View Full Version : Joseph Backler convict
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 09:24
I am hoping that the forum may be able to find more about the early history of Joseph Backler who was an early convict artist. He painted an early photo of my home town in either 1860 or 1878. In the Australian Dictionary of Biography (2005) his entry starts as follows:
"Joseph Backler (1813?-1895), convict artist and portrait painter, was born probably in 1813 in London, son of Joseph Backler, painter on glass, and his wife Jane, née Cowie. Convicted in 1831 for uttering forged cheques, the 18-year-old, who seemed to The Times 'a highly respectable young man', was sentenced to death, later commuted to transportation for life."
I would like to either prove or disprove the above entry. Many thanks. Julie
The parents married at St Marylebone 1 Feb 1810 by licence.
A dau, Jane Cowie Backler, bap 1811 St Marylebone.
(if you need all the exact details for anything, just shout)
Hmm, a dau Sarah Cowie Mitchell Backler bap St Marylebone, but not until 1823.
Must surely be more in between! lol
1831 Joseph Backler tried at the Old Bailey for uttering a forged order for the payment of money.
The page refuses to open for me, but when on the prison hulk, 'Hardy' his age was given as 18 (so 1813)
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 09:45
From the Old Bailey website:
"First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice James Parke .
1199. JOSEPH BACKLER was indicted for that he, on the 24th of May , at St. Anne, within the Liberty of Westminster, feloniously did forge a certain order for payment of money , which is as follows: that is to say -No. 24.
No. 43, Lothbury, London, May 24. 1831.
Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co., pay to - Newman, Esq. or bearer, Ten Pounds.
L 10. G. ANDREWS. with intent to defraud Thomas Blackwell and another.
2nd COUNT, for uttering the said forged order for payment of money, knowing it to be forged, with a like intent.
3rd COUNT, the same as the first, only stating the intent to be to defraud Samuel Jones, Loyd , and others.
4th COUNT, the same as the second, only stating the intent to be to defraud Samuel Jones , Loyd, and others.
THOMAS BLACKWELL. I am an oilman , and live in King-street,. Soho. On the 24th of May the prisoner came to my shop, and said he came for change for a 10l. cheque for Mr. Newman, of Soho-square; he told me who it was for without asking - he gave me the cheque; I looked at it, and told him I did not know him, but called my young man, who was gone down to dinner - I had possession of the cheque, crossed it with the name of Drummond, and told my young man, in his presence, to go up to Mr. Newman's with him; I apologised for sending him there, but
See original Click to see original
said I did not know him - he went out with my young man, who returned with him in about a quarter of an hour, and said, in his presence, that he had been with him to Soho-square, and that when he got there he would not go in- I then went to Mr. Newman's myself, leaving the prisoner in the counting-house; I locked one door, and told my young man to take care he did not go away - I went up to Mr. Newman's, and in consequence of what I heard there, the prisoner was detained, and given in custody; I have the cheque (producing it) - Mr. Newman's name is written on the back, and when the prisoner presented it he said Mr. Newman had backed it - he said he lived with Mr. Newman then, and had lived with him for three weeks.
CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON . I am clerk to Mr. Newman. I know nothing of the prisoner - he was never in Mr. Newman's service; I have been in his service about twenty years altogether, and am so now - I was so on the 24th of May, and for some time before; Mr. Newman was in town at that time: (looking at the cheque) this endorsement is not his hand-writing - he is out of town now.
GEORGE KERBEY . I am clerk to Messrs. Samuel Jones , Loyd. and Co., bankers, of No. 43. Lothbury - there are four partners; no person of the name of George Andrews keeps cash at our house, nor any person named Andrews whose Christian name begins with the letter G. - (looking at the cheque) we have no customer of this name - no person is authorised to draw cheques on us in this name.
THOMAS BLACKWELL re-examined. Q.Did you inquire of the prisoner who Andrews was? A. I asked him if he knew the parties; I asked him if he knew who Andrews was - he said he did not - I do not know whether this was before I went to Mr. Newman's; I have a partner, and carry on business with him at the shop where this cheque was presented - my shop is in Middlesex.(Cheque read, see indictment.)
GUILTY on the 2nd Count only. - DEATH . Aged 18.[July 2.]
Reference Number: t18310630-11
1200. JOSEPH BACKLER was again indicted for that he, on the 13th of April , at St. Luke, Chelsea, feloniously did forge a certain order for payment of money , which is as follows: that is to say -No. 24.
No. 43, Lothbury, London, April 13. 1831.
Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co., pay to Dr. Lauder, or bearer, Five Pounds.
£5. G. ANDREWS. with intent to defraud Eden Bowler ; against the Statute.
2nd COUNT, for uttering the said forged order, knowing it to be forged, with a like intent.
3rd COUNT, the same as the first, only stating the intent to be to defraud Samuel Jones, Loyd , and others.
4th COUNT, for uttering the said forged order, well knowing it to have been forged, with intent to defraud Samuel Jones , Loyd, and others.
EDEN BOWLER . I keep a shop at No. 197, Sloane-street, Chelsea. About the 13th of April the prisoner came to my shop with this cheque; he asked me for change for a 5l. cheque for Dr. Lauder opposite - Dr. Lander lives at No. 22, opposite to me; I asked him no questions about it, nor about Andrews the drawer, as I turned it over, and saw Dr. Lauder's name endorsed - I received the cheque from him; this is it, I gave him five sovereigns for it - I saw him again when he was in custody at Marlborough-street.
WILLIAM PRESTON LAUDER . I live at No. 22, Sloane-street. I did not send the prisoner to get change for this cheque; I never saw him before he was in custody.
GEORGE KERBEY . I am clerk to Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co. No person named Andrews keeps cash with them - this cheque is signed more like G. Andrews than E.; no person of that Christian name keeps cash at our house, nor is any person of that name authorised to draw cheques on our house.(Cheque read, see indictment.)
GUILTY on the 2nd and 4th Counts. - DEATH . Aged 18.
Recommended to Mercy by the Prosecutor.[July 2]"
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 09:47
Thanks Merry. It is his baptism that I would like to find to prove that he belongs to those parents. I would also like to trace his family back further. I am interested to know if his ancestry is from a long line of Londoners or does he have a rural or foreign background.
Thanks Julie
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 09:51
Thanks Liza. That is great to have that proper record.
Interestingly I had dinner with a lawyer who was talking about the law under which Joseph was charged. He teaches law and was saying to his students that if they pass an exam using someone else's work, they could be charged under the same law lol
A dau, Jane Cowie Backler, bap 1811 St Marylebone.
(if you need all the exact details for anything, just shout)
Hmm....moved to Scotland?
Name: Jane Cowie Backler
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 10 Sep 1833
Marriage Place: Kilmarnock,Ayr,Scotland
Spouse: John Brown
FHL Film Number: 1041387, 1041388
Nice helpful new surname! lol
Another Backler in Scotland in 1841:
Hannah Backler
b abt 1821 England St Ninians Stirlingshire
Hmm, a dau Sarah Cowie Mitchell Backler bap St Marylebone, but not until 1823.
Must surely be more in between! lol
Buried aged 7 months at Bunhill Fields, from Newman St Oxford St:
Sarah Mitchell Corvie Backler b abt 1823 Burial Mar 1824 London, Middlesex, England
I wondered is 24 May 1813 was his date of baptism rather than dob (as appears on Wikipedia) but I couldn't find anything on Ancestry using that date.
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 10:33
Many thanks Merry. I think the records are probably on the LMA and I haven't been able to find them.
Regarding the surname I have found Backlers at Blackfriars with a father Sotherton children baptised 1778 to 1780 (3) to a wife Frances and then from 1786 to 1798 (8) with Hannah on F. So Backler seems to be a London name. I did see a tree on Ancestry with a strange name I must go and have another look and see if it could have been Sotherton.
The Times 20 Mar 1820
On the 16th instant, Mary Cowie, second daughter of Mr. Joseph Backler, of Newman-street, aged 5 years and 9 months- "For of such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Morning Post June 1814
On the 13th inst. Mrs. Joseph Backler, of Newman-street, of a daughter.
Joseph sr is mentioned in the papers at Newman St up until 1823 when he was made bankrupt.
I can't see any other birth or death notices. You would think his (likely) first son would have had a mention?
The Times 20 Mar 1820
On the 16th instant, Mary Cowie, second daughter of Mr. Joseph Backler, of Newman-street, aged 5 years and 9 months- "For of such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Ancestry's effort:
Mary Cowie Buckler of Newman St
b abt 1815 Burial Mar 1820 London, Middlesex, England
I can't see a baptism for this Mary.
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:18
Merry a tree on Ancestry has his baptism 24/5/1813 at London parents Joseph and Jane but it doesn't give a place. It does give Joseph sen actual baptism record from LMA and transcribes his father as Antherton. This is actually Sotherton, which were the records I found. When you google Sotherton Backler it brings up very interesting information on a Blog including: "Sotherton Backler, Clerk to the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, married twice, first to Frances Harris on 11 February 1777, at St Mary’s Stoke Newington (the old St Mary’s). Sotherton then married Hannah Osborne (c. 1763 – 1803) on 3 October 1782, in Bocking Essex" blog also has "Joseph Backler – christened January 1788, died 1848. A famous artist in stained glass, whose son Joseph became a noted convict artist in Australia. Joseph married Jane Cowie."
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:22
Ooh I don't think the vicar would have been impressed
"Early uses of the ‘Backler’ name are found clustered in parts of East Anglia.
One branch of this family – the descendants of Samuel Backler, Vicar of Ashwell Herts, who died in Ashwell in 1720, his birth date suspected to be 1662, but that is unconfirmed.
Notable among his descendants are the five Backlers named ‘Sotherton’, two of whom were apothecaries, one a 19th century vicar, and two who did not survive childhood."
I wonder where the name Sotherton came from? Possibly a wife's surname?
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:28
It is interesting that Joseph sen is bankrupt in 1823 which would be when Joseph jnr is 10. It does make it more understandable the reason why he stole if the family were really struggling. It appears that Joseph Sen didn't die until 1848, can you find Joseph Sen in the 1841 Census please?
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 11:39
Aldersgate Street, St Botolph Aldersgate, London
First name(s) Joseph
Last name Buckler
Gender Male
Age 52
Birth year 1789
Birth county Middlesex
Birth county as transcribed MIDDLESEX
Birth place (other) England
Street Aldersgate Street
Parish or township St Botolph Aldersgate
City or borough London
Town -
County Middlesex
Country England
Registration district London, East
Archive reference HO107
Piece number 724
Book number 11
Folio number 14
Page number 26
He was a glass painter and his wife was SARAH. Another marriage?
He is written and transcribed as "Buckler".
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:41
On Ancestry in 1841 I found a Hannah at Sir Robert Geffery's Hospital, or Alms Houses (Shoreditch)? age 60 a pensioner. I wonder who she was and where she was getting a pension from? Possibly Joseph snr sister.
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 11:44
Joseph's death:
Name: Joseph Backler
Record Type: Burial
Age: 58
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1790
Death Date: abt 1848
Burial Date: 18 Jan 1848
Burial Place: Saint Marylebone, England
Parish or Poor Law Union: Saint Marylebone
Borough: Westminster
Register Type: Parish Register
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:44
Oh thanks Liza .. right age and occupation. Definitely sounds like a 2nd marriage.
Pleased that he wasn't in the alms house. I wonder if any of his paintings survive?
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 11:46
Oh you are doing well. I caught the train from Marylebone out to Bucks. Must go now. Many thanks so chuffed with all this extra information to go with the painting.
On Ancestry in 1841 I found a Hannah at Sir Robert Geffery's Hospital, or Alms Houses (Shoreditch)? age 60 a pensioner. I wonder who she was and where she was getting a pension from? Possibly Joseph snr sister.
Lovely, civilised almshouses: I've been there. Google Geffrye Museum.
christened January 1788, died 1848
I saw the burial for him (couldn't find one for Jane). Couldn't find Joseph on the 1841 census, but I didn't do an address search, so will do that now.
Found this reference in the Morning Chronicle from 1 January 1831:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000082%2f18310101%2f012
In summary, a man named Stephen Hudson was charged with stealing a model of stained glass window for St James's Church, the property of Mr Backler, an artist. Further investigations revealed that the model ended up with Mr Joseph Backler, son of the prosecutor. Mr Backler senior, who had exhibited in Bond Street, had taken eight months to make the model. In the circumstances, he concluded that he would charge his son with robbery.
I looked through the pages for Middleton's Buildings in Marylebone, but no sign of Jos sr. The writing did get progressively fainter and fainter though!
Aldersgate Street, St Botolph Aldersgate, London
First name(s) Joseph
Last name Buckler
Gender Male
Age 52
Birth year 1789
Birth county Middlesex
Birth county as transcribed MIDDLESEX
Birth place (other) England
Street Aldersgate Street
Parish or township St Botolph Aldersgate
City or borough London
Town -
County Middlesex
Country England
Registration district London, East
Archive reference HO107
Piece number 724
Book number 11
Folio number 14
Page number 26
He was a glass painter and his wife was SARAH. Another marriage?
He is written and transcribed as "Buckler".
lol there are a lot more posts on this thread than I thought!
Looking at this newspaper report:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000183%2f18310602%2f020
It mentions that young Joseph has previously been charged with stealing a valuable stained glass model of the transfiguration. It then mentions he obtained his father's cheque book and it was with his father's cheque book he defrauded people.
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 12:19
I looked through the pages for Middleton's Buildings in Marylebone, but no sign of Jos sr. The writing did get progressively fainter and fainter though!
What are you looking for, Merry? The 1841 Census? Or something else?
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbc%2f1841%2f0724%2f0368&parentid=gbc%2f1841%2f0008003383
Joseph and Sarah are at the bottom on the right.
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 12:20
We cross-posted, Merry!
ElizabethHerts
06-01-15, 12:23
It's pretty horrid when a son steals from his own father like that. Especially as he was stealing items which gave his father his living.
Reference to Joseph Backler senior in this book - referred to as a genius!
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000183%2f18310602%2f020
Found this reference in the Morning Chronicle from 1 January 1831:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000082%2f18310101%2f012
In summary, a man named Stephen Hudson was charged with stealing a model of stained glass window for St James's Church, the property of Mr Backler, an artist. Further investigations revealed that the model ended up with Mr Joseph Backler, son of the prosecutor. Mr Backler senior, who had exhibited in Bond Street, had taken eight months to make the model. In the circumstances, he concluded that he would charge his son with robbery.
The church in question is St James, Piccadilly, designed by Wren. Seems that stained glass painting was lucrative.
'In 1810 several 'respectable' inhabitants suggested that the east window should be filled with painted or stained glass. The vestry did not object, provided it was paid for by voluntary subscription, but only sufficient funds to pay for the upper part of the window were promised. The subject chosen was the 'whole History of the Transfiguration', and in 1813 Joseph Backler agreed to execute the work and fix ground glass in the lower part of the window for a sum of not more than £1250, or to complete the whole window for £2000, subject to the satisfaction of Benjamin West and Thomas Hardwick.
Joseph Backler senior had a partnership with William Silk dissolved in 1812.
tenterfieldjulie
06-01-15, 19:35
Thank you very much everyone. It certainly makes interesting reading in many counts.
By the sound of it Joseph Jnr was very well trained in the art of fraud. It certainly doesn't sound like he learnt it from his father. It make you wonder who taught him. It is not like he was stealing food/clothing.
Hi. I am not sure if you want more information about the Backlers. I am the author of the blog on Sotherton Backlers and descendants. Let me know if you want to pursue them further.
Barbara
tenterfieldjulie
29-04-16, 22:19
Hi Barbara, Many thanks for picking up this research. I am a little rusty, as it seems quite a while since I was researching Joseph and his family, because of his painting of Tenterfield.
I put a tree together because they are such an interesting family. By my findings I traced Joseph back through Joseph who married Jane Cowie; Sotherton and his 2nd wife Hannah Osborne; Sotherton and Ann Ashley (and didn't they have fascinating names for their children); then Samuell and Mary Howard and finally Samuell and Ann Ede.
Over our winter I hope to put together a proper story of the Backlers and would love to have a look at your blog if you don't mind. Many thanks. Julie
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