Joseph Brown

6

Jackie Browne on 30th September 2013

Sheffield Local Register vol 1 [a list of 'significant' events relating to Sheffield published annually by the owner/editor of the Sheffield Independent newspaper (and no doubt largely taken from its pages)] 12 Mar 1838 Joseph GREAVES, Joseph BROWN and Henry COLDWELL found guilty at York assizes of robbing the cloth store of Joshua HOYLE, Yellow Lion Yard, Haymarket [Sheffield] on the 5th Nov 1837. To be transported for 15 years. Sheffield Independent Sat 18 Nov 1837 p3d TOWN-HALL [ie magistrates court] FRIDAY, - before H.PARKER Esq., and the Hon. JS WORTLEY Joseph Hutchinson, Joseph Brown, and Joseph Greaves, were brought up on a charge of having robbed the cloth warehouse of Eli Hoyle, in the Yellow Lion yard, on the morning of the 5th November. Cloth was stolen to the value of about £200 [200pounds]. Wild [a constable] found the property in an unoccupied house, in Maltravers street, of which the windows and doors were blockaded; and there is reason to believe that the house had been taken expressly for the purpose of depositing stolen property. Wild obtained access by taking off a shutter. With the cloth was found a most formidable centre-bit, (calculated to bore a hole three and a half inches wide,) and a jemmy of great strength, adapted, besides doing its proper work, to turn the bit. The bit corresponded with the marks made upon the warehouse door; and there was found about the place a broken wooden staff, which had evidently been used to turn the bit. On comparing this bit with the marks made upon Mrs Bowman's shop door, in a recent attempt which was frustrated by the watch, it was found to correspond. The prisoners were remanded. Sheffield Independent 17 Mar 1838 p4 d&e [York spring assizes] CLOTH ROBBERY AT SHEFFIELD JOSEPH GREAVES (20,) Jospeh BROWN (21,) and Henry COLDWELL, (22,) were charged with having, in company with a man named HUTCHINSON, feloniously stolen fifteen pieces of cloth from the warehouse of Joshua Hoyle, at Sheffield, on the 5th of November last. Mr Dundas and Mr Wortley appeard for the prosecution; the prisoners were defended by Sir G. Lewin, Mr Bliss, and Mr Grainger. The facts are as follows:-- The prosecutor was a cloth manufacturer, residing at Holmfirth, near Sheffield, and had a warehouse at the latter place, which he was in the habit of attending on the Sheffield market days. On the first of November, he left the warehouse quite safe, but on the Sunday following, he received information that it had been broken open. He went to the spot and found that the warehouse had been entered by a hole broken through the door, and 15 or 16 pieces of cloth stolen therefrom. The prisoners were afterwards seen together, one, on one occasion, selling a piece of cloth; and the whole of them equally dividing the money. On Monday, the 13th of November, they were together at Littlewood's beer shop. The prisoner Greaves had with him a bundle,containing a piece of cloth which he requested Littlewood to sell for them, which he did. The prisoners divided the money, and went away. The next day, the prisoners again went to Littlewood's with another piece of cloth, which Littlewood again took to sell for them; but Mr Lief, the pawnbroker, to whom he sold the other, and offered this: suspecting that all was not right, detained the cloth, informed Wild, the constable, and the prisoners were apprehended shortly afterwards. The prosecutor identified the cloth, as being the property stolen from his warehouse. Guilty. To be each transported for fifteen years.