Source:
NSW Courts Magistrates, Newcastle Police Court: 1823-1825, 1826-1827 (Ancestry)
Details:
Henry Smith per ship Almorah, in service to George Brooks, charged with stealing part of the produce of his master s farm particularly a bag of potatoes...George Wood, Hospital Gardener, being duly sworn, states - on the Saturday morning before Christmas Day I assisted Smith to take a bag of potatoes from the hut on Mr. Brooks farm to the boat for the purpose of its being conveyed to Mr. Brooks house at Newcastle. There was a small bag which held about thirty pounds put into the large bag, the contents of which might then in the whole be about 100lb. That is to say 30lb in the smaller bag and 70lb in the large one; they were not weighed but I estimate them at above that quantity. When I returned to Newcastle between twelve and one o clock of the same Saturday night, Mr. Brooks, servant Henry Winchester told me that only a small bag of potatoes had been delivered by Smith at his Masters. I am certain there were potatoes in both bags. I assisted to fill them. Edward Hostead, stockman in the service of E.C. Close states - I recollect coming to Newcastle in a boat in company with Smith on the Saturday before Christmas. Smith had a large bag of potatoes with hi, within which was also a smaller bag contaiing potatoes. I think that both the bags might have held about a hundred weight. I saw a person of the name of Riley take the small bag to convey to Mr. Brooks house, but I dont know what became of the large bag and its contents . Bernard Riley states - I remember on the Saturday before Christmas having brought from the wharf a small bag of potatoes for Smith. I only carried the bag as far as Serjeant Greys quarters when Smith took it from me and proceeded with it towards Mr. Brooks house. The bag contained to the best of my opinion between thirty and forty pounds weight. I also observed a bag of potatoes in the boat but did not see it taken out. I cannot say if the bag carried as far as Serjeant Greys was that which I saw in the boat. I was not present when it was taken out. Henry Winchester in the service of George Brooks, states - On the Saturday before Christmas Henry Smith brought a small bag of potatoes from my master s farm to the house, it contained about twenty or thirty pounds - the bag was not full. Serjeant Grey of the 3rd regt of Buffs states - I have bought from the prisoner two dozen eggs at one time and some butter at another, I never bought anything else from him. I understood from him that the eggs and butter were the property of John Thomas. I was certain the butter belonged to Thomas as it was in a keg which I had sold to him. and having bargained with Thomas for his eggs at certain sum and the prisoner having told me that the eggs and butter were sold by him on account of Thomas, I did not doubt but that such was the case. John Thomas (free) states - I once entrusted the prisoner to dispose of some butter for me. I was ill at the time and I thought I might do so with safety as he appeared to be acting as Mr. Brooks overseer and had on former occasions behaved towards me with much civility, but I never gave him any eggs to dispose of. He did not bring me the money for which he sold the butter, he told me he had been robbed of it. In answer to a question from the prisoner - I never gave him an egg to sell in my life. I might have given him some to eat when he came to my house. John Mayo states - A day or two before Christmas, Smith sold me about 30lb potatoes; they were not weighed. I gave him 3 shillings for them. He had told me some moths previous that his master allowed him one fourth to dispose of and that he had a piece of garden ground the produce of which he was allowed for himself, the potatoes were in a bag that would hold about one hundred weight. George Brooks states - Within two months after maize harvest last year, the prisoner admitted that he had sold a bag of Corn off the farm, but said it was for my benefit. I told him and repeated it that he was not to bring anything from the farm to the town without my knowledge.. I recollect his reply was - Very well Sir - If he has sold any part of the produce since it is in contradiction to my injunctions. It is only this morning that I found out that the prisoner had sold potatoes to John Mayo. I have fowls on the farm and expect to be occasionally supplied with eggs. The prisoner states in his defence I did not understand from my Master that I was not to dispose of the produce of the farm, or bring it into town, or I should not have done so. I admit having sold the potatoes to Mayo, but never sold any eggs belonging to Mr. Brooks. Those I sold to Serjeant Grey were given to me by John Thomas to dispose of. I have also sold to John Thomas a half hundred weight of potatoes and thirty pounds of flour. I considered the flour to have been my own property. Sentenced to Hard labour in an iron gang for 12 months
Source:
NSW Courts Magistrates, Newcastle Police Court: 1823-1825, 1826-1827 (Ancestry)
Details:
Catherine Riley, free by servitude, committed to gaol for contempt of court, having made use of disrespectful language to George Brooks, one of the members of the Bench.......Released on the 5th March having expressed contrition in court for her conduct and also addressed a letter to George Brooks to the same effect
Source:
Convict Indents. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4013]; Microfiche: 669
Details:
Robert Swan per ship Countess of Harcourt 1828 assigned to George Brooks on arrival
Date:
29 April to 5 May 1838
Source:
Female prisoners received and discharged from the Female Factory at Newcastle. State Archives NSW; Kingswood, New South Wales; Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Series: 2329; Item: 4/3898; Roll: 139
Details:
Mary Maloney per ship Sovereign 1829 discharged from Newcastle female factory to the service of George Brooks
Source:
Newcastle Chronicle
Details:
George Brooks and William Millan, both well known to the police, were charged by Thomas Forrester, of Hunter-street with having stolen from his shop, two razors. They were both sentenced to two months imprisonment in Maitland gaol with hard labour
Source:
State Archives NSW; Kingswood, New South Wales; Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Roll: 2371
Details:
George Brooks, occupation sailor, aged 30. admitted to Maitland gaol
First Name:
George and Mary Stephena
Place:
Christ Church Burial Ground, Newcastle
Details:
Close to the gate leading into the church yard there is a grave which links the present with the period when Captain Bingle first became interested in Newcastle. The tomb is that of Dr. George Brooks one of the early colonial surgeons who was a fellow officer of Major Morisset and suceeding commandants. Although the memorial is fast wearing away the inscriptions can still be plainly read and are as follows - Sacred to the memory of George Brooks Esq., who departed this life May 2 1854 aged 57. Also Mary Stephena, wife of the above and eldest daughter of the Venerable W. Cowper D.D., Archdeacon of Cumberland who died April 17 1859 aged 54.
Place:
Collected at Newcastle
Details:
Subscribed to Testimonial for E.C. Close
First Name:
George William
Source:
Historical Records of Newcastle
Details:
Died 12 Feburary 1866. Buried in Christ Church burial ground
First Name:
George William
Details:
The Cathedral Cemetery - Close to the western boundary of the churchyard there is a stone upon which may be read - To the Memory of George William Brooks, died February 12 1866 aged 34. This was a son of Dr. George Brooks, Colonial Surgeon at Newcastle in the early days, and a brother of Mr. J.W. Brooks of Plattsburg.
