The Story of George Morris, the Criminal who caused all the Trouble in 1815
I hope that you will have now read the whole Gilbert story in its correct order, and that you now have reached the end, and that the time has come for me to tell you how "Honesty is the Best Policy", and that poor Mary Gilbert should never had had such a dreadful life at times, if only she had known that Sam was playing with forged Bank notes.
Although he had caused Sam Gilbert to be arrested and torn from his wife and five children, Morris still went on forging Bank notes until he was eventually caught in Birmingham. He was lucky not to have been sentenced to death and hanged with the other 300 forgers. He was sentenced to be transported for life.
I first learned about George Morris when I read Sam's Petition to the Bank of England for help for his starving wife and children while he was in the "Justitia" hulk down on the Thames at Woolwich. He wrote that lying letter which I have already given to you in Chapter 8.
I aked the Bank of England if I could have a copy of their papers on George Morris, and this is what I found. I found that Morris was already down on the Thames on another prison hulk, this time the old warship "Bellerophon" at Sheerness. The "Bellerophon" had been a famous Ship of the Line which had fought with Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and at Trafalgar. Morris wrote to our friend, Mr. Kaye, the Solicitor for the Bank of England, who gave our Mary Gilbert those Twentyfive Pound Notes. His first letter was dated "Octr 28 1816." Sam was already in Sydney, and Mary was out in the Atlantic Ocean still on the way to Rio de Janeiro. I will copy the Morris letters just as he wrote them, with all the mistakes. This is the first:
"Honrd Sir,
I hope you will excuse the Freedom I take in addressing a letter to you, the purport of which is - I was Convicted at last Asizes for Warwick for Disposing of Forged Bank of England notes and Sentenced to transportation for life, by name George Morris. I have a Wife and three Children residing in London, Which I hope the Bank will comply with My request in permiting them to accompany Me to my destiny in the same Ship, the object of My asking the favor of them going in the same Ship is to prevent Her plunging herself into the same Dilema that has happend Myself. I should be very sorry to have a Recurrence of this nature,; but if Distress should oblige her, which I am Certain would be the case provided I was to leave her behind Me as I was the Chief support of the Family Consequently that would happen very soon; as her Finances would soon be exhausted.Sir, had not the Evidence George Robinson taken from my wife twenty Pound under a pretence, I should be in a great measure have it in my power to have taken her passage but now it is a moral impossible, as it has deprived Me of the means. I now throw Myself and Family On the Benevolence of the Bank, hopeing they will grant Me my request, and in return I will give them all the satisfaction that Lies in my power -
I am you most obedient and Humble Servant
George Morris
Bellerophon Sheerness
P Sir If you should think proper I will send my Wife and Family to you ."
Mr Kaye, in his reply, told him that he could do nothing about getting her and their children a free trip to Sydney, but that she had to apply to the Secretary of State. He was prepared to help him
"upon condition of your giving us all the information in your power respecting the fabrication and circulation of forged Bank Notes."
So Morris wrote back to Mr. Kaye:
"Bellerophon Octr 31 1816
Sir,
I read your letter and am willing to do what you Proposed, upon consideration of granting Me the favor I ask that is of My Wife & family going with Me in the same Ship, it being her wish to go with Me. I should not consider it a great favor to grant her a passage in the Woemens Ship, upon the account of her being subject to many Abuses as she is a Woman that would like to keep Herself very reserve, Sir I must be convinced of your favor before I can do any good for you, there is not the smallest doubt of your getting it accomplished is you think proper. I must beg of you not to mention any thing to my Wife, as I shall send her to you
from your Obedient Humble Servant
George Morris
Belerophon Sherness
And Mr. Kaye replied "Tell me the lot or I will do nothing".
Here is his letter:
George Morris.
I have recvd. your Letter of the 31st Octr., and your Wife has been with mme this Morning. I told her (which I now repeat to you) that before I interfere to obtain permission for her to accompany you to New South Wales, I shall expect you to communicate all you know respecting the fabrication & circulation of forged Bank Notes. - To point out by whom & where the fabrication of them is carried on, the Persons dealing in them and the means used to promote their Circulation. If you are disposed to do your duty in your situation, you will most readily & sincerely make the Communication required. If you are not so disposed, it is in vain for you to expect any assistance from me. If you determine to make the Communication I have desired, I will send a proper person down to you to take in Writing whatever information you chuse to give, * I caution you against either witholding any matter within your knowledge, or misrepresenting any transaction respecting which you are requored to give information.
I am &c.,
J.K.
London 5th Novr. 1816
George Morrise
On Board the Bellerphon
Sheerness"
So George Morris decided to spill the beans, and the following notes seem to have been made by the Bank Inspector who interviewed him:
"Information received from George Morris on board Belerophon Convict Ship at Sheerness 15 Nove 1816.
"Wm Hope This Fowler and John Lowe are the principal Dealers in forged Notes &c at Birmingham they are Independent Men as to property two brothers John & Joseph Bradney are principal Dealers under Hope &c. the Notes are made by Shenton and Ferriday in partnership at a place about 5 Miles on One side of Dudley. don't know exactly where, but knows the Dealers generally go to Dudley for them a Mrs. Smith and a Mrs. Dickers two Sisters now live in Birmingham and are Dealers and Mrs. Shenton Visits them. Fowles get the best made paper and has first hand 20/- for a £5 Note
Thinks no person can tell exactly where the Notes are made but he has heard it is in a New house as he before stated a Mrs. Jennings and Thos. Spooner who Cohabits with her are also dealers. he has understood the best Notes are got up by a man of the name of Bamford and his Mother assists him. The Bradneys make Tokens themselves. they get the Blanks up in their own House, but they are struck in the Cellar not far off and Mrs. Smiths son a boy about 17 or 18 assists them. Hope comes to Town every fortnight to Benjamins a Fishmonger and Public House in Dukes place. thinks he would not deal with anyone in London. he generally comes about stolen Goods &c. Mr. Payne of Birmingham knows all of the above people with the excpetion of Ferriday.
The principal Dealer in London is a Willm. Gregory. he keeps a bad house No. 4 Pump Row Ols St. Road. his Wifes Sister is married to a drover in the name of Richards or Richardson who lives somewhere in Islington. Gregorys things used to come to him or Eliots a Bakers in Bath St. City Road but Gregory now always brings his own things up. Gregory used to have his Notes of Willm. Forster but now can get them of any of the Birmingham people. Believes Cook now in Custody and Gregory were in Partnership. Gregory when in Birmingham cohabits with Sophia Papes. thought Willm. Forster had left off trade. but has heard lately he has not. believes him to be worth £8000. can give no information of him as he has not seen him this twelvemonths . dont know where he lives in London but he is sure to go to Gregorys. dont wish to say anything of Uncle but believes he is not in England. he went away on the apprehension of Gilbert and when he last heard of him about 6 Months ago he was in Dublin.
dont know any of the present Utterers in London. believes all the smaller dealers and utterers that he did business with have been convicted since he was in London. thinks a Mrs. Ware is the only one left and she will utter if she can get them dont know anything of her at present.
George Morris further says he does not wish his Wife to know that he has given information, and his reason for wishing his Wife to go out with him is that he is sure she will both deal and utter if she is left behind. - he also particularly requests if any of this Information should be sent to Birmingham, that it may not be states to have come from him."
So I then went to the Census of New South Wales in 1828, and sure enough, he was there. He is shown as "George Morris. 47 Absolute Pardon." He had arrived in the "Morley" in 1817, being transported for life. He was a Protestant, and he was then an Innkeeper in George Street, Sydney. His wife, Ann, had been able to get a passage for herself and her daughter, Ann, in the "Friendship" in 1818. They had a further five shildren in Sydney. In 1828 he owned 600 acres, 70 of which had been cleared and 20 cultivated, and he owned four horses and 58 cattle. Why I could not find him at first was that he had changed his name to Ennever, and they had three children in England and a further seven in Sydney, all using the new surname of Ennever.