Richard Woolford

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 15th June 2024

On Tuesday last, the following convicts were removed from Fisherton Gaol, and put on board the York Hulk, at Gosport, for transportation ... Thomas Godwin, for stealing beans; Joseph Heal, for stealing trousers; John Bowsher, for stealing barley; Job Barnes, for stealing a sack, &c.; Richard Woolford, for poaching in the night—to be transported for seven years each (the above were convicted at the late Assizes);... Salisbury Journal, 20 April 1835.

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 4th May 2024

Committed to Fisherton Gaol:—R. Woolford, Thomas Squire, Zachariah and Wm. Giles, Henry Charles Fisher, and George and Henry Page, charged with having on the night of Saturday 29 Nov. in company with many others, entered Park Coppice, belonging to Lord Bolingbroke at Lydiard Tregoze, for the purpose of destroying game. An account of the desperate affray, which took place on this occasion, will be found in the preceding page. Salisbury Journal, 8 Dec 1834. Desperate Affray with Poachers.—(From a Correspondent.)—On the night of Saturday last, as the keepers of Lord Bolingbroke were on the watch at Lydiard, this county, they fell with seven 1 poachers, all of them well armed. The numbers being equal, and pretty well matched in point of size, &c., the keepers asked them if they intended to fire or to fight like men? The poachers at once said, that they would have a fair fight for it, and immediately each party put aside their arms. desperate struggle soon ensued : but the poachers being likely to be overpowered, one of them sounded a horn, and in a minute more of the gang made their appearance. The keepers were now beaten unmercifully, particularly Cox, the head-keeper. His son, after the most brutal treatment was thrown into large pond of water, and was saved almost by miracle. All the poachers effected their escape: one of them, however, was severely cut about the neck, which has since led his apprehension, and is likely to be the means of discovering the whole gang. Poaching, it is said, has been the temptation which has brought nearly three-fourths of the rustic criminals to the end of their career of vice, by transportation or the gallows; and the chaplain of one of the largest gaols in the kingdom, not long since, stated, M that inconceivably great portion of all the criminals who are brought to speak of the course of their vices, voluntarily declare that poaching is the beginning, and that after one night's experiment their ruin sealed. Salisbury Journal, 8 Dec 1834. Geo. Fisher, Henry Fisher, Chas. Fisher, Richard Woolford, Squires, Geo. Page, Henry Page, Zachariah Giles, and Wm. Giles, (Abraham Lovett, approver), were indicted for having, with divers others, unlawfully, the night, entered enclosed coppice, the property of the Right Hon. Viscount Bolingbroke, armed with guns, bludgeons, and other offensive weapons, for the purpose of destroying game, at Lydiard It appeared from the evidence Jas. Cox (gamekeeper to Lord Bolingbroke) and others, supported by the testimony A. Lovett, accomplice, that, on the night of  that, on the night of Nov. 2G, Cox, accompanied by twelve others, went to Park Coppice, a preserve for pheasants, where guns were heard, and a large party of poachers was discovered. the proposition of the poachers, the guns were put aside, and a desperate conflict ensued, in the course of which, the keepers were dreadfully beaten, and one of them, Geo. Titcomb, had his arm broken. Prisoners were all identified as having been present, and verdict of guilty was returned against the whole. Geo. Fisher, Thos. Squire, and Richard Woolford, being sentenced to transported for seven years, Henry Fisher, Chas. Fisher, Geo. Page, Henry Page, Z. Giles, and Henry Giles, to 12 months' imprisonment and hard labour. Salisbury Journal, 16 Mar 1835.