The Proceedings of the Old Bailey
Think you might know someone who passed through the Old Bailey? Search here.
John Crittenden and Edward Deer, were both tried for High Treason in Clipping the Currant Coin of England:
On the 4th Instant the Prisoners were found in their Lodgings in Salisbury-Court, where was found a Forge, Clippings, Clipt-money, half-finished, and Melting-pots, Files, Rubbing-stones, four pair of Shears, and all other necessary Implements fit for Clipping. The Prisoners were much surprized when the Officers came to search, they stood as it were men struck dumb, so they did upon their Trial; they called several Witnesses, who spake well of them in the general, but the Evidence was so plain, they were both found guilty of the Indictment … Death.
Susannah Crittenden was Tried for Clipping Five Half-Crowns, Ten Shillings, Twenty Six-pences. She was taken the 29th of March last, in the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields, and found in a house of bad Repute in Green-street, about 9 a Clock at Night. In her pocket was found a parcel of Clipt money, some Filings, and a lump of melted Silver between the Bed and Bedmatt. There was likewise found in the house a File, and a pair of Scissers. All which was produced in Court, and shewed to the Jury, as a corroborating and astringent Evidence. The Prisoner said she found the money and silver in the street, and went into the house to drink, after she had taken it up, and presently comes the Constable, and carried her away; That as to the Fact, she was wholly innocent. But that was not believed, therefore she was found guilty of High-Treason … Death.
Regarding any relationship to John and Susannah Crittenden, coin-clippers of London, the available evidence suggests my people were living 30-odd miles south at that time, in a country town outside Maidstone and other more distant parts of Kent, so I’m guessing our crimes, such as they are, are recorded elsewhere. But you never know what you’ll find when you start poking around up the family tree … descended from signers of the Declaration of Independence or Kings of Ireland or whatever you may think you are.
The Old Bailey link compliments of Norm Geras, who has rounded up a few more.
Bittersweet surfing for anyone of Australian descent, who hears the usual jibes about our country’s convict origins. A point of pride these days to be descended from someone who arrived unwillingly. To the best of my knowledge that does not include any of mine, who arrived under their own steam during and after the period of transportation.
To my astonishment, my search on “Wronwright” turned up nothing.
Compliments of El Cid, those from points south and east may want to cast a glance up the tree here. Best of Sicily.
Topics: Britain
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:54 am on Thursday, April 12, 2007
11 Responses to “The Proceedings of the Old Bailey”
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April 12th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Meh-what did you expect? Access to a Tardis means you never have to worry about embarrassing historical records coming back to haunt you.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:32 am
I can’t find the quote, but I recall film director John Ford having said that his highest aspiration was to commit treason against the crown of England–or something like that.
Be proud, Jules.
Bloodthirsty Liberal
http://bloodthirstyliberal.com
April 12th, 2007 at 9:44 am
To my astonishment, my search on “Wronwright” turned up nothing.
Stunning, just stunning. Have you tried Paco, or Grimmy, The_Real_JeffS, saltydog, RebeccaH?
And Lord knows what I’d find, by punching in Blair…lol.
One thing for damn sure, my name won’t be found on the “Old Bailey”. Nope. Now if one knew my name and looked say for instance
here, an entirely different set of circumstances could be, in play.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:45 am
DAMN IT…here’s the friggin link…http://www.bestofsicily.com/mafia.htm
If that doesn’t work, I can see, it ain’t gonna be one of my better days.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Don’t bother looking me up……on my mother’s side, I am distantly related to Benedict Arnold.
On my father’s side, it’s a good deal less than clear. That side was traced back to the 1880s or so, and we can’t go any further than that, as Grandad didn’t leave any particulars as to where his family lived before he died, beyond a three-state area. Which is full of people with my last name. So use your imagination! Might be more than a few horse thieves in my lineage.
April 12th, 2007 at 11:06 am
I’m not accepting coins from you for any transactions we may have in the future, Jules. It appears to be genetic.
April 12th, 2007 at 11:20 am
One of my great uncles was a mafia hit man. He disappeared one day never to be heard of again ;->
April 12th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Hey, I only ever stole from a thief, name of Saddam. Then the US government stole it from me. Anyway, the only crime I’m aware of up the family tree is a little insider trading re horse races. Oh yeah, and Grandad got fined a shilling for assault when he beat up a peddler and threw him in the horse trough in front of the family pub in Woodend, Vic., after the peddler wrote something unpleasant on the past-due hotel bill Grandma had sent him.
April 12th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Heh,
My mother’s grandfather was offered a free trip to Australia, all expenses paid by the Crown, for supporting the losing side in an election, among other things….. Of course, there was no return fare authorised :)
’splains a lot about my sense of humour, and attitude, that.
Respects,
April 12th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Thanks Jules…but I don’t know nothin’. I can’t remember. Cousin Vinny was just cleanin’ his nails with that shank, when ‘Big’ Angie run into him….13 times.
April 12th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
There’s an extensive family history that goes back (supposedly) to those nice folks who went over with William the Conqueror, through the lineage that landed on the American colonies’ southern shores. I don’t know of any horse thieves, but knowing what I know of immediate relatives, that family history was thoroughly scrubbed and scoured, and hung in the sunshine to bleach out any remaining spots (including the Choctaw, those Jews, and any Africans who might have wandered in from the woodpile).