Henry Laing: Part 1 From Birth to Prison
Born Wednesday, September 22, 1794, Henry Laing grew up in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle. His father John Laing & mother Elizabeth (nee Annan) were cowfeeders who lived near the junction of Fountainbridge & Thornybauk Roads. They had at least 4 children, Lillias (who married Charles Hunt), William, James and Elizabeth (who married William Atkien and continued to live in Thornybauk Road as a cowfeeder after her parent's & husband's death).
As an adult, Henry was 5"5" tall with a ruddy complexion, pocked skin, brown hair and hazel eyes.
At around the age of 21 Henry moved out of his parents home to live with a woman named Mary Graham. They shared a room in Curries Close which was in the cattle market district of Edinburgh known as the "grass market".
Of the evening of or around May 26th, 1817 Henry recieved 7 pairs of stolen shoes from his friend Robert Donaldson. Henry hid three pair in a locked chest at his father's house and confessed to having buried 4 pair behind Edinburgh Castle, near the grassmarket. During his court case 3 pairs of shoes were presented to him, having be dug from the ground. At this point he confessed he'd given one pair to Mary, but that she had no idea that they were stolen.
In October 1817 Henry also recieved stolen kitchen towels from Robert Donaldson.
Henry was 23 when sentenced to transportation on 24 November 1817, at the Edinburgh Court of Justiciary, alongside Robert Donaldson, for three different acts of theft and housebreaking. Henry pleaded guilty, by his own confession, and was sentenced to transportation for a term of 14 years.
Old Tolbooth Gaol where Henry was imprisoned, awaiting his transfer to
London, and then his transportation to Australia.
London, and then his transportation to Australia.
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