David Hodwell

341

Maureen Withey on 8th February 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 08 February 2022), January 1836, trial of DAVID HODWELL (t18360104-344). DAVID HODWELL, Theft > housebreaking, 4th January 1836. 344. DAVID HODWELL was indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Harriet Hodwell, on the 13th of November, at the parish of Saint John, at Hampstead, Middlesex, and stealing therein 1 gown, value 9s.; 1 shirt, value 2s.; 1 cape, value 1s.; 1 pair of shoes, value 7s.; 1 handkerchief, value 2s.; 1 round frock, value 1s.; and 1 penknife, value 6d.; her goods. HARRIET HODWELL . I am a widow, and live in Brewer's-lane, Hampstead. The prisoner is my late husband's own brother—there is a shed adjoining my house, and he frequently slept in that shed—there is a door between the shed and my house, which my husband had nailed up securely. On the 13th of November, I went out between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning—I left nobody at home—I fastened my doors and windows securely—I saw the prisoner at the shed door when I went out—he has slept there, but had been away for about three weeks previous to the 13th—he saw me go out—I did not speak to him—I returned at nine o'clock in the evening, and found my door as I had left it, but the inner-door, between my house and the shed, was broken open—the bottom pannel of the door was broken in, large enough for a man to creep through—I went up stairs, and found the lock wrenched off my box—I had left it locked, and left in it a gown, a cape, a shirt, a pair of shoes, a penknife, and a silk handkerchief—I had put them in myself, and locked the box that day—I had not been out for five weeks before—a small frock was taken from under the bed—all these articles were gone, an the bed was turned topsy-turvy—the prisoner was frequently in the habit of coming into my house, and coming up stairs—the box was kept behind the door. AARON BROWN . I am an apprentice to Mr. Kimblebee, a pawnbroker, at Barnet. I know the prisoner—he came to our shop on the 13th of November, between six and seven o'clock in the evening, with a gown, a shirt, and a cape to pawn—I asked him if he pawned them for himself, and where he lived—he said, at Highwood Hill—I asked him his name—he said, "John Barton"—I lent him 4s. on the gown, and 1s. 6d. on the shirt—I produce the articles. HARRIETT HODWELL re-examined. This is my gown—I know it, having stained it with blackberries—this cape belongs to it—the shirt was my husband's—he was killed in it, and I have lined it with calico. RICHARD NEELD . I am a policeman. I went to Mrs. Hodwell's house on the 14th of November, and saw the bottom pannel of the shed door burst out—I did not see the prisoner till the 24th of November, when he was at the station-house at Hampstead, on this charge—I took him from the House of Correction on the 24th of December—I told him I wanted him for the Brewhouse-lane job—he asked if I had got young Rance—I said, "It is all right"—he said, "Bring him down to Albany-street, where I am going to be locked up." Prisioner's Defence. I am innocent of every thing they have been saying. GUILTY . Aged 23.— Transported for Life. Before Mr. Baron Gurney. -------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/5/40 1836 Jan Prisoner name: David Hodwell (or David Odwell). Prisoner age: 23. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey January Sessions, 13 January 1836. Crime: Housebreaking and stealing articles of small value, property of Harriet Odwell the prisoner's sister-in-law. Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Gaoler's report: Character not known. Annotated: Nil. Petitioner(s): Eight inhabitants of Hampstead [Middlesex] including the prosecutor. Grounds for clemency: The prisoner was not guilty of housebreaking because although he broke down the door to the room from which the theft took place, the petitioners knew that the door was a temporary one with no latch; the prisoner's sister in law had been in a nervous state of health so the case was heard before the prisoner had time to get counsel or witnesses; persuaded to prosecute by police. Other papers: Covering letter from W F H Bird of Grays Inn [London].