Francis Robertson

343

Maureen Withey on 21st March 2024

Trial at the Old Bailey, 12 May 1831. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Littledale. 998. JOHN ATWICK , FRANCIS ROBERTSON , and GEORGE WILLIAMS were indicted for stealing, on the 22nd of April , at St. James, Westminster, 20 yards of woollen cloth, value 20l.; 30 yards of kerseymere, value 15l., and 1 waistcoat, value 20s., the goods of Thomas Dicketts , in his dwelling-house . MR. CLARKSON conducted the prosecution. THOMAS DICKETTS. I am a tailor , and live at No. 4, Ryder-street , in the parish of St. James, Westminster. On Friday, the 22nd of April, I went out at eight o'clock in the morning, and left this woollen cloth and kerseymere nearly opposite the shop door, on the right - it is my dwelling-house; a great many workmen are employed there - I returned in about twenty minutes, and found the shop door wide open; I had left it is shut - nobody could open it from the street; there was only a handle to pull it too - I immediately missed a piece of black cloth and a piece of black kerseymere off the counter, a piece of brown cloth off the cutting board, and on looking further I missed a kerseymere waistcoat; the black cloth was worth 20l., the brown 6l. or 7l., the kerseymere 15l., and the waistcoat 1l. - I saw some cloth at the Mansion-house, in possession of Forrester. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Have you any other Christian name or partner? A. No; I live in the house. ELIZA COLE . I am single, and live at No. 9, Ryder-street, directly opposite Mr. Dicketts. On Friday morning, the 22nd of April, as near half-past eight o'clock as possible, I saw the prisoner Atwick go into Mr. Dickett's shop - he remained there a very few minutes, and came out with two rolls of dark cloth, which he took away. Cross-examined by MR. CRESWELL. Q.You did not give information of it? A. No - I was in the balcony of the drawing-room; he had a hat on - it is a narrow street, and leads out of St. James'-street; the cloth was on his left shoulder - I was on the right-hand side; his hat did not hinder my seeing his face; I saw him very plainly for five or six minutes - I did not know him before; I saw him before he went in and after he came out. MR. CLARKSON. Q. How soon afterwards did you see him before the Magistrate? A. The next day; I was certain of his person the moment I saw him - I only saw one person. MARY AUSTIN. I live at No. 29, Towle-street, St. Giles', and am single. On Friday morning, the 22nd of April I was in Ryder-street, a little before eight o'clock; I saw the prisoner Robertson there - he was three or four feet from Mr. Dickett's door; I did not see Atwick go into the shop, but I saw him come out - Robertson was then three or four feet from the door; he stood there as if he was waiting for somebody. Cross-examined by MR. CARRINGTON. Q. He stood three or four feet from the shop? A. Yes - I also stood there. JOSEPH BIRCH . I am a hackney-coachman - I drove No. 1057 at the time in question. On Friday morning, the 22nd of April, near half-past eight o'clock, my coach stood in Piccadilly, opposite Duke-street, about five minutes walk from Ryder-street; the prisoner Atwick came up, threw two pieces of cloth into the coach, and got in himself - he desired me to drive to Sun-street, Bishopsgate; I did so - when I got there he got out and took the cloth; he paid the fare, and I went about my business - when I got to Sun-street a cab passed me, and I saw both the other prisoners in Sun-street; it was then near nine o'clock - they had got out of the cab about fifty yards from where Atwick got out; they had arrived there a little before me - Williams came up, and took one roll of cloth from my chariot; he said nothing - they then went away together; I cannot say where to. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. You cannot say in what street Williams might have got into the cab? A. No - it was on a Friday; I do not know the day of the month. JAMES PIGGOTT . I am servant to a tailor, at No. 23, Sun-street. On Friday, the 22nd of April, I saw the prisoner Atwick get out of a coach, nearly opposite Mr. Wait's mercer's shop, Sun-street - I saw Williams and Robertson in a cab behind the coach; Williams got out of the cab, and took one piece of cloth and another small piece out of the coach - he took them into Guest's house there; Atwick took one piece in also - they both went into Guest's; Robertson got out of the cab and stood opposite the house, and after Atwick and Williams had gone into Guest's, Williams came out to fetch Robertson in; he went in, and they remained there about half an hour, they followed one another out - I watched them into Crown-street, and there told Weatropp, the Policeman; I followed them to Finsbury-square, and saw them divide some money - they each had some money. HENRY WESTROPP . I am a Policeman. On the 22nd of April, I was on duty in the neighbourhood of Crown-street - Piggott gave me information; I followed the prisoners to Finsbury-square, there saw them divide some money, and took all three into custody in about five minutes, with assistance. ANDREW MACMANUS. I am a serjeant of the Police. I was at the station-house on the 22nd of April, when the prisoners were brought in, it was near ten o'clock - I searched them; 3l. 7s. was found on Atwick, 3l. 1s. on Robertson, and 7s. on Williams. JOHN FORRESTER. I am an officer of the City. On Friday, the 22nd of April, I went with a search-warrant, and examined Guest's house, in Sun-street - Mr. Cope, the marshal, and my brother Daniel were with me; Guest was not at home - I got there about a quarter-past twelve o'clock; I found some cloth there, which I brought away - I now produce all that the prosecutor speaks to. MR. DICKETTS. This is my property - I have minutely examined it, and compared it; it is all of a colour and width - here is some of the kerseymere as well as the cloth; it was safe in my house at eight o'clock in the morning, when I left - here is not above half of it. Cross-examined by MR. CARRINGTON. Q.Does the property correspond with what you lost? A. No - I did not lose it in such lengths as this; it is black - I have found none of the brown; there are thousands of pieces of the same width - there is no mark of my own on it; it was a whole piece - I cut the ends of the piece off, and have them here. MR. CLARKSON. Q. You had cut the end pieces off before? A. Yes, just the fag-end, the list - there is nothing in that to make it correspond; I never sent any cloth to Guest's. ANDREW MACMANUS. When I went to Guest's there was a smoke issuing from the kitchen - it smelt as if cloth was being burned; I had a party of the Police trying to get in at the time, and a pistol was presented at me. Atwick's Defence. I am innocent. Robertson's Defence. I am innocent. Three witnesses gave Robertson a good character. ATWICK - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 20. ROBERTSON - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 16. WILLIAMS - NOT GUILTY . [May 17.]

12

Neil Peter McKELLAR-STEWART on 24th February 2024

The NSW BDM record for his death gives his parents as David and Ann (perhaps a variant of Elanor) Sources in WikiTree profile https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Robertson-30445

221

D Wong on 28th February 2013

Francis Robertson was 17 years old when indicted, along with John Atwick (John 1832) for stealing, at St James, Westminster, 20 yards of woollen cloth, value £20, 30 yards of kerseymere, value £15 and 1 waistcoat, value 20s., the goods of Thomas Dicketts, a tailor, in his dwelling house. 29/8/1832: Lacemaker assigned to J P Webber. 1840: TOL Penrith 1842,43,44,45: TOL Passport Penrith Bench. 1/3/1848: CP