James Eddowes

342

Maureen Withey on 20th April 2025

Colonial Secretary Index. National Archives. Criminal Petitions. Ref: HO 17/17/101 Prisoner name: James Eddowes. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey, 24 October 1821. Crime: Stealing in the dwelling house of Lucas Bule divers articles of wearing apparel, his property [on 18 October 1821]. Initial sentence: Death recorded and commuted to transportation for life. Annotated: 'Nil'; 'In New South Wales'. Petitioner(s): Samuel Eddowes (convict's father) coachmaker of Kennington Cross, Lambeth [Surrey]. Grounds for clemency: The short interval between apprehension and trial, with other circumstances, precluded the petitioner from instructing counsel or rendering any pecuniary assistance to his son. The prosecutor offered to compromise the prosecution for the sum of £5. The petitioner and his wife are both nearly 60 years old and infirm. The petitioner is willing to receive his son again into the family and employ him as a coachmaker. The convict's good behaviour in exile. Additional Information: He was transported in [1822]. Date: June 1 1833.

342

Maureen Withey on 1st February 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 01 February 2023), October 1821, trial of JAMES EDDOWS (t18211024-2). JAMES EDDOWS, Theft > burglary, 24th October 1821. 1273. JAMES EDDOWS was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Lucas Bull , at St. Pancras , about nine o'clock in the night of the 18th of October , with intent to steal, and stealing therein four sheets, value 30 s.; five shifts, value 9 s.; seven gowns, value 3 l.; four frocks, value 5 s.; one table-cloth, value 1 s.; four handkerchiefs, value 2 s.; three petticoats, value 4 s.; two pair of stockings, value 2 s.; one cap, value 1 s.; one coat, value 7 s.; one timepiece, value 20 s.; one spoon, value 1 s., and one apron, value 6 d., his property . LUCAS BULL . I live in Pancras-walk , in the parish of St. Pancras, and am a housekeeper. On Thursday last, about half-past six o'clock in the evening, I went out, leaving nobody in the house. It was not quite dark, but nearly so. I have a family, but my wife was in the country. I locked and bolted both the back and front doors, came out at the front door, and took the key with me. I went to the Duke of Clarence, public-house, and went home at a quarter before eleven o'clock; I put the key in the door, gave it one turn, and found it on the singlelock, but not doubly locked as I left it. I am quite sure I doubly locked it. I found the back door unbolted, and on the latch - I am sure I did not leave it so. I missed a timepiece off the mantle-shelf down stairs. I went up stairs, found four drawers quite empty, and pulled out - they had contained sheets, gowns, and other things, which were all gone. MARGARET BULL . I am the wife of the last witness. I had left home the night before this happened. I never saw the prisoner before. When I went away I left seven cotton gowns, two pair of sheets, two pair of cotton stockings, four shifts, and other things, all safe - the timepiece was worth 30 s. - I had had it about a year, my father gave it to me - it was an old watch which he had put into a pedestal. I should think all the property was worth 10 l. I lost twelve napkins, my husband's coat, a silver tea-spoon, and some petticoats and frocks. JAMES ELLIS . I am a constable. About a quarter before twelve o'clock last Thursday night, I and Wright, the patrol, met the prisoner and another man in the New-road, between a quarter and half a mile from the prosecutor's, coming from that way; after they had passed we observed the prisoner had a bundle under his coat, Wright ran and caught hold of him, the other ran off; I asked him what he find in his bundle, he said shirts and sheets that he had from his little brother at the corner of the square (he did not say what square), and he was going to take them to his mother, at Bermondsey - he was not in the road to Bermondsey. I took his hat off, and found a gown and child's frock in it. The other man was taller than the prisoner. He said he did not know the person whom we saw with him - that he was a stranger, and was not with him. I have no doubt of their being together; one of them was singing, and the other as close to him as possible - they nearly touched each other. We took him to the turnpike-gate, and examined the bundle. He had the coat on. I did not find the timepiece. (Property produced and sworn to.) JOHN WRIGHT . I was with Ellis, and saw the man who ran away. I am sure he was in the prisoner's company, and he had a bundle in his hand. I could not catch him. GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 19. First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Park. -------------------------------------------------- HO 17/53/351821 Prisoner name: Timothy Eddowes (tried as James Eddowes). Prisoner age: 18 years. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey 24 October 1821. Crime: Theft. Initial sentence: Death commuted to transportation for life. Annotated: 'Nil'. Petitioner(s): The prisoner, undersigned by 41 people of London. Grounds for clemency: Youth; committed by the Grand Jury on the Tuesday evening and tried on the Wednesday morning - no time to prepare or get witnesses; the prosecutor intimated to Eddowes' father that he knew he was not the thief and offered not to appear at the trial in return for £8; the prosecutor has twice been tried at the Old Bailey.