Thomas Spicer

Level 347

Maureen Withey on 26th April 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 14 Jan 1818. 219. The said WILLIAM KELLY and THOMAS SPICER were indicted for that they, on the 26th of November , at the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell, feloniously did forge and counterfeit a certain bank note, No. 61,370 (setting it forth), with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England . SECOND COUNT. For feloniously disposing of and putting away a like forged bank note, with the like intent, knowing it to be forged. THIRD AND FOURTH COUNTS, the same as the two former, only calling the forged instrument a promissory note for the payment of money, instead of a bank note. FOUR OTHER COUNTS, the same as the former, only stating their intent to be to defraud Joseph Braidey . WILLIAM KELLY pleaded GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 15. JOSEPH BRAIDEY. I am a pork-butcher , and live at 73, St. Martin's-lane, which is opposite Long-acre. On the 26th of November last, the prisoner, Kelly, came to my shop about five o'clock in the evening, and asked me to give him change for a 5l. note. I asked him who it was for? he said, for Mr. Crease, his master - I asked him where Mr. Crease lived? he said, in Long-acre, and that he was a plasterer. He had a white jacket, apron, and a paper cap on. I asked him what number? he said 26. Knowing Mr. Crease was a customer, I gave him five 1l. notes, and put Mr. Crease's name on the 5l. note (looking at one) this is it-(looking at five 1l. notes)-two of these have been in my possession; No. 27,334 and 21,372 - They have my hand-writing on them. I took one of them on the Monday or Tuesday, and the other on the Tuesday before the 26th of December, which was Wednesday. Cross-examined by MR. ALLEY. My name is on the front of the two 1l. notes, they have no date written on them by me. One of them is dated March 1816, the other in October. I always mark notes when I take them. The 5l. note was in my possession from the time Kelly gave it to me till I gave it to the officer. I never saw Spicer except at the office. My shop is at the corner of Great Newport-street - it was lit up; it is surrounded by windows. MR. REYNOLDS. Q. How soon after you received the 5l. note, was your attention called to the two 1l. notes - A. I saw them at Bow-street about half an hour after. I did not leave the shop till the officer came in. COURT. Q. From how many 1l, notes did you select those you gave to Kelly-A. I might have ten or twelve. SAMUEL M'DOWEL. I live at No. 26, Long-acre, and have lived there six years; no person of the name of Crease lived there in November last. HENRY CREASE . I am a painter and plasterer, and live in Great Queen-street, I have lived there twenty or thirty years-there is no person of my name and business living in Long-acre. I had a brother there about six years ago. Kelly was never in my employ, nor did I give him a 5l. note to get changed. THOMAS LIMBRICK . I am a Bow-street patrol. On the 26th of November I saw the prisoners in company together in St. Martin's-lane, Smith was with me. I watched and followed them about thirty yards in company together on the other side of the way. Kelly had a flannel jacket, a paper cap, and an apron on; I followed them until they came to Long-acre, opposite Mr. Braidey's shop. Kelly then left Spicer, crossed over, and went into Braidey's shop. I went away, disguised myself, and saw Spicer on the opposite side, looking over to the shop; it was about five o'clock in the afternoon. I crossed over to the shop, saw Kelly in it, and saw some notes pass from Mr. Braidey to Kelly; he came out, crossed St. Martin's-lane, and joined Spicer, who stood at the corner. I crossed over after them, they went up Long-acre on the right-hand side-Kelly took the paper cap off his head, and put it in his pocket - He was then without any thing on his head-some words passed between them. Kelly said to Spicer, as soon as they joined, "Come along, it is all right," or words to that effect - He had not then been out of the shop more than half a minute. When they joined, their hands were close together, and something passed between them. I distinctly saw their hands together. I was not near enough to see whether Kelly had any thing in his hand; I continued to follow them. They crossed Long-acre, and went down Mercer-street and Castle-street. When they came into King-street, Seven Dials, I told Smith we had better secure them. I laid hold of Kelly by both his hands, opened a shop-door, pushed him in, and searched him. Q. From the time you saw Kelly come out of the shop until that time, had he joined company with anybody but Spicer - A. No person at all; he had no opportunity of giving any thing to any person. I found 18s. on him. Cross-examined. I did not see any other person there; it was dark when I took Kelly. I did not look to see if he had thrown any notes away. JOHN ROGUIN SMITH . I am a Bow-street officer, and was with Limbrick on the 26th of November. The first that I saw was Spicer at the corner of St. Martin's-lane, after that I saw Kelly going along King-street - he was before Spicer; I followed Limbrick. Limbrick came to me at the corner of St. Martin's-lane; I saw Spicer about three minutes after. In about four minutes I saw them both in King-street, Kelly was four or five yards before Spicer. Limbrick told me to go and apprehend Spicer, which I did, nearly at the top of King-street. In bringing him along the street, by the light of a shop, I saw him endeavouring to put his hand into his left-hand breeches pocket-on observing it, I pushed him into a shop, searched him, and found in his left-hand breeches pocket five 1l. bank notes, and 5s. in silver - I took him to the office. I marked the five 1l. notes before I parted with them (looking at them) these are them. Cross-examined. King-street is two or three minutes' walk from the pork-shop. They went the nearest way one was before the other. MR. CHARLES CHRISTMAS. I am inspector of bank notes to the Bank of England (looking at the 5l. note)-it is not a genuine note, it is neither the Bank-paper nor plate; the signature is the name of a signing clerk, but not his hand-writing. It is forged in every respect. (The note was then put in and read, No. 61,370, dated August 4, 1817.) SPICER'S Defence. The notes I had were my own. SPICER - GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 17. On the Second and Fourth Counts. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Abbott. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Spicer left a Convict Love token before he left, and inscribed “Thomas Spicer, Cast for Death, 17 Jan 1818. For Soft” on one side, and on the other side “Reported & Left to Suffer Feby 19th” https://www.coinsandaustralia.com/tokens-medals-convict-love.php?title=1818-Thomas-Spicer&id=21 ---------------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. SPICER, Thomas. Per "Morley", 1818 1818 Nov 17 On list of convicts disembarked from the "Morley" and forwarded to Bringelly for distribution (Reel 6006; 4/3499 p.148)