Thomas Rhodes

343

Maureen Withey on 12th March 2026

National Archives. Hulk Records. Sheerness Hulks, Retribution. HO-9-7_2. page 41/48. Received from Newgate, 17 May 1826. Thomas Rhodes, age 21, Stg in D. Ho, Tried Middx, 16 Feby 1826, Life, To NSW, 16 Sept 1826.

343

Maureen Withey on 5th March 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 16 Feb 1826. FOURTH DAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20. Middlesex Cases, Second Jury, Before Mr. Sergeant Arabin. 380. THOMAS RHODES was indicted for stealing, on the 14th of January , at St. Martin in the Fields, 1 silver shaving-box, value 2l. 18s.; 2 silver tooth-powder boxes, value 2l. 12s.; 1 silver tooth-brush box, value 5l., and a silver shaving brush, value 1l., the goods of John Lambe , in his dwelling-house . JOHN LAMBE. I am the nephew of John Lambe, who lives in Cockspur-street, in the parish of St. Martin in the Fields , and rents the house. On Saturday, the 14th of January, about half-past eight, or twenty minutes to nine o'clock in the morning, the prisoner came into the shop and asked the price of a silver shaving-box in the window - it was five guineas; he said it was too expensive - I took out a dressing case with silver boxes, and handed him the soap-box out of it, that came to 3l. 10s.; he said that was too much, and asked the price of a plated one, which we had not got; he said he was recommended by a customer of ours, and wished to see one about six guineas; I shewed him two or three - I got a dressing case which was fitted up at 16l., saying I could put glass boxes instead of silver, which would reduce it to nine guineas - all the fittings up were then safe; I shewed him another, he then said he would have the one at nine guineas, but wished to see the plated articles in it; I said it would take an hour or two to fit it up - he pressed very much to have them in - I went to the back of the shop to get them, and was there some time - when I brought them they would not fit the box; he said, "You can fit them up and send them to me at twelve o'clock;" and while he was giving his address, one of our workmen came in - he immediately left the shop, leaving his address, "Mr. Johnson, 13, Norfolk-street, Strand;" the instant he went out, in consequence of what the workman said to me, I looked and missed the articles stated in the indictment, which are worth 11l. 10s.; they were all safe two minutes before he left; he was about a quarter of an hour in the shop; I am positive he is the man - I have found none of the property. Cross-examined by Mr. LAW. Q. He went out immediately as the young man came in? A. Yes, in a minute or two, as soon as he gave his address - he was writing it when the workman came in - I am confident he is the man - when he was first taken, I saw him by a different light, and said if he had been in the same dress I should know him better, but I had a shade of doubt about him. Q. On your oath did you not say you did not believe him to be the man? A. I did not; I said, if he was in the same dress I should know him better - but at that time he was in a disguised state - he had a loose handkerchief tied round his neck, it came over his chin, and he was quite florid in the face, which was not the case when he was in the shop, but I understood he was taken in a public-house; I pointed him out instantly from two other men who came into my shop with him - I discovered afterwards that they were officers, but did not then know it; Mr. Herring came in, told them to pull off their hats, and said, "Now, which of these three is the man?" and I pointed him out - I was confident of him - I did not express a doubt - I had a shade of doubt that night on account of his florid appearance. Q. Do not you know that several depredations had been committed with goods of this sort? A. Yes; he was remanded, and one shopkeeper I know came forward, and could not identify him; I am confident he is the man - I had seen him at the shop window before he came in. JAMES GOUGE . I am a journeyman pocket-book maker. On the 14th of January, nearly at nine o'clock in the morning, I came into Mr. Lambe's shop, and saw the prisoner there for a minute or two - I saw nobody there but Lambe and the prisoner - he was a stranger, but I am positive he is the man; I went in pursuit of him within a minute or two of his leaving the shop, but could not find him; I saw him at Bow-street on the Tuesday morning after, and pointed him out in the office; I have no doubt whatever of him - when I went into the shop he was giving his address - I made an observation to Lambe when he went out - I heard him tell Lambe to send the things home. Cross-examined. Q. He was a perfect stranger to you? A. Yes; the office was full of people - the officer touched me on the shoulder - I turned round and said, "That is the man;" he was among a dozen people - I did not see him come in - I was attending to another case, and the moment I saw him I recognised him - I was wiping my shoes on the mat when he was in the shop. COURT. Q. Did you go to No. 13, Norfolk-street? A. Yes; there was no such person as Johnson ever lived there. DAVID HERRING . I am an officer. On Saturday, the 14th of January, at eleven o'clock in the morning, I was coming along Pall-mall, and met Lambe's servant - I went to the shop, Gonge and Lambe informed me of the robbery, and described the person to me; I met the prisoner the moment I came out of the shop - he answered their description - he was crossing from Northumberland-house to Messrs. Drummond's bank - I said, "Tom, I want to speak to you;" he said, "I am going sliding, master;" I said, "Tell your woman I won't keep you a minute;" (his girl was with him); he turned about two yards from me to speak to her, and off he ran as hard as he could - I was not two hundred yards from Lambe's - a great number of people were passing in the street; I went back to Lambe's and told them to attend at the office; I spoke to two or three officers, and on Monday night, the 16th, I found him in custody, and took him to Lambe's shop - the witness Lambe was in the shop - I told him I had got Rhodes, and to be very particular whether he was the man or not, and if he had any doubt to let him have it; when the prisoner was produced, he certainly expressed a little doubt, but at that time his dress was altered, his hair was combed straight over his forehead, different to what it generally is, and he kept spitting as if he was half and half - he had two handkerchiefs on his neck, different to the way he was dressed on Saturday morning; he was taken to Bow-street next morning, and the two witnesses swore positively to him; I was in the office - Gouge called me, and said,"There is the man;" and said he had no doubt whatever of him; there were about twenty persons in the office, prisoners and strangers, when he pointed him out. Cross-examined. Q. Was he not at the bar? A. No, he was in custody, but a person coming into the office could not know that; he was on the platform. Q. When you met him, do you know that he ran away, except that you lost sight of him? A. I am sure he ran, but I could not tell which way - I did not see him run, but he was gone in a moment; when he was in the shop, I told all three to take off their hats - two officers were with him - it was a cold night; it is not uncommon to wear an extra handkerchief. JOHN MASON . I am an officer. From the description Herring gave me, I apprehended Rhodes in a public-house in James-street, Covent-garden, on Monday night; Gouge pointed him out from among others at Bow-street. Cross-examined. Q. Were you in Lambe's shop? A. Yes; Lambe expressed a doubt about him there. Prisoner's Defence. They have mistaken me for some other person - I solemnly deny the charge. GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 21. -------------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/72/88. Date 1826 Mar 15- 1826 June 13. Prisoner name: Thomas Rhodes. Prisoner occupation: Plasterer. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey February Sessions, 1826. Crime: Stealing articles, value £12, in shop and dwelling house of John Lambe of Cockspur Street, Charing Cross. Initial sentence: Death, commuted to transportation for life. Annotated (Outcome): Nil. Petitioner(s): Three petitions from Ann Rhodes of 22 Little Dean Street, Westminster [Middlesex], widow, the prisoner's mother, the first undersigned by John Lambe, the prosecutor, and ten inhabitants of Westminster. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): First offence; prosecutor recommends mercy; honest and industrious family, prisoner's brothers being in army. Additional Information: Prisoner held in Newgate gaol, then at Sheerness.