Indictments for James Coulling and others 2 Apr 1836, Taunton, Somerset trial  ¹ 

SOMERSET. The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath present that James Coulling late of Bath in the County of Somerset Labourer Joseph Henry Targett late of the same place Labourer and James Brown late of the same place Labourer on the Sixteenth — day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and Thirty Six with force and arms at Bath aforesaid in the said County in and upon one George Cooper in the peace of God and our said Lord the King then and there being feloniously did make an assault and him the said George Cooper in Corporal fear and danger of his life then and there feloniously did put and divers pieces of the current silver coin of this Realm to wit Four half crowns of the value of Two shillings and Six pence each and Five shillings of the value of Twelve pence each of the monies of the said George Cooper from the person and against the will of the said George Cooper then and there violently and feloniously did steal take and carry away Against the peace of our said lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

2nd Count
And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said James Coulling Joseph Henry Targett and James Brown on the same day and in the year aforesaid with force and arms at Bath aforesaid in the said County did accuse the said George Cooper of a certain infamous Crime to wit an assault with Intent to commit the abominable crime of Buggery with mankind that is to say with the said James Coulling with a view and intent then and there to extort and gain money from him the said George Cooper and that they the said James Coulling Joseph Henry Targett and James Brown did then and there by intimidating him the said George Cooper by such accusation and threat extort and gain from him certain money to wit divers pieces of the current silver coin of this Realm to wit Four half Crowns of the value of Two shillings and six pence each and Five shillings of the value of Twelve pence each of the monies of the said George Cooper and thereby did then and there feloniously rob the said George Cooper of the said monies against the form ofthe Statute in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

3rd Count
And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said James Coulling Joseph Henry Targett and James Brown on the same day and in the year aforesaid with force and arms at Bath aforesaid in the said County feloniously did rob the said George Cooper of Four half crowns of the value of Two shillings and Six pence each and Five shillings of the value of Twelve pence each the same being then and there the monies of the said George Cooper Against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.
[Signed] Gurney

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Petition for Clemency  ² 

11 March 34

    James Cooling’s brother lived in my service between two or three years and James Cooling during this period has been in the habit of waiting at my home up to this time and I consider him an honest trust worthy person.
[Signed] J Moreland, 2 Cavendish Court.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To the Right Honourable Lord John Russell Secretary of State for the Home Department

Petition in behalf of James Cooling now in Ilchester Gaol

    James Cooling against whom sentence of death was recorded at the last Somerset Assizes – having lived in the Service of the families whose names are annexed on the other side – and having at that period borne a good character – his parents also being respectable. The undersigned venture to hope that the extreme sentence of the law “Transportation for Life” may not be carried into effect- under the impression that a less severe punishment may be the means of reclaiming him from vice and that after having been for a time removed from the contagion of evil associates, he may become a reformed character.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    James Cooling lived in my Service as Footman in 1830 and 1831. I always found him perfectly honest – and a good Servant.
[Signed] JA Savage, 1 Widecombe Crescent, Bath, May 5th 1836
[Signed] MA Barlow, Sydney Place.
[Signed] Jno Armstrong, Cavendish Place.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We the undersigned have known James Coulling for a length of time to be a Sober honest and Industrious Man to the time of the unfortunate event and Praying a Mitigation of his Sentence

Names	Occupation
Jno Steager	Shoemaker
John Starks	Gardenr
Thos Hulbert	Painter
William Reece	Grocer
Richd Betteson	Brewer
Joseph Dunzey	Tailor
Samuel (Hucker ?)	Labourer
J (?)	Laberer
J Newman	Labour
T Pounsett	Gardenr
Samuel Clark	Hair Dresser
Stephen Clark	Tailor
John Payne	Lodgeing House Keeper
Charles Sumsion	Stone Engraver
Robert Bosley	Plasterer &c
Thomas Miles	Grocer
Henry Edwards	Brewer
Samuel Beavis	Bucher
John Sumsion	(?)
William Morris	Servant
Thomas (?)	Mason
Thomas (Dawlins ?)	Labourer

 

[On the cover is the following]

Hw 4
James Coulling 29
Somerset Lent Assizes
Taunton April 1836

Accusing in person with having committed an unnatural crime with intent to extort money.

Sentence Commuted to Transportation for Life.
Gaol (Repton ?) – (Charlton ?) (?)
(?) to the York
Nil

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hulk Registers, Sep 1836 ³ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

York Hulk Registers, Sep 1836 ⁴ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Bath and Devizes Guardian, Sat 9 Apr 1836  ⁵ 

THURSDAY

    Mr Sergeant Wilde commenced trying the prisoners in the Grand Jury Room this morning.
…
    James Cooling, JH Targett, and James Brown, were prosecuted at the instance of George Cooper, a servant out of place, for conspiring to extort money by accusing him of a nameless offence, in Bath, in January last. The particulars of the case appeared in the Bath papers when the parties were taken into custody and examined before the magistrates. The trial lasted from one till eight in the evening, when Cowling was found guilty, and the other prisoners were acquitted.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

The Taunton Courier, Sat 16 Apr 1836  ⁶ 

THURSDAY, APRIL 7

    Mr Serg. Wylde commenced trying the prisoners in the Grant-Jury-Room.
…
    JH Targett, James Cowling and James Brown, were indicted for assaulting and robbing George Cooper of four half-crowns and five shillings, and also of accusing him with having committed an abominable offence with intent to extort money. The Jury found Cowling “guilty”, and acquitted the other prisoners.– The details ofthese cases are not fit for publication.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Norfolk (5) muster  ⁷  reveals that James Coulling a native of Surrey, UK, aged 27, an in-door servant, protestant, could read and write, with single status who was 5' 7¼" tall with a sallow complexion, brown hair and eyes and wanting a canine tooth left side upper jaw, small mole inside lower left arm, three small scars forefinger of left hand, brown scar left shin, was tried and convicted at Somerset assizes, on 2 April 1836, for three charges including an unnatural crime.  ⁸  He was sentenced  ⁹  for life to the Colony of NSW.

    Coulling’s ticket of leave No. 45/561, ¹⁰  dated 18th March 1845 states he is allowed to remain in the District of Maitland, on recommendation of HP Barracks Bench, dated November 1844. There is an handwritten note across the ticket stating: ‘Ticket turn up Coulling having obtained aforesaid Pardon No. 49/1317, dated 20 September 1849.’

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Morning Chronicle, Wed 26 Mar 1845  ¹¹ 

TICKETS OF LEAVE GRANTED.

    The undermentioned Prisoners of the Crown have obtained Tickets of Leave since the last day of publication, vis:—
…

COUNTY OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

…
    Maitland—
…
    Coulling James Norfolk (5);

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Sat 27 Oct 1849 ¹² 

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

————
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1849.
———

…

Conditional Pardons.

    His Excellency the Governor has directed it to be notified, that her Majesty has been graciously pleased to authorise the issue of pardons to the undermentioned persons, on condition that during the remainder of the term of their respective sentences, they do not return to the countries or colonies from which they were respectively transported, as hereunder more particularly specified.

DATED 20TH SEPTEMBER, 1849.

    Pardons available everywhere, save in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
…
    James Coulling, Norfolk (5)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James Coulling NSW Marriage Certificate, 13 Jan 1852 ¹³ 

New South Wales
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995
Church of England
MARRIAGES

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James Coulling NSW Death Certificate, 12 Apr 1882 ¹⁴