EXETER SESSION: DEVONSHIRE - Two weeks later - 17th March 1788;
Calendar of Prisoners;
Susannah Mortimore - Committed by T. Reynolds, gent, coroner, for poisoning her husband, William Mortimore.
Susannah Mortimore - Committed by G. Cooke, clerk, etc, for stealing a sheep and a lamb, property of Elias Langdon.
Devon Quarter Sessions - Lent 1788 [DRO - QS34/6627Z/Z/1] - Transcribed by Brian Brassett
The Original Documents were subsequently ordered from the National Archives, Surrey;
-MURDER: Several descendants online imply this woman was aged in her fifties whereas Susannah Mortimore, indicted for sheep stealing, has been
proven to have been aged only twenty-eight at this time, although no documentation or source proving the alleged
age of the former Susannah Mortimore was submitted or has been found so far.
However there is a tenuous thread, which may indicate that this hypothesis may have been correct [see Bere Ferres].
TRIAL DOCUMENT:
Accused:
Susannah Mortimore - is not mentioned in any subsequent news items relating to these Assizes.
Joseph Wales [at large] - not found mentioned anywhere in subsequent documents or news articles.
He appears to have absconded and was still at large during the Trial.
He may have subsequently changed his name and/or identity.
Witnesses [for the Crown];
John Browning - several possible entries at TNA, one has him settling at Bere Ferres, Devon in 1764.
A few later entries post 1789 at other nearby areas in Devon.
Thomas Clark - Nothing confident.
Thomas Bradall - was the nephew of Lord Fairfax.
He was a Surgeon of Tavistock, Devon, aged in his mid thirties at this time.
Abraham Freeman Dennis - was a Surgeon, he was later appointed Surgeon of the Tavistock Corps of
Military Volunteers 20/11/1796. Would assume he was also of Tavistock.
Richard Lucas - may be the same Richard Lucas who died Testate of Bere Ferres, Devon in 1813.
Jane Blatchford - No information.
Susanna Paloy - No information.
Jane Ferze - may be the same who petitioned a Bastardy Order at Bere Ferres, Devon in 1788.
James Williams - No information.
Joan Philip - No information.
Thomas Polmear - No information.
It would be reasonable to assume that such a large Trial would have been published in the newspapers in England, picked up by
London Papers and/or in other counties, but none have been found so far.
There was no mention of this Murder Trial in the several news articles published for this Assizes
[See Newspaper Clippings for Devon Assizes 1788 further below].
Bere Ferres, Devon: Nine miles S of Tavistock [24 miles SW of Drewsteignton, Devon]
Possible evidence that this Susannah Mortimore was acquitted is found in a Document at the National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
Three months after the above Trial a Susannah Mortimore, widow of William Mortimore formerly of Drewsteignton
applied to the Bere Ferres Poor House for refuge for herself and her two young children.
This William Mortimore was indexed at TNA employing several apprentices from 1767-1787 and appears to have been
born into a moderately wealthy lineage. Records kept at the Devon Record Office: Ref: 1237A/PO21/57 - 1788.
Several early surviving Wills for this family were found in the Devon Wills Online.
- SHEEP THEFT: On the same day and venue as the above Murder Trial
It is assumed that a second Susannah Mortimore faced the same Judges;
- TRIAL DOCUMENTS: Heading I Section II
  Click on images to Enlarge
Section III Section IV
 
Accused: Susannah Mortimore
John Rice - was very likely the same man who married Susannah Brittain [aka Britton] the daughter
of John Britton at Morten Hampstead, Devon on the 16th February 1786.
There are several possible baptisms for John Rice at Devonshire, the closest match, possibly
baptised at Chagford in 1768 making him a newly wed, aged around twenty-one at the Trial.
He was transport on the 2nd Fleet to Sydney Cove per the infamous 'Surprise'.
John Rice did not survive the voyage.
Charges: Stealing one lamb [?] 5/- and one welter sheep [?] 12/- the property of Elias Langdon at Parish
of Morton Hampstead on 1st August last and for stealing a lamb the goods of persons unknown - Guilty.
Sentence: To be Hanged - later commuted to Transportation for seven years.
Witnesses for the Crown: Elias Langdon - Elias Langdon was around three years older than Susannah.
He was baptised at Moredon Hampstead 2nd June 1757* son of William and his wife Mary.
He never married.
Three months after Susannah arrived in the Colony, Elias Langdon was killed as a result of
injuries inflicted when thrown from his horse in October 1790.
He was buried at St. Andrew's Moreton Hampstead aged thirty-three.
The details of his death were published Whitehall Evening Post [London]
Thursday, 21st October 1790 Issue 6562;
His Obituary was later published;
"In memory of Mr. Elias Langdon" ob. 13 Oct: 1790 Aetet. Ann. aged 33 [yrs].
Jane Cummins - No Information found.
'Letter' mentioned: Section III - Nearly all those persons reprieved of the Death Sentence had the same mention of a 'Letter'
against their names. No other details were given.
- NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: Re Lent Assizes Devon - Death Sentence;
NOTE: None of the four Newspaper Articles mention the prior Trial for the Murder of William Mortimore.
Whitehall Evening Post [London] Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser Bath Chronicle [Somerset]
March 29, 1788 - Issue 6378 Fri. March 28, 1788 - Issue: 5892; Thursday, 3rd April 1788
Section I
  Same article as Whitehall Post [far left].
Section II
Section III
Exeter Flying Post dated 27th March 1788 - Kindly submitted by Lynn Pilbury.
'Saturday Last ended the Assizes for the county of Devon, when William SMITH and John RICHARDS, for the murder of
Mr Phillip SMITH between Plymouth and Dock, recived sentence of death. and their bodies to be hung in chains near the spot.
George, William, and Peter SALTER and Daniel GOSLING for the murder of two excise officers also received sentence of death
and their bodies to be anatomized. James DAWE for stealing a lamb, Thomas LANE for stealing a cow, John KESWELL for
housebreaking, Peter LOOSEMOOR for stealing a bullock, William DELBRIDGE for sheep stealing, John COX for
housebreaking, Dennis CONNOR and James STICKE for highway robbery, Nick HINE for stealing a watch, and
Elizabeth STATTON-LETHERBY for house breaking, and J. RICE and Susannah MORTIMORE for sheep stealing,
all received sentence of death. Thomas LUXON and William PARSONS for divers thieveries, and John ROWE and
Abraham PLIMSOLE for horse stealing to be transported for seven years. John MABYN for stealing a cow, to be imprisoned one year,
and whipt, Nicholas COOK for stealing wheat to be imprisoned three months and whipt. George POLLEY and John BASSETT for
having Kings Stores in their custody, to be imprisoned six weeks and whip at Dock. Edward COOMBE for thievery to be imprisoned
six months,
Thomas ELLIOT for thievery, to be whipt, and 13 were acquitted.
Source: WestCounty Studies Library, City of Exeter.
REPRIEVES - NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Re Lent Assizes Devon;
Extract: Whitehall Evening Post: Saturday, March 29 1788 - Issue 6378 *;
 |
UPDATED FEBRUARY 2011
Susannah Mortimer
[1760-1846]
Convict, of Norfolk Island, Australia, believed formerly of Devonshire or Hampshire, England.
For information relating to Susannah's marriage to Thomas O'Brien see this Series - Part III - Thomas O'Brian & Susannah Mortimore
ENGLAND RECORDS
NOTE RE. UPDATES:
For those readers familiar with Susannah's life, considering that she was aged twenty-eight when transported,
it is very likely at this stage in her life that she may have been married in any case.
Nonetheless, several LDS Parish Films and other material have been transcribed on the premise that she may
have been unmarried considering the recent evidence relating to 'Nathaniel Mortimore' who was living with and
provided for by Susannah and her family at Glenorchy for twelve years from 1834-1846.
