Family History

Suggested search: Murder, Horse stealing, Hanged

220 results - see our factsheet to learn more

  • William Smith / Thomas Smith, formerly a respected butcher of Leeds, Catholic, born about 1778

    Date: 12 Aug 1820

    Crime:
    Sheep stealing - 4 sheep belonging to Thomas Smith and Joseph Smith of Rothwell and William Lund of Claxton; other accounts say 28 sheep belonging to Mr Spink.

    Said to have carved the poem 'A Prison is a House of Care' in the felons' courtyard at York Castle Gaol. Was listed as Thomas Smith, aged 28, in the Calendar of Felons, but the age may have been wrong given that he had a son Joseph, aged 13, give evidence at trial.

    Leeds Mercury, 19 Aug 1820. Rede, York Castle, p 637. Criminal Chronology, p 157.

  • Josiah Fearn / Josiah Fern of Leeds

    Date: 25 Mar 1749

    Crime:
    Murder of Thomas Grave / Thomas Graves of Leeds.

    Fearn maintained he had acted in self-defence only. See also TNA: ASSI 45/24/1/26-34A.

    TNA: ASSI 41/3; ASSI 41/4. London Evening Post, 30 Mar 1749. Morning Advertiser, 31 Mar 1749. Criminal Chronology, p 62.

  • Charles Normington, 18

    Date: 31 Dec 1859

    Crime:
    Murder of Richard Broughton of Roundhay, retired porter, 67, at Leeds on 6 Aug 1859.

    Leeds Mercury, 6 Sep 1859; 17 Dec 1859; 31 Dec 1859.

  • William Shaw of Kirkburton, 25

    Date: 5 Apr 1830

    Crime:
    Murder of Rachel Crosley / Rachel Crossley, daughter of a collier, 22, at Kirkburton on 9 Mar 1830.

    Rachel Crosley was the mother of Shaw's 3-year-old child and pregnant with another of his children. Shaw was considerably behind in his maintenance payments of 4 shillings a week and under pressure to marry her when he killed her.

    Leeds Mercury, 3 Apr 1830.

  • William Brown

    Date: 14 Apr 1821

    Crime:
    Robbery on the New Walk, York.

    Executed at York City Gaol.

    Leeds Mercury, 21 Apr 1821.

  • Isaac Bradshaw, servant to Mr Simpson of Hull

    Date: 23 Aug 1817

    Crime:
    Rape - carnal knowledge of Mary Ann Vickerman, daughter of a fellow servant, aged 8.

    Legally not a case of rape, as rape was carnal knowledge of a female aged over ten without her consent; violation of a female below ten years was a capital crime regardless of consent.

    Leeds Mercury, 2 Aug 1817.

  • William King of Sheffield, edge-tool maker

    Date: 31 Jul 1817

    Crime:
    Murder of Sarah Trippet, his common-law wife, and attempted murder of his children by Sarah.

    Leeds Mercury, 2 Aug 1817.

  • Benjamin Micklethwaite of Boothroyd, near Raistrick

    Date: 12 Apr 1817

    Crime:
    Burglary - breaking and entering the dwelling house of John Hanson of Boothroyd, near Raistrick, and stealing a large quantity of gold and silver coin and silver plate

    Micklethwite was part of the same gang as Gartside above; most of the othermembers were sentenced to transportation.

    Leeds Mercury, 5 Apr 1817.

  • Patrick Doring

    Date: 12 Apr 1817

    Crime:
    Rape of Ann Broadbent, servant to Mr Buckles of Quick, Saddleworth, aged 13.

    Leeds Mercury, 29 Mar 1817.

  • John Greenwood of Heptonstall

    Date: 17 Mar 1817

    Crime:
    Murder of Samuel Sutcliffe of Oddie Hall, Heptonstall, cotton manufacturer, aged 81.

    The victim was strangled to death in the course of a burglary.

    Leeds Mercury, 22 Mar 1817.

  • William Barker of Leeds, clothdresser

    Date: Summer 1729

    Crime:
    Breaking and entering the counting house of Anthony Markham and his wife Dorothy Markham, merchant of Leeds, and stealing about ?14; reprieved 14 years Summer 1730.

    TNA: ASSI 41/2-78,85,86; ASSI 41/3; ASSI 45/18/6(4-7). Daily Courant, 1 Aug 1729.

  • Robert Sharp / Robert Sharpe of Leeds, whitesmith

    Date: Lent 1757

    Crime:
    Stealing ?9 2s belonging to Francis Isles / Francis Iles of Leeds; transportation 7 years Summer 1757.

    TNA: ASSI 41/4; ASSI 42/7. Calendar of Felons, 23 Jul 1757. London Evening Post, 10 Feb 1757.

  • Elizabeth Cahill / Elizabeth Cahhill / Elizabeth Porter

    Date: Lent 1733

    Crime:
    Stealing as a pick-pocket from Elizabeth Latham, wife of John Latham of Leeds, cloth drawer, and Grace Sprigg, wife of John Sprigg of Leeds, plaisterer, at Leeds Market 31 Dec 1728; reprieved on pleading her belly; transportation 14 years Summer 1735.

    Ann, daughter of Elizabeth Porter alias Elizabeth Caghil, was baptised at York Castle on 15 May 1733 - Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, vol 25, p 440. See also TNA: ASSI 45/19/3(8-9).

    TNA: ASSI 41/2,104,123v,125; ASSI 45/18/6(19-20). St James's Evening Post, 20 Mar 1733.

  • John Ward

    Date: Lent 1767

    Crime:
    Stealing goods to the value of upwards of 5s belonging to William Reason of Leeds; transportation 7 years Lent 1767.

    TNA: ASSI 41/5; ASSI 42/8.

  • William Cowlin / William Coughlin

    Date: Lent 1746

    Crime:
    Stealing goods from the dwelling house of William Wilson at Leeds; transportation 7 years Lent 1746.

    TNA: ASSI 41/3; ASSI 41/4.

  • Jeremiah Boythroyd / Jeremiah Boothroyd

    Date: Lent 1772

    Crime:
    Stealing goods valued at 39s from the dwelling house of James Walker at Leeds; transportation 7 years Lent 1772.

    TNA: ASSi 41/6; ASSI 42/8. Calendar of Felons, 14 Mar 1772.

  • John Scoresby / John Storesby of Bridlington, blacksmith

    Date: Lent 1726

    Crime:
    Horse stealing - a black mare belonging to Henry Abba of Leeds; reprieved 14 years Lent 1729.

    Receiving county charity and name on bread petition in York Castle in 1728 - Beverley Archives QSF/80/E/9.

    TNA: ASSI 41/2-59,73v; ASSI 45/18/3(27); ASSI 45/18/6(96); SP 36/10.

  • Rachael Bryan / Rachel Bryan, wife of James Bryan

    Date: Lent 1772

    Crime:
    Stealing goods valued at upwards of 5s from the dwelling house of William Neesholme at Leeds; transportation 7 years Lent 1772.

    TNA: ASSI 41/6; ASSI 42/8. Calendar of Felons, 14 Mar 1772.

  • Samuel Thornton

    Date: Summer 1765

    Crime:
    Stealing privately from the shop of John Gumersall at Leeds 12 yards of silk valued at ?2 8s; reprieved 14 years Summer 1766.

    TNA: ASSI 41/5; ASSI 42/8.

  • Joseph Thornton

    Date: Summer 1765

    Crime:
    Stealing privately from the shop of John Gumersall at Leeds 12 yards of silk valued at ?2 8s; reprieved 14 years Summer 1766.

    TNA: ASSI 41/5; ASSI 42/8.

  • William Robinson of Leeds, butcher

    Date: 1813

    West Riding.

    London Gazette 16832, 28 Dec 1813, p 2717; 16835, 30 Dec 1813, p 2753; 16836, 1 Jan 1814, p 5

  • John Wright of Leeds, merchant

    Date: 1811

    West Riding

    London Gazette 16505, 16 Jul 1811, p 1350; 16507, 23 Jul 1811, p 1452; 16508, 27 Jul 1811, p 1471

  • Samuel Walker of Leeds, dyer

    Date: 1811

    West Riding

    London Gazette 16505, 16 Jul 1811, p 1350; 16507, 23 Jul 1811, p 1452; 16508, 27 Jul 1811, p 1471

  • Benjamin Simpson of Leeds, cordwainer

    Date: 1811

    West Riding

    London Gazette 16505, 16 Jul 1811, p 1350; 16507, 23 Jul 1811, p 1452; 16508, 27 Jul 1811, p 1471

  • James Whitehead of Leeds, maltster

    Date: 1809

    West Riding.

    London Gazette 16270, 27 Jun 1809, p 986; 16271, 1 Jul 1809, p 1018; 16272, 4 Jul 1809, p 1058

  • Thomas Crispe of Leeds, cropper

    Date: 1809

    West Riding.

    London Gazette 16270, 27 Jun 1809, p 986; 16271, 1 Jul 1809, p 1018; 16272, 4 Jul 1809, p 1058

  • Joseph Dearnley of Leeds, farmer

    Date: 1806

    London Gazette 15942, 2 Aug 1806, p 990; 15943, 5 Aug 1806, p 1023; 15944, 9 Aug 1806, p 1061

  • Thomas Hobson of Leeds, grocer

    Date: 1778

    London Gazette 11885, 20 Jun 1778, p 9; 11886, 23 Jn 1778, p 13; 11888, 30 Jun 1778, p 7

  • William Moss of Leeds, butcher

    Date: 1776

    See also William Moss (1761).

    London Gazette 11675, 15 Jun 1776, p 5; 11677, 22 Jun 1776, p 9; 11678, 25 Jun 1776, p 6

  • Abraham Bateson of Leeds, victualler

    Date: 1776

    London Gazette 11677, 22 Jun 1776, p 9; 11678, 25 Jun 1776, p 6; 11679, 29 Jun 1776, p 5

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