Newspaper help please

[Kit]

My 4g grandfather George Best was tried in the Lent Assizes in Maidstone, Kent in 1790 for stealing from William Cheeseman the Elder possibly in November 1789.

I've been trying to find any newspaper articles but have failed. I was wondering if anyone here could have a try and find something for me.

George was initially sentenced to death but the sentence was commuted to transportation for life. He arrived in Sydney in 1791.

He did return to England in 1822 or 1823 for the Bigge Commission although I can find no shipping records or newspaper articles for this.

For anyone really keen George's future wife was Martha Chamberlain. She was tried at the Old Bailey in London in 1795 as was her accomplice John Jones. Martha was sentenced to 7 years transportation.

I'd love any hint of where Martha came from. Most, if not all, online trees say she was baptised at St Benet Paul's Wharf in 1780 in London but that little Martha died not long afterwards. I've not found another baptism there which would make my Martha the second daughter of that name.

I do have a newspaper article for Martha in the London Packet or New Lloyd's Evening Post dated 1/7/1795 which just states her name and crime.

[Merry]

I've been trying to find any newspaper articles but have failed. I was wondering if anyone here could have a try and find something for me.


None of the newspaper sites I have access to have papers for the right area at that date.

[Shona]

Have you searched the Old Bailey records, Toni? There is this record on Martha.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t17950701-30&div=t17950701-30

[Merry]

I notice Martha was apparently 21 at the start of 1795 but her age at death suggests a birth date around 1778.

[Kit]

Shona, yes I have her trial papers from the Old Bailey.

Merry where did you get the age at death from?

[Merry]

Erm.....

hang on....

[Merry]

From here:

http://australianroyalty.net.au/individual.php?pid=I43914&ged=purnellmccord.ged

The gravestone details.

[kiterunner]

I don't think the newspapers at that time reported nearly so much local news as the 19th century ones.

[Kit]

From here:

http://australianroyalty.net.au/individual.php?pid=I43914&ged=purnellmccord.ged

The gravestone details.

I have the gravestone details, was just checking there wasn't another source that had the date.

Kate you maybe right on the lack of details, I was just hoping there was something to be found.

[Merry]

The British Newspaper Archive has the Kentish gazette which was first printed in the 1760s, however, it doesn't have the time period you need.

[Kit]

of course it doesn't. George did not exist before he was tried and sent down under. :rolleyes::d