Hide
COURT CASE NOTES 1853
hide
Hide
This is one of a series of notebooks kept by Baldwin Fulford JP, during sessions at an unnamed court. The date of this one is c.1853. It contains notes of the charge, evidence, verdict and sentence, if any. The crimes are mostly theft, with one indecent assault. They were committed at locations across Devon.
The notes were evidently written at high speed. Punctuation is minimal. To assist the reader, I have inserted a colon after the name of the witness and an additional space between phrases. Names given may not be wholly reliable, either in the original or in this transcription.
Locations and surnames include the following:
OLIVER, VINEY
CARTER, DOBLE
LOCK
DAVY
Heavitree: LAKE, REYNOLDS, BRIGHT, WESTBEER, FULFORD
Kingsbridge, Dodbrook, Aveton Gifford: HAWKINS, DOWNING, BROWN, PASSMORE, JERRETT, PARKER
Church Taunton (Churchstanton), Willand: BAILEY, JOYE, HARTNOLL, SPILLER, SPEARL (Spurle)
GOSS
DOWN
CROSS
Cullompton: WILLS, CARNALL, WARE, FRANCIS
East Stonehouse: WHITELOCK, PIKE, MILLS, SNOOK
Plymouth: COLLINS, PENN, ?WARDLING
Paignton: ROWE, PRESTON
Teignmouth: EVANS, KERSLAKE, SALMON, WARD, SMITH, ENON, HARRIS, CLAMPIT
Transcribed by Fay Sampson Priestley, April 2003
(Inside cover)
May 18. 1853
(First page) | |||||
1 | 1 | Mary Oliver 3 months | ) Pd Guilty Larceny | ||
2 | Catherine Viney 4 months | ) being employed |
2 | 3 | Elizabeth Carter Pd Guilty Larceny | 4 months |
4 | Betty Doble | 2 months |
3 | 5 Wm Lock Pd Guilty | Larceny |
1 month 1 Wh |
4 | 6 | John Davy Pd Guilty | Larceny |
2 weeks |
5 | 7 | Wm Lake 17 at Heavitree 15 May Sunday |
8 | Richard Reynolds 16. Hen & 2 chickens. Property of William Bright. |
Wm Bright: in customs at Heavitree. Keep Poultry 14 May had Bantam hen two chickens saw them at 6. Put them to roost in outhouse in ?Base gone morning at 7. Close by House fence broken next was a field. Not a path ?first went to Westbeer's House in Paris Street. May 15. found Hen & chicken. Gave next day to Fulford. Identifies.
Henry Westbeer: Sunday 15 May 8½ morning had no chickens. When I came back saw Pris they asked me to buy fowls they left them at my House asked 1.8 for them. I knew Pris.
Fulford: Police took Pris 15 May 11 at night Lake stated he saw Reynolds bring out fowls.
Guilty. | Wm Lake. 3 m 1 Wh | |
Rich Reynolds 4 m 1 Whip |
6 | 9 | William Hawkins Pd Guilty 4 Months |
10 | James Downing Stealing from Kingsbridge Union 28 Feb Monday |
Thomas Brown: constable of Dodbrook 26 March searched Downing House his wife with me in upstairs room found things produced in Aveton Gifford.
Sarah Passmore: matron of Union know Downing was in house in March. Had case of cloathes missed on 21 March from store Identifies.
Jas Jerrett: Downing confessed
Guilty. Receiving. 6 months. |
James Downing Larceny Not guilty.
7 | Wm Hawkins 24 April 1853 Kingsbridge Union bread & cheese. |
Mary Ann Parker: 23 April 5&6 morning bread room door open 9.10. 22nd right pudding & cheese gone mark on it.
Thomas Brown: 25 April took Pris found cheese in pocket charged him he said he did not go for Blanketts.
Guilty. 5 Months. |
8 11 James Moore of Church Taunton 18 March on Rachel Bailey assault with intent Friday.
Rachel Bailey: Ch Taunton servant to Mrs Joye is 15. Was sent to Willand 18 March came back about 8. The moon was shining saw Pris knew him before he offered me peppermint and halfpence and went after me 2 fields & a bit kept on putting his arm round me we then got to road about ¼ mile from home not far from houses. He then threw me into ditch & took up petticoats & unbuttoned trousers. I struggled & called out then some one Robert Hartnoll & his wife came Pris ran away. I told them & went home with them I told my mistress
Robert Hartnoll: 18 March ?think about ¼ 8. I heard someone screech out. Saw chap go over hedge. Girl was crying. I heard her make a complaint of a man pulling up her cloaths.
John Spiller: constable he said he had heard people tell of that before 9 April after this he had been in ditch with girl but did nothing to her heard some one at gate & got over hedge & had the warrant 26th. Never heard anything against Pris. Did not know Baily. He has been working for Spearl. I had been looking for him.
Guilty. 4 months |
9 | 12 | Charlotte Goss. stealing from Master |
Pd G. 6 months |
10 | 13 John Down stealing from Master |
Pd G. 6 months |
11 | 14 James Cross. stealing tools |
Pd G. 6 weeks |
13 | 15 Catherine Wills 15 years of Collumpton 2nd May Monday from her Master Wm Carnall 2 pounds 1 shilling |
Wm Carnall: keep Merry Harriers in Collumpton Pris in service more than a months. Kept money in drawers in bedroom. I missed money many times. 26 April put 5 sov. in purse. There was silver in same drawer missed 2 sov. on 28. Then marked 10s. 2nd May missed one shilling wife kept keys. I did not go to drawer between shilling the same. No other servants a Smith lived there
Maria Carnall: wife of W.C. Tuesday 26th of April. put in 5 sov. 28th went again 2 sov gone Husband 10s marked. Did not take out of purse. Shilling same
David Ware: took girl confessed.
Wm Francis: bought 28th gave sov.
Guilty. 6 months. |
14 | 16 Richard Whitelock East Stonehouse after ?bone. 25 lb raw fat Property of Wm Pike |
Wm Mills: servant of Pike killed 3 bullocks left fat in slaughter House 14 Thursday afternoon. Friday morning. 5 or 6. fat gone from 20 to 30 lb. Policeman Snook produced fat. It fitted. knew Prisoner. He has worked in premises
George Snook: met Pris 14 Apr evening ?running with bag about 11 I stopped him he had fat in bag. He said he had bought in market of Puncher who said he had not sold fat. Pris said yes you have. P said I have not take him in custody. Pris persisted in story next day went to Wm Pike fat fitted. He said he bought it of chap in Fore street who he did not know. Produces fat
Guilty. After Previous convict. | |
7 years |
15 | 17 William Collins one ass. Property of Ann Penn |
Thomas Penn: son of Ann Penn who is widow. She had donkey on farm I look after. Saw it 8 14 April in court. Next morning it gone gate open chained. The donkey could not unhooked it. same day saw it in Plymouth Market for sale. I gave Pris in cus.
Wm ?Wardling: of Plymouth 15 April saw Pris with Donkey who said for sale said he was working for 2 years an hour after showed Penn the donkey & Pris
Guilty. 6 months. |
16 | 18 Henry Rowe hay in Paignton Property of Thomas Preston. 27 March Not Guilty |
17 | 19 Charles Evans | ) 22nd of April at Teignmouth one watch property of Harris Salmon |
20 Thomas Kerslake | ) Friday |
Harris Salmon: Travelling Jeweller Devon Arms Teignmouth Friday 22 April Prisoner & others who were sitting by Table I had box another was with them I don't know him showed a watch to Evans he offered price did not agree I showed another he took it. & looked at it Evans passed to the Pris & another. I say if you wont buy give it back he put it in pocket & said you gave it me it was double case He opened it & I took the case from him the watch he put in his pocket it was the man not here the 3 were all together. I went for Policeman & I came back without one they were not at the table I did not see Pris there at all people were there. I looked at them could not identify. It was about 10 when I came back. I showed one Karslake to Policeman. I cannot say about his dress.
X: got to Teignmouth day before There were many Quart cups on table. 3 or 4 I did not go to a man calt Ward & say he took my watch he is here when they would not give back watch I thought they were joking.
Charles Smith: saw Pros & Pris who were sitting left side by door together no one else on same seat. Salmon offered watch & ?when at second to Karslake saw Salmon with the case & K. with watch heard Salmon ask for watch K said you gave me watch it was not given Salmon went away. While away the Pris changed frocks. Said Ward who denied. K then had watch while he went second time K put watch on table beyond a quart nearly covered by arms. Evans sitting by side Evans went out & came back & Karslake after then Police came & took K.
X: I did not think they meant to take watch I thought it was a joke.
Thomas Ward: was there knows Pris K put watch behind cup Jew could not see it. he moved it to prevent him
Samuel Enon: Evans took watch from Karslake. Saw Evans put it under frock
Joseph Harris: Police. Took Karslake at Devon Arms. I asked if he knew about it he said Charly had it. I took him & did not find watch
Wm Clampit: I took Karslake Harris had Evans. Evans said to K. D. my eyes D my eyes never a word.
Guilty. 1 month. |