Charles Bradfield, Hardened convict or unfortunate lad?

Charles Bradfield was a young man of 25 when he found himself before the Central County Court in London on a charge of Animal Theft. This was not the first time he had been before the courts, but it was the first time he appeared as the defendant. By various accounts a groom, stable keeper, or butcher he was foraging out a living in the East End of London.

He had previously been involved in a case against James Bailey on the 11th April 1833 who was accused of stealing Bradfield’s horse, he was also accused of stealing a horse from James Hunter. The court found Bailey not guilty of stealing from Bradfield but guilty of stealing from Hunter and he was sentenced to 7 years transportation.[1]

The following year Bradfield brought an assault charge against Thomas Mitchell who he alleged stabbed him with a knife whilst eating breakfast. Reports state that an argument broke out between the men when Mitchell accused Bradfield of “being the cause of him losing his situation”. Various witnesses were called who stated that Bradfield threw the first punches and was quite larger than Mitchell. Bradfield was stabbed in two places on his chest and cut on his thumb and was resting at the Doctor’s house while the court was in session.[2] Again, the court sided against Bradfield. [3]

On the 27th February 1837 Charles was in court answering to a charge of animal theft himself, brought from a Hamilton Gill Esq.[5]  Just after Christmas in 1836, Squire Gill found that his horse was missing. It appears that Charles traded the horse for another but not before clipping it and docking it to disguise the look. Charles argued that he was sold the horse by an acquaintance called Jenkins. The prisoner ran his own defence and asked the witnesses several questions as he tried to establish his innocence. Reported in the press it was noted that “A number of witnesses gave the prisoner an excellent character for honesty, but Mr. Justice Bosanquet having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty[6]. Notes on the file adding that there was “another indictment against the prisoner”. Bradfield was sentenced to transportation for life leaving behind his wife, Esther who was pregnant with their first child.[7]

On the 27th May 1837, Charles departed England for the first and last time on his way to Van Dieman’s Land. He was described as a Butcher’s Groom, 5 feet and 8 inches tall with brown hair and grey eyes, an oval face with medium features.[8] He also had a large scar on the back of his left thumb. While his gaol report was not known, he was listed as “Good” in the Hulk and Surgeon’s report.[9] He was on board the Recovery making its fourth and last trip full of convicts; one of 280 convicts.[10]

Arriving in Van Dieman’s Land, Charles was assigned to Dr Howe and found himself in various spots of bother on charges of being drunk, misconduct and on being in town without his pass. For these charges he suffered mostly by admonishments however for being in town without his pass he was in the stocks for four hours

He then went on to work for Mr Nicholson, however while there had the melancholy task of appearing as a witness to the inquest of his previous master. Dr Howe had become ill over a period of some weeks and Charles was called upon to drive him in his gig to his house. Once reaching the abode, Charles had to carry the poorly Doctor indoors as his breathing was laboured and he could barely walk. Charles advised the hearing that he had “not known Dr Howe to drink to excess within the last three weeks”[11] It was decided the cause of death was apoplexy.

Charles then moved to different masters but continued to find trouble being drunk and absent at various times. While working for Mr Nicholson, his punishment for being absent was the treadwheel. Mr Archer who had little sympathy for Bradfield’s indiscretion was fond of lashes as a punishment.

[12]

On the 18th March 1843, Bradfield was guilty of misconduct in having sheepskins in his possession for which he could not account. By this stage he had found himself in a road gang. In July he found himself transported to Port Arthur for 2 years of hard labour. Unfortunately, Charles did not live out his sentence.

An inquest into his own death found that Charles had died on the 2nd December 1843, “when employed in felling a tree”. Charles left a wife and young daughter behind. In a struggle to provide for his family or eek out a living he found himself on the wrong side of arguments and eventually transported to the other side of the world. Was he a hardened criminal or just someone from the wrong side of the tracks? Did he deserve to find his way to Port Arthur – a place where people knew it as “a living hell that was never more than a magistrate’s hearing away”[13] Who can tell, but he certainly deserves to be remembered.

[1] Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 18 April 2020), April 1833, trial of JAMES BAILEY (t18330411-202).

[2] Sun (London) 4 October 1834,, Findmypast website https://search.findmypast.com.au/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002194%2f18341004%2f023&stringtohighlight=charles%20%20bradfield%20mitchell

[3] Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 18 April 2020), October 1834, trial of THOMAS MITCHELL (t18341016-121).

[5] Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 16 April 2020), February 1837, trial of CHARLES BRADFIELD (t18370227-722).

[6] Globe, 3 March 1837, Findmypast.com.au https://search.findmypast.com.au/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0001652%2f18370303%2f021&stringtohighlight=charles%20%20bradfield

[7] Findmypast.com.au,Baptism record for Annie Bradfield, Baptized 5th November 1837, Parish Baptisms, London, England  https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=R_950009906

[8] Charles Bradfield, Recovery 1837, Description list, Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index, accessed 17 April 2020

[9] Charles Bradfield, Recovery 1837, Conduct record, Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index, accessed 17 April 2020

[10] https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/recovery

[11] Cornwell Chronicle (Launceston, Tas : 1835 – 1880), Saturday 12 September 1840, page 2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66015442

[12] [Port Arthur, Tasmania] : [artist not identified], [Between 1853 and 1856] https://stors.tas.gov.au/144585569

[13] James Boyce, Van Dieman’s Land, Melbourne, Black Inc., 2009, p. 173.