John Pocock

Level 135

C H on 25th February 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN POCOCK. MARY ASHPOOL. MARY ASHPOOL. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 20th July 1791. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN POCOCK, MARY ASHPOOL, MARY ASHPOOL Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 20th July 1791 Reference Number t17910720-35 Verdicts Guilty, Not guilty Punishments Transportation 304. JOHN POCOCK , MARY ASHPOOL the elder , and MARY ASHPOOL the younger , were indicted for stealing, on the 26th of June , thirty-two iron rivets, value 5 s 4 d. a piece of iron, value 2 s. a cast iron pitch-pot, value 4 d. and a back-band, value 6 d. the property of Benjamin Williams . BENJAMIN WILLIAMS sworn. I am a wheel-wright and Smith , No. 41, Old-street ; I lost the things in the indictment, last Sunday three weeks in the morning. PETER HUGHES sworn. I was constable of the night, last Sunday was three weeks; about two o'clock the watchman brought in the eldest of the women, I left her in the watch-house, and went with the watchman to the prosecutor's workshop, and saw the man prisoner creeping out of the workshop, with a basket on his shoulder; he came towards us, there was no other way for him to come out; when he came near us, which was at the back of the street, he first saw us, as I take it, about ten yards; we went up to him and searched him; I told the watchman to take the basket; it had these pieces of iron; they have been all secured in the watch-house ever since, except one iron holdfast, which I have kept ever since; the man prisoner had not the pitch-pot, nor the back-band; I searched the elder woman; she had nothing about her; I know nothing more, only the other woman was brought in afterwards. JOHN JOHNSON sworn. I am a watchman: on the 16th of June, about two, I heard Mr. Williams's yard-dog making a great noise, which continued some time; I went to the back part of the workshop, and the woman was sitting close to the shop, and a hole broke in the shop; I went up to her; she said she was going to sleep there; I took her to the watch-house; and we went to the place, and saw the man prisoner come creeping through a hole in the shop, with a basket; we took him to the watch-house; the basket was left in the watch-house; I went back again, and found the younger woman standing near the premises, with another basket; and a pitch-pot and chain in it, and an iron back-band, within a few yards of her; she had nothing upon her. PRISONER POCOCK's DEFENCE. I was going that way, and saw the iron lay in a basket. PRISONER ASHPOOL's (WIDOW) DEFENCE. I am a poor woman that gets my bread in the street; I had no money to pay my lodging, and I went and sat myself down, not thinking any harm, and they took me; no man was nigh the place when I sat down; the other woman is rather troubled with fits; the girl was along with me, and I gave her a blow, and she went and sat on the other side. Prisoner Ashpool, spinster. I have nothing to say. JOHN POCOCK , GUILTY . Transported for seven years . MARY ASHPOOL , the elder, MARY ASHPOOL , the younger, NOT GUILTY . Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.