On 11 December 1765, Catherine Wilks was tried at the Old Bailey for stealing printed cotton from a London shop. Found guilty of grand larceny, she faced transportation, the common punishment for such thefts. Her case reveals the risks and realities of women navigating 18th-century London’s commercial world.
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This Day in History: 9 December 1789 — The Case of the Missing Goods
On 9 December 1789, Thomas Davis was tried at the Old Bailey for simple larceny. The evidence failed to convince the jury, and he was found Not Guilty. This retelling highlights how even in Georgian London’s strict justice system, doubt could still outweigh suspicion.
This Day in History: 1 December 1838 — The Servant, the Spoons and the Silver Basket
On 1 December 1838, servant Ludlow Tedder stole two silver spoons and a valuable bread-basket from her master, Fitzowen Skinner. Tried at the Old Bailey later that month, she was convicted and transported for ten years to Van Diemen’s Land. This retelling explores trust, temptation and punishment in Victorian London.
This Day in History: 20 November 1782 — The Watch in the Moonlight
On 20 November 1782, John Reynolds stood trial for stealing a silver watch from a passer-by in London. Caught within minutes and tried at the Old Bailey, he was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. This retelling explores the danger, drama and consequences of petty theft in Georgian London.
This Day in History: 13 November 1784 — The Copper Heist in the Night
On the night of 13 November 1784, James Thomas broke into John Parleyman’s London home and stole eighty pounds of copper in a hempen sack. Tried at the Old Bailey in December, he was convicted and transported for seven years. This retelling shows how one night’s burglary became a journey to Australia.
This Day in History: 4 October 1815 — The Hunt Brothers and the Wine Cellar Plot
On 4 October 1815, servants Richard and William Hunt stole silver spoons and wine from their master’s pantry. Tried at the Old Bailey, they were transported for seven years. This lively retelling reveals the perils of temptation and the growing use of transportation in Regency-era British justice.
This Day in History: 24 October 1787 — The Alehouse Quarrel
On 24 October 1787, John Millan stood trial at the Old Bailey for the manslaughter of James Carter after an alehouse quarrel. Witnesses described a single blow and a fatal fall. The jury found him not guilty, ruling the death an accident — a glimpse of mercy in Georgian London’s rough justice.
This Day in History: 21 October — The Gentleman of the Road (1772)
On 21 October 1772, highwayman Henry Duffill stood trial for robbing travellers on a London road with pistol and politeness. He was tried at the Old Bailey and was sentenced to death for highway robbery. His story captures the fading glamour of England’s “gentlemen of the road.”
This Day in History: 20 October — The Highwayman and the Flintlock (1779)
On 20 October 1779, highwayman John Staples robbed a traveller at pistol-point on a London road. Captured soon after and tried at the Old Bailey, he was sentenced to death for highway robbery. His case captures the fading days of England’s flintlock outlaws and the end of the highwayman era.
This Day in History: 9 October — The Deceptive Perfidy (1912)
On 9 October 1912, seaman Richard Courtney pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to attempting to break into Harry Manfield & Co. with intent to steal. His brief exchange with the judge and his six-month sentence reflect the humanity and formality of early 20th-century British justice.
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