The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-07-11 00:00:00

A CONVICT'S STORY.

In the appendix to the 29th report on public
i;
petitions, just issued, there appears "The humble pe-
Winn of John Parsons, a rancid, No. 3,042, under
sentence in Pentonrille Prison," which was presented in !
the House by Mr. Denman. The story is as follows
When nineteen years old, on the 20th day of October, 1651,
he was sentenced at the Birmingham Quarter Sessions to
fifteen years' transportation for housebrisking. He served
the first portion of the term in goal in England, and in
March, 1557, was Han qmrted to the convict settlement in
Western Australia, wh ,re he served four years and a half in
the convict prison. lie then received a ticket-of-lease and
worked as servant to the brother of Colonel Henderson, the
commandant of the prison, for two years and a half, and
then left with a certificate for goml conduct, and obtained a
pardon for the remainder of his term. Afterwards he lost
the document granting his pardon, but he believed that it
contained a condition that lie might go to any part of her
Majesty's dominions, except to the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, until the expiration of the
term of his sentence. Being desirous of remaining in
Australia, he went to Adelaide, where he was, immediately
on his arrival recognised by the police as a pardoned COI,
yid, and taken before a bench of magistrates, who told him
that he must leave Adelaide in seven days, or they would
send him to prison for three yews. He produced to them
his pardon, and was told by one of the magistrates that it
was of no use to him there ; that he must go back to
England ; and that if be wanted the means to do so he
should be supplied with them. Not wishing to infringe the
terms of his pardon, he applied to a captain to be carried to
Melbourne ; but the captain declined, on the ground that if
he took prisoner he would be liable to a penalty of £lOO.
Before the seven days had elapsed, and to avoid the
threatened imprisonmeht, he embarked in a vessel hound for
Singapore. There, on landing, he woo told by the police
that, being a discharged convict, he had no right to come. Ile
produced his pardon, but was told they did not care for
that, and that be could not remain. Theremimi he hired
himself to a Dutch vessel, called the role ohm, bound for
London, at which port he arrived in March, bis 3. lie
returned to Birmingham, where he resided about nine
month., was recognised by the police, who knew that the '
tens of his sentence had not expired, but that he had received
a conditional pardon. Then lie went from Birmingham to
reside in Worcester with his wife, and on the third of
February. 1564, was arrested there on a charge of being
illegally at large. Ile was committed for trial without bail,
! hnuid guilty before the Hon. Baron Pigott, at the ensuing
, Worcester Lent Assizes, and at the following assizes was
bronght up for judgment before the lion. Mr. Justice
Keating, and was sentenced to five years' penal servitude.
r His solicitor had since memorialise •t Mr. Secretary Walpole
without success, mid he now prayed the House to take the
case of the unfortunate convict into consideration.