by Graham Seal
me for some time but they
went back to Bannesley
the work was slack there but
it is much better now
MY HART BROKE NELEY
9 March
Dear Husban I been long
In writing to you I hope you will
forgive I receved you letter
and was plesed with it I think
you mite send me more word
wot your doing I hope this will
find you in good health as
it leves us at present I want you
to send a line to Alfred
he is getting up likes to go
to the public But is not a
Bad lad to me and I expect
you will be a grandfather of to
Wenn this Letter arrive at you
Ann on Again she not very
good Luck lost a dule of time
from binn poly but he
Lucking well my littel Bill as
as been very poly he is
Better and Looks well
I want to now if you Write
to your brother Jos i have seen
ons I think cince you
went away I hearit say that
if Mr Mondeller git in the
elections for Sheffield that
he wood be abel to have some
convesation with him and
try to do something for you
it harte Bricks me to write
like this if the prodigal son
cud come Buck to his home
wons more thar woold be
a rejoicing I must tel you
that my Brother Herbit as
got very bad Brunt I
expecte as been getting Drunk
linge on the flor I have not
been to see him I must tell
you that Mr Mondeller got
in for Sheffield and I hope he
will do you good
and you mencend about
Lucking yong I thort you
did when I saw you at Leeds
my hart Broke neley wenn I
felt your hand bing so soft.
Dear Husban you wood be seprice
to see wot a grit fine lucking
girl Tirza is it will be my
Birth day on Tuensday 17 of March
as for my self I not lucking
very well at present
Brother and sister sends there
best love to you John tell
friends often ask if i ever
hear of John thay not yet
Alfred is in the Woinbel main
pit and Ann Husban and my
Brother Ellis Alfred full
week 19 6 pence he minden
genger
Ann Husban says He
Wood Work Hard for you
to come hom if it cud
be Done and my
and my Dear Husban
I sends my nearest
and Dearest Love to you
and all the children
with A 1000 Loves and
kiss wish We may meet
again ho that We
cold in this World
I PUT THE CHEALDREN AND MYSELF IN BLACK
11 April 1875
Dear Husband I writ
these few lines to you
hoping to find you well
as it leaves us at present
we receved your letter dated
12th of January and was
glad to received it and we
recived your letters you directed
to kit royal I dont douted but
you have rote a many letters
that I never heard tell of I
wonce was thee years and
had not had a letter … your
relations said that you was
Dead I went to Rotherham
townshall and asked if they
knew wheather you was dead
or not one of the police sade
he heard you was desd
I put the chealdren
and myself in black
for you my little Tirza went to
the first place in deap black
then I heard that your sister
Elizabeth had got a letter
from you my daughter Ann
went to see if they had told her
that you was all rite and
and they told her that ther
letter had gone to Sheffild
she could not see it that wan
the time you wass directed them
to your sister Dear Husband
Elizabeth fected the Bible
and Robinson crewsaw
while I was at the Leeds asices
I bleve John has them
John is living at the
barrow in farnsess in North
I donth now drections
I lent Rebacca five shilings
to go to Leeds with and never
gave that back I had to do
the best way I could for my
cheldren and my self
Dear Husband cant express
myself to you but I hoap to see
you wonse more seeted in
corner I will the beest for
you if it coms to pass
Some days I feel pretty
cheeful and others very sad
sad But I think it is
owing my age well I
must tell you that Ann geting
Again for A nother and
am sorry to tel you that
he is not one of the best
of Husban
Dear Husban I must tell
my Alfred I beleve is
toler than you pepel is
seprsed with him
Thirza I belive she not
far off 11 stone william
nist boy he does not luse
a inch of is ight but Ann she
would be cross with me if
new I sent you wird
I dont think he is veary
fond of work he is a unculted
man peter Looffield
very best respect to you he doing
well he Loves that house that Tamer
selars Ned Utley sends Love to you
My brothers and Sister best Love –
xxxxx xxxxx Luke Booth send is
respects he live at the wite
house ould Mr Crssland
[page(s) missing]
DEAR FATHER YOU NEVER NAME ME IN YOU LETTERS
20 October 1875
Dear father I write these few lines
hopeing to find you better than it
leves us at present my mother as
been very ill and me my self
and I am a bit better Dear father
we think you have quite forgot us all
my sister Ann takes it hard at
you not writing oftener I must
tel you that sister Ann as to nice
boys the boldest is a fine little
fellow well I must tell you what
a stout young man my brother
Alfred as got and Thirza is a
stout young womman poor Ann
is very thin Ann usband and
Alfrted works at aldwarke
main pit Edward Uttley sends his
kindest love to you he has a large
famuley they have nine children
uncles and hants send their kindest
love to you we dont live far
from hant rebacco france I
often play with there little boy
my hant often say I am like
my father there oldest boy
William as been dead fifteen mounths
my uncle John as been over from
barring furnace and he looked
very well Dear father you would
Would hardly know Greasbrough
now if you seed it we have got
a new congreg
ational church and I go
to that school
Dear father Mother would
like to no if they would alow
you our likeness Dear father
you never name me in you
letters but I can sit down and
write a letter to you now
Dear father my mother wants
to now if you ever hear of
been sat free we all send
kindest and dearest love to
you and God bless you
and 1,000 kisses for our Dear
father from your Dear
son William
I HAVE GIVEN HIM EVERY SATISFACTION
Newcastle Hospital
January 26 1876
Sir
I have the honour to forward my
name to your notice for favourable consideration
having now completed 10 years
1 month & 13 days probation out of 12 years
6 months & 15 days – I have been a contractor
about 2 years and during the whole term
of my probation have had but 2 reports
of break of rules
I have been under Dr Mayhew now
for several months and I hope [to] say
that I have given him every satisfaction.
I can but ask that I may, like
others, have a trial on my ticket of leave,
and I feel assured you will
have no future cause to regret the leniency.
I am Sir
Yours respectfully
The Hon’ble
The Acting [Convict?] General
Perth
THE DICETFULLNESS OF MEN ON EARTH
March 10th 1876
My Dear Sister
I rite to you once more hoping you and your husband and children are in good health as it leaves me a present thanks be to God for it and not to the dicetfullnes of men on Earth – I am sorry that I have troubled all of you much as I do think it is Either the trouble or the expence but any way I do not think that I have given you as mutch trouble as you have caused me and it is not the riting and Expence that I have had to pussel mysefe with that is given me all my trouble of mind no I have tryed hard to hould a coraspondence with you all and I have heard of you receiving my letters but no anseers and it is that what Greaves me to my Hart yease I [wanted?] the mother that whould answered them.
Joshua Sykes My Dear Brother your mother I do believe whas my mother and shee was a good mother and a Father likewise to me God rest her soul I do think that if shee ad abeen living and had heard Judge; shee say that if anybody took Sykes case in hand he whould git is freedom again that was wehen I was tryed the second time when he said that I think ny poor m other would have tryed what could be done for me and I think she is making intersheshen for me now and have heard of some of the prayers that as been ofered up been answered and I can see a little of myself with one vilen thanks be to God I never Enjoyed better Health myself with all the vileny.
dear brother I want you to rite to me will you and send me your directions I wanted to see you in Rotherham town Hall but thay whould not let me see you if I had a seen you before I got tryed I should not have had any Sentence at all and thay new that too: and mys sisters nows what they said to them at Wakefield I wrote one letter with 12 pages in it let me now if any of you got it will you it contained a little information about a Hiway robbery and murder and JONATHAN WITTEKER I HAVE NOTHING TO DO I do not want the police nor detective to WITH IT ONLY I WAS TOULD ALL ABOUT IT Get ould of it as ther was a reward BY ONE OF THE PARTY THE SAME NIGHT IT HAPPENED out at the time happened no more AND I ALWAY KEPT IT A SEACRET BUT THE VILLIND NO MORE I remain your afectanate Brother W.S.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE SO TO YOU
John Dear Brother I heard you was over at Greasboro and you was looking very well and it gave me grate plesure to hear it as I have often wondered if you wher living or dead I could not think of you whear alive what you whould not rite to me I allways thought I had a brother in you but no: and when I began ton think about I culd call to mind that night when you came to se me at Rotherham and wat you said and then never to come to se me no more I should not have done so to you no I should have come to se you John I should have come to se you John I should never have done as you have so no more at preasant from your afectonate Brother W. S. still untill death part us John I remain so
I AM GRVD TO MY HEART
Dear husban I ham grved
to my hart A bout my
Ann I have had her
Both times of her
confindments and
ly shee gating on
gain
We hall sends out
nearst and dearsted
Love to you
with A 1000 kiss
Dear Husband you
must excuse writing
YOU AND YOUR MATE WERE RIGHT
14 May 1879 To Well Sinkers
in care of Mr C. Adams
William Sykes –
When I went to Newcastle
I looked at
the Agreement and
I find you and your
mate were right in
what you said 5
shilling foot for every
five feet I did not
beleive that I made
that bargain with yous
but I see now that
I did W.T.
I am quite willing to settle
to settle with you when
I here from either of yous
yous plase send
word your James Ward
PERMIT HIM TO HAVE HIS LIBERTY
Greasbro’ Vicarage
Rotherham
Novr. 28. 1890.
Sir,
A parishioner of mine has been to
see me relative to his father William Sykes
who, at the Christmas Assizes at Leeds in 1865
was sentenced to transportation [I believe] for
life. He is at present at Toodyay Newcastle,
Western Australia. He has 2 sons and 2
daughters and they would gladly pay his
fare home if the Government would permit
him to have his liberty. I believe that his
sentence was owing to his complicity in a
poaching affray which resulted in the
murder of a keeper. William Sykes at that
time resided in the neighbouring parish of
Masbro’ but his wife and sons live in this
parish of Greasbro’.
I am, Sir
Your obedient Servant
(sd) J. Brock Beard.
The Rt. Hon.
G Mathews Esq. MP.
IF ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THIS COUNTRY
Whitehall
5th February 1891
Sir,
I have the honour to transmit
to you a copy of a letter from the
Rev’d J Beard, in which he petitions
that a convict named William Sykes
may be allowed to return to this Country.
The Depositions cannot be
obtained, but it appears from a
newspaper report and other documents
in the Home Office that Sykes was
Convicted of Manslaughter at the
York County Assizes on the 13th December
1865, was sentenced to Penal Servitude
for Life and was sent to Western
Australia by the ship ‘Norwood’ on
the 6th April 1867. Sykes was one
of a gang of poachers, and he and
another man took the most active
part in the affray in which a gamekeeper
was beaten to death with
sticks; Mr Justice Shee, who presided
at the trial, remarking in passing
sentence, that few persons would have
disagreed with a verdict of ‘Murder’.
Sykes is now 61 to
63 years of
age, and it is perhaps unlikely that
if allowed to return to this country
he would relapse into crime, but
I should be much obliged if you
would favour me with a report as to
the conduct of Sykes since his transportation
to the Colony in April 1867, and with
any observations you might wish to
offer upon the application now under
consideration.
I have the honour to be
Your obedient Servant
E. [indecipherable]
HIS EFFECTS ARE BUT OF TRIFLING VALUE
MINUTE PAPER NO. 551/91
From the Home Secretary
Dated 5 2 1891
SUBJECT: Release of Wm Sykes to return to
England
Letter from Rev’d J Beard
To
His Excellency
The Governor
I beg to forward for the information
of Your Excellency, the prison history
of the late William Sykes Reg No
9589. A minute received on the
12th inst. from the Resident magistrate
at Newcastle [indecipherable] the Superintend’t of
Poor Relief conveys the information
that Sykes died in the hospital
at Newcastle on or about the 4th or 5th
of January last and that his effects
are but of trifling value.
[signature indecipherable]
Inspector of Prisons
14/3/91
ENDNOTES
CHAPTER 1
1 Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 2 November 1865.
2 Evidence of keeper William Butler at Leeds assizes, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 22 December 1865, and also mentioned by other witnesses and participants. There is also a brief, though often inaccurate, account of these events in Hopkins, H., The Long Affray: The Poaching Wars 1760–1914, Secker & Warburg, London, 1985, pp. 240–42.
3 See Peacock, A. J., Bread or Blood, London, 1965; Hobsbawm, E. & Rudé, G., Captain Swing, London, 1969; Thompson, E. P., The Making of the English Working-Class, Penguin, Harmondsworth (1963) 1968, Whigs and Hunters: The Origins of the Black Act, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1975 and his Customs in Common, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1991; see also Seal, G., ‘Tradition and Protest in Nineteenth Century England and Wales’, Folklore, 100:2, 1988.