John Wilson

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 21st March 2026

Place of origin: Yorkshire 1854 - 26 July 1854. Certificate. Free. himself

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 10th August 2025

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT BRIGHOUSE. MARY AYTON, THOS., KEITHLEY, and JOHN WILSON were charged with robbing, on the 6th July last, Mr, Geo. Brearley, on the highway from ... Halifax Guardian 20 July 1839. Highway Robbery near Brighouse. On Saturday night last a robbery took place on the Wakefield turnpike-road, about half a-mile on the other side of Brighouse in which the villains succeeded in making clear off with their booty. The Brighouse policeman being speedily made acquainted with the circumstances, made good use of his time as in two or three hours to capture two of the thieves ; and a third was afterwards taken in Halifax. The prisoners were brought up at our Magistrates’ on Monday, but were then remanded until Thursday. On Thursday, J. Warehouse, Esg., W, Bricos, Esg., and J. Rawsox, Esq. being on the bench, the case was fully gone into. The prisoners gave their names Mary Ayton, John Wilson, and Thomas Keighley. The woman appeared to be Irish and had a ring on her marriage-finger; Wilson was a middle aged man ... of light complexion and red hair; Keghley  was an old man, who appeared ...on behalf  of the prosecutor, Mr. Brearley, formerly the naval service, who resides at Mirfield. Mr. E. M, Wavell appeared for the defence, principally of the elder person, Keighley…. was the evidence on the part of the prosecution : — Mr George Brearley, being sworn, stated—l left Halitax by the car to Brighouse about eight o'clock ...; we arrived at Brighouse about half-past eight; and I left Brighouse on foot for home after having called at “The Wellington'’ for a basket which I had left there. I went along the Wakefield turnpike road, and had got  past the well under Habearr wood, about half a mile from Brighouse, when | met with one woman and four or five men. … I can scarce  be sure whether there was a fifth. As soon as I got up to them, the woman threw her arms round me, and putting her hand into my pocket took out the silver there was in it. I suppose it was about £5 10 l had been receiving some cottage rents; the -other was in my right hand trouser's pocket. The men then immediately closed upon me, and getting hold of me by the collar threw me down upon my back, and one man knelt upon my breast ; they put a handkerchief in my mouth and tied another handkerchief over my eyes. While the man was on my chest, they rifled all my pockets. … they took my purse out of my left hand trousers pocket; it had about twenty  sovereigns in it; they also took out of the watch fob, my gold lever watch : it had a common metal chain with three small padlock keys and a metal watch key to it. They also took from my other pockets, two silver pencil cases, my keys, a pair of gold eye-glasses, a white hafted knife with three blades in it, a pair of nail scissors, and my pocket book which contained various memorandums, amongst them a valuation made by Mr. Chadwick for some land belonging  to me in Mirfield. Mr. Brearley, (who is very deaf) was then requested by Mr, Higham to look  at the prisoners. He was led to the woman Ayton and said, “This is the woman, I am certain it was her that seized me. I can swear to the man with the blue coat (Wilson.) There was also a man with a jacket on with sleeves, and I believe it was him who knelt upon my breast.” Keighley, who had on a huge coat, had been requested to take it off ; it was then seen that he had a jacket of this description, and on Mr. Brearley again looking at him he said— I can swear positively to that man being him.’ He then proceeded—  After they had robbed me they left me and went forward in the direction of Brighouse and I followed after …. Halifax Guardian 13 July 1839. John Wilson, Mary Ayton, and Thomas Keithley, were charged with having assaulted George Breary, of Mirfield, and stolen from his person £20 and other articles.—To be transported for fifteen years. Hull Advertiser, 26 July 1839.