Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

Mr Pickering said the prosecutor in this case, Mr George Boothroyd, was a manufacturer, and resides at Honley, near Huddersfield. On Saturday, the 9th of August, he left Honley for the purpose of proceeding to Huddersfield. He had with him a cheque for £23 18s. 6d., for which he received at one of the Huddersfield banks, two five pound notes, ten sovereigns, and some silver. He then went to a public house; while there he met one of the prisoners, Quarmby, and she there had an opportunity of seeing his money. The following morning (Sunday) prosecutor again went to this house, and soon after he got there Clay, Richardson, and Wentworth came in. Prosecutor sat in company with these females till church time, when they were all turned out by the landlady. They then went to the house of one of the prisoners, and after being there a length of time, and after having some drink, prosecutor got up to go away, but was prevented by Richardson, who laid hold of him, Wentworth fastened the door, and Clay took the money from his pocket. Besides the prosecutor another man of the name of Hague was in the house, who could corroborate these statements, and a person of the name of Eastwood, who lived opposite saw the prosecutor seized, heard the money fall, and saw Quarmby take it up and run off. Several witnesses having been called, who spoke to the above facts, Mr Overend addressed the jury for the prisoners. He denied the prosecutor had been robbed at all, and alleged that he had squandered the money in dissipation, and on finding that the time had arrived when he must give an account of his money to his father, had invented this tale about being robbed in order to screen himself.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations:

• ER: East Riding
• GM: Greater Manchester
• NR: North Riding
• NY: North Yorkshire
• SY: South Yorkshire
• WR: West Riding
• WY: West Yorkshire

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Original

[York Winter Assizes, Tuesday 9 December 1845]

Lydia Clay (35), Ruth Richardson (28), Mary Ann Wentworth (23), and Elizabeth Quarmby (22), were charged with having, at Huddersfield,in the West Riding, stolen from the person of George Boothroyd ten sovereigns and two five pound notes, his property.

Mr Pickering and Mr Hardy were for the prosecution; Mr Overend defended the prisoners.

Mr Pickering said the prosecutor in this case, Mr George Boothroyd, was a manufacturer, and resides at Honley, near Huddersfield. On Saturday, the 9th of August, he left Honley for the purpose of proceeding to Huddersfield. He had with him a cheque for £23 18s. 6d., for which he received at one of the Huddersfield banks, two five pound notes, ten sovereigns, and some silver. He then went to a public house; while there he met one of the prisoners, Quarmby, and she there had an opportunity of seeing his money. The following morning (Sunday) prosecutor again went to this house, and soon after he got there Clay, Richardson, and Wentworth came in. Prosecutor sat in company with these females till church time, when they were all turned out by the landlady. They then went to the house of one of the prisoners, and after being there a length of time, and after having some drink, prosecutor got up to go away, but was prevented by Richardson, who laid hold of him, Wentworth fastened the door, and Clay took the money from his pocket. Besides the prosecutor another man of the name of Hague was in the house, who could corroborate these statements, and a person of the name of Eastwood, who lived opposite saw the prosecutor seized, heard the money fall, and saw Quarmby take it up and run off.

Several witnesses having been called, who spoke to the above facts, Mr Overend addressed the jury for the prisoners. He denied the prosecutor had been robbed at all, and alleged that he had squandered the money in dissipation, and on finding that the time had arrived when he must give an account of his money to his father, had invented this tale about being robbed in order to screen himself.

His Lordship [William Erle] then summed up shortly to the jury, who consulted together and found the prisoners guilty. They were severally sentenced to be transported for ten years.

396 words.

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• Alcohol (drug) (59) ·
• Alcohol intoxication (27) ·
• Assizes (24) ·
• Beer (34) ·
• Convicts in Australia (1) ·
• 📌Huddersfield (29) ·
• Penal colony (1) ·
• Penal transportation (1) ·
• Prostitution (15) ·
• Sex (12) ·
• Tasmania (1) ·
• William Erle (2) ·
• 📌York (164) ·

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