Thomas Beresford

343

Maureen Withey on 25th February 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 25 February 2022), May 1837, trial of THOMAS BERESFORD, alias Lee ANN BERESFORD, alias Mary Lee (t18370508-1268). THOMAS BERESFORD, ANN BERESFORD, Royal Offences > coining offences, 8th May 1837. 1268. THOMAS BERESFORD, alias Lee , and ANN BERESFORD, alias Mary Lee , were indicted for that they, on the 18th of April, at St. Andrew, Holborn, feloniously did falsely make and counterfeit 3 pieces of counterfeit coin, resembling and apparently intended to resemble and pass for 3 current sixpences. MESSRS. ELLIS and DOANE conducted the Prosecution. ROBERT DUNKETT (police-constable E 96.) On the 18th of April I was in Holborn, and received information which induced me to go to No. 5, Rose-alley, Eagle-street, Red Lion-square—the outer door of the house was open—I observed the ground floor window was covered with an apron and coarse towel, but they left a small space through which I could see—I looked through, and saw the male prisoner sitting by the fire, with something in his hand which had the appearance of a small mould—I observed him take a spoon from the fire, and pour the contents into what he had in hit hand, and which I supposed to be a mould—I tried the window gently, and found it was fast—I also tried the door—I procured the assistance of Thornton, another officer, and we returned to the place—I knocked at the parlour door, and then heard a noise like a window sliding backwards and forwards, and then the female prisoner, Lee, opened the door, and we both went in—the male prisoner was still in the room, sitting where I had previously seen him, near the fire—I saw a towel in his lap—I took it from him, and in it was rolled up the bowl of a metal spoon—I found an iron spoon on the fire, and some white melted metal in it—in the bowl of the spoon was the same description of metal—on my taking the spoon off the fire, the male prisoner attempted to throw a large kettle of water over me—it was cold as if it had been just put on the fire—he succeeded in throwing an iron spoon over—I afterwards collected the metal from the fireplace—I asked him what he was doing with the spoon on the fire—he said, "Making the fire up"—I found a paper up the chimney, containing plaster-of-Paris, and afterwards found a small file, some sand, and some spoons of the same white metal as was being melted—while I was searching about, the male prisoner said, "You may search about, but you will not find any thing"—I saw a mould which Thornton found outside the window—the male prisoner said, "Never mind, that was not on the premises." Thomas Beresford. The policeman knocked at the door, and it was opened instantly for him. Witness. It was not. GEORGE THORNTON (police-constable E 91.) I accompanied Dunkett to the house in Rose-alley. When the door was knocked at it was not opened for about two minutes—I heard a noise resembling a window opening and shutting—the male prisoner was sitting by the fire-place with this cloth in his lap, and this bowl of a spoon wrapped in it—this iron spoon was on the fire—Dunkett took it off—there was white metal in ft in a liquid state—the male prisoner took hold of a saucepan half full of water, and bit Dunkett on the arm with it—some of the water went over him, and the contents of the spoon were upset in the fire—some of it was afterwards collected together—I examined the grate, and found this knife on the hob—it has white metal sticking to the point of it—the male prisoner said, while I was searching, "It is no use for you to look, you will find nothing"—from the noise I heard while outside the door, I opened the window—it was not fastened—while I was going to it the male prisoner said to the female, "Turn down the bedstead, he can look in there, "but I said, "I will look here first"—I opened the window, and on the sill I found this mould, quite hot, with a counterfeit sixpence in it—the male prisoner followed me to the window—I said to him, "What do you call this?"—he said, "Never mind, it was not found on the premises"—on the mantel-shelf I found a file with white metal in the teeth of it, and an open penknife with marks of plaster of Paris—I searched the male prisoner, and found a purse containing three good shillings and a good sixpence—both the prisoners were conveyed to the station-house. ALICE LAST . I am a widow, and live in Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury. I searched the female prisoner at the station-house, and found two counterfeit sixpences in her mouth—I have had them ever since. MARY KNIGHT . I am the wife of William Knight, a tailor, in French-horn-yard, Holborn; he is owner of the house-No. 5, Rose-alley. On the 1st of April the female prisoner came to me, and took the parlour on the ground floor, at 2s. 6d. a week—she paid the first week's rent, and the next afternoon they were apprehended—I never saw the man in the house myself, as I never went to the room after giving the woman the key on the 1st of April—she brought the rent to me—she only took one room—I have found a bedstead and a straw bed in the room since they have been gone. JOHN FIELD . I am inspector of coin to his Majesty's Mint, and have been so many years. This is a plaster of Paris mould for casting counterfeit sixpences—it has been used for that purpose, and has a counterfeit sixpence now in it, made of Britannia metal—a mould of this size would retain heat five or six minutes after it has been used, and if the coin remained in the mould, it would of course retain the heat considerably longer—the two sixpences produced by Dunkett are both counterfeit, and have been cast in the mould—neither of the three are complete—there is a roughness on the edge which should be removed with a file—the files produced would answer that purpose—they have white metal in them—here are two ladles and two broken spoons of a similar metal to the coin, and an iron spoon which appears to have been used to melt white metal—it has some now adhering to it—here is some plaster of Paris in powder, which is the material of which the moulds are made. Thomas Beresford's Defence. A knock came at the door—it was opened instantly, and the two policemen came in—I was sitting at the table—they caught hold of me and asked what I had about me—I stood up—one of them searched me, and opened my coat and waistcoat, but found nothing on me—the policeman took but the iron spoon and shoved it in between the two bars, and left it in the fire to burn—there are four windows of a blacksmith's shop look over our window—he got a chair and reached out as far as he could before he could get the mould—he then said, "I have got what I want"—I had not been ten minutes in the house when they came in—I deny all knowledge of any thing of the kind. Ann Beresford's Defence. I never saw any thing of the kind, nor did my husband—the two sixpences the policeman dropped in the room, and I picked them up—he has not spoken the truth—the usage he gave me was most scandalous. THOMAS BERESFORD— GUILTY .*Aged 64. ANN BERESFORD— GUILTY .*Aged 52. Transported for life. Before Mr. Justice Littledale. -------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/56/41 Prisoner name: Thomas Beresford and Ann Beresford. Prisoner details: Thomas Beresford: age 64. Ann Beresford: age 52. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey Sessions, 8 May 1837. Crime: Coining. Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Gaoler's report: Character not known. Annotated (Outcome): Nil. Petitioner(s): Thomas Beresford, prisoner. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Thomas Beresford maintains his innocence; he previously held several respectable finance jobs; both prisoners are of advancing age and have three small children; asks for his wife to be with him if abroad and the children sent to them. Additional Information: Thomas sent to York hulk. Date, 1837 May 29.