Thomas Howlet

342

Maureen Withey on 4th November 2025

NSW 1828 Census. William Howlett, age 34 , F.S. per Larkins, 1817, 7 years, protestant, Settler at Prospect. Has 10 horses and 45 head of cattle. Lydia Howlett, age 18, BC. Jane Howlett, 1 ½ BC. Thomas Howlett, age 32, TL, per Larkins, 1817, Life.

342

Maureen Withey on 4th November 2025

Cambridgeshire Lent Assizes. BURGLARY AT FORDHAM. Thomas Howlett (aged 28) Freeman (aged 35) and James Howlett (aged 21) were indicted for stealing, between the hours of 9 on the night of the 5th last, and 2 o’clock the following morning, divers articles of drapery and other goods, the property of Charles Mainprice. Charles Mainprice stated, that he is a shop-keeper at Fordham, in this county—that he and his family on the 5 of December last, about 9 o’clock at night, saw all the doors and windows fastened —that he was awoke about 12 next morning, by Thomas Mingay— and he found that the wall of his shop, which was lath and plaister, had been broken through, and the goods in his shop in a very confused state, He went out and found in the garden, fifty yards from his house, the. till-drawer, and many articles of drapery packed up in bundles; aiso a chisel and bludgeon. Traced the persons towards Soham.— Value of goods taken out of the shop is above ? consisting of about ?0 yards of ,50 or 60 pair of stockings, 100 yards of cotton, 50 yards of calico, gloves, &c.—That suspicion having fallen on the prisoners, he went with a constable and a Mr. Fisen, on the l0th January, to Thomas’ house in Soham Fen—they searched and found a quantity of stockings and gloves in a chest by his bedside, which were the goods witness had lost—they took him and packed the things up, and carried them to Mr. Luke Staples, of Crow Hall. The constable charged two persons with the care of the prisoner and left him with them. They proceeded to the prisoner Freeman’s: about two furlongs found him in bed, and on searching, found a quantity of calico, gloves, and other articles, his property, in different boxes—took them also to Crow Hall. Thomas Mingay lives in the street, about 12 on the night of the of 5 December saw two men in the close contiguous to shop—witness stood still and saw one of them advance and assist a third person out of the shop, through a hole in the wall— they all three ran away He awoke the... The rest of his evidence corresponded with that of the prosecutor, and also stated, that the prisoner James Howlett acknowledged the robbery, declared that the father of the prisoner Freeman, with whom he lodged, knew nothing of the transaction, The testimony of John Minet ... was a corroboration of the evidence .. given by the two last witnesses, he also said that he took the things from Crow Hall, in separate sacks, to the Rev. James Barker, at Newmarket, and there delivered them to Porter, the constable. William Porter, constable at Newmarket, swore that the things produced in court were the same he had received from last witness, and on looking at the came, the prosecutor swore to part of them as hie property. but could not make oath as to the rest, the marks being torn off, but firmly believed them to he his, he having missed such at the time of the robbery. Luke Staples and another witness gave evidence to the same effect as former witnesses. The prisoners said nothing in their defence. Guilty — Death. On passing sentence, the Judge expatiated largely on the enormity of their crime and the extent to which they carried it, ... three men to take what they had plundered the prosecutor of. —With respect to James Howlett, the Judge remarked that he appeared to have some sense of an early repentance, by preventing the unhappy father of the prisoner Freeman from being implicated in their plan and from that gave him some hopes of mercy being extended towards him. Cambridge Chronicle, 28 March 1817. His Lordship has reprieved ... Thomas Howlett, James Howlett, and ...; John Freeman are left for execution on Saturday the 5th of April next. Cambridge Chronicle, 28 March 1817.