Crime and punishment in the 1800's

A small pastiche of crime and punishment in the 1800's

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THE CROWN CALENDAR FOR THE LINCOLNSHIRE LENT ASSIZES.

Holden at the Castle of Lincoln on Saturday the 7th of March 1818, before the Right Honorable Sir Vicary Gibbs and the Honorable Sir William Garrow.

JOHN CHARLES LUCAS CALCRAFT, ESQ., SHERIFF.

1. William Bewley, aged 49, late of Kingston upon Hull, pensioner from the 5th Regt. of foot, committed July 29, 1817, charged on suspicion of having feloniously broken into the dwelling house of James Crowder at Barton, no person being therein, and stealing 1 bottle green coat, 1 velveteen jacket, 3 waistcoats, &c. Guilty —Death.
2. John Giddy, aged 22, late of Horncastle, tailor, com. Aug. 5, 1817, charged with stealing a silver watch with a gold seal and key, from the shop of James Genistan of Horncastle. Six Months Imprisonment.
3. George Kirkhan, aged 25, and 4, John Colston Maynard, aged 19, both late of Stickney, laborers, corn. Aug. 22, 1817, charged on suspicion of feloniously entering the dwelling house of Wm Bell of Stickney, between 9 and 10 o'ck in the morning, and stealing one Ł5 note and 8 Ł1 notes. Acquitted.
5. George Crow, aged 15, late of Frith Ville, com. Sept. 23, 1817, charged on suspicion of having entered the dwelling house of S. Holmes of Frith Ville, about 7 o'ck in the morning, breaking open a desk, and stealing three Ł1 notes, 3s. 6d. in silver, and a purse. Guilty—Death.
6. Thomas Young, aged 17, late of Firsby, laborer, com. Sept. 23, 1817, charged with having, about 11 o'ck at night, entered the dwelling house of John Ashlin of Firsby, with intent to commit a robbery. Guilty— Death.
7. Robert Husker, aged 28, and 8. John Robinson, aged 28, both late of Glamford Briggs, laborers, corn. Oct. 13, 1817, charged with burglariously breaking into the dwelling house of Chas. Saunby, of South Kelsey, and stealing therefrom several goods and chattels. Guilty—Death.
9. John Marriott, aged 19, late of Osgodby, laborer, com. Oct. 18, 1817, charged with maliciously and feloniously setting fire to an oat stack, the property of Thomas Marshall of Osgodby. Guilty—Death.
10. Sarah Hudson, alias Heardson, aged 25, late of Newark, Nottinghamshire, com. Oct. 24, 1817, charged on suspicion of feloniously stealing from the cottage of James Barrell of Aisthorpe, in the day time, no person being therein, 6 silver tea-spoons and a pair of silver sugar tongs. Discharged by proclamation.
11. Elizabeth Firth, aged 14, late of Burgh cum Girsby, spinster, com. Nov. 22, 1817, charged with twice administering a quantity of vitrol or verdigrease powder, or other deadly poison, with intent to murder Susanna, the infant daughter of George Barnes of Burgh cum Girsby. No true Bill.
12. John Moody, aged 28, late of Stallingborough, laborer, com. Dec. 24, 1817, charged with having committed the odious and detestable crime and felony called sodomy. Indicted for misdemeanor. Two years imprisonment.
13. William Johnson, aged 28, late of Bardney, laborer, com. Dec. 29, 1817, charged with having burglariously entered the dwelling house of Wm Smith, of Bardney, and wilfully and malliciously beating and wounding, with intent to murder and rob Wm. Kirmond, a lodger therein. Seven Years Transportation.
14. Richard Randall, aged 27, and 15. John lubbs, aged 29,both late of Lutton, laborers, com. Dec. 29, 1817, charged with feloniously assaulting Wm. Rowbottom of Holbeach Marsh, between 11 and 12 o'ck in the night, in a field near the king's highway, and stealing from his person 3 promissory Ł10 notes, 8 or 10 shillings in silver, one silver stop and seconds watch, and various other goods and chattels. Both guilty—Death.
16. William Hayes, aged 20, late of Braceby, weaver, com. Jan. 6, 1818, charged with feloniously stealing a mare, together with a saddle and bridle, the property of Ed. Briggs of Hanby. Guilty—Death.
17. Thomas Evison, aged 24, and 18. Thomas Norris, aged 28, both late of Alnwlck, laborers, com. Jan. 21, 1818, charged with feloniously setting fire to a thrashing machine and a hovel, containing a quantity of oats in the straw, the property of Thos. Faulkner, jun. of Ainwick, which were all con- sumed. Guilty—Death.
19. William Walker, aged 20, laborer,and 20. Elizabeth Eno, aged 19, spinster, both late of Boston, com. Jan. 28, 1818, charged with burglariously entering the dwelling house of Wm. Trentham, and stealing a sum of money in gold and silver, several country bank notes, and a red morocco pocket-book. Guilty—Death.
21. William Bell, alias John Brown, aged 30, late of Alvingham, laborer, com. Feb. 19, 1818, charged with burglariously breaking into the shop of Wm. Goy of Alvingham, and stealing 1 pair of new shoes, 1 half boot, and 1 half boot top. Guilty—Death.
22. John Hoyes, aged 48, late of Heckington, com. Feb. 24, 1818, charged with feloniously stealing 2 pigs of the value of Ł3, the property of John Fairchild of Wellingore. Acquitted.

Of the 22 above, 10 were sentenced to death.However,before being carried out, the Judges circuit letter would recommend mercy in certain cases and by the Kings prerogative the sentence would be commuted automatically,often to transportation to Australia. In 1818 there were 1170 capital convictions of which 103 were executed, 90% being reprieved. In these cases the person was brought back to the next assizes for the new sentences to be pronounced as seen below.

PRISONERS UNDER SENTENCE.

George Houdlass, convicted at Lammas Assizes, 1815, of mare stealing.—Ordered to be transported for the term of his natural life. (The Prince Regent, in the name of His Majesty, having graciously extended the Royal Mercy to the said convict, his said sentence is commuted to two years imprisonment, commencing July 1, 1817.
Martin Dowdwell, convicted at the Lent Assizes, 1817, of perjury.—Ordered to be impillored once and imprisoned for two years.
Susanna Pepper, convicted at the Lammas Assizes, 1817, of secreting the birth of her bastard child.— Ordered to be imprisoned for one year
William Whitehead (the younger) ; at the Summer Assizes, 1817, was found by a jury to be of unsound mind.—Ordered to be imprisoned until His Majesty's pleasure be known.
Edward Croft, convicted at the Louth quarter ses sions, held Jan. 12, 1815, of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years
John Caminack, convicted at the Spilsby quarter sessions, Jan. 17, 1817, of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
William Busbey, convicted at the same sessions of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years
William Nubert, convicted at the Lent Assizes, 1817, of burglary.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
William Patchett, convicted at the same Assizes of burglary.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
Richard Clarke, convicted at the Summer Assizes, 1817, of having forged bank notes in his possession.— Ordered to be transported for fourteen years.
Thomas Maddison, convicted at the same Assizes of burglary.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
James Donnington, convicted at the same Assizes of stealing a lamb.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
Samuel Brown, convicted at the same Assizes of steal ing a mare.—Ordered to be transported for the term of his natural life.
Joseph Green-field, convicted at the same Assizes of stealing a heifer.—Ordered to be transported for fourteen years.
William Johnson, convicted at the Spilsby quarter sessions, July 25, 1817, of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
William Willson, convicted at the Kirton quarter sessions, Oct. 17, 1817, of a felony.— Ordered to be transported for seven years.
Henry Thorpe, convicted at the Bourn quarter sessions, Jan. 13, 1818, of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.
George Croft, convicted at the Boston quarter sessions, Jan. 13, 1818, of a felony.—Ordered to be transported for seven years.

..and some crimes were difficult to punish adequately.. The commission of suicide by youthful females has of late become very frequent in particular parts of Lincolnshire; nor have the verdict of the coroner's inquest, directing an ignominious interment in the public road, been sufficient to deter others from the practice. Another instance of this crime occurred last week at Market-Deeping. Miss Jane Smith, aged 19 under the impulse of a disappointment of a tender nature, after failing in an attempt to drown herself, cut her throat in an outhouse, and died a few hours after. The Jury returned a verdict of lunacy, but the clergyman refused to permit the burial until he received a note from the coroner on the subject. In another example, Elizabeth James, of Peterborough, poisoned herself, and her body was buried in the road leading to Spalding. The relations of the unhappy young woman have recently placed a stone near where her remains are interred, bearing the following inscription ' Near this spot were deposited, on the 24th of May, 1811, the sad remains of Elizabeth James; an awful memento against the horrid crime of suicide.Passenger! take warning : you see here a fatal instance of human weakness, and the dreadful consequence of misplaced affection.'

Other sites:-
www.oldbaileyonline.org A fully searchable online edition containing accounts of over 100,000 criminal trials held at London's central criminal court.1674 to 1834.
www.nationalarchives.govuk/workhouse Online search of 5,000 documents from the Southwell Workhouse Poor Law Union between 1834 and 1871.

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