UPDATE of the Past News 22nd October 1859

 

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS...........

*Robbery on Saltergate –

The five men were awaiting trial at the March Assize Courts in Derby when we last heard of them.  What was the outcome of the trial?

The five stood trial early on 20^th December 1859.  They were described as “rough looking fellows” in the Derby Mercury.  The men were Thomas Hoult (sic) 22, William Hoult (sic) 25, Anthony Coates 20, James Todd 25 and Thomas Moody 26.

Mr Stephen defended all the men bar James Todd, he stated that he had “never seen such a disproportion of means to and end as was disclosed in this case, in which a gang of five Chesterfield burglars and six Policemen were engaged in stealing and in recovering a book and some artificial fruit!”.  He went on to add that none of the five men could read and so the book was of no use to them.  As for the artificial fruit; well he could come up with no explanation as to why they would place the fruit in the privy.  With these statements he concluded that the items must have been stolen by other persons, and he would leave Todd to explain where he got the book from.

Todd’s answer – if had stolen the book he would not have waited for the Police to catch up with him.

The four other men received good character references from Mr Robinson a surgeon of Brimington and Mr Redshaw a miner.

The verdict; all were found guilty -

Thomas and William Hoult, Anthony Coates and Thomas Moody were given 6 months gaol with hard labour.  As for James Todd, as he had a previous conviction he was sentenced to 15 months hard labour.  The registers for the trial also confirm that the men received the sentences for burglary and that James Todd previous conviction was taken into account also.

James Todd had stood trial at the beginning of the year on 4^th January 1859.  He was convicted for 6 months for “larceny on the person”.   He appeared at the Quarter Sessions charged with stealing £2 10s from James Revill of Chesterfield.

William Watson –

The poor man who was burgled by the “rough looking men” – well he appeared again in the newspapers a few months later, when he announced his marriage to Mrs Hannah Boot of Cavendish Street.  The couple tied the knot on 2^nd July 1860 at the Elder Yard Chapel.
The 1861 census shows William aged 60 and Hannah aged 57 living at Saltergate.  William employe's 2 men and his son, 19 year old Richard is an apprentice slater.   

Prior to marrying Hannah, William had been married to Ruth but sadly she had passed away in 1858.  The couple married at the St Mary & All Saints parish church in Chesterfield town centre on 6^th August 1826.  Ruth’s maiden name was Varley.  Their witnesses were Richard Watson and Hannah Varley.

William died on 23^rd February 1869.  He left a will which was proved at Derby on 25^th May that year.  He named George Short a currier and Charles Rollinson a joiner as executors.  His effects were under £200. 

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