Thomas Scrivenger

343

Maureen Withey on 14th October 2025

City Court. Before Baron Garrow—Wednesday, March 10. Highway Robbery at Lincoln. Thomas Scrivenger, shoemaker, aged 24, and James Durance, aged 21, were charged with feloniously assaulting Joseph Vickers, innkeeper, of Saxilby, and stealing a leather pocket-book , a 3£ bank note, three notes, a knife, and a steel pencil-case.  On the night of January 22, prosecutor was drinking at the Granby Head public-house at Lincoln until about eleven o'clock, and left the inn considerably intoxicated for the purpose of going home; the two prisoners, who had also been drinking at the house, spoke to Vickers as he went out, and following him, invited him to have some liquor with them. They proceeded together as far as the beast-market, a lonely part of the town, there being no houses within about 70 yards.  When they came to this spot, one of the prisoners pinioned the arms of Vickers, while the other took from his breast pocket the property mentioned in the indictment: after they had committed the robbery, they ran off. Vickers made the best of his way to a public-house called the Mason's Arms, and related the robbery to the landlord. Next morning he made complaint to a magistrate, mentioning the names of the prisoners, and a warrant was put into the hands of  White, the constable, for their apprehension. On the day after the robbery, the prisoners changed a note and two 1/. notes, at different public-houses; they partook of an immoderate quantity of liquor, and made an extravagant display of money. When taken into custody, a considerable sum was found upon Durance, the possession of which he endeavoured to account for in various ways. In their defence they insinuated that Vickers was extremely drunk, that he was not conscious of what took place, and that after leaving the public-house, he wished the prisoners to lead him to a house of ill-fame, giving one of them a £3. note to get changed for him. This imputation the latter denied in the most solemn manner, and the Jury found both prisoners guilty.— The Judge passed sentence of death upon them; but the Jury recommended them to mercy on account of their youth, and the sentence was then commuted to transportation for life. Had it not  been for this recommendation, the Judge said he should certainly have left  the prisoners for execution. Stamford Mercury, Friday 12 March 1830.