A Black Hustler, 1838 NOTE: The following newspaper reports give us a glimpse into the life of a black male prostitute at the beginning of the Victorian age. It is one of the earliest documented records of a gay black man in Britain. Henry Johnson seems to have made a good living by regularly walking along Regent Street and allowing himself to be picked up, and was well paid for his sexual services. In the incident recorded here, he went home with a butler and slept with him. For a male streetwalker to actually go home and spend the night giving pleasure to a client is seldom recorded. Then in the morning he requested his fee, and threatened to expose the butler if he did not pay him. This does not follow the common pattern in which a blackmailer begins the extortion immediately after a pass is made at him. Johnson was clearly a homosexual prostitute rather than a straight blackmailer. But since the butler did not have enough money to meet the demand, Johson took silver objects (belonging to the butler's master), and pawned them. He could have left the matter there, as he had received his money, but he kindly gave the butler the pawn tickets so that he could pay to regain possession of the objects. Instead of a happy resolution of the matter, however, both men were arrested and convicted of theft, and transported to Australia. Although evidence was produced showing that both men enjoyed sex with other men (though the butler was a married man), they were not actually charged with homosexual offences. Sunday 9 December 1838 MARYLEBONE. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF PLATE – HORRIBLE DISCLOSURES. – Yesterday, John Aylett and Henry Johnson, (the latter a man of colour,) were charged with having committed a robbery at the residence of Thos. L. Holland, Esq., 12, Cornwall-terrace. John Webb deposed, that on Wednesday night last he called upon Aylett, who told him, that on the previous night he met a black man in Regent-street, and after drinking with him, they went home to his master's house and slept together; in the early part of the morning he (the black man) got up and demanded 5l. of Aylett, at the same time threatening in the event of non-compliance, to charge him with the commission of an unnatural offence. Not having the money by him, he took from his master's plate-chest, which he gave to the black man, who carried it off. Sergeant Rodgers, 1 D, said, that he took the prisoner Johnson into custody, Aylett, was then confronted with Johnson, whom he at once identified as the person to whom he had given up the plate. Graves deposed to having heard Aylett admit, in his master's presence, that on the night in question, he and Johnson had been guilty of an unnatural offence, and that Johnson had subsequently confessed to him (Graves) that he had for some time past been in the habit of walking along Regent-street, where he was almost certain of being noticed by gentlemen of the army and nobility, by whom he was liberally paid for acceding to their wishes. The prisoners were fully committed. (The Operative) Saturday 15 December 1838 MARLEBONE. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF PLATE – HORRIBLE DISCLOSURES. – John Aylett and Henry Johnson (the latter is a man of colour) were placed at the bar, before Mr. Hoskins, charged under the following extraordinary circumstances, with having committed a robbery at the residence of Thomas L. Holland, Esq., No. 12, Cornwall-terrace, Regent's Park, and in whose service the first-named prisoner lived as butler. – John Webb, a servant out of place, deposed that on Wednesday night last he called upon Aylett, whom he found in a state of great mental distress; and on questioning him he said that on the previous night he met a black man in Regent-street, and after drinking with him they went home to his master's house and slept together; in the early part of the morning he (the black man) got up and demanded 5l. of Aylett, at the same time threatening, in the event of non-compliance, to charge him with the commission of an unnatural offence. Not having the money by him, and being very much alarmed, he (Aylett) took from his master's plate-chest two pairs of silver candlesticks, a silver sauce tureen, and a number of silver-mounted knives and forks, together with some other articles, which he gave up to the black man, who carried them off. While witness was engaged in conversation with Aylett, the latter received by post a letter, containing duplicates for the property, which had been pledged in the neighbourhood. Information was then given to Graves, an officer employed at the Colosseum, who instituted a diligent inquiry into all the facts connected with the case. – Sergeant Rodgers, 1 D, said that yesterday morning, about three o'clock, in consequence of information he had received, he took the prisoner (Johnson) into custody in the New-road, when he denied that he had ever slept at the prosecutor's residence, or that he knew any one belonging to that gentleman's establishment. Aylett, who had also been locked up on the charge, was then brought into the presence of Johnson, whom he at once identified as the person to whom he had, through fear, given up the plate. Graves deposed to having heard Aylett admit, in his master's presence, that on the night in question he and Johnson had been guilty of unnatural practices with each other, and that Johnson had subsequently confessed to him (Graves) that he had for some time past been in the habit of walking along Regent-street, where he was almost certain of being noticed, and picked up by gentlemen, by whom he was liberally paid for according to their wishes. (Several persons here exclaimed, "O, horrible! horrible!" and Aylett, who is a married man, was observed to shed tears). The property previously referred to was produced by the pawnbrokers, M'Fairlam and Mr. Ross, and identified by Mr. Holland. A gold watch, with guard, chain and seals, was found upon Johnson when secured by the police-sergeant. – The prisoners were fully committed for trial. (Dublin Monitor) Firday 21 December 1838 CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. – DEC. 20 OLD COURT. John Aylett and Henry Johnson, a man of colour, were indicted for stealing a large quantity of plate, the property of Mr. Holland, Cornwall-terrace, Regent's Park.           After evidence had been adduced, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence – Transportation for ten years. (Morning Post) Monday 24 December 1838 CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT, Dec. 22. The December Sessions having terminated, sentence was passed upon such prisoners as had not received judgment at the time of trial.           Transported . . . For Ten Years. – . . . J. Aylett, H. Johnson . . . (Morning Advertiser) Monday 24 December 1838 John Aylett and Henry Johnson, the latter a man of colour, were convicted of stealing four candlesticks, one tureen and cover, and other silver plate, value 20l., the property of Thomas Lindsey Holland, in his dwelling-house, situate in Cornwall-terrace, Regent's-park.           Sentence – transportation for 10 years. (Bell's Weekly Messenger) Tuesday 1 January 1839 REMOVAL OF CONVICTS. The following persons have been removed from the gaol of Newgate to the receiving ships moored off Woolwich, preparatory to their voyage to the colony to which they are ordered to be banished:–           For Ten Years. – . . . Jno. Aylett, 24; Hy. Johnson, 22 . . . (Morning Advertiser) Transportation John Aylett and Henry Johnson were both transported to Australia, though not aboard the same ship nor at the same time. While awaiting transportation, they were placed in the prison hulks. Aylett was placed in the Fortitude convict hulk. While waiting for transportation to New South Wales, several Quarterly Returns of Prisoners reported that he was Healthy and engaged in Good Behaviour. [e.g. return of 6 July 1839, HO8, pc no 61] Aylett's wife Emma submitted a petition begging that her husband not be transported: Petition To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty from Emma Aylett residing at No. 92 Aldersgate Street, London Shewith That your Petitioners Husband, John Aylett, who was in the service of a Gentleman named Holland residing at No. 13 Cornwall Terrace Regents Park, was on the 18th December last tried at the Old Bailey Sessions and found Guilty of a Larceny in his Master's House and sentenced to Ten years transportation.           That your Petitioners Husband is now at Chatham awaiting the Order for his removal to the penal settlements.           That your Petitioners Husband, previous to the unfortunate occurrence which has deprived him of his liberty, lived in the service of Mr Raines, Surgeon of No. 92 Aldersgae Street aforesaid, in whose service your Petitioner is now and has been for six years past.           That your Petitioner, overwhelmed as she is with affliction at the fate of her husband to whom she has been united but one year and a half, would find great relief if she had reason to hope that his term of confinement would be lessened or that he might be permitted to remain in this country, your Petitioner deeming it scarcely necessary to observe that the opportunity of occasionally visiting him would render her present unhappy condition less intolerable.           Your Petitioner therefore humbly supplicates a favourable consideration of her case, and prays such an alteration in the present condition of her Husband as the circumstances will admit.                     Emma Aylett Answered 5 August 1839 [Home Office Criminal Petitions: Series I, HO17, pc no. 126, item YZ17] Emma's application was refused on 5 August 1839 [Correspondence and Warrants, HO13, pc no 75, p. no. 241]. But in fact Aylett had already begun his journey, aboard the ship Barrosa, which departed on 31 July 1839, and arrived in New South Wales on 8 December 1839. Aylett was one of 336 convicts transported on the Barrosa, the list of convicts describing him as age 25, able to read and write, Protestant, married, native place Hertfordshire, occupation gentleman's servant. He was 5'1½" tall, with a sallow complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes, two small scars over the left eyebrow, wart on left side of neck, scar between the knuckles of fore and middle fingers of right hand, scar on left elbow. [State Records Authority of New South Wales, Office Copies of printed Indents 1831-1842, Reel 908; HO11/12, p. no. 75 (39)] Presumably he fell ill while on board, because he died one month after arrival, on 7 January 1840, in Parramatta Hospital, Sydney, age 24. He was buried on 8 January, at St John's Cemetery, Parramatta. Parramatta Colonial Hospital, by Joseph Lycett, 1824 Henry Johnson Johnson was sent out aboard the Layton 3 arriving on 8 December 1839. According to the Appropriation List (CON27-1-9 Image 7 and Image 358) he was a labourer, sentenced to 10 years, given 6 months probation. The Description List (CON18-1-14 Image 39) records his trade as "Shop Keeper, Laborer", height 5'7", age 25, complexion "Black man", head round, hair "Black, woolly", visage large, forehead high, eyes black, nose small, mouth large, large lips. He is said to have come from the East Indies. This might suggest that he was of Indian rather than of black African descent. However, an African descent is suggested by the physical description of him as a "Black man" having black woolly hair and thick lips, and all of the newspaper reports certainly refer to him as "a man of colour". I suspect that "East Indies" on the Description sheet is an error for "West Indies". The convict record of Henry Johnson is full of detail, much of it rather sad (Tasmanian Convict Records, CON31-1-25 image 112). He arrived in Australia on 14 December 1839 and was placed on 6 months probation. On 7 February 1840 he was received from the ship but was then "Absent without leave from his gang", for which he was reprimanded. On 31 July 1840 he was given 12 days solitary confinement for absconding. On 20 September 1841 he was charged with minor larceny and sentenced to be kept to hard labour in chains. On 30 October 1841 he was charged with "Misconduct in leaving his gang without permission and found with links of his irons broken" and given 14 days solitary confinement. On 6 December 1841 he was guilty of "Misconduct, sleeping during divine service" and sentenced to hard labour in chains to commence at the expiry of his existing sentence. On 2 February 1842 he was guilty of neglecting his work and given one month hard labour in chains to commence at the expiry of his existing sentence. On 1 March 1842 he was found to have broken his irons with intention to abscond and given three months hard labour in chains to commence at the expiry of his existing sentence. On 22 June 1843 he was guilty of "Misconduct in telling his master that he would not remain in his service and absconding himself without leave", for which he was sentenced to twelve full calendar months hard labour. A month later, on 13 July 1843 he again absconded and was again given twelve calendar months hard labour in chains. On 16 May 1844 he was found guilty of Misconduct and had his sentence to hard labour in chains extended by three months. On 12 July 1844 he was guilty of an unspecified misconduct and given 25 stripes. On 24 October 1845 he was guilty of neglect of duty and admonished. On 15 November 1845 he was guilty of "Misconduct in ill-treating a fellow prisoner and absent without leave", for which he was given three months hard labour. He was now working in New Town Farm. On 28 December 1846 he was absent without leave and given two months hard labour. On 2 December 1847 he was given ten days solitary confinement for "obtaining vegetables without his master's authority". On 7 February 1848 he was found guilty of assaulting a fellow convict and sentenced to six months hard labour. On 13 June 1848 he was found guilty of leaving his work and his sentence to hard labour was extended by six months. On 29 August 1848 he was put in the cells for fourteen days for absconding. On 14 March 1849 he was given four months hard labour for absconding. A reward of £1 was offered for his return. Johnson was finally given "Free berth" on 17 December 1849, exactly ten years after arriving at the penal colony. Having served his full sentence – nearly all of which he served at hard labour working in chains – presumably he sailed back to England, but I cannot trace him further. SOURCE: Various newspapers, dates as given, and archive documents.. CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation: Rictor Norton (Ed.), "A Black Hustler, 1838", Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 28 March 2016, updated 2 September 2021 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1838blac.htm>. Return to Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England