Northumberland Quarter Sessions court was held in the county from 1388 until 1972. It was a Royal Court of Justice that was held four times a year. There were sessions at Morpeth, Hexham and Alnwick. It was not unusual for large counties to hold sessions at different towns so that justice could be done for the
whole of the county.

Assizes courts tried more serious crime such as murder, rape and highway robbery and were held twice a year. In the 1730s petty sessions courts were introduced to try minor (or petty) crimes.

Indictment was the most common way of an alleged criminal being brought to court. Anyone could “bring” an indictment as long as they had “probable cause” and as long as they weren’t being malicious; they had to have proof and they couldn’t make an accusation because of a grudge.

The name of the accused (could be one or more people) and their alleged crimes were written on a piece of parchment and given to the Grand Jury (between thirteen and twenty-three male householders aged 21–60). The Grand Jury considered the indictment and decided on the verdict under the direction of the judge.

Not all of the indictments were on a printed form like the ones here. The fact that there were pre-printed forms for the crime of larceny (stealing) probably shows how common it was. The indictments here also have the verdict and sentence noted on them.

Indictments were written on pieces of parchment, which is made from animal skins. The skins are cured and scraped so that they are very thin. The best quality parchment is called vellum and is made from calfskin. Parchment is very durable; if it is kept in the right conditions it can last for centuries. The oldest parchment document dates from 2000 BC.

Mary Weir was convicted of stealing “a woman’s green stuff petticoat” from Mary Leighton, even though she claimed not to be guilty. A petticoat was worn under a skirt and this one was made of “green stuff”, or material.

Mary Weir was “sentenced to be transported to His Majesty’s settlements on the Eastern Coast of New South Wales for the term of seven years or to any other of His Majesty’s Dominions beyond Seas for that time”. (See bottom handwritten section of indictment.)

Although she was convicted on 18 July 1793, Mary did not set sail for Australia until October 1795. She may have been kept on a prison hulk (an old ship that was not fit for sailing), although this was more common for male prisoners. The opening scenes of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens features prison hulks (see link below).

Along with 132 other female prisoners, Mary sailed to New South Wales on the Indispensable. They stopped for fresh water at Rio de Janeiro in January 1796. Two women died during the journey. 

The Indispensable arrived in Australia on 30 April 1796. Mary Weir appears on the Australian census for 1811, 1814, 1819. According to the “Felon or Free Settler” website, Mary married John Larkham in Parramatta, near Sydney.