George Sansom

Level 135

C H on 11th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOSEPH WARDE. GEORGE SANSOM. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827), Miscellaneous miscellaneous other, Theft; receiving. 11th June 1829. Text type Trial account Defendants JOSEPH WARDE, GEORGE SANSOM, Offences Theft > Simple larceny, Miscellaneous > Miscellaneous other, Theft > Receiving Session Date 11th June 1829 Reference Number t18290611-275 Verdicts Guilty, Not guilty, Not guilty Punishments Transportation First London Jury - before Mr. Sergeant Arabin. 1273. JOSEPH WARDE was indicted for stealing, on the 13th of April , 1 carcase of mutton, value 1l. 5s. , the goods of Thomas Collins ; and GEORGE SANSOM was indicted for that he, before the said felony; was done and committed, feloniously and maliciously did cause, hire, procure, and command him to commit the said felony ; and JOHN SHELSTON was indicted for feloniously receiving the said carcase, well knowing it to have been stolen . GEORGE LEE . I am a salesman, of Newgate-market . On the 13th of April I sold to Mr. Collins, a butcher , of piccadilly, three carcases of mutton - they were rather of a particular kind, and had been sent to me to slaughter for a gentleman, who feeds and breeds them himself; they are the purest Merino breed in the kingdom; they weighed from 45lbs. to 50lbs. each: I should know them very readily from other carcases. I did not know the prisoners before this - my salesman came out of the shop in a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after I had sold them, which was at half-past seven o'clock, and told me he had lost a sheep; he described a young man who he had given it to. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. What was it worth? A. Twenty-five shillings; I never said it would not sell for 1l.; Collins had not paid for it - there are a great many carts about at that time. WILLIAM BURLEY. I am servant to Mr. Lee. The three carcases were sold to Mr. Collins; the prisoner Sansom came and asked Mr. Collins' man, (Matthews,) what he had to weigh - he said three sheep; he asked who they were for: I showed him the three sheep - Sansom said he would lend him a hand to weigh them; I did not know him before: after they were weighed Matthews took one on his shoulder, and Sansom gave him another on his shoulder, to carry down to the cart; he said, "You had better leave the other one till you return, you cannot carry the three;" Matthews went out of the shop with the two sheep - Sansom followed directly after, and then Warde came in and said, "I am come for a sheep, which Mr. Collins' man has left:" I did not know him before; I gave him the sheep, and directly after Matthews came for it himself. Cross-examined. Q. I suppose two are as many as a man can conveniently carry? A. It depends on the size; Sansom was not there when Warde came in - he went out directly after Matthews; I have seen them about the market before, but not to know them - it was a busy morning: the cart was about two hundred yards off - I saw Warde in custody in a quarter of an hour. WILLIAM MATTHEWS. I am servant to Mr. Collins. I went to fetch the three sheep from Lee's; I saw Sansom there - he was a stranger: he put one sheep on the scale - I carried away two of the carcases, which he helped on my back, and when I came back he was gone, and the third sheep also; I was not gone five minutes - I know nothing of the other prisoners. Cross-examined. Q. Is it not usual for one man to assist another? A. If asked, not without; I did not see Sansom speak to any body - he was alone for any thing I know. THOMAS ROBINSON . I work in Newgate-market. I saw Shelston in Finsbury-square, carrying a carcase of mutton, on the 13th of April, about ten minutes or a quarter-past eight o'clock; I noticed him particularly - I knew him to work in the market as well as myself; his duty was only to carry the carcases from the market to the carts, not further; I said nothing to him - I have been eighteen or nineteen years in the market; it was a small carcase of a Merino breed. Cross-examined. Q. You can tell a Merino sheep when skinned, from any other breed, I suppose? A. Yes - I did not speak to him; my eyes were fixed on him for three or four minutes; I could tell it from a large Welch sheep - it had no head on: I am an occasional porter, and if asked to carry a sheep I should do so. WILLIAM HOPKINS . I am servant to Mr. Lee. I was in the shop on the 13th of April, and saw Sansom weighing the sheep with Collins' man, and shortly after it was missing - I have known him two years; he is a porter: I went to look for him - I saw him walk round the market three times, and then Warde came up to him; this was ten minutes or a quarter of an hour after the sheep was missed: he and Warde went into the public-house, and drank - I found Shelston at Chandler's corner in the market, about half-past eight o'clock that morning; Mr. Lee sent me to fetch him - I never saw him before: I afterwards saw Warde and Sansom together in Warwick-lane - I tapped Warde on the shoulder, and told him Mr. Lee wanted to speak to him - he came with me, and spoke to Mr. Lee. JOHN RICHMOND . I am a street-keeper of Newgate-street. On the 13th of April I was fetched to Mr. Lee, and took Warde in charge, for stealing a sheep - I met Jackson in Warwick-lane with Shelston, as I returned, and on the road to the Compter he endeavoured to shift a kidney from his pocket; I took it from him in the Compter, and laid it on the window - he attempted to eat part of it, but I took it from him; it was raw. THOMAS PEAKE . I am a patrol of Farringdon Ward. On Sunday morning, the 13th of April, I took charge of Sansom at Mr. Lee's shop; I found nothing on him - I saw him and Warde in company that morning, between seven and eight o'clock. WILLIAM JACKSON . I am a constable. I was sent for, on the 13th of April, about nine o'clock in the morning, and took Shelston into custody; I found 1l. 4s. 8 1/2d. on him. HENRY PAGE. Shelston brought a sheep to my brother, in the City-road, on the 13th of April, and he paid him 1l. 4s. for it; he went away directly - it weighed 6 stone 2lbs.; I am a paper-hanger. GILES SHAW . I know that Page paid Shelston 24s. for the sheep: I am a butcher - I saw it in the shop; it was a slight sheep, of the Merino breed - a good many Merino sheep are sold in London. THOMAS COLLINS. I know nothing of Warde. I never authorized him to fetch my sheep - I know nothing of any of the prisoners. WARDE'S Defence. I know nothing about it. I left home at seven o'clock, and was in company with a person who cannot attend here now. SANSOM'S Defence. I had been to work for a master butcher, who had bought a rump and loin of beef at the prosecutor's, about half-past seven o'clock that morning; I always work for him - he came to look for me, said he was in a hurry, and told me to go with him, and see the meat weighed; he took me to Lee's, and said, "Who do you follow?" meaning when was it my turn to weigh; Collins' man said, him; and when his meat was weighed, I put mine into the scale, helped his sheep on his shoulder, hung the third one up, and took my beef away: when I got to the corner of the Old Bailey, where the carts stood, I saw Warde and another man, and asked him to let down the tail-board of my cart, which he did -I returned to Lee's for my hat: it wanted five minutes to eight o'clock; I went to see Hibner executed - when that was over, Warde wished his friend good morning: I went down Warwick-lane with him, when Hopkins came up to us. I know nothing whatever of the robbery. WARDE - GUILTY . Aged 24. Transported for Seven Years . SANSOM - NOT GUILTY . SHELSTON - NOT GUILTY .

Level 8

Keith MacQueen on 16th January 2024

Found guilty of stealing 9 legs of pork. Trial 11 June 1829. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18290611-276

Level 8

Keith MacQueen on 28th August 2023

Born 1807. Married Anne McLeod in Hobart 15 December 1834 (Permission granted as he was still a convict). They had two daughters. Later moved to Ballarat where he passed away 31 August 1889.