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Someone
in the Tower Hamlets Local History Library, at some time, cut up 18th and 19th
century journals - the Gentleman's Magazine and the Illustrated
London News conspicuous among them - and stuck any references to the Tower
Hamlets area onto cards. These are now in the cuttings collection, mostly under
the parish subject numbers. I am working my way through these short items and
will be gradually building them into a series of Miscellanies.
Annoyingly, whoever did it rarely made
a note of where the cutting came from; usually there's just the year. So, in
most cases, that is all the information you will find here.
| 1729 |
Several of the Inhabitants
in and near Whitechapel, have made a Contribution for an extraordinary Watch,
who are oblig'd to go round their Beat three or four times every Hour; they
believing (with a good deal of Reason) that a Watchman sitting at a Door, from
one Hour to another is of little Service to the rest of the Houses under his
Care; since 'tis possible a House may be robb'd in the Space of an Hour, or so
much done towards it, that it may be compleated the next, when the Watchman
returns (perhaps to sleep) at his Stand.
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| 1736 |
On Tuesday last John Thoyts
and Richard Lucas were committed to Newgate by Justice Farmer, on the
Information of Thomas Clay their Accomplice, for breaking open the House of
Mrs. Darking, of Upper Church-lane, White-Chappel, and stealing from thence a
Quantity of Pewter, and other Goods; but as they were conveying handcuff'd
together to Newgate, Lucas found means to discharge himself therefrom, and
attempted to escape, but was soon retaken; in the mean time Thoyts got clear
off, with the Handcuffs upon him; Clay their Accomplice is committed to
New-Prison.
|
| 1743 |
Last Thursday Night some
Rogues attempted to rob Mr. Harris, a Scowerer, in Lemon-Street,
Goodman's-Fields, by throwing Cords, with Weights at the End of them, over his
drying Poles, thinking thereby to have pull'd the Cloaths down; but one of the
Poles falling upon the Penthouse alarm'd the Family, and Mr. Harris going to
the Window, the Thieves made off without staying to take so much as their Cord
with them, which the Scowerer desir'd they wou'd come back for, telling them
that in a little Time they wou'd have need of such a Thing; they reply'd, that
they were going to Blackwall about Business, and he should hear from them when
they came back, tho' we don't find they have yet been so good as their Words.
|
| 1744 |
February 17th
The ten following Malefactors were pursuant to their Sentence executed at
Tyburn: viz. Thomas Hill for counterfeiting the Card stamp, Joseph Leath for
the Highway, Peter Rogers for Forgery in a Bill of Exchange, John Burton, alias
Appleby, Henry Burrows, alias Cobler, William Clarke, with 3 Jews, Samuel
Moses, Aaron Seleit and Joseph M'coy all for Burglaries, and Jacob Cordosa
(also a Jew) for breaking out of Newgate. - The four Jews were interr'd in
their burial Ground at Mile-end, with their Cloaths on, and the Halters about
their Necks.
(Gentleman's Magazine)
|
| 1746 |
December 6th-9th
Last Saturday fourteen Prisoners were tried at the Old Baily, three of whom
were capitally convicted, viz Richard Clay (who was cast on Friday last for
Transportation, was an Accomplice with James Stanbury some Time since executed,
and Samuel Mecum, now under Sentence of Death) and John Matthews, for breaking
open the Dwelling-House of Mr. Francis Milson at the Green Man in Whitechapel,
and stealing several Things; and Peter de la Fountaine, for uttering and
publishing a false, forged, and Counterfeit Note, knowing it to be so. Mr. de
la Fountain was tried in Sir Robert Willimot's Mayoralty for Bigamy, and burnt
in the hand.
(General Evening Post)
|
| 1761 |
Yesterday morning a Sugar
Refiner's house was broke open near the Bell-founder's in Whitechapel, and
stripped of most of the furniture, plate, money, &c. with which the rogues
got clear off. They effected it by boring holes in the window shutters, and
then taking out a piece, unbolted the window. There was not a watchman near the
place.
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Saturday morning, about one
o'clock, the parlour of a wine-merchant's house near the back of the London
Hospital, was broke into and stripp'd of all its furniture. The robbers struck
a light, and drank out a bottle of wine which was in the beauset, and carried
off with them three bottles of brandy. A house in the same neighbourhood was on
Monday last broke open, and robbed of effects to the value of 30l.
Robberies have been very frequent of late in that neighbourhood.
|
| 1773 |
On Sunday afternoon two
sharpers went to Capt. Payne's house in Cheyne-buildings, Stepney, and knocked
at the door, which was opened by the Maid, by whom they were informed nobody
was at home but herself; they then asked leave to go into the kitchen and write
a message, which was complied with. As soon as the street-door was shut, they
bound the maid, and after rifling the house, went out of a back door in the
garden, and got clear off.
|
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Early yesterday morning the
compting-house belonging to the Eagle Brewhouse, Whitechapel, was broke open,
and cash, notes, with other things, were carried off to a considerable amount.
|
| 1778 |
About three o'clock
yesterday morning four desperate villains attempted to break open the house of
Mr. Wallish, Bacon-butcher, near Mile-end, when Mr. Wallish's son, a young man
about nineteen years of age, discharged a blunderbuss, and killed one of them
on the spot, the other three made their escape.
|
| 1780 |
Yesterday morning between
twelve and one o'clock, two fellows got over a garden wall, belonging to Mr.
Dyke, at Mile-End, but being overheard by some of the family who discharged a
fowling-piece, the villains retired; one of them was wounded, as appeared by
the traces of blood seen in several places.
|
| 1782 |
On Tuesday evening, about
eleven o'clock, some villains attempted to climb the garden wall at Mr.
Blake's, Mile End, New Town; but being perceived by a neighbour, who fired a
pistol, the villains, (three in number) fled, leaving a saw and other
implements of iniquity behind them.
|
| 1788 |
On Monday last, while a
family in Whitechapel were out a holiday making, some thieves broke into their
house, and stripped it of the most valuable part of its furniture.
|
| 1788 |
On Saturday night, or early
on Sunday morning, the parish church of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green, was broke
into and robbed of the brass pillars and curtain rods belonging to the
Church-wardens pews, and several of the brass sconces.
|
| 1792 |
Last night the house of Mr.
Gee, in Lemon-street, Goodman's Fields, was broke open and robbed of plate,
wearing-apparel, and other articles to the amount of near two hundred pounds.
|
| 1793 |
2nd October
Publick Office, Whitechapel, Oct. 1, 1793
WHEREAS Thomas Duperdy and George Turner were lately convicted at this Office
for having in their Possession 19lb. of raw Coffee; Mary Fleming, two Gallons
and one Quart of Rum; James Dent, one Bladder of Rum, and 3lb. of Coffee; Ann
Lewis, 13lb. 3 Qrs. of Sugar; a Person who made his Escape, 63lb. of Ginger,
and 74lb. of Coffee, being part of the Cargo or Stores of some Ships or Vessels
lying in the River Thames which have lately been stolen or unlawfully procured
from or out of the same. The Owners on applying for and proving their Property
at this Office, and paying the Expence of advertising, will receive the same if
such Application is made within 30 Days from the Date hereof; if not the Goods
will be then sold.
(Daily Advertiser)
|
| 1809 |
May [18?]
This day the Sessions commenced here before Judges GROSE and GRAHAM. Joel
Ware, Thomas Holmit, alias Lacey, alias Anderson, and
John Fuller, were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the
house of Richard Jones, and stealing therein about seventy pounds in money, two
mourning rings, two time-pieces, and other articles his property, on the night
of the 23rd April; and David Ware (the father of the first-named
Prisoner,) was at the same time indicted for receiving one of the time-pieces,
knowing the same to have been stolen. The Prosecutor keeps the public house
called the Black Dog, in Mile-end, leading to Bethnal Green. On the night laid
in the indictment, the house was secured to the usual manner, previous to the
the family retiring to rest, and in the morning the window-shutters appeared to
have been forced open, and the bar rifled of the various articles laid in the
indictment, and which were carried off. - Upon the alarm being given, the track
of a wheel-barrow was traced to the house of Joel Ware, at some distance
in the neighbourhood, who, with the other two, together with an accomplice of
the name of Randall, was detected in the act of dividing the spoil, and
secured. It appeared from the evidence of Randall, that the three
prisoners set off from Joel Ware's house about one o'clock in the morning of
the 23d April, for the purpose of committing the robbery in Jones's house, from
whence they returned about half past 4, with a wheel-barrow, loaded with
halfpence and other articles. He had been sent by them in the morning with one
of the time-pieces, wrapt up in a cloth, to the house of David Ware, where he
left it, without giving any account of it, and where it was found by the
officers. The prisoners made no defence, only David Ware called witnesses to
his character, particularly Atkinson, one of the officers employed in securing
the prisoners, who lived in his neighbourhood for many years, and who gave him
a good character for honesty and industry. The Jury, after summing up of the
evidence by the Learned Judge (GROSE) found the three prisoners Joel Ware,
Holmit, and Fuller, guilty, and David Ware, not guilty.
|
| 1814 |
The house of Mrs.
Sutherland, of Stepney-green, in the absence of the family from town, was
entered at the street door by means of a skeleton key, on Saturday night, and
robbed of several articles of family plate, a gold watch, with gold chain and
two gold seals, gold rings, several valuable trinkets, and a great quantity of
wearing apparel, sheets, table linen, &c. The thieves got off undiscovered.
|
| 1818 |
CORONER'S INQUEST. - On
Monday night, at eight o'clock, an inquest was held at the New Globe,
Grove-end, Mile-end Old Town, before J. Unwin, Esq. on the body of Charles
Grant, Esq. aged 45. The deceased, who resided at Grove-end, Mile-end Old Town,
was a man of the most amiable disposition, and was generally respected. Since
his return home from the Continent his gardens had been nightly visited by a
most notorious gang of villains, who plundered him to a great extent. He at
length resolved to have spring guns set in his garden, and gave directions to
his servant for so doing, which were attended to. On Saturday se'nnight the gun
was set in the garden; the same night, at a late hour, the deceased was in his
apartment, and imagined he heard a noise; he got his pistols and repaired to
the garden, not being aware that the spring gun had been set; he was in the act
of walking against the wall slowly, in order to come suddenly on the villains
if there, it being quite dark, when he trod on the wire and the gun went off.
Mr. Grant instantly fell down, not knowing that he was shot, and called
"help, help;" he remained there until the footman and other servants
came to his assistance, and supported him into the parlour, where he laid
himself on the sofa, and it was discovered he had received a wound in his
thigh. Mr. Harkness, surgeon, of Ratcliffe, was immediately sent for, who
arrived in a short time after, attended by his son, who was the only witness
examined on this melancholy occasion, and gave evidence to the following
effect: - On Saturday se'nnight witness was sent for to attend the deceased,
and found the wound of such a nature that he thought it expedient to send for
Sir Wm. Blizzard, of Devonshire-square. Mr. Grant in the mean time went up
stairs with very little assistance, merely laying hold of witness's arm; he
laid him on the bed; he was perfectly cool and collected, and requested witness
to assist him on with his night gown, which he did. Sir William arrived in
about three quarters of a an hour afterwards; they extracted one of the balls
from the deceased's thigh, and shortly after found another in an opposite
direction. Sir William gave his opinion that the wound was of a dangerous
nature, but he was not without hope. There were several marks on the skin,
probably from other balls touching it. The wounds were dressed, and he was put
to bed; he continued doing very well till Monday morning, about one o'clock,
when a mortification ensued, of which he died in great pain. Witness was of
opinion that the wound, operating on a weak constitution, caused death. -
Verdict - Accidental Death.
|
| 1818 |
The untimely death of
Charles Grant, Esq. by a spring-gun, which had been placed in his garden, in
Grove-road, Mile-end, by his own directions, occasioned an inquest to be taken
before John Wright Unwin, Esq. on Tuesday, at Mile-end, when the following
evidence was adduced:-
It appeared that on Sunday, the 30th ult. between eleven and twelve o'clock at
night, the deceased was alarmed by the violent barking of a Newfoundland dog,
which induced him to go into the garden, suspecting that some persons were in
the act of robbery, as various depredations had before been committed there. In
order to walk with the greatest silence, he quitted the gravel walk and
proceeded close to the garden-wall, where most unhappily, through
forgetfulness, he trod on the wire of a spring-gun, which instantly went off,
and lodged several bullets in his thigh; feeling himself wounded, though then
unconscious of pain, he called "Help, help!" his man-servant
immediately came to his assistance, and with his support reached the parlour.
Mr. Grant laid himself upon a sofa, and directed that Mr. Harkness, his
surgeon, should be sent for.
John Harkness, Esq. sworn.- "On receiving the melancholy intelligence, I
attended with all possible expedition. On viewing the wound, I thought it would
be expedient to send for Sir William Blizard. Before Sir William came, I
inspected the wound, which was on the exterior part of the right thigh,
immediately under the hip; two of the bullets were perceptible on the inside of
the thigh, immediately under the surface. Within an hour Sir William Blizard
arrived. On examining the wound, we immediately proceeded to extract the two
balls which lay under the surface of the interior part of the thigh. On passing
a director down, we discovered another wound still deeper, from which also
another bullet was extracted. On further examination, we found a fourth bullet
yet deeper, which was also extracted." - The medical gentlemen then left
the deceased tranquil, and free from fever. The appearances seemed to have been
favourable at first, but on Sunday it was discovered that mortification had
taken place, and between 12 and 1 o'clock on Monday morning the deceased
breathed his last.
The Coroner observed, that the mode of defending property by spring guns, had
been considered by persons eminent in the law, as highly exceptionable and
illegal. In the present instance, however, any observations of this nature were
rendered the less necessary, as the deceased had fallen the victim of his own
unhappy precaution, and had been the only sufferer on this occasion. It was
quite impossible to view the transaction in any other light than that of an
accident. The Jury immediately found a verdict of - Accidental death.
The deceased was an eminent broker, and one of the first linguists of the day.
|
| 1830 |
DARING ROBBERY and BURGLARY at the TOWN-HALL and WORKHOUSE of the HAMLET of MILE-END OLD-TOWN. - A robbery and
burglary in its extent and hardihood unparalleled of late years, when the
number of individuals on the premises (no less than 500) at the time of its
perpetration is considered, was on Friday morning committed at the Town-hall
and Workhouse of the hamlet of Mile-end Old-town, in the Mile-end-road. Between
five and six o'clock on the above morning, some burglars penetrated one of the
outer shutters of the hall-door window, by means of centre-bits and removed a
portion of the timber work. Through the aperture thus created they introduced
their hands, and taking off the bell to prevent alarm, and unfastening the iron
bar by which the window was secured, they lifted up the sash, and thus obtained
an easy entrance. Having accomplished this, they at once hastened to the
committee-room, where the cash for relieving the external poor was usually
kept, with the expectation of securing it; but in this they were disappointed,
it having been removed on the previous night to Miss Mudge's, the mistress's
room, for greater safety; and, though they broke open a press, they were still
unsuccessful in the object of their pursuit. From the committee-room they
proceeded to Miss Mudge's bedchamber; in going to which they had to pass six
several doors leading to the rooms where the servants of the institution slept;
but, to guard against any interruption from them, they took the precaution of
fastening them in, for which, the bolts being on the outside of the doors,
every facility was afforded. While engaged in this part of their operations,
they were frequently threatened by the inmates; but of this they were
regardless, and vowed to take immediate vengeance on any one who attempted to
come out. After this they, by main force, burst in the bedroom-door of the
mistress, and the violence they made use of may be judged of by the fact that
the iron hasp was literally wrenched from the door-post. On entering the
apartment they hastened to Miss Mudge's bed-side, and putting a dark lantern
close to her face, asked her where was the gold? She answered that there was
none in the house. They then, with dreadful imprecations, one of them swearing
that he would blow her brains out if she even murmured, demanded her keys;
these were given to them by a young girl who lay in the same apartment, by Miss
Mudge's desire, and, after remaining for some time, they perceived a tea-board
on which was piled 125l. in silver, which was provided for the payment
of the poor, and this they poured into a sack; and having secured a draught on
Barclay's bank for 7l. 18s. 9d. and a policy of insurance
in the Sun Fire-office, they departed with their spoil, leaving the lantern
behind them, and lighting themselves down with a rushlight. 40l. reward
is offered for their discovery.
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DARING
GANG OF BURGLARS. - Since
the commencement of last winter, the inhabitants of the eastern part of the
metropolis, more particularly those residents in the Commercial, Mile End, Bow,
and the East India-roads, have been kept in alarm by the nightly depredations
of a gang of expert burglars. The gang consisted of eleven men and two females.
Three of the former and one of the latter are in custody. They were first
traced by Lea, an active officer of Lambeth-street, to Labenon-lane, and
afterwards to Bow Common, where they had the depository of their plunder. On
examining the latter place there were found a blunderbuss, three fowling
pieces, and two horse pistols, and other property, more than sufficient to load
two large carts. It consisted of almost every description of articles, some of
them rather cumbrous, such as chairs, tables, Brussels carpets, bedding,
&c. In the box of Wilson, one of the principals of the gang, were found a
great collection of the tracts and dying speeches of all those who have been
executed for some years past for robbery, and in the kitchen, a white terrier
dog. Dr. Barclay's house at Bromley, had been robbed four times; and on the
third occasion, a white terrier was left behind by the thieves. This, he was
recommended by the police to obtain possession of, and with that view kept him
tied up in a stable. On the burglars paying their fourth visit, they unloosed
him, and took him off, with some other booty. The prisoners at present in
custody are John Harwood, Thomas Holmes, Joseph Wren, and Mary Ann Dennis, and
the property found in their depository has been identified by no less than
twelve persons, as a portion of that stolen from their dwellings. The prisoners
having each undergone a short examination before the magistrates at the above
office, were remanded.
|
| 1838 |
Twelve thousand sovereigns
in three tin cases were stolen from the residence of Mr. Thomas Rogers, an
extensive bill-broker, in Stepney, on Sunday forenoon. On examining the doors
and windows, no traces of a forcible entry having been effected could be
discovered, and it is therefore conjectured that the thieves, whom, it is
evident, must have known where the property was deposited, must have secreted
themselves the night before in the house, and escaped with the property, by
letting themselves out by the street door after dark. Not the slightest hopes
are entertained that any portion of the large amount will be recovered.
|
| |
It will be seen by the
Gazette of Friday night, that the name of Mr. Thomas Rogers, of
Gloucester terrace, New-road, Mile-end, Old-town, London, from whose residence
it has been alleged three boxes containing 12,000 sovereigns had been stolen on
the night of Sunday, the 20th of last month, appears as an insolvent. A
Chancery case is expected to be decided in a few days against Mr. Rogers, which
will compel him to pay to the opposing party some thousand pounds. As no
intelligence has been gained of the 12,000 sovereigns, the fact of the robbery
begins to be doubted.
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