Mary Brooks

135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online MARY BROOKS. Theft; theft from a specified place. 31st January 1842. Text type Trial account Defendants MARY BROOKS Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 31st January 1842 Reference Number t18420131-721 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 721. MARY BROOKS was indicted for stealing, on the 31st of December, at St. Pancras, 2 necklaces, value 10s.; 1 pair of gloves, value 18d.; 8 sovereigns, 4 half-sovereigns, 8 half-crowns, and 30 shillings, the property of John Watson, her master, in his dwelling-house. JOHN WATSON . I keep a ham and beef shop, and live at No. 68, Seymour-street, Euston-square, in the parish of St. Pancras. I keep the whole house—the prisoner was my servant of all-work for thirteen days—on the 31st of December, I and my wife went out from six to half-past six o'clock in the evening, to visit a friend in Long-acre—I left the prisoner in the house with a shopman, and a female friend, who I got to come and take charge of the premises during my absence, and three children—we returned about three, or half-past three o'clock in the morning—it was new-year's eve—the prisoner had gone—I went up stairs to my bed-room, went to a drawer of a chest of drawers, found it unlocked, and the cash-box broken open—I lost eight sovereigns, four half-sovereigns, about 1l. in half-crowns, and 30s. in other silver—the money was safe in the morning, for I put some silver into the cash-box between seven and eight o'clock—I had one key of the cash-box, and my wife the other—it was locked when I left it in the morning—I saw the prisoner again on the 15th of January, at the Drummond Arms public-house, Drummond-street, in the custody of Inspector Wilkinson—I said, "Mary, you have made a pretty piece of business of this," and told her the case would transport her—I told her she had taken 12l. 10s.—she made no answer. MATILDA CATHERINE WATSON . I am the prosecutor's wife. I had one of the keys of the cash-box—I put it into my pocket on a bunch of keys, and took it out with me—I lost a pair of gloves from the drawer in which the cash-box was kept, and two of the children's necklaces which they had on their necks when I left home with my husband at six o'clock—one of the children was then going to bed, the other was not undressed. JOHN WILKINSON . I am police-inspector on the London and Birmingham railroad. I apprehended the prisoner in a second-class carriage, on the 15th of January, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening—she was going down to Birmingham—I said, "You are my prisoner, I suppose you know what it is for?"—she said, "Yes"—I took her to the station, and told her it was for robbing her master of 12l. 10s.—I searched her pocket, and found a coral necklace, 3s. 6d. in silver, 6d. in copper, a half-sovereign, and a duplicate of a ring pledged for half-a-crown—I have left the duplicate at home—I asked the prisoner when I took her if she had any luggage—she said she had—I got a small red morocco trunk and two baskets out of the train, from the department in which she was sitting—she owned them—I found a key in her pocket with which I opened the trunk in her presence—I found in it two cotton dresses, a pair of fur boots, and a pair of gloves—in one of the baskets was a cotton dress not made up, and one made up, a new worsted shawl with a ticket on it, and a silk pocket handkerchief not new—on the Monday, I asked what she had done with the other coral necklace—she said she had lost it out of her pocket—I cautioned her before 1 questioned her. Prisoner. He did not say before what he says now—I wish his depositions read. Witness. This is my name and handwriting—it was read over to me before I signed it.—(The witness's depositions being read agreed with his evidence.) MRS. WATSON re-examined. This necklace is one which one of the children wore when I went out, it was part of my own necklace, which I took off to make one for the child—I can swear to it—the gloves I believe are mine—they were new—I had never worn them—the prisoner had only been thirteen days with us—I had a good character with her from Mr. Jones, of Seymour-cresent, Euston-square—the cash-box was broken open, and put into the drawer again—I was not aware that the prisoner knew where the cash-box was kept—the drawer was shut close when I came home, but opened—it appeared as if a knife had been put to the lock. ALFRED GRAVATT . I am shopman to the prosecutor. I was at home on the evening in question—no person came to visit the prisoner—about half-past eight o'clock she came to me in the shop, and asked for some money to get some wood to light the fire, which I gave her—she afterwards asked me for some more money to get some beer for supper—I gave it her—she came again about five minutes to nine for some money to get candles—I gave her 1s.—she went out, and never returned—Mrs. Watson's friend was. obliged to leave at a quarter past twelve, and I knew nothing of any robbery being committed—directly Mr. Watson came home, I told him of the prisoner's absence—he instantly ran up stairs, and missed the money—he brought the cash-box down in his hand—there was a 50l. note placed in a slide which she fortunately did not see—all the rest was gone—I produce a knife which I found in the kitchen next day—here is the mark on the cash-box of its being forced in the corner—it is a tin cash-box—Mrs. Watson's friend did not go up stairs into the room—I went up about ten minutes before one to fetch a child out of bed that was crying, and I had to keep it in my arms till Mr. and Mrs. Watson came home. GUILTY . Aged 22.— Transported for Ten Years.

20

Tony Dell on 28th July 2019

Mary Ann Brooks was given permission to marry another convict, John Bryan (who had a Ticket of Leave), in January 1844. They were married on 23 January 1844 in Evandale, Van Diemens Land. She died in Evandale of a strangulated hernia.