George Thomas Wiles

Level 135

C H on 29th March 2024

Old Bailey Online GEORGE THOMAS WILES. JOSEPH WARD. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 6th July 1840 Text type Trial account Defendants GEORGE THOMAS WILES, JOSEPH WARD Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 6th July 1840 Reference Number t18400706-1867 Verdicts Guilty > Pleaded guilty, Guilty Punishments Imprisonment, Transportation 1867. GEORGE THOMAS WILES and JOSEPH WARD were indicted for stealing, on the 23rd of June, 1 hamper, value 1s.: 1 apron, value 3d.; and 741bs. weight of bristles, value 25l. 18s.; the goods of the Guardians of the Poor, of the Holborn Union.—3rd COUNT, stating the hamper and bristles to be the goods of George Kent; and the apron, the goods of the Guardians; to which, Ward pleaded. GUILTY . Aged 19.— Confined Nine Months. MR. CLARKSON conducted the Prosecution. MARY ASHFORD . I am a pauper in the Holborn Union Workhouse. On the evening of the 23rd of June, I was sent to the house of Mr. George Kent—I brought away 741bs. weight of white bristles—a man went with me—he brought them in a hamper—they were put into the garden-lodge by the Alms-houses in Gray's Inn-lane—the door of the lodge was fastened—I put the key into my pocket—I put the bristles there about five o'clock, and stopped till eight o'clock, when 1 left them there was my own apron there—the next morning I got up at half-past five o'clock—I looked out of my window, and observed part of the hatch-door open—the gate was wide open—I do not know how they could have opened the lodge-door—I went to the place, and the hamper, bristles, and apron were gone—I communicated this to the master of the Workhouse—I saw no bristles about. EDMUND FREEMAN . I went with Ashford to fetch the bristles, and took them to the lodge. GEORGE SILLITOE . I am one of the paupers in the Union-house—it is my duty to lock the gate leading to the lodge—I locked it on the night of the 23rd of June, at a quarter before six o'clock—I did not unlock it afterwards—the next morning I was sent for, and found the gate shut, but not locked as I had left it. CHARLES WILKINS . I am foreman to Mr. George Kent, of Falcon-street—he is a brush-maker—he sends bristles to the Holborn Union to be worked up—I delivered 741bs. weight of bristles to Ashford—they were worth 25l. 18s., and the hamper was worth 1s. or 1s., 6d.—these little bundles of bristles which were picked up, are the same sort as those I delivered—they are a particular sort of bristles—(examining them.) BENJAMIN HEWITT . I am master of the Union Workhouse. Wiles has been a pauper in that house, and I believe part of his family are there now—Ward had been in the workhouse, and had left it on the day previous to this occurrence—on the evening on which these bristles were lost, at eleven o'clock, Ward came, and wanted admittance, having no place to go to—he was admitted—I heard of this robbery in the morning, and sent for Mr. James. WILLIAM ROBERT JAMES . I received a communication from Mr. Hewitt on the morning of the 24th of June—I went to the lodge, and traced bristles from the lodge, strewed rather thickly, to the entrance-gate in Gray's Inn-lane—I picked them up, and tied them in these small parcels, which have been produced to Mr. Kent's foreman—about a yard from the gate there appeared to have been a large quantity fallen, so that people had kicked them with their feet right and left—the parish of St. Andrew and St. George the Martyr, and Ely-rentse, constitute the Holborn Union; the Guardians meet under the Act by which they are constituted. JOSEPH CARTER . I am pot-boy at the Nag's Head public-house, Gray's Inn-lane—it is only one house from the Alms-house gate. On the evening of the 23rd of June I was standing near the gate, about ten minutes before ten o'clock—I heard something drop—I turned and saw Wiles with a hamper—he asked me to assist him to put it on his head—I assisted him, and some hairs fell out of the basket—he took them, put them into the basket, and covered them over with a blue apron—another person came and assisted—after he was gone I picked up some hairs, which I now produce. PARMETER TYRRELL . I live in Lamb Court, Turnmill-street, Clerken-well, with my father. On the 23rd of June, about ten o'clock at night, I was in Cow Cross-street, talking to one Higgins—I know Wiles—I saw him pass by with a hamper on his bead—he bad a cap on—he asked Higgins to give him a lift down, which he did, and then Wiles asked fur a lift across the road to the barber's shop; which he gave him—he took them up stairs at the barber's shop—I saw Wiles the next day at Mr. Giles's public-house—he was tossing up gold and silver—he dropped a half-sovereign—a man picked it up, and would not give it him back—Wiles offered the man half-a-pint of gin to give it him back—I afterwards saw Higgins—he asked me to go to the Whte Hart public-house with him, and there I saw Wiles, Higgins asked him for money—he said he had given 25s. away, he had lost half a sovereign, and he could not afford to give him any money, but he would give him half a gallon of beer—he said he had got so much for what he had done the night before, but I cannot say how much he said—they had some beer, and quarrelled, and the police came and took them both. Wiles, Defence. He has stated very wrong. WILES— GUILTY .** Aged 32.— Transported for Seven Years.

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 11th October 2022

1840 - Trial; 6 July 1840. 1840 - 20 July 1840. Received on board the "Fortitude" moored at Chatham Age; 32 years. Married. Trade; Paper Strainer Previous Conviction; 4 months. House of Correction 1842 - Boarded the "Waterloo" 23 May 1842 1842 - Australian Convict Transportation Registers Noted against name "Drowned"