Updated Jan 2024
Just for fun here's a list of all the more unusual items (to us) that residents of the Marlows (Great and Little) were accused of helping themselves to during the reign of Victoria. Those names marked with an asterisk were found guilty. The other cases I do not know the outcome of - yet.
Acorns (2 bushels)- Frederick Brooks and Charles Smith 1848. These would have had good resale value as pig feed.
Aprons- Ann Stockbridge* 1857. Six weeks in jail. A juvenile offender.
A clothes line (part of) from the garden of Henry Aldridge - John Thatcher* 1849. 6 weeks hard labour.
Bell- Henry Smith* 1850. Three months hard labour.
Herrings (200!)- William Bowles and William Thatcher. 1855.
Lead Trough- Henry Knight* 1840.
Several sacks full of moss, (used for flower arranging etc) - James Perry of Dean Street* 1901. Fined 27s 6d including costs and damages.
Pair of trousers - removed from their owner's person in a highway robbery 1845. Josiah Brookes* knocked down victim William Blackwell and made off with his trousers as well as a purse of money. A second telling of this event says the "trowsers" of William were in fact carried by him in a parcel as they were newly purchased. Whichever is true, you will be pleased to know that William's trousers were eventually recovered. Josiah was a familiar face to the justices.
Part of a fence- John Finch* 1856. One month in jail.
Dahlia roots from Spinfield gardens - (and some chickens) James Lomax* and Henry James*, 1837. Henry was transported for life. James was sentenced to a month in jail then transportation for 7 years. He had stolen the birds from his own nephew James Pusey!
Shoe leather- John Wickes 1850. Offence occurred at High Wycombe but John was of Marlow. I am pretty sure he was convicted. In 1852 he was transported for 7 years for stealing a saw in Marlow, the property of Joseph East. He was then 23 years old.
Smelling bottle - John Martin* 1845. Stolen from house of William Curtis.
Umbrellas, X 2 stolen from the vestibule of All Saints Church. Ellen Gibbons* and Maria Edwards* 1860. They each got 1 days imprisonment. Both plead guilty. The girls however said that they had taken the umbrellas only because it was raining and they had always intended to return them the following week, and indeed had attempted to do so but on seeing the parish Beadle just outside the church, had been too afraid to continue. Their lack of previous convictions helped their case.
Watering pot (watering can)- Andrew Stuart* and Richard Kibble* 1848 from Alfred Batting. 14 day sentence each.
Whip- William Tilby 1844.
Wooden spokes- Abraham James* and Thomas Rose*, 1838. Stolen from High Rews Wood. The spokes were the property of John and Thomas Rolls. It seems the spokes may have been being made in the wood. convinced an 11 year old boy to help them in the theft, telling him the spokes belonged to them. The boy was allowed to escape prosecution if he gave evidence against the two men. Three months in jail and a whipping for both of the accused. In 1839 and 1842 Abraham was fined for poaching.
And for stealing the same horse twice, honorary mention must go to John Edmunds whose full and somewhat odd story you can read here
Related posts:
Crime and disorder in old Marlow here
The old police station and police court here
To find other crime/policing related posts see the General Marlow history index here and to find every mention of your ancestor here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. New content added daily.
Sources:
Criminal research of Jane Pullinger supplemented by Bucks Herald 21st February 1857, 22nd November 1856 and 20th October 1855. Bucks Gazette 6th January 1838. South Bucks Free Press July 14 1860. Copies held at the British Library.
Bucks Advertiser 19 July 1845.
All Saints Parish records - my old transcription from the originals.
Censuses, my transcriptions from microfilm.
©Marlow Ancestors.