Smithfield Market, Clerkenwell, and the tale of two horse thieves





Smithfield Market looking towards the south.

Giltspur Street is to the right of the picture. [1]

Smithfield and St John's Street Road running away to the north from the market featured in the lives of at least four of the branches in my 19th Century family tree.  At the time these twigs were all quite unconnected with each other, and my forebears could well have passed by each other in the street without having in the least noticed each others presence or significance.

 The earliest event at Clerkenwell and Smithfield, London's main meat market, that I have come across, not entirely surprisingly involves John Kirby Moore, a young farmer from Badley in Suffolk. 

His sister, Sarah later became one of my great great great grandmothers, and when John Moore died without having any children of his own, he left her his papers and other artefacts, which have in turn come down to me through the family.

John Kirby Moore in 1864 [2] 

As a boy growing up in Badley in Suffolk just outside Stowmarket, where John would have been known to Joseph Pennington for many years. 

Pennington, a very able  land surveyor who produced a magnificent map of Ipswich, and was the Steward for Lord Ashburnham, at Holly Oak Farm Combs, the next village to Badley, where John Kirby Moore appears to have worked as a teenager.

Joseph Pennington would have collected the rent from John's father James Moore, who was a tenant of Lord Asburnham at Badley Mill. At some point before 1817 Pennington moved to his employers main estate at Godstone.

During 1817 John appears to have been sent to work for Pennington at his farm at Lee Place, Godstone in Surrey, quite prossibly in order to gain wider experience.  Godstone was the country seat of Lord Ashburnham who also owned about 3,500 acres including Badley between Stowmarket and Needham Market.

Lee Place, Godstone, home of Joseph Pennington.

During John Moore's time at Godstone the theft took place of a valuable cart horse.

Morning Post - Tuesday 9th December 1817
POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

Guildhall — Horse Stealing. — Thomas Wale and Charles Wood were yesterday charged before the Sitting Alderman with stealing a horse, the property of J. Pennington, Esq. of Godstone, in the county of Surrey, They were committed for trial. [3]"

Either Joseph Pennington, or John appear to have realised at once that because the 5^th of December was a Friday, there was be a very high probability that the thief would try to sell the horse at Smithfield Market, which held horse sales every Friday.  John immediately set off for London, which was about 23 miles away, acting on their hunch that the thief would try to sell the horse on as quickly as possible. 

This turned out to be the case as the following report of the subsequent trial at the Old Bailey in January 1818 demonstrates.

  

179. CHARLES WOOD and JOHN VALE were indicted for stealing, on the 5th of December, at St. Sepulchre's, one gelding, price 35l. , the property of Joseph Pennington.

THOMAS HOOK. I am servant to Mr. Joseph Pennington, who lives at Godstone. On the night of the 4th of December I put the horses up in the yard, and fastened the gate at eight o'clock, the bay gelding was safe then. I returned next morning, about a quarter before six o'clock, and the gelding was gone-it came home afterwards. I am certain it was my master's.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Godstone is about twenty-two or twenty-three miles from Smithfield. There were four horses in the yard at night, and I only found three there the next morning. My master has had the gelding ten years; I have lived six years and a half with him, and have had the care of the gelding during that time, and knew it again.

WILLIAM COOPER. I am servant to Mr. Pennington. On the 5th of December, about five o'clock in the morning, I went to my master's premises, the yard gate stood open, there are two yard gates-the horses were in the corn-yard; the gelding was gone.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. I have seen the horse since; it has a white foot, and a bald face; I should know it among a thousand.

JOHN KIRBY MOORE. I manage Mr. Pennington's farm for him, he is the only occupier of it. Hook informed me that the gelding was gone, and I immediately came to London; I have known the horse about eighteen months; I saw it again in Giltspur-street, in the possession of John Ayres. After some conversation with him about it, the prisoner, Wood, came up, I asked him if he was the owner of the horse, he said, Yes. I asked the price, he said 24l. I told him it was too much, and asked him its age; he said it was six years old. I told him it was more; he said it was not more than seven. He then offered it to me for 23l. I said it was too much.

Q. Did he say any thing more about the horse-A. He said he knew it very well, and would put it into a cart to shew me how it would go. He said it was a Suffolk bred horse. I went for a constable, and on my return I met Ayres, leading the horse, in Smithfield, and Wood near him. I asked Wood if he would take 20l. for it - He said 22l. was the lowest-the constable came and took him, and I gave the landlord charge of the horse. After the examination before the magistrate I took the horse back into the country, the two witnesses saw it-it was the same horse. When I got into the country, I and Jones went and apprehended the prisoner, Vale, at Heaver, in Kent, on a Sunday, where he lived.

Cross-examined. I never saw the prisoner, Wood, until I saw him in Smithfield. I went up to him as if I meant to buy the horse-it stood alone, in the care of Ayres. Wood asked 24l. for it. I was gone about twenty-five minutes for the constable, I returned, and talked with him again about the horse.

Cross-examined by MR. ADOLPHUS. Q. Did you give him any reason, at first, to suppose you suspected him - A. None at all.

JOHN AYRES . I assist the hostler at the Green Dragon, in Smithfield. On the 5th of December, between six and seven o'clock in the morning, I saw the horse in the stable, I did not see the man bring it in, but I saw the prisoners in conversation about it. Wood asked me to go and have something to drink with him, and took me to the Denmark's Head, in the Old Bailey-Vale was there. Wood asked me what time the horse-market began; I told him about one or two o'clock, and not before. He said he had bought the horse of Vale, and wished to sell it again-Vale was present. Wood said he gave Vale 18l.10s. for it; he then put his hand into his pocket, and said, I have got to give you two shillings to make up the 18l. 10s. and he gave him two shillings-Vale took it. I asked Vale who he bought the horse of; he said he bought it coming along the road that morning. I asked him if he knew the man of whom he bought it, he said no, only that he told him his name was James Buckle. I told him I thought it was a stolen horse, and if it was, I thought he had brought it to a very likely market to have it owned. Wood asked me to lead the horse into the market for him, and said he would satisfy me for my trouble - I said I would; he then told me to get him ready, and tie his tail up to take him into the market. We came out of the public-house, Vale asked the way to Pimlico, I told him, and they both went down the Old Bailey. I did not see Wood again until he came to have the horse in the market, at the time Mr. Moore was asking me the price of it - I heard him ask the price. He has spoken correctly.

Cross-examined by MR. ARABIN. I am not much acquainted with horse selling. I was not in the way when the horse came. Wood took me out of the stable to the Old Bailey, he seemed anxious to sell the horse; he said he bought it of Vale, Vale set close to me and heard him.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. I do not know who brought the horse, I first saw Wood at a little after seven o'clock; we found Vale in the Old Bailey; I had a bad opinion of the business, and said, before them both, that I thought if it was prigged, he had brought it to a wrong place. After this Wood still went to Smithfield with me - He never attempted to go away; when Moore came I called him to me, and he was taken. Wood said he bought it of Vale before and after I had said I thought it was stolen, and still desired me to take it to Smithfield.

STEPHEN VINCE . I am hostler at the Green Dragon, in Giltspur-street. On the morning of the 5th of December, the prisoner, Vale, alone, brought the gelding; I was opening the gates to let a waggon in, about a quarter to six o'clock - He called for the hostler, and I answered; he said he wanted to put the horse in the stable to bait; I shewed him the way - He led it in, and tied it up himself. Wood came about seven o'clock, looked at the horse, and had him ran up and down the yard; he asked Vale if he, (Vale,) was not the man who bought the horse that morning, he said he was. I asked Vale if the horse was for sale, he said, Yes. I asked him if he knew who he bought it of? He said the man told him his name, but he did not know where he lived - He did not tell me his name; he said he bought it at Kennington turnpike, coming to town. After that he went into the yard, and returned in about half an hour, Wood had not been then; he ordered his horse a quartern of corn, which I gave him. Wood came down as if he was a stranger, and asked the questions which I related before; he said, "you are the man who bought the horse, if you had not bought it I should." I said, "if you will give him something for his bargain, he will let you have it." They appeared to be strangers to each other. They talked together; the horse was ran up and down the yard, and afterwards taken into the stable again. I did not hear them make any agreement.

Cross-examined by MR. ARABIN. Q. You told all this before the magistrate-A. Yes; I will not say I told it word for word. No person has been talking to me about it. Wood is not the man who brought the horse.

Cross-examined by MR. ADOLPHUS. Q. You said Vale was the man-A. I will not swear to him.

COURT. Q. You have sworn before the magistrate that the person who was dressed as Vale was before the magistrate, was the man, what do you believe now of Vale-A. To the best of my belief he is the man; I have not the least doubt of his being the man.

JURY. Q. How did the horse appear when it came into the stable - A. It appeared as if it had come off the road, being very thin and dirty. It had a broken halter on.

JAMES JONES. I am constable of Edenbridge, Kent. I have known the prisoners from their childhood; they lived at Heaver, which is twenty-seven miles from town, and were very well acquainted. Edenbridge is twentysix miles from town. Godstone is between Heaver and London, but not the nearest way. I was applied to on Sunday, the 17th of December, by Moore, and took Vale into custody. I told him I was not certain what the charge was against him. As we were coming to town, he said he did not steal the horse; I had said something about a horse, but I do not remember what. He said he did not take the horse, nor yet sell it.

Cross-examined. I am a constable in the neighbourhood. I had not heard of the horse having been stolen.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Wood lived at Edenbridge, and had a very good character; he is a collar maker.

MR. MOORE re-examined. The value of the gelding is 35l.

WOOD'S Defence. I did not steal it.

VALE'S Defence. I know nothing of it.

WOOD - GUILTY. - DEATH . Aged 28.

VALE - GUILTY. - DEATH . Aged 28.

Recommended to Mercy .

London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.

^[4]

From the description below, it would appear that the Green Dragon Inn

was situated at the bottom right-hand side of the map above.

“Green-Dragon-Inn, Giltspur-St.— at the N. end of the Compter, or the first gateway on the R. a few yards from Newgate-st. towards Smithfield.”^[5]

An account of the Sessions was soon after printed in the Morning Post.

Morning Post - Wednesday 28 January 1818

OLD BAILEY.— Tuesday, Jan. 27. This day the Sessions terminated, and the RECORDER proceeded to pass sentence of death upon the following persons, capitally convicted:- Mary Alder, for stealing in dwelling-house- Joseph Thompson- for privately stealing in a shop - Ann Jones, for stealing in a dwelling-house -- Moses Daniels and John Smith for house- breaking-Charles Wood and John Vale, for horse-stealing-Lawrence Denley for stealing in a dwelling- house -- John Norton for burglary -- George Scott and Israel Chapman, for high way robbery— William White and John Read, for sheep stealing Mary Gildersleve, for stealing in a dwelling house— Wm. Kelly and Thomas Spicer, for forgery — Thomas Casey, for sheep stealing — William Henry Rawlinson and John Rawlinson, the younger, for stealing from a lag-boat on the River — Henry Hall, for stealing in a dwelling-house — Ann Cale, for privately stealing in a shop --William Grace and Charles Sims, for burglary — Charles Russell, for housebreaking — James Bennett (a boy), for stealing in a dwelling house -Matthew Sullivan (a boy, only 11 years of age., John Lucas and William Green, for stealing in a dwelling-house-Daniel Stockwell, for burglary— Rose O'Hara, Margaret Humphries, and Hannah Brian, for highway robbery -arid John Farmer, for privately stealing. Judgment upon William Bayley and Robert Spencer, for a burglary, was respited in consequence of a point of law having been reserved for the consideration of the twelve Judges. An immense number were sentenced to transportation, some for life, and others for seven and fourteen years. The DUELLISTS  — Messrs. Theodore O'Callaghan, Thomas Joseph Phelan, and Charles Newbolt, were ordered to be fined a shilling, and to be confined three calendar months in his Majesty's gaol of Newgate-. The Sessions were adjourned to Wednesday, Feb. 18.

^[6]

The sentences next went to the Prince Regent for ratification, and for most this would inevitably be confirmation that they would hang.

Morning Chronicle - Friday 20 February 1818

RECORDER'S REPORT.-Yesterday the Recorder made a Report to the Prince Regent of the following prisoners, capitally convicted at the last Sessions, Charles Wood and John Vale, for horse-stealing; John Lucas, Wm. Green, Matthew Sullivan, Henry Hall, Mary Gildersleeves, Lawrence Denley, Ann Jones, Mary Alder, and James Bennett, for stealing goods in a dwelling-house; Ann Cale and Joseph Thompson, for stealing goods privately in a shop; Moses Daniels and John Smith, for house-breaking; Win. Grace, for burglary; John Norton and Daniel Stockwell, for a like offence; George Scott and Israel Chapman, for a highway robbery; Wm. White, John Reed, and Thomas Casey, for sheep-stealing; William Kelly and 'Thomas Spicer, for uttering forged Bank notes; William Henry Rawlinson and John Rawlinson, jun. for stealing goods from a boat on the navigable river Thames; Charles Sims, for burglary; Rose O'Hara, Margaret Humphreys, and Hannah Briant, for a robbery on James Redman; Charles Russell, for house-breaking; and John Farmer, for stealing goods privately in a shop.- William Kelly, Thomas Spicer, William Henry Rawlinson' and John Rawlinson the younger, were ordered for execution on Wednesday next the 25th instant.- The others were respited during pleasure.

^[7]

If you have found this blog, you probably have had some connection with the events, places and people described. I would love to hear from you if this is the case. I can be reached at balmer.nicholas@gmail.com 

---

[1] From http://www.londonancestor.com/views/vl-smithfield.htm

[2] Private collection.
[3] Morning Post - Tuesday 09 December 1817
[4] Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.0, 31 December 2013), January 1818, trial of CHARLES WOOD JOHN VALE (t18180114-13).
[5] Topography of London: Giving a Concise Local Description Of, and Accurate ... By John Lockie, published 1810, and the map is extracted from http://www.victorianlondon.org/frame-maps.htm

[6] Morning Post - Wednesday 28 January 1818

[7] Morning Chronicle - Friday 20 February 1818

Suffolk law before the police, and the Barking Association

The Fox, Barking Suffolk 

Most of us if we go back far enough into our family history expect to find a farming ancestor sooner or later,  and it is often at this point that we get stuck without being able to find out anything further about their ancestors.

In the case of my Suffolk Moore ancestors this had occurred when I got back to my  paternal 5 x great grandfather James Moore (1765 to 1831), and until recently, I had assumed that this would be as far as I would be able to get.  I thought that he was probably a peasant who had spent his days trudging along in the mud behind a plough, leaving little if any further trace of his life.

 

Recently I have been really surprised to find him turning up in the scanned local newspapers held on the British Library website. 

 

What has been great fun to find is that he and most of his closest friends seem to have all been members of the Barking Association that met at the Fox pub in Barking in Suffolk.  

James Moore rented and ran the water mill at Badley for many years.  He had become the tenant in about 1797, and to have been an active member of the local community, joining the Barking Association.

This association was one of a very large number of similar associations set up across the country formed by farmers and larger householders and small tradesmen in villages, primarily to raise rewards for information on, or for the capture of thieves, or rick burners.

In those days there was no police force and such justice as there was, was in the hands of the local Justices of the Peace and of the village Constables. The Constables were ordinary villagers chosen annually, often selected unwillingly, by the parish vestry to try to enforce justice and to apprehend thieves or criminals. They also were expected to collect taxes and were therefore often unpopular with the other villagers and little supported.

The farmers were generally the richest people living in the villages, with the landlords often living in London, or many miles away.  The farmers often felt themselves to have been under siege from the villagers, and local town poor, as their fields, full of valuable animals including horses attracted the frequent attention of ill disposed, and often semi starving villagers or passing thieves.  The only solution was for the farmers and other members of the community, at this period before the police force had been invented was to club together to offer rewards for the apprehension of thieves and other malcontents.

 

An advertisement for the half yearly meeting of the Barking Association.

The Ipswich Journal, January 30th 1796.

 

 

All to soon James himself would need to call on the services of the association.

 

 

 

BARKING ASSOCIATION. WHEREAS some time in the Night of the 18th inst. the Home Barn of Mr, JAMES MOORE, of Badley, was broken into, and a quantity of dressed WHEAT was feloniously stolen from the heap. Any person who shall apprehend, or give information of the offender or offender, so as he or they may be lawfully convicted of the said robbery, will be intitled to and paid the sum of 2£. 10s. out of the public stock of the said Association, by applying to Mr. Sam. Harwood the Treasurer.  And the said James Moore hereby offers a further reward of 20£. to be paid on conviction as aforesaid. 21st Dec. 1801.

[1]

It hasn't been possible to find out if anybody was caught stealing the wheat.



The Association would continue to meet at the Fox Inn at Barking for many more years to come, and as the following advertisement from the Ipswich Journal dated Saturday 28^th June 1824 shows, both my great great great great grandfather James Moore of Badley, and his sons, James Medows Moore of Darmsden, and John Kirby Moore, of Combs were regular attendees at these dinners at the Fox Inn.

 

 

J.W. Pennington of Combs listed above was Joseph Pennington, a gifted land surveyor, land agent and steward since 1772 for Lord Ashburnham. [2]  He was living at Holly Oak Farm at Combs, and it appears that John Kirby Moore was living at the farm, possibly learning to farm.  In 1831, John married Joseph Pennington's daughter Henrietta. He was later to become steward for Lord Ashburnham.

 

With the aid of the newspapers, and also records in the Ipswich Records office, I have been able to fill in the backgrounds to many of the other farmers listed above, and they will feature in many forthcoming posts.

 

 

I find myself imagining them all carousing into the evening around a roaring fire, and although the Fox is nowadays a Chinese restaurant, I hope one day to be able to visit it during opening hours.

 

 

 

[1] The Ipswich Journal - Saturday 26 December 1801

[2] The Journal of John Kirby Moore of Badley.  Edited by Michael Durrant, published by the Suffolk Family History Society, August 2001.