William Henry Lewington
b. 1800, 11 August - Gosport, Hampshire, UK
d. 1869, 16 July - Fremantle, WA
Parents unknown
Landed 23 October 1829 aboard the 'Lotus'
Married Susannah Maydwell 1832, 27 August
Children Harriet Lewington, Robert William Lewington, Sarah Mary Lewington, Mary Ann Lewington, Jessie Lewington, Edward Henry Lewington & Susannah Lewington
Landed 6 Oct 1829, Per "Lotus" one of Latour's men. Bound for the Leschenault area. Passenger lists indicates him being a Blacksmith, but family believe he was a Stonemason, Bricklayer. He married Susannah Maydwell and had 2 boys and 5 girls. Apparently he became quite prosperous and owned several lots of land around Fremantle, later selling these to establish himself in Perth. This venture seemed to have failed and he went broke, and died in Fremantle. Apparently his wife was destitute. She died in Guildford.
Original ccupation Blackmith - indentured to Colonel Peter Latour
Occupation in Australia Stonemason/Bricklayer/Builder/Grave Digger
Article in The Perth Gazette
Monday January 7th, 1833,—Before the Rev. J. B. Wittenoon, and George Leake Esq.
William Lewington was brought up under the charge of having fired a loaded pistol at Robert Maydwell with an intent to do him some bodily harm. It appeared that the Prisoner had lately married Prosecutors daughter, and that in consequence, there were continual quarrels between them.
On Saturday evening last about ten o'clock the Prisoner came into Mr. Cooper's public house where the Prosecutor was; who seeing the Prisoner immediately retired to avoid any occasion of quarrelling with him, and went to Mr. Herds: the Prisoner followed him there; the Prosecutor then came back to Mr. Cooper's, and while he was standing at the Bar, Prisoner came up and called for some Liquor and asked the Prosecutor to drink saying come lets shake hands and let all animosities between us drop. They did so.
Soon after the Prisoner left the house and went to Mr. Habgood's, who was in bed, and earnestly entreated the loan of a pistol for the purpose of going in pursuit of Booker, who had that day escaped from prison. Habgood gave him one, telling him at the same time that it was loaded.
He returned immediately to Mr. Coopers and seeing the Prosecutor he exclaimed; you d—d scoundrel, you have broke my peace of mind, if you are a man come out; to which the Prosecutor replied. You foolish fellow go away about your business, the Prisoner then raised the pistol and took a deliberate aim at the Prosecutor, and said. If you don't come out like a man, here goes, he immediately fired the pistol, the contents of which lodged in the wall a few inches from the Prosecutors head. He ran away directly, but was soon recovered, and conveyed to the Jail.
In his defence he said that the Prosecutor had for a long time treated him in the most cruel and unkind manner, and that he only did it to frighten him; as he could easily have shot him dead, if he had had any such intention.
He was fully committed for trial, at the next Sessions.
Second article from the Perth Gazette
QUARTER SESSION.
Fremantle, 1st April, 1833.
Before the Honorable W. H Mackie, Esq., Judge Advocate, and a full bench of Magistrates.
The learned Chairman opened the business of the Sessions with a short, but appropriate address to the grand Jury.
William Lewington, was charged with firing a pistol at Robert Maydwell with an intent to do him some bodily injury. The fact of his having fired the pistol was fully established. In his defence he endeavoured to palliate the offence, by shewing that Maydwell the father of his wife, had held out inducements to her to leave him, which she had done, a month after the marriage.
G. Leake, Esq. Mr. Rrichard Lewis, and others gave the prisoner an excellent character.
The Jury retired for a short time and returned a verdict—not guilty.
In October of 1833, Wm. Lewington was charged with assaulting and ill-treating his wife. The magistrate bound him over to keep the peace for 12 months. In April, 1843 William Lewington, a market gardener, was in court for failing to pay the promised amount of half a crown to an intelligent, young, educated native named Mooyan. A pony had been delivered as requested, but Lewington maintained that it had been done voluntarily and that there had been no promise of payment. Another native youth, also educated , supported Mooyan's claim and the Commissioner ordered the defendant to pay the sum demanded and costs. Lewington was severely censured for his attempt to defraud Mooyan of payment for his services. The Commissioner continued, "there was nothing more essential to the interests of this community than to impress the natives with confidence in the good faith of the whites." The case was noted as being the first instance in the colony where a native had figured as a plaintiff.
Lewington Family Tree
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