Charles Jones

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Robin Sharkey on 25th May 2020

CHARLES JONES was tried at the Old Bailey on 20 April 1814, said to be aged 35 years, for stealing a gold chain and three seals from Mr Scott William Holmes over a week earlier on 11 April 1814. He was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for seven years. He had to wait only ix months for his departure from England, on the "Indefatigable" in October 1814. On the nights of 11, 14th and 15th APRIL 1914, LONDON was celebrating, for the first time, the Allied victory over Napoleon that came from the surrender of Paris to allied forces on 31 March 1814, and Napoleon's abdication that followed on 4 April. There would be many "illuminations" held in London across that summer, and in towns across England, but this was the first. The streets of London were illuminated with lights and illuminated images put up in buildings. "Buildings lit by candles or carbonic gas internally would illuminate transparencies affixed to their windows". [See "Peace Breaks Out! London and Paris in the Summer of 1814" Sir John Soane’s Museum, London; June 20 – September 13, 2014 in journal "Nineteenth Century Art Worldwide".] The illuminations brought thousands of people out on to London streets to see the displays and celebrate the victory. This was a perfect background for pickpockets and thieves. From the Old Bailey transcript, Mr Scott Holmes, was escorting an old lady in the street, and placed his hands against the wall, (Presumably over her) to protect her from the crowds. As he did this, someone wrenched his gold chain from him, it broke at the top, and his chain, ring and three seals were gone. He couldn't swear to the man being Charles Jones. However, three different pawnbrokers identified Jones as being the man who had pawned various items to them: * a gold chain pawned at Mr Rochford's in Jermyn St, * two seals at Mr Dry's in St Martin's Lane * one gold seal at Mr Ashman's in The Strand. Holmes described the stolen articles in a newspaper advertisement. A Bow Street officer apprehended Jones on 16th April and found duplicates in the lining of his hat - three seals and a metal watch. Mr Holmes identified the chain and seals, and a key, as being his. JONES's defence was that he bought them from a Jew. He was found guilty and sentenced to seven years.