Thomas Whitton

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 18th June 2024

No 2249 Name; Thomas Whitton Height; 4 ft 6 3/4 in Age; 14 years old [Born abt. 1823] Trade; Shoemaker - 3 years Where; Central Court Native Place; Shoreditch Source; CON27-1-7

135

C H on 27th March 2024

Old Bailey Online THOMAS WHITTON. GEORGE PHILLIPS. Theft; shoplifting. 13th June 1836 Text type Trial account Defendants THOMAS WHITTON, GEORGE PHILLIPS Offences Theft > Shoplifting Session Date 13th June 1836 Reference Number t18360613-1604 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 1604. THOMAS WHITTON and GEORGE PHILLIPS were indicted for stealing, on the 12th of May, 5 yards of printed cotton, value 3s. 9d., the goods of William Feary. RACHEL FEARY . I am the wife of William Feary; we keep a shop at West Ham, in Essex. On the 12th of May, between one and two o'clock, I had put this print in my window—I went up-stairs, and had not been gone above three minutes when my daughter called me down—I came down, and the print was gone—I went out of the shop—I did not see any one—a boy showed me where they were gone to—I went to the Marsh-gate—I saw the two prisoners in the act of doubling up my print in a handkerchief—I took it from them, and said, "You villains, you have stolen this from me"—they then threw two more parcels down—I took up my own, and called "Stop thief" and two witnesses, now here, caught them and took them to the station-house—I am sure they are the same—they were not out of my sight till they were taken—this is my print—this handkerchief belongs to the prisoners—here are five yards and a half of cotton of mine—I had not seen the prisoners near my shop—they were a hundred yards from the shop when I first saw them. RICHARD WARD . I was having a pint of beer, and heard the lady sing out "Stop thief"—I stopped Whitton. JOHN MERRY . I heard the cry of "Stop thief," and pursued Phillips, and took him to the station-house. PHINEAS BUTLER (police-constable K 222). I was at the station-house, and the prisoners were brought there with this property, of the prosecutor's, and these other two parcels. Whitton. We saw the bundles on the ground in Marsh-gate-lane, and picked them up, but did not go away with them. (John Green, a shoemaker, of Parliament-court, Artillery-lane; and Richard Cas, deposed to Phillip's good character; and W. Holmes, a shoe-manufacturer, to that of Whitton's) WHITTON— GUILTY . Aged 13. PHILLIPS— GUILTY . Aged 13. Transported for Seven Years.

Thomas Whitton was 13 years old when transported along with George Phillips for stealing 5 yards of printed cotton, value 3s9d. from William Freary;s shop in West Ham, Essex. He was 4'6 3/4" tall, pale complexion, small head, brown hair, small visage, chin, brown eyebrows, blue eyes, large nose, medium mouth. Tattoos: Woman love to thy heart on left arm, mermaid, star anchor and M W on right arm. He was also sent to Port Arthur with George Phillips. 18/7/1837: making use of a plasphemous expression - 2 days solitary on bread and water, having some thread secreted, having some Hemp, misconduct - 14 days solitary, misconduct - 2 months hard labour, out after hours - 2 days hard labour. By early 1841 he was out of Port Arthur and in Hobart on a road gang. 6/7/1841: TOL 1843: COF. Nov.1843: Permission to marry Ellen King per Hindostan. 26/7/1844: Sent to trial for burglary, but the charges were dismissed. 23/9/1844: Death of his son Thomas Whitton, aged 3 weeks. 1845: Had another son. 21/5/1863: Cornwall Chronicle, Launceston: Thomas Whitton fell into the Tamar river from Queens wharf at 3 o'clock in the morning. (He was intoxicated). Seraphen de Vylden said that Thomas had been his mate for the last 17 years and was about 42. They had worked the boat together on the river and lived on the boat. Thomas had never spent a night ashore since he was married, a long time back. He drowned whilst people were trying to save him.