Description

Island of Van Diemen's Land, 4-page plain paper document (20x32cm), the paper with a rampant lion watermark, being a handwritten sworn statement made on 19 February 1838 by Constable James Donnelly regarding a charge he made against Constable Jonathon Howarth for being absent on several occasions from muster and other locations; also an identical type of document but with watermark 'W Fincher/1836', being a 2-page supporting statement made by Constable John Allsworth. Both with folds and the first with an edge split, some loss of paper at edges, pin holes at top left corner, ink faded with age, some foxing, otherwise very good. (2)

Note: The magistrate sentenced Howarth to seven days solitary confinement on bread and water.

On 1 May 1837 John Allsworth was appointed as one of two constables to work with the NSW Constabulary, operating from the Port Phillip, then a district of NSW, to identify or detect runaways from Van Diemen's Land as they knew all the prisoners. Allsworth was the holder of a conditional pardon and the question arose as to whether he could work outside of Van Diemen's Land. Ultimately it was ruled that the pardon would continue to be operational, however in 1838 he resigned his posting and returned to policing duties in Van Diemen's Land.