Henry Vowles - Alleged Attempt to Murder a Gamekeeper at Filton
Henry Vowles was born about 1833 at Filton, Gloucestershire. He was the third of James and Unity Vowles' eight children and between 1840-1847 he experienced the loss of his four youngest siblings who didn’t survive infancy. May be this trauma explains why he twice abandoned his first wife shortly after she had given birth to their sons, or he may simply have been a scoundrel!
Like his father and older brothers, George and William, Henry had worked as a sawyer. In 1861 he was lodging with his Uncle James Wilcox along with his widowed grandmother Sarah. At the age of 29, in 1863, Henry was accused of:
'Feloniously shooting with a certain Gun loaded with powder and shot, at and against one William Barnes with intent to kill and murder the said Willm Barnes at Filton on the 25th Sept 1863'.
Barnes was a gamekeeper and was watching over a stubble field, belonging to Mr Stratton, near the Turnpike road in Filton along with an under-keeper named Jacob Denning. They had heard three shots and then saw Henry and another man beating a grass field and hedge. The poachers each had a gun and a dog. When they saw the gamekeepers the two men ran but Henry was found hiding in a ditch holding his dog. Henry was known to Barnes who said "Harry is this you?" Henry replied "Yes, you ----, and I'll put a hole through you". A violent struggle followed with, according to Barnes, Henry threatening to shoot him. The gun went off missing Barnes. Henry dropped the gun but the struggle went on until Barnes drew a life-preserver and struck Henry several blows to the head. Eventually Henry tried to run away but Barnes called for Denning, who had gone after the other man. Denning appeared over a hedge and struck Henry across the back with a stick and caught hold of him. A local labourer, William Gleede, had heard Henry's cries of "Murder" when he was being beaten over the head and the gun going off after this. Gleede went to see what was happening and saw the keepers and Henry who he recognised as Harry Vowles of Filton. Henry was on the ground bending over on his knees. He asked Gleede to wash his head but he didn't want to get involved and said he had no water. Barnes and Denning walked Henry two miles to Westbury-on-Trym police station. He had lost a great deal of blood from the head wounds and was very weak. On the way to Westbury Henry asked for water and was told "he might go down and drink out of the ditch". Henry claimed that when he tried to run away Barnes had called to Denning "Jemmy, kill the b---" which Barnes denied. He also denied that he had continued to beat Henry when down. Henry continued his threats against Barnes "If God spares me to get over this I will do for Barnes yet". He recieved medical attention at the police station as he was still bleeding very badly and was then sent to the Bristol Infirmary by fly where he stayed for ten days.
When he appeared at the Lawford's Gate Petty Sessions Henry was still suffering the reults of his beating - 'The prisoner,
who now had the bandages removed from his head, looked very pale; his head had been shaved on the side where he had received the wounds from the life-preserver of the keeper, and altogether he presented a rather ghastly appearance.' Barnes, however, was described as 'a short thick-set man, looked twice as big as the prisoner, and was evidently a strong powerful man.' Mr Pigeon who was defending Henry gave a lengthy speech to the bench suggesting the magistrates should "pay little attention to the empty threats of an ignorant man who had been almost beaten to death". He suggested the keepers had been following Henry for some time and had beaten and kicked him to the point where he called out "Murder" and it was not until after this that the gun went off. The old witness Gleede had been so overcome by the scene he came across that he could not bring himself to respond to Henry's appeal to wash his wounds. Mr Pigeon argued that the magistrates should not consider it necessary to send the prisoner before another tribunal. Unfortunately, after their deliberation, the magistrates decided they couldn't do otherwise than commit him for trial at the next assize. Bail was refused. A large number of Henry's friends and acquaintances were at the hearing and the court was crowded.
On 30th March 1864 Henry was found guilty at the spring Assizes of the lesser charge of 'shooting with intent to do grievous
bodily harm' and sentenced to seven years penal servitude.
'His Lordship said the jury had found the prisoner guilty of the most merciful part of the indictment .... otherwise he should have given him a much more severe sentence'. Henry had narrowly missed being hanged.
The Gloucester Gaol record describes Henry as 5ft 11in (1.8m) with brown hair, grey eyes, long visage and fresh complexion. He was single and "works for self as jobber". He had two previous convictions one for poaching in October 1858, sentenced to one month's hard labour and one for picking pockets in 1859, sentenced to six month's hard labour. On 5th August 1864 Henry was moved from Gloucester County Gaol, after 9 months 28 days in the separate system there, to the notorious Millbank prison on the banks of the Thames (Tate Britain now stands on the site). Millbank by this time was used for keeping prisoners for a short time until they were sent to the prison where they would serve their sentence. The Millbank records show he could neither read nor write and confirm he had been in trouble before 'twice summarily'. Again he was confined in the separate system. The separate system of solitary confinement was introduced in the 19th century as a form of penance by the prisoners through silent reflection upon their crimes and behaviour. It also crushed the prisoners identity. They were known only as a number and were unable to speak to another prisoner or even look at them as outside their cell they were hooded.
On 2nd January 1865 Henry was transferred from Millbank to Dartmoor prison where he would serve the remainder of his sentence. In Victorian times, Dartmoor was considered the most severe prison in England. On arrival at Dartmoor all prisoners were put into solitary confinement for the first 18 months with just two books for company, one being the bible. As Henry couldn't read or write this wouldn't be much comfort to him. However, he had already served 15 months in the separate system before arriving at Dartmoor which was taken into account.
During his four months 28 days at Millbank Henry made little progress in the schooling he was given but at Dartmoor his progress was marked as 'Good'. While at Millbank he was occupied as a picker, presumably of oakham, however, by the time he left Dartmoor his trade was described as carpenter. He was released on licence on 31st December 1869. By the 1871 census, Henry was lodging with his cousin William Wilcox.
In 1877, Henry tried to start a new life in Australia, sailing from London with his younger nephew James on the 'Stad Amsterdam'. They arrived in Adelaide on 21st December 1877. Henry married Ellen Dempsey on 31st March 1879 in Adelaide and their first son Henry was born 11th November 1881 but sadly died 5 weeks later on 20th December. Soon after though, Henry abandoned Ellen and a warrant was issued in Adelaide on 4th January 1882 for "deserting wife". The warrant was withdrawn in 1884 when he returned to Ellen and a second son, Bernard, was born 12th October 1885. Again Henry didn't stay long after the birth. The South Australian Police Gazette dated 18th November 1885 listed a further warrant for "deserting his wife" on 10th November. The report described him as "age 42, tall, dark complexion, moustache only, dark eyes, farm laborer". This time though Henry abandoned Ellen and his young son permanently when he left Australia and returned to England.
Although his Australian wife was still living at the time, Henry married Jane Bune, a laundress originally from St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon in 1887. They lived at Westbury on Trym Goucestershire. Jane already had a son, William (Willie Bune b. 1883). Henry and Jane's son James was born in 1888.
Henry was in and out of the Eastville Workhouse, Bristol between April 1899 and his death in 1913. He died in the workhouse's sick ward on 26th January 1913 of (1) Senility (2) Heart Failure. Jane died in 1904.
Like his father and older brothers, George and William, Henry had worked as a sawyer. In 1861 he was lodging with his Uncle James Wilcox along with his widowed grandmother Sarah. At the age of 29, in 1863, Henry was accused of:
'Feloniously shooting with a certain Gun loaded with powder and shot, at and against one William Barnes with intent to kill and murder the said Willm Barnes at Filton on the 25th Sept 1863'.
Barnes was a gamekeeper and was watching over a stubble field, belonging to Mr Stratton, near the Turnpike road in Filton along with an under-keeper named Jacob Denning. They had heard three shots and then saw Henry and another man beating a grass field and hedge. The poachers each had a gun and a dog. When they saw the gamekeepers the two men ran but Henry was found hiding in a ditch holding his dog. Henry was known to Barnes who said "Harry is this you?" Henry replied "Yes, you ----, and I'll put a hole through you". A violent struggle followed with, according to Barnes, Henry threatening to shoot him. The gun went off missing Barnes. Henry dropped the gun but the struggle went on until Barnes drew a life-preserver and struck Henry several blows to the head. Eventually Henry tried to run away but Barnes called for Denning, who had gone after the other man. Denning appeared over a hedge and struck Henry across the back with a stick and caught hold of him. A local labourer, William Gleede, had heard Henry's cries of "Murder" when he was being beaten over the head and the gun going off after this. Gleede went to see what was happening and saw the keepers and Henry who he recognised as Harry Vowles of Filton. Henry was on the ground bending over on his knees. He asked Gleede to wash his head but he didn't want to get involved and said he had no water. Barnes and Denning walked Henry two miles to Westbury-on-Trym police station. He had lost a great deal of blood from the head wounds and was very weak. On the way to Westbury Henry asked for water and was told "he might go down and drink out of the ditch". Henry claimed that when he tried to run away Barnes had called to Denning "Jemmy, kill the b---" which Barnes denied. He also denied that he had continued to beat Henry when down. Henry continued his threats against Barnes "If God spares me to get over this I will do for Barnes yet". He recieved medical attention at the police station as he was still bleeding very badly and was then sent to the Bristol Infirmary by fly where he stayed for ten days.
When he appeared at the Lawford's Gate Petty Sessions Henry was still suffering the reults of his beating - 'The prisoner,
who now had the bandages removed from his head, looked very pale; his head had been shaved on the side where he had received the wounds from the life-preserver of the keeper, and altogether he presented a rather ghastly appearance.' Barnes, however, was described as 'a short thick-set man, looked twice as big as the prisoner, and was evidently a strong powerful man.' Mr Pigeon who was defending Henry gave a lengthy speech to the bench suggesting the magistrates should "pay little attention to the empty threats of an ignorant man who had been almost beaten to death". He suggested the keepers had been following Henry for some time and had beaten and kicked him to the point where he called out "Murder" and it was not until after this that the gun went off. The old witness Gleede had been so overcome by the scene he came across that he could not bring himself to respond to Henry's appeal to wash his wounds. Mr Pigeon argued that the magistrates should not consider it necessary to send the prisoner before another tribunal. Unfortunately, after their deliberation, the magistrates decided they couldn't do otherwise than commit him for trial at the next assize. Bail was refused. A large number of Henry's friends and acquaintances were at the hearing and the court was crowded.
On 30th March 1864 Henry was found guilty at the spring Assizes of the lesser charge of 'shooting with intent to do grievous
bodily harm' and sentenced to seven years penal servitude.
'His Lordship said the jury had found the prisoner guilty of the most merciful part of the indictment .... otherwise he should have given him a much more severe sentence'. Henry had narrowly missed being hanged.
The Gloucester Gaol record describes Henry as 5ft 11in (1.8m) with brown hair, grey eyes, long visage and fresh complexion. He was single and "works for self as jobber". He had two previous convictions one for poaching in October 1858, sentenced to one month's hard labour and one for picking pockets in 1859, sentenced to six month's hard labour. On 5th August 1864 Henry was moved from Gloucester County Gaol, after 9 months 28 days in the separate system there, to the notorious Millbank prison on the banks of the Thames (Tate Britain now stands on the site). Millbank by this time was used for keeping prisoners for a short time until they were sent to the prison where they would serve their sentence. The Millbank records show he could neither read nor write and confirm he had been in trouble before 'twice summarily'. Again he was confined in the separate system. The separate system of solitary confinement was introduced in the 19th century as a form of penance by the prisoners through silent reflection upon their crimes and behaviour. It also crushed the prisoners identity. They were known only as a number and were unable to speak to another prisoner or even look at them as outside their cell they were hooded.
On 2nd January 1865 Henry was transferred from Millbank to Dartmoor prison where he would serve the remainder of his sentence. In Victorian times, Dartmoor was considered the most severe prison in England. On arrival at Dartmoor all prisoners were put into solitary confinement for the first 18 months with just two books for company, one being the bible. As Henry couldn't read or write this wouldn't be much comfort to him. However, he had already served 15 months in the separate system before arriving at Dartmoor which was taken into account.
During his four months 28 days at Millbank Henry made little progress in the schooling he was given but at Dartmoor his progress was marked as 'Good'. While at Millbank he was occupied as a picker, presumably of oakham, however, by the time he left Dartmoor his trade was described as carpenter. He was released on licence on 31st December 1869. By the 1871 census, Henry was lodging with his cousin William Wilcox.
In 1877, Henry tried to start a new life in Australia, sailing from London with his younger nephew James on the 'Stad Amsterdam'. They arrived in Adelaide on 21st December 1877. Henry married Ellen Dempsey on 31st March 1879 in Adelaide and their first son Henry was born 11th November 1881 but sadly died 5 weeks later on 20th December. Soon after though, Henry abandoned Ellen and a warrant was issued in Adelaide on 4th January 1882 for "deserting wife". The warrant was withdrawn in 1884 when he returned to Ellen and a second son, Bernard, was born 12th October 1885. Again Henry didn't stay long after the birth. The South Australian Police Gazette dated 18th November 1885 listed a further warrant for "deserting his wife" on 10th November. The report described him as "age 42, tall, dark complexion, moustache only, dark eyes, farm laborer". This time though Henry abandoned Ellen and his young son permanently when he left Australia and returned to England.
Although his Australian wife was still living at the time, Henry married Jane Bune, a laundress originally from St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon in 1887. They lived at Westbury on Trym Goucestershire. Jane already had a son, William (Willie Bune b. 1883). Henry and Jane's son James was born in 1888.
Henry was in and out of the Eastville Workhouse, Bristol between April 1899 and his death in 1913. He died in the workhouse's sick ward on 26th January 1913 of (1) Senility (2) Heart Failure. Jane died in 1904.
Apart from Henry Vowles, other people involved in the 'attempted murder' were:
William Barnes - gamekeeper to Mr John Wm Miles of Kingsweston
Jacob Denning - also referred to as Jem and Jemmy, was under-keeper to Mr John Wm Miles
William Gleede - labourer, of Stanley Farm, Winterbourne also referred to as the old man Gleede - a witness
PS William Wood of Westbury on Trym - the police officer who dealt with Henry at the police station and later took him to hospital
Mr Pigeon sen and Mr Cottman of Messrs Clifton and Brooking - defended Henry at the Petty Sessions
Mr Cripps (instructed by Mr Pigeon) - defended Henry at the Assize court
William Barnes - gamekeeper to Mr John Wm Miles of Kingsweston
Jacob Denning - also referred to as Jem and Jemmy, was under-keeper to Mr John Wm Miles
William Gleede - labourer, of Stanley Farm, Winterbourne also referred to as the old man Gleede - a witness
PS William Wood of Westbury on Trym - the police officer who dealt with Henry at the police station and later took him to hospital
Mr Pigeon sen and Mr Cottman of Messrs Clifton and Brooking - defended Henry at the Petty Sessions
Mr Cripps (instructed by Mr Pigeon) - defended Henry at the Assize court
Document sources for Henry's story:
Bristol Mercury 10th October 1863 and 09 April 1864 - Brtish Library online newspapers
Gloucester Journal 10th October 1863 - Gloucester County Archives
Gloucester Gaol doc ref: Q/Gc6/4 - Gloucester County Archives
Millbank Prison Male Register - National Archives, Kew
South Australian Police Gazette - 17th May 1882, 13th August 1884, 18th November 1885
Bristol Mercury 10th October 1863 and 09 April 1864 - Brtish Library online newspapers
Gloucester Journal 10th October 1863 - Gloucester County Archives
Gloucester Gaol doc ref: Q/Gc6/4 - Gloucester County Archives
Millbank Prison Male Register - National Archives, Kew
South Australian Police Gazette - 17th May 1882, 13th August 1884, 18th November 1885
Incidentally:
Fly - a horse drawn carriage usually for hire
Jobber - 1.a buyer in quantity to sell to others or 2.a piece worker / odd job man
Life-preserver - a short baton often weighted at the end, used for self defence by police, prison warders etc. A life-preserver was intended to be aimed at arms and legs to disable an assailant not the head as this could cause fatal injury.
Family page
Fly - a horse drawn carriage usually for hire
Jobber - 1.a buyer in quantity to sell to others or 2.a piece worker / odd job man
Life-preserver - a short baton often weighted at the end, used for self defence by police, prison warders etc. A life-preserver was intended to be aimed at arms and legs to disable an assailant not the head as this could cause fatal injury.
Family page