Ikey Solomon

Ikey Solomon as printed from a drawing by the Lambeth PoliceIsaac "Ikey" Solomon (c. 1787 – 1850) was a British criminal who acted as a receiver of stolen property. His well-publicised crimes, escape from arrest, recapture and trial led to his transportation to the Australian penal colony of Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania).

He is widely regarded as the model for the character Fagin in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist.

Early life and marriage Solomon was born into a Jewish family in Houndsditch, in the East End of London. He was one of nine children. Henry Solomon also worked in various places in London and once remarked "I have worked for every factory in London." Little is known about Solomon's mother except that she looked after her husband well into his old age.

Solomon married Ann (also known as Hannah) Julian on 7 January 1807 in the Great Synagogue, Duke's Place, London. Ann was the daughter of Moses Julian, coachmaster, of Aldgate.

Criminal life Solomon first had a shop in Brighton but later opened what was ostensibly a jeweller's shop in Bell Lane, London, in the vicinity of Petticoat Lane. (This business has also been described as a pawn shop.)

Solomon used the shop to carry on business as a receiver of stolen goods, known as a fence, becoming one of the most active Londoners in the "trade".

On 17 April 1810, Solomon and a man named Joel Joseph were caught stealing a pocket book (valued at 4 shillings) and £40 in bank notes from Thomas Dodd. This happened outside Westminster Hall (the site of Parliament) where a large crowd had gathered for a public meeting. Police chased the pair and caught them inside the Hall. Joseph attempted to get rid of the evidence by eating the bank notes while Solomon tried to ditch the notebook.

Both were arrested and tried at the Old Bailey during the June Sessions 1810 and found guilty of stealing, a felony. Solomon, just 23 years at the time, was sentenced to penal transportation, to spend the rest of his days in Australia. However, for reasons that are no longer clear, he remained in England, imprisoned in the prison hulk Zetland for four years, before being released in error or escaping. The judge referred to Solomon as being "evil-disposed", another indication of the large notoriety he had garnered.

Solomon was sent back to Hobart in the William Glen Anderson, arriving in November 1831. He was sent to Richmond gaol, where in 1832 he became a "javelin man", or convict constable. In 1834, he was transferred to Port Arthur Convict Settlement. In 1835, authorities granted Solomon a ticket of leave on condition that he lived at least from Hobart.

Literary treatment Solomon remains known as the person upon whom Charles Dickens may have based the character of Fagin in the novel Oliver Twist.

Solomon's life has been the subject of several works, including:

The First Fagin by Judith Sackville-O'Donnell, Prince of Fences: The Life and Crimes of Ikey Solomons by J.J. Tobias, The Potato Factory by Bryce Courtenay, , a historical novel that was made into a four-part miniseries that aired in Australia Thanks a lot, Guv! – The Stories of Eight Convicts, from Trial in England to Detention and Freedom in Van Diemen's Land by T. Garth Hyland, , also a historical novel.

Solomon was Jewish. His literary and historical treatment have been the focus of many debates. Some argue that many portrayals of Ikey Solomon have been anti-Semitic. Bryce Courtenay's Ikey character in The Potato Factory has recently been the subject of such debate. The Fagin character, with its connection to Ikey, has caused similar debate.

Documentaries The first Fagin by Helen Gaynor and Alan Rosenthal, Canberra – A.C.T., Ronin Films, 2012