By Irma Walter, 2021.
Two thieves, Arthur Hewitt (aliases Bennett, Groves, George Wallis or Wallace), and Roderick O’Lochlin or O’Lachlan (his real name said to be Hart, aliases Charles Grayson, Benjamin Johnston), arrived together in WA as convicts onboard the convict ship Racehorse on 10 August 1865. Having multiple aliases was a common practice among prisoners, as a way of avoiding their previous convictions being taken into account during sentencing.
Arthur Hewitt (30), a blacksmith, and Roderick O’Lochlin (28), printer, had appeared together at the Marlborough Police Court, charged with having, on 3 May 1863, burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Lord Chesham, and stealing eight snuff boxes, eight watches, four chains, one miniature, and other articles, valued at £1, 206/10s, and one seal and one fusee-box, the property of Thomas Crosbie William Trevor, Lord Dacre, from the same premises. The two men had been seen at night by a servant escaping over the garden wall of Lord Chesham’s house in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London. The alarm was raised by the butler of the household loudly shaking a rattle, which brought a policeman running in off the street. He later gave evidence at the trial that with the assistance of a man going by in a phaeton, he was able to chase the thieves down in North Audley Street, first seizing Hewitt, who threatened him with a life preserver [a truncheon or a blackjack], then O’Lochlin, also similarly armed.
It was further disclosed that O’Lochlin had previously been sentenced to 12 months in 1858, followed by a four-year term in 1859, for breaking and entering in Surrey. He had been released early on a ticket-of-leave licence on 9 January 1863. As a result of the new conviction he was sentenced on 3 June 1863 to ten years’ penal servitude, resulting in transportation.
Hewitt, at the time of the burglary in 1863, had a longer criminal record than O’Lochlin, having previously served prison terms of four years in 1854, eight months in 1858 and another four year conviction at the Central Criminal Court on 1 December 1859, for uttering a forged post-office order. He, too, was out on licence for good behaviour at the time of the 1863 robbery. As a consequence, he was transported for 15 years.[1]
It has been difficult to trace exact details of all their earlier convictions due to frequent name changes.
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Roderick O’Lochlin [O’Lachlan] (Reg. No. 8376)
Roderick O’Lochlin, aged 28, married, a printer by trade, able to read and write well, was convicted on 8 June 1863 at the Central Criminal Court, along with Arthur Hewitt, of breaking and entering. Due to a previous conviction of four years’ penal servitude in 1859, he received a term of ten years. [O’Lochlin’s previous conviction was recorded as follows – On 19 September 1859, at Newington in South London, under the alias of Charles Grayson, O’Lochin was sentenced to four years’ penal servitude. He spent time in Portland Prison from 21 June 1860, until released on Licence on 9 January 1863.[2]]
Following his conviction for the robbery from Lord Chesham’s dwelling house O’Lochlin was taken on 30 June 1863 from Newgate Prison to Millbank, where he spent 26 days in Separate Confinement. At the time his next-of-kin was registered as Martha O’Lochlin, of 60 James Street, New Court(?) in Lambeth. Roderick’s religion was listed as RC, but he was Protestant at the time of reception there. He was soon transferred to Pentonville Prison on 3 July 1863.[3] From there he was sent to Portland Prison on 4 May 1864. His conduct had been good up until that time, ranked in the Class 1 category, but while in Portland he lost points for stealing two 12-ounce loaves from other cells, and on another occasion stealing a pudding.[4]
O’Lochlin was taken from Portland Prison and placed onboard the convict ship Racehorse, arriving in Western Australia on 10 August 1865. His character was recorded as Good. His mother was named as ‘Mrs Hart, of No. 4 Lambeth Terrace, South London. Roderick was described as 5’5”, with brown hair, dark hazel eyes, a round face, dark complexion, and stout build. He had an anchor and a burn mark on his left arm.[5]
O’Lochlin’s (O’Lachlan’s) record in WA
August 1866 – Special remission three days.[6]
13/8/66 – Having articles improperly in his possession – three days bread & water.[7]
31/10/66 – Released to Champion Bay.[8]
26/3/67 – At Champion Bay – refused to work – admonished.
3/8/67 – Special remission – seven days’ probation.
16/8/67 – Absconding from Fremantle Prison – two years’ hard labour in irons at Fremantle Prison.
24/8/67 – To be kept in strict separate confinement on moderated diet for three months from date of reception.
27/8/67 – To pay £4/12/- for recapture.
16/12/67 – To be released from separate confinement.
10/9/68 – To be released from irons.
28/12/68 – Conduct on 18 December noted against him – remission two days May/69.
31/8/69 – With good conduct until 24/4/70 he will be granted a remission of six months.
23/4/70 – Fremantle Prison to Perth Prison.
24/4/70 – Discharged to Ticket of Leave by RM Fremantle.
25/4/70 – From Perth to Champion Bay.
4/5/70 – Miner, piece work, Victoria District, employer S Mitchell, Geraldine.
30/6/70 – Miner £4/16/- per month, ditto.
3/8/70 – (—-??), 30/- per month, Victoria District, J Bolin, Greenough.
5/9/70 – Ditto, contract, K & M Brown, Champion Bay.
31/12/70 – Ditto, T Lockett, Champion Bay.
3/2/71 – Labourer, 35/- per month, Victoria District, W Gaunt, Champion Bay.
13/2/71 – Grubbing, piece work, Victoria District, K & M Brown, Champion Bay.
30/6/71 – Ditto, £3 per month, ditto.
18/6/73 – Certificate of Freedom to RM Champion Bay.[9]
Escape Attempt from Fremantle in 1867
News of the dramatic escape of O’Lochlin (‘O’Lacklon’) and eight other prisoners from Fremantle Prison in August 1867 caused alarm and excitement throughout the Colony. A graphic description of the breakout appeared in the Fremantle Herald, along with criticism of the police for their lack of success in locating the runaways –
…The particulars are as follows: Somewhere about ½ past 5 in the evening, after the prisoners had come in from the works, and the sentries had left the platforms on the prison walls, a person dressed in the uniform of a Warder passed out of the division in charge of eight men, deliberately unlocks the gates of the inner yard and passes through. He halts his men, and commands them, in the authoritative tones of an officer ‘not to be in such a hurry.’ The warder coolly turns round, locks the gates, gives the word of command to his men and marches them into the workshop yard.
A sentry notices them, but the uniform deceives him and they pass unchallenged. Once in the yard, they strongly barricade the gates, get out two ladders that had been carefully concealed in one of the shops, rear them against the wall; a rope is attached to the top rung of the ladder and let fell on the other side. The party mount the ladder one by one, and with the assistance of the rope drop outside and are off; while getting over the wall a warder’s wife living near observes them and gives the alarm; her husband who happens to be in, discharges a pistol at them but without effect; they get clear off and up to this time nothing has been heard of them.
The pretended Warder was the notorious convict John Smith, alias Williams, who escaped some years ago from the colony, went to England and receiving another sentence came back in the Corona, was identified as an escaped prisoner and received an additional sentence. The names of the men who accompanied him are:—James Billings, Edward Onions, Roderick O’Lacklon [O’lochlin], William Sewart, Bernard Wootton, Walter Walker, William Watkins and James Sline [Slim]. They have made tracks Southward and the police are upon their heels. Unless they have the good fortune of Moondyne Joe, Graham & his companion, they will soon be captured. There can be no doubt that the successful evasion of the police by these men tends to encourage escapes. It certainly does not give us a high opinion of the efficiency of the police for these men, unarmed and half-starved perhaps, to remain so long at large. The supposition that they are harbored by companions does not in any way account satisfactorily for their non-capture. Let us hope that by the speedy capture of these nine runaways the police will endeavour to restore confidence in their activity and intelligence, which we can assure them is becoming somewhat shaken.[10]
O’Lochlin was probably one of the five prisoners recaptured at Dundalup [Dandalup] by Captain Fawcett of Pinjarra and a party of Pinjarra Cavalry Volunteers.[11]
An official enquiry into the escape of the nine convicts led to the dismissal of Assistant Superintendent Cook of the Fremantle Prison, to whose dereliction of duty the unfortunate escapade was attributed.[12]
Little more is known of Roderick O’Lochlin [O’Lachlan].[13] It is possible that he left the Colony after gaining his freedom, perhaps using another alias.
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Arthur Hewitt (or Hewett), (Reg. No. 8286) (c1833 – 1902)
Arthur Hewitt, alias George Wallace or Abraham Hewitt, was convicted along with Roderick O’Lochlin at the Central Criminal Court on 8 January 1863 with burglary. With his previous record taken into consideration, he was sentenced to 15 years’ transportation.[14]
Due to multiple aliases, Arthur Hewitt’s origins have been difficult to trace. Arthur Hewitt, aged 30, was at one stage on entry to prison said to be from Wittenham, Oxon.[15]
Description – Aged 30, married, able to read and write imperfectly, occupation – coach smith. His next of kin was listed as wife Emma Hewitt, of 33 Dorset Street, Commercial Place (?) East. [No marriage has been found between the two. This address was in Spitalfield, a notorious slum area of London.]
Previous convictions –
6 February 1854 – At Clerkenwell, housebreaking – Four years’ penal servitude, as Abraham Hewitt. He was initially in Coldbath Fields Prison in Middlesex, and was then transferred to Millbank for a period of separate confinement, where his next of kin was recorded as Mr Hewitt, Abingdon, Berkshire. On 7 February 1855 he was sent to the Warrior Hulk at Woolwich.[16]
5 February 1858 – Discharged from Chatham Prison.
28 November 1859 – At Central Criminal Court – Guilty of forgery – 4 years’ penal servitude.[17] This crime was committed under the alias of ‘George Wallace’, who on that date persuaded a woman who ran a coffee-house to cash a stolen postal order to the value of £2. A policeman produced evidence of him committing a previous crime under that name –
GEORGE WALLACE (26), Feloniously forging and uttering a receipt for the payment of 2l [pounds], with intent to defraud. Found GUILTY. He was further charged with having been before convicted.
James Burrell (Policeman, S182): I produce a certificate, (Read: “Westminster Sessions, August, 1848; George Wallace convicted of stealing 4 petticoats, 2 night-gowns, and 2 aprons.—Confined Eight Months”)—this certificate applies to the prisoner—I was at the trial. GUILTY— Four Years’ Penal Servitude.[18]
Recognised as a former inmate at Millbank Prison, he was described as George Wallace, alias Abraham Hewett, coach smith by trade, aged 26, single, able to read and write imperfectly. He was visited at Millbank Prison by his sister, named as Elliza Wallis, of 17 Gee Street, St Pancras. He was transferred to Portland Prison on 13 July 1860, with a rank of 1st Class.[19]
14 March 1863 – Discharged on Licence No. 12489 from Portland Prison. His record there had him listed as Arthur Hewett, alias George Wallace or Abra’m Hewitt. Also recorded in brackets – (‘A copy of a communication dropped by a Hewett at Wakefield – Threatening to escape.’)[20]
3 May 1863 – It was only a couple of months after his release from gaol that Arthur Hewitt was re-arrested along with Roderick O’Lochlin for the daring robbery at the home of Lord Chesham. At the time both men were armed with life preservers, described as ‘long pieces of iron with a knob at the end as big as hen’s eggs.’ With a 15-year term of transportation, he spent time in several prisons before being transported to Western Australia.
Conduct –
Newgate Prison – 21 days – Good.
Wakefield Prison – from 2 July 1863 – 10 months 7 days – Moderately Good.
Portland Prison – from 10 May 1864 – 4 months 16 days – Good health.[21]
Sent to ship Racehorse on 11 May 1865, bound for Western Australia.[22]
Description on arrival at Fremantle – Arthur Hewitt, aged 33, height 5’6½”, eyes hazel, with light-brown hair, a sallow complexion, stout. Labourer, married, no children. Character – Good.[23]
Employment in WA
5/9/1870 – Ticket-of-leave issued.
15/9/1870 – Sawyer, shares, Perth, James Davis.
31/12/70 – Ditto, 30/- per week, ditto.
30/6/71 – labourer, 35/- per week, ditto.
30/6/72 – Sawyer, 24/- per week, ditto.
30/6/73 – Ditto, 27/- per week.
31/12/73 – Labourer, 27/- per week, Mason, at Canning.
30/6/74 – Sawyer, 30/- per week, J Davis, Canning.[24]
May 1876 – Conditional Release Holder 8286, Arthur Hewitt, reported that he had left
Champion Bay District for Perth, to reside, on the 13th inst.[25]
17/8/78 – Certificate of Freedom to RM, Vasse.
Considering his poor record from England, it is surprising that Arthur Hewitt settled down to steady employment and eventually marriage in 1900.
Arthur Hewitt married widow Elizabeth Jane McPherson, (née Jones), She had arrived on the Esmeralda with her parents from Wales, and at the age of 15, married Alexander McPherson, expiree,[26] and had seven daughters to that marriage. The McPherson family lived at Sawyer’s Valley, where he worked at Mason’s Mill. Hewitt was also working there in 1873, so it seems likely that he met his future wife there. Elizabeth had five more children from her second relationship, three girls and two boys. There is a record of the marriage between Elisabeth Jane McPherson and Arthur Hewett in 1900.[27]
Most of their time was spent in the Busselton area, where Arthur Hewitt was employed as a labourer.[28] Their obituaries, 31 years apart, tell us a little more about Arthur and Elizabeth –
1902 – Obituary.
During the past week an old and respected townsman, Mr. Hewitt, passed away very suddenly and yet very peacefully at the residence of Mr. Thomas Warner. The deceased borrowed a watch from Mr. Warner on Sunday night, the 17th inst., to enable him to catch the early train on Monday morning, and he arose early on the following morning to return the watch, intending to catch the 6.15 a.m. train to Perth. He managed to reach Mr. Warner’s house and complained of feeling very ill. He sat down and in a few minutes passed peacefully away before medical aid could be summoned. He was buried on Tuesday at 5.30 p.m., later than usual, to enable his widow and family to arrive from Perth where they all lived. Much sympathy is felt for Mrs. Hewitt and family. The deceased leaves a large family, but all of them are grown up. An inquest is being held at an early date.[29]
1933 – Obituary The Late Mrs. E. J. Hewitt.
A long association with Western Australia was ended on Tuesday when Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Hewitt died at the Salvation Army Aged Women’s Retreat at North Fremantle, at the age of 96 years. Eighty-eight years ago Mrs. Hewitt, arrived at Fremantle in the sailing ship Esmeralda with her parents. The party came from Wales, Mrs. Hewitt’s parents having decided to try their fortune in a new land.
After a short period in Perth they settled at Ben Mason’s Mill, now known as Sawyer’s Valley, where her father was employed in the timber industry. In 1853, when she was 16 years of age, she married Mr. Alexander McPherson, and there were seven children of the marriage, all girls.
Her husband died, and after some years she married Mr. Arthur Hewitt, who died 31 years ago. There were five children of this marriage, three girls and two boys.
The late Mrs. Hewitt had over 200 descendants, including 55 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and at least three great-great-grandchildren. All her descendants reside in Western Australia.
From the time of her arrival at Fremantle in 1845. Mrs. Hewitt never left the State. She lived at Sawyer’s Valley, Toodyay, Busselton, Carnarvon, and Perth.
The funeral took place at the Karrakatta Cemetery yesterday.[30]
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[1] Old Bailey Proceedings Online, (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 24 July 2021), June 1863, trial of RODERICK O’LOCHLIN (28) ARTHUR HEWITT (30) TL8630608-799).
[2] Ibid, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 290.
[3] UK National Archives, Millbank Prison, Middlesex: Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 48.
[4] UK National Archives, Portland Prison, Dorsett: Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 380.
[5] Convict Department, General Register (R30)
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Convict Department, Receipts and Discharges (RD5-RD7)
[9] Convict Department, General Register (R30)
[10] Herald, 24 August 1867.
[11] Inquirer, 21 August 1867.
[12] Ibid.
[13] See details of Roderick O’Lachlan on the Midwest Convict Register, at https://midwestwaheritage.com
[14] Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 24 July 2021), June 1863, trial of RODERICK O’LOCHLIN (28) ARTHUR HEWITT (30) TL8630608-799).
[15] UK National Archives, Prison Commission Records, Portsmouth Prison, London, Register of Prisoners.
[16] Ibid, Millbank Prison Register of Prisoners, PCOM2, Piece No. 34.
[17] Ibid, Portsmouth Prison Hampshire, Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 101.
[18] Trial of George Wallace, 28 November 1859, www.oldbailey online.org (t18591128-62)
[19] UK National Archives, Millbank Prison Records of Prisoners, PCOM2, Piece No. 42.
[20] National Archives, Quarterly Return of Prisoners, Series HO8, Piece No 135.
[21] UK National Archives, Newgate Prison, London, Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 215.
[22] Ibid, Portsmouth Prison Hampshire, Register of Prisoners, Series PCOM2, Piece No. 101.
[23] Convict Department Registers (128/40-43)
[24] Convict Department Registers, General Register for Nos 8191 – 8475 (R30)
[25] WA Police Gazette, 17 May 1876, p.46.
[26] Alexander McPherson, convicted at Edinburgh in 1850, arrived on the Sea Park in 1854, (Reg. No. 2640). He spent his later years from 1880 at the Mt Eliza Invalid Depot in Perth. (Rica Erickson, Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians, p.2034.)
[27] WA Department of Justice, Marriage Reg. No. 1515.
[28] WA Almanacks, Carnamah Historical Society & Museum website, carnamah.co.au
[29] Southern Times, 28 August 1902.
[30] West Australian, 2 June 1933.