Completed - Convicts of Rowley Regis
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 11:56 pm
Blackcountrymusic.com
Take 1821 for example, there were 95 hangings in this year, but almost double that, were banished from our shores, never to return. Six rogues from Rowley Regis, well known to the Vicar, Rev George Barrs, hatched a plot that eventually, much to his relief, saw them leave the Parish in chains. On 13th April, 1821, in a dark corner of " The Swan Inn ", in Rowley Village, two brothers, Benjamin and Samuel Perry, together with John Priest, John Buff, Israel Jennings, and Ephriam Rollason, were deep in conversation, planning a robbery. The subjects of the robbery, were an elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Downing, who lived on Turners Hill, and were reputed to worth a tidy sum. The demon drink of course, played a large part in this scheme, but when Bejamin Perry said, that if the old man put up a struggle, he would " finish the old miser off ", two of the group refused to take part. Jennings and Buff, fearful of being implecated in the drunken plan, hurried to see the Parish Constable, Samuel Hadley, who was at this time, together with others, guarding a property, Portway Hall, from a similar threat. They all rushed off into the night, in the direction of the Downings' house, just in time to catch Rollason and Priest, making off with some of the stolen booty. Constable Hadley, who knew the Perry brothers well, waited awhile, then at 4am he raided their house in Waterfall Lane All four of them were still in a very drunken state, and it was not long before Hadley had recovered the stolen items from a hedge, not far from the house they had recently robbed. Instead of the rich pickings promised by Benjamin Perry, the haul consisted of, 2 bed sheets, a pair of specs, a Pistol, a pat of butter, a loaf, a bag of flour, some new-laid eggs, and a small joint of beef. ( presumable they were going to make a few good sandwiches ) They were all put into the Lunatics Cell, at Rowley Workhouse, where no doubt, as their brains cleared, they realised it was small reward for what was then, a hanging offence. The local gentry were in no doubt, that an example must be made. Speaking for the others, Benjamin Perry, claimed that he had come across the Pistol, after being in a card game, and knowing that it belonged to Mr Downing, he was merely returning it. Which of course implies, that Perry was at the scene of a previous robbery at the house, and knew full well whose pistol it was. As for the reason they were there at the time, no, the Magistrates didn't believe it either, and finding them guilty, sent them off for trial at the next Staffordshire Assizes. The Rev George Barrs, even managed to get in a quick sermon, as they were being taken away, which must have pleased him greatly. Mr Justice Garrow, and the jury at the Assizes were no more impressed than the Magistrates had been with Perry's explanation, and wasting no time, found them guilty, donned the black cap, and pronounced the death sentence. They were just 4, out of 20 others that day, September 1st, 1821, who received the same fate. Surprisingly, all 20 were later reprieved, and sent off to Australia instead. Obviously, the need for increasing the population of the vast new lands, was of far greater importance. So, if in your records, you have a name that matches those
Take 1821 for example, there were 95 hangings in this year, but almost double that, were banished from our shores, never to return. Six rogues from Rowley Regis, well known to the Vicar, Rev George Barrs, hatched a plot that eventually, much to his relief, saw them leave the Parish in chains. On 13th April, 1821, in a dark corner of " The Swan Inn ", in Rowley Village, two brothers, Benjamin and Samuel Perry, together with John Priest, John Buff, Israel Jennings, and Ephriam Rollason, were deep in conversation, planning a robbery. The subjects of the robbery, were an elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Downing, who lived on Turners Hill, and were reputed to worth a tidy sum. The demon drink of course, played a large part in this scheme, but when Bejamin Perry said, that if the old man put up a struggle, he would " finish the old miser off ", two of the group refused to take part. Jennings and Buff, fearful of being implecated in the drunken plan, hurried to see the Parish Constable, Samuel Hadley, who was at this time, together with others, guarding a property, Portway Hall, from a similar threat. They all rushed off into the night, in the direction of the Downings' house, just in time to catch Rollason and Priest, making off with some of the stolen booty. Constable Hadley, who knew the Perry brothers well, waited awhile, then at 4am he raided their house in Waterfall Lane All four of them were still in a very drunken state, and it was not long before Hadley had recovered the stolen items from a hedge, not far from the house they had recently robbed. Instead of the rich pickings promised by Benjamin Perry, the haul consisted of, 2 bed sheets, a pair of specs, a Pistol, a pat of butter, a loaf, a bag of flour, some new-laid eggs, and a small joint of beef. ( presumable they were going to make a few good sandwiches ) They were all put into the Lunatics Cell, at Rowley Workhouse, where no doubt, as their brains cleared, they realised it was small reward for what was then, a hanging offence. The local gentry were in no doubt, that an example must be made. Speaking for the others, Benjamin Perry, claimed that he had come across the Pistol, after being in a card game, and knowing that it belonged to Mr Downing, he was merely returning it. Which of course implies, that Perry was at the scene of a previous robbery at the house, and knew full well whose pistol it was. As for the reason they were there at the time, no, the Magistrates didn't believe it either, and finding them guilty, sent them off for trial at the next Staffordshire Assizes. The Rev George Barrs, even managed to get in a quick sermon, as they were being taken away, which must have pleased him greatly. Mr Justice Garrow, and the jury at the Assizes were no more impressed than the Magistrates had been with Perry's explanation, and wasting no time, found them guilty, donned the black cap, and pronounced the death sentence. They were just 4, out of 20 others that day, September 1st, 1821, who received the same fate. Surprisingly, all 20 were later reprieved, and sent off to Australia instead. Obviously, the need for increasing the population of the vast new lands, was of far greater importance. So, if in your records, you have a name that matches those