This Day in History: 18 December 1865 — George Wheeler and the Long Sentence

On 18 December 1865, a clerk named George Wheeler stood before the judges of the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey. His crime was not violent, nor theatrical, but it struck at something Victorian society guarded fiercely: trust within employment.

Wheeler was charged with embezzlement — stealing money entrusted to him by his employer. The case was heard swiftly, and unlike many defendants, Wheeler did not contest the charge.

The record is stark:

George Wheeler pleaded guilty to embezzlement.
— Old Bailey Proceedings, 18 December 1865
Case reference: t18651218-76

That plea would mark the beginning of four years moving through England’s harshest prisons.

The offence

George Wheeler was born in London in 1833 and worked as a clerk — a position that depended entirely on honesty and bookkeeping skill. Clerks handled wages, accounts, and cash flows, often with minimal supervision.

At some point in 1865, Wheeler diverted money that did not belong to him. The precise sum is not emphasised in the printed proceedings, but it was enough to trigger prosecution for embezzlement rather than petty theft.

This was a particularly serious charge in Victorian Britain:

  • Embezzlement implied betrayal, not opportunism
  • It suggested calculation, not hunger
  • And it struck fear into employers who relied on paper records and trust

When Wheeler was arrested, he was committed to Newgate Prison in November 1865 to await trial.

The trial — 18 December 1865

On the day of trial, Wheeler did not force witnesses to testify or accounts to be rehearsed. He pleaded guilty.

That decision likely spared him public humiliation — but not punishment.

Clerk: “George Wheeler, you are charged with embezzlement. How say you?”
Wheeler: “Guilty.”

The judge sentenced him to penal servitude, the mid-Victorian replacement for transportation.

This was not a short term in a local gaol. It meant years of hard discipline, silence, labour, and surveillance.

Inside the prison system

Thanks to the Digital Panopticon, we can follow Wheeler’s life after sentencing — something rarely possible with earlier Old Bailey cases.

Wheeler was moved through several of Britain’s most notorious prisons:

  • Millbank Prison — intake and classification
  • Pentonville Prison — strict separate confinement
  • Portland Prison — hard labour

In January 1866, just weeks into his sentence, Wheeler committed a prison offence, suggesting early difficulty adapting to the regime.

The Victorian prison system was relentless:

  • Silence enforced
  • Labour repetitive and exhausting
  • Infractions punished swiftly

Yet Wheeler endured.

Release and later life

After serving most of his sentence, Wheeler was granted a licence — conditional release — on 31 December 1869.

This did not mean freedom as we understand it:

  • He remained under supervision
  • Any reoffending could return him to prison
  • His criminal record followed him into civilian life

Records suggest Wheeler continued to appear in institutional paperwork into 1870, and a possible death record places him dying in 1899, aged around 66.

From clerk to convict to ageing former prisoner, Wheeler’s life was permanently reshaped by a single breach of trust.

Why this case matters

George Wheeler’s story shows how Victorian justice had changed by the mid-19th century:

  • Transportation was fading
  • Penal servitude had taken its place
  • Punishment focused on discipline, reform, and deterrence

His case also reminds us that non-violent crimes could still result in years of incarceration, especially when they threatened the moral foundations of work and trust.

For Wheeler, 18 December 1865 was not the end of his life — but it was the day it entered the state’s machinery, emerging years later permanently altered.

Sources

  • R v. George Wheeler, Old Bailey Proceedings, 18 December 1865, case ref t18651218-76
  • Digital Panopticon, Life of George Wheeler (ID: obpdef1-76-18651218): prison records, movements, infractions, licence and later life

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Quote of the Day: Holiday Eve

“The best part of finishing for the holidays is discovering your shoulders were carrying the year.”
— The Sage

The Sage has often remarked that we rarely notice the weight we’re carrying until we finally put it down. The approach of the holidays has a curious effect: deadlines loosen their grip, inboxes fall silent, and suddenly the body reveals what the mind has been ignoring. Tired shoulders drop, breathing deepens, and we realise just how much of the year has been resting quietly on our frame.

He suggests that this moment of release is more important than the holiday itself. It’s not the destination, the plans, or even the rest that matters most — it’s the recognition. The Sage believes that awareness of our own endurance is a small but meaningful form of gratitude. We discover that we have been stronger, more patient, and more resilient than we gave ourselves credit for.

With gentle humour, The Sage reminds us to notice that feeling when work ends and the weight lifts. It’s not laziness leaving the body, but burden. And in that softening of the shoulders, he sees a simple lesson: we often carry far more than we need to, and rest is not a reward — it’s a necessity finally being honoured.

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Advice of the Day: Emotional Awareness

“When you see someone crying, ask if it’s because of their haircut.”

The Sage believes that empathy is important, but timing is everything. His advice today walks the delicate line between concern and catastrophic honesty: “When you see someone crying, ask if it’s because of their haircut.”

According to The Sage, this question cuts straight to the heart of many modern tragedies. Breakups heal. Redundancies pass. Existential dread fades. But a bad haircut lingers — staring back at you from mirrors, shop windows, and every photograph taken “just after the appointment.” The Sage maintains that many tears are simply follicular in origin.

Of course, this approach does carry risks. The Sage himself once asked this question at a funeral, a wedding, and a school reunion, and was asked to leave all three. Still, he insists that honesty is a form of kindness — particularly when delivered with a straight face and no follow-up explanation. Wisdom, after all, is knowing when to speak… and accepting the consequences when you do.

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This Day in History: 11 December 1765 — Catherine Wilks and the Printed Cotton

On 11 December 1765, the Old Bailey opened its winter session with the usual parade of accusations: fraud, burglary, pickpocketing — and among them, a sharply watched case of grand larceny, something London tradesmen feared more than they would admit.

The defendant was Catherine Wilks, a woman accused of stealing printed cotton — a highly fashionable fabric of the time, bright with dyes and expensive enough to tempt both customers and thieves. The indictment read:

“Catherine Wilks was indicted for stealing fabric out of the shop…”
— Old Bailey Proceedings, 11 December 1765
Case ref: t17651211-10

The record tells us that Catherine broke into an unguarded ahop.

She was caught when trying to offload the goods to a pawn-broker. The evidence was as solid as folded cloth could be.

Here is the actual transcript from the Old Bailey:

Catherine, wife of Nathaniel Wilks, otherwise Catherine Bolton , spinster, was indicted for stealing, in company with Nathaniel Wilks; 100 yards of flowered gauze, value 12 l. 200 yards of striped gauze, 20 yards of plain gauze, 48 gauze handkerchiefs, 6 yards of Scotch lawn, 50 linen handkerchiefs, 30 gauze caps, 50 yards of thread lace, 5 yards of silk ribbon, 5 yards of silk lace, one duffil cloth cardinal, 36 pound weight of butter, and two pieces of serge ; the property of Charles Beal , October 5 .

Elizabeth Beal . I am wife to Charles Beal ; we live in Newgate-market, but keep a milliner’s shop in the Fleet-market . I left that shop safe on the 4th of October at night, and on the 5th, between 6 and 7 o’clock in the morning I found it broke open in the back part of it; there were a great quantity of goods taken away; all that are mentioned in the indictment. On the Wednesday following Mr. Bruin, a pawn-broker on Snow-hill, sent for me; I went and found the prisoner and two pieces of gauze, but cannot take upon me to sware to them; but recollecting a woman had made some things for me of that gauze, we sent for her, she knew it to be my gauze. The prisoner said she bought the gauze in Rag-fair; we took her before the sitting Alderman, he gave me a warrant to search her house. We found a housewife upon the table, with some of my lace, and two pieces of ribbon, which were my property, also several lappets made of gauze, and several remnants of lace which I can swear to. In a box we found one cap, under the bed another; in the pocket of a blue coat we found some pieces of lace. Under the dresser one plain gauze flowered bordered handkerchief, one gauze laced mob, one queen’s mob, one queen’s round cap, and about 5 yards of blue ribbon, 5 yards of black edging was found in the room, and the trimmings of my red cardinal, which I can swear to. (The goods produced in court, and deposed to by the prosecutrix.) Mr. Kennet was at the finding the rest. I asked her whose coat that was, in which the piece of lace was, she said it was the man’s she lived with. I asked her if it was her husband’s, she said no, that she sometimes lived with him, and sometime swent away. There is the mark of a woman’s foot on a piece of board, that lay just under the window, where she came into the shop. (Produced in court with a dirty print of a woman’s foot upon it. Inspected by the Jury.)

Mr. Kennet. On the 9th of October in the evening, I was sent for to Mr. Bruin’s, he described the woman that had brought the gauze. I said I knew her, and mentioned where she lived; I sent for her, (it was the prisoner.) She said she bought the gauze in Rag-fair; I took her in custody on suspicion of being concerned in this robbery. The next day we took her before Sir John Cartwright , he granted a search-warrant. I went to the house where she lived, and found part of the things; a poor woman came down and said, O sir, I have found the rest of the things, there was a place broke in the garret, up into a cockloft, a hole was broke through, and it had a communication with the next house; then the woman handed the things through a hole out of a room even with the floor I was in. The things she handed through were a sack of butter, and 2 pieces of blue serge, a red cloak, a small piece of cheque, a great number of caps, a large quantity of other gauze, a little box with caps and ribbons. I took them home, and carried the woman at the bar next day to be examined; there was a man appeared in her behalf, and wanted it to be made up, his name was Wilks he is a kind of a carpenter, and now he is turned quack-doctor, and was going to open a shop in Chick-lane. I have heard nothing of him since.

Mr. Bruin. I am a pawn-broker on Snow-hill. On the 5th of October Sir John Fielding sent a warning to acquaint me a shop had been broke open in Fleet-market, and lawns and things taken out. The prisoner that goes by the name of Catherine Bolton , brought a piece of gauze, about enough for an apron and handkerchief; she told me she bought it at a linen-draper’s in Cheapside: I said it was very particular for a linen-draper to sell gauze, she said she bought some linen with it. I sent for Mrs. Beal, she said she could not swear to it, but said it was the same pattern; she sent for a woman, that if it was her gauze would know it. I bid the prisoner fetch her husband, she walked out very orderly. The person came and said it was Mrs. Beal’s property; after that a warrant was got from Sir John Cartwright , and searched the prisoner’s apartment, and some of the things were found. I have known the prisoner a year and a half, she is a woman of the town; she has not lived long with that man.

Anne Hunsdon . I make gauze caps for the shops. I made eight for Mrs. Beal of this piece of gauze found upon the prisoner. (She produced one of them, it matched for quality and colour.)

Mrs. Beal. The lace that was found in the housewife, in a coat pocket, was my property; the housewife is not.

Prisoner. The housewife is mine.

Prisoner’s defence.

My husband came home late at night, I chid him for staying out so late. He said he had been at his sister’s, and had brought something for me; then I was reconciled: he produced several things. I asked him where he got them, he said of his sister. The next morning when he was sober, he said he bought them in Rag-fair; he went out the next day, and I wanted a little money. I went to the pawn-broker with this housewife and handkerchief. If I had known them to have been stolen, I would not have carried them there.

She called Jane Dimson , Hannah Bentley , Catherine Kingcart , and Catherine Tharrol , who gave her a good character.

Guilty . Transportation.

Sentence and Aftermath

Given the value of printed cotton and the era’s sentencing norms, Catherine likely found herself among the hundreds of women shipped to the American colonies, and later to Australia, for crimes born of poverty, desperation or opportunity.

Her story mirrors that of many women of the time: petty theft in a world where temptation and need walked side by side, and the consequences could send a person across an ocean.

Why Catherine’s Case Matters

Female defendants were a small minority at the Old Bailey, and their crimes — especially shoplifting — illuminate the precarious economic position women faced in 18th-century London.

  • Shoplifting was common but harshly punished.
  • Printed cotton was both valuable and socially symbolic.
  • Women often faced suspicion simply by entering certain shops alone.
  • Even a moment’s misjudgement could lead to exile.

Catherine Wilks’ trial shows us how ordinary theft could reshape an entire life.

Source

  • R v. Catherine Wilks, tried at the Old Bailey, 11 December 1765
    Charge: Grand larceny — stealing printed cotton
    Verdict: Guilty
    Case ref: t17651211-10

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Quote of the Day: Poetry Stitched in Silk

“The wise know this: lingerie is never really bought for the drawer it sleeps in.”
— The Sage

The Sage has always had a soft spot for the small rituals that make life feel a little more enchanted. Lingerie, he says, is one of those curious purchases that reveals far more about the heart than about clothing. Though it spends most of its life folded away in a quiet drawer, its purpose reaches well beyond fabric and lace. It is a promise of confidence, a spark of delight, and a reminder that beauty often lives in the unseen.

He observes that people rarely buy lingerie out of necessity. It is chosen with hope, with affection, or with the desire to feel just a little more alive. The Sage notes that such purchases are not practical — but they are meaningful. They speak to our longing for romance, mystery, and the gentle thrill of adorning the parts of ourselves the world does not normally see.

With his characteristic humour, The Sage invites us to view lingerie not as clothing, but as poetry stitched in silk. What matters, he suggests, is not where it is kept but why it was chosen. The drawer is merely storage; the sentiment is what truly wears it.

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Advice of the Day: Sparks of Suspicion

“You should never trust an electrician with no eyebrows.”

The Sage has met many professionals in his long, occasionally smoke-filled life, but none have concerned him quite as much as the eyebrowless electrician. His warning today is simple, practical, and based on several alarming personal experiences: “You should never trust an electrician with no eyebrows.”

According to The Sage, eyebrows are not merely decorative; they are a record. A history. A warning label, if you will. The absence of eyebrows on an electrician suggests one of two things: a mysterious genetic quirk, or, considerably more likely, a recent disagreement with 240 volts. Either way, The Sage insists this is not the person you want rewiring your fuse box, your cooker, or anything connected to the national grid.

He recommends a simple rule of thumb: if your electrician turns up looking surprised all the time, take it as a sign. Politely decline, back away slowly, and choose someone whose facial features still indicate they’ve survived their previous jobs. Remember — electricians should leave wires smoking, not their own faces.

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This Day in History: 9 December 1789 — The Case of the Missing Goods

On 9 December 1789, a young man named Thomas Davis stood at the bar of the Old Bailey, accused of stealing several items from a shopkeeper. The charge was simple larceny, but even small thefts mattered in Georgian London. Shops relied on trust, observation and sharp eyes — and when something went missing, suspicion travelled fast.

The printed Proceedings give us a short but telling summary:

“THOMAS DAVIS was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of December, a variety of goods, the property of a shopkeeper.”
Verdict: NOT GUILTY.
— Old Bailey Proceedings, 9 December 1789
Case reference: t17891209-94

The description is brief, but what it does confirm is crucial: Davis was brought into court on this winter day, formally accused, heard by judge and jury — and ultimately acquitted.

Here is the official trial transcript from The Old Bailey:

THOMAS DAVIS was indicted for stealing, on the 5th of December , one thickset waistcoat, value 10 s. one child’s thickset coat, value 3 s. the property of John Williams , privily in his shop

FRANCES WILLIAMS sworn.

I am wife of John Williams , who keeps a clothes shop , in Fore-street on Saturday the 5th of December, I was behind the counter serving a young woman with a blue apron; and the prisoner and another (who was taller) came into the shop: the tall one asked for some stockings, he said, he was very particular in colour, they must be pepper and salt, with a small rib; I reached one pair to the tall one; the prisoner was behind; the prisoner said, Sir, if you like them, have them; the woman gave me half a guinea to pay for her apron; the tall one asked the price of the stockings: I said, three shillings; and I heard something move behind the tall prisoner and the young woman, as I was weighing the money; that was the prisoner; he was behind the tall one till that time; I never saw his face; I looked up from weighing the money, and the prisoner went out; the tall one threw down the stockings, and ran out; and I missed the property; the prisoner was brought back in ten minutes; I am sure the prisoner is the same man; the prisoner has been at our shop before.

SARAH LLOYD sworn.

I was in the shop: I felt something at my back, and I instantly turned round and saw the prisoner with something under his left arm.

Did not you see them moving? – No, I did not; he was going off the threshold at the door, about a yard and a half from the shelf; I saw the colour of the things, but whether they were both there, I do not know; I do not know what became of the other man; I am sure this is the man that was brought back, which was in ten minutes.

PETER CUTTER sworn.

I took the prisoner and brought him to the prosecutor’s house; nothing was on him; there were some things brought in by somebody, but who I cannot tell.

JOHN CLARK sworn.

I am one of the marshalmen; I live near the prosecutor; I heard the cry of stop thief; I ran out; the prisoner was just stopped; I brought him to the house; and soon after I was there, this property was brought back, all over dirt.

Prisoner. My master is here: I was coming from my father’s house; there was a cry of stop thief; and they stopped me, and took me.

The prisoner called two witnesses, who gave him a good character.

NOT GUILTY .

The prisoner’s father appeared and promised to take care of him.

Court to the Father. You are very much obliged to the Jury.

The prisoner’s Father to the Jury. Gentlemen, I am your most obedient humble servant.

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.

Why this mattered

The acquittal of Thomas Davis reminds us that the Old Bailey was not simply a machine for convictions.
Even in an era of harsh punishments:

  • Evidence mattered.
  • Certainty mattered.
  • And juries — often shopkeepers, tradesmen and householders themselves — were willing to release a defendant if doubt remained.

For Davis, 9 December 1789 was not the day he was transported, imprisoned or whipped. It was the day he stepped away from the gallows’ shadow and returned to his life, cleared of wrongdoing in the eyes of London’s central court.

Small though the case appears, it is a perfect glimpse into the fairness, fallibility and humanity of 18th-century justice.

Source

  • R v. Thomas Davis, tried 9 December 1789, Old Bailey
    Case reference: t17891209-94
    Verdict: Not Guilty
    Source: Old Bailey Proceedings Online

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Quote of the Day: Fridge Light

“Most diets fail because the fridge is closer than enlightenment.”
— The Sage

The Sage has always been amused by the human struggle with willpower, especially when it comes to food. He notes that while people dream lofty dreams of discipline, clarity, and self-improvement, the humble fridge stands between them and transcendence — humming quietly, glowing softly, and offering temptation at arm’s reach. In such a contest, he says, enlightenment doesn’t stand a chance.

He isn’t mocking the effort; he understands it. Diets demand not just hunger management but emotional honesty, patience, and a willingness to sit with discomfort. The Sage points out that the fridge, in contrast, offers immediate comfort with no spiritual requirements whatsoever. It is, as he likes to say, “the world’s most persuasive counsellor.”

Behind the humour lies a gentle truth: progress in any form requires distance — from old habits, from instant gratification, and sometimes quite literally from the fridge. The Sage invites us to treat dieting not as a punishment but as a chance to notice our impulses, laugh at them, and choose a little more wisely each time. And if enlightenment still feels far away, he assures us that it’s normal — after all, the fridge will always be closer.

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Advice of the Day: Workplace Worship

“If you get caught sleeping on the job, just raise your head and say — ‘In Jesus’ name, Amen!’”

The Sage has never been a stranger to the gentle art of sleeping in inconvenient places — fields, libraries, important council meetings — but even he admits that dozing off at work requires strategy. His solution is divinely inspired: “If you get caught sleeping on the job, just raise your head and say — ‘In Jesus’ name, Amen!’”

According to The Sage, this technique transforms any accidental nap into an impromptu moment of spiritual reflection. What looks like snoring becomes “deep meditation.” Drool becomes “holy water.” And that jerk awake when your neck gives out? Why, that’s the Spirit moving through you. It’s a flawless defence, particularly in workplaces that haven’t had a proper HR department since 1998.

Still, The Sage warns that this technique should be used sparingly. Too many “Amens” in one day and people may begin to suspect something. His rule of thumb: if your boss looks confused, you’re safe; if your boss starts praying with you, immediately pretend you’ve had a vision about being allowed to go home early.

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Quote of the Day: Dining Out

“The bill is forgotten by morning. The company is remembered for years.”
— The Sage

The Sage has always maintained that the true value of a shared meal has very little to do with what’s on the plate. In his eyes, dining out is merely the excuse — the real feast is the conversation that unfolds between sips, the laughter that interrupts the menu, and the small stories traded like secret ingredients. Long after the food is gone, it’s the warmth of those moments that lingers.

He reminds us that the cost of a meal is fleeting; it fades as quickly as the taste of dessert. But the people we share it with, and the way they make us feel, imprint themselves far more deeply. The Sage often jokes that no one ever fondly reminisces about a receipt — yet everyone remembers the friend who made them laugh so hard they nearly inhaled their soup.

Behind the humour lies a quiet truth: life’s most memorable meals have little to do with cuisine and everything to do with connection. For The Sage, dining out is not an indulgence but an investment — not in food, but in friendship. And in the long accounting of life, those are the only credits that truly endure.

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