The Times Monday March 24^th. 1834 page 7 Issue 15433

 

A few days ago, as three boys of the village of Normanton, near Bottesford, were amusing themselves by playing marbles in the latter mentioned place, one of the marbles found its way into a crevice in a tombstone, and upon endeavouring to recover it they discovered a shilling; this excited them to make a further search, when they found silver coin to the amount of 8l.,and feeling satisfied, they departed to inform their parents of their fortune. On their return they were overtaken by a neighbour, to whom they communicated the circumstance, and he thinking there might be some remaining, returned to the spot, and to their astonishment 18l. more were discovered, which sum, with the former, was equally divided.-Nottingham Review.

 

The Times Thursday March 23^rd. 1848 page 7 Issue 19818

 

Crown Court.-(Before Lord Chief Justice Wilde.)
Ann Holmes, 23, was charged with the murder of her child, at Bottesford, on 27^th of January last.
The evidence in this case was not clear as to the charge of murder, but the concealment of the birth was fully proved against the prisoner. After the evidence of the former mistress of the prisoner, her fellow-servant, and the surgeon had been taken,
Mr. Hayes (counsel for the prosecution) withdrew the charge of murder against the prisoner, and
The jury, by the direction of the Judge, found her Guilty of concealing the birth of her child.
The Judge then sentenced her to twelve months’ hard labour.
The details of the case were unfit for publication.

 

The Times Friday January 27^th, 1882 page 7 Issue 30415

 

Midland Circuit

Leicester, Jan. 26.
Crown Court.
(Before Lord Justice Baggallay.)

William Martin, described as a grocer, living at Easthorpe, near Bottesford, was indicated under the Lunacy Act, for taking into his charge without the requisite certificates a lunatic named Brady Brocklesby ; he was further charged with neglecting and illtreating the said lunatic.

Mr. Baszard, O.C., and Mr. Sandars prosecuted ; Mr. Ennis Bennett defended.

The facts of the case were exceedingly simple, and were not in dispute. It was admitted that the alleged lunatic lived with the defendant, and that the defendant received money for his keep, and had no such order and certificate as are required by the Act of Parliament. The only question in the case was whether Brocklesby was really a lunatic or not.

Dr. Tate, superintendent of the Nottingham County Lunatic Asylum, deposed he had visited the patient by order of the Lunacy Commissioners, and had no doubt whatever that he was of unsound mind, and had not been properly cared for. The witness further stated that two years ago the patient had an attack of delirium tremens, and that since that attack his mental condition had become worse.

For the defence several witnesses who resided in the neighbourhood of the defendant’s residence, including the medical man of the district, and Canon Norman, the rector of the parish, deposed that, in their opinion, the patient was a harmless, inoffensive old man, but that in their judgement he could not be described as of unsound mind, though they agreed he was of weak intellect. Canon Newman further gave defendant and his family an excellent character.

His Lordship told the jury that if they were of the opinion that the man Brocklesby was, in fact, of unsound mind, they must find the defendant guilty.
The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, and no evidence was therefore offered on the second indictment.
The prosecution was instituted by the Lunacy Commissioners.

 

 

 

The Times Friday October 19^th, 1821 page 2 Issue 11381

 

Love and Madness.-(From the Traveller.)-We have now no motive to conceal the names alluded to in the melancholy narrative which we yesterday afforded, under the above heading. The name of the lady was Miss Ann Wright, of Bottesford ; that of the rev. gentleman, who is curate of Granby (not of Bottesford), Towne.
A Coroner’s Inquest has been held, and the verdict is- Died by taking poison in a state of insanity.” We are informed that a few little points afforded us yesterday, in reference to personal character, may possibly be not altogether correct ; but as the evidence under the inquest would doubtless reach the press, these will be rectified in course.
The rev. gentleman was examined by the inquest.

 

The Times Saturday, Dec 08, 1821; pg. 3; Issue 11424

 

Our readers will doubtless remember an account, with which we presented them some weeks since, of the Curate of Bottesford and a young lady, to whom he was attached, having absented themselves from the village and retired to a neighbouring wood, where, in consequence of the opposition of relatives to their unison, they mutually agreed to take poison, by which the young lady died, but the gentleman having, in his agitation, spilled some part of his portion, escaped that death which he afterwards attempted to attain by cutting his throat. The inquest on the young lady returned a verdict of-“ Died in a fit of temporary insanity, caused by taking poison.” Continued inquiry has disclosed the circumstances which render the young gentleman’s account suspected, and his subsequent elopement has not tended to allay suspicion. It has been discovered that the young lady did not, as it was affirmed, procure the poison from her father’s dispensary. It is doubted if the lover took poison at all, and the appearances on his neck show that the wounds were such as could not, at the time of their infliction, have endangered his life. The poor girl, it has since been discovered, was en famille. The retreat of Mr. Towne, who withdrew with his mother, has not been discovered. His relations are persons of wealth and consideration. The young lady’s father, who is distracted with grief, is a gentleman of professional talent and great repectability.-Stamford News.

 

 

The Times Saturday, Dec 22, 1821; pg. 3; Issue 11435

 

The Rev. Mr. Towne.-Allington, Dec. 16, 1821.-

“Mr. Editor,-The paragraph which appeared in your paper a fortnight back, respecting the unfortunate young woman who so basely lost her life at Bottesford, was incorrect in one particular. She was not en famille, and I have the authority of the medical gentleman by whom the body was opened for contradicting this part of the statement. A reward of one hundred pounds has been offered for the apprehension of Towne, and it is hoped the real facts of the case will shortly be elicited in a court of justice-M.B,W.”-Stamford News.

 

  This story has appeared in a number of other newspapers of the time.
A selection appears below.

 

Morning Chronicle (London, England), Wedensday, December 26, 1821 ; Issue 16439.

REV. JOHN TOWNE.
To the Editor of The Morning Chronicle, Bridge Street, Dec. 24, 1821.

SIR,
I have read in most of the papers, both town and country, an account of a horrible transaction which lately took place near Bottesford, in the vale of Belvoir, where a young lady, a Miss Anne Wright, with the Rev. John Towne, Curate of that place, retired into a wood, and mutually agreed to commit suicide by poison, on account of impediments being thrown in the way of their union. The dose unfortunately operated on the lady ; but (if taken) failed in effect upon the clergyman, who (apparently), bent on self-destruction, stabbed, or rather scarified his throat, in which horrible state he returned to his home. It has since transpired, that the unfortunate lady was not enceinte, and strong suspicions of his having murdered her being excited against the Rev. Gentleman, he has absconded, and 100 guineas reward has been offered by order of the Magistrate, W. F. N. Norton, Esq. of Leicester, for his apprehension. No correct description of his person having been given, and suspecting I had some knowledge of his family (which for the credit of this nation is not of English origin), through one of whom, his cousin, I have sustained a serious loss, I applied to a gentleman in Leicestershire for information, and have received the accompanying letter, which I hope you will insert, as it may aid in bringing the monster to justice. I am credibly informed he has made it his practice to seduce tradesmen’s daughters, and then, Vampire-like, desert or destroy them.
I am, Sir, your obedient Servant,
J.W.Parkins.
TO J.W.PARKINS, ESQ. LATE SHERRIF OF LONDON. Leicester, Dec. 21.
Sir,
In answer to your inquiry of Mr. Towne, I am sorry to say I was personally acquainted with him when he was an Articled Clerk to a most respectable Attorney in Leicester, Messrs. Miles, Alston, and Miles, after which he relinquished the law, and preferred the Church. He was afterwards ordained, and appointed to the Curacy of Bottesford, in the vale of Belvoir, the horrible and tragic death of Miss Anne Wright took place; since which, it appears, the man has absconded, and one hundred guineas reward is offered for his apprehension, which I trust will soon be effected, for the ends of justice. His person, as far as I can recollect, is about five feet eight inches high, dark or sallow complexion, black hair, piercing black eyes, nose rather aquiline, about 32 years of age, walks upright, and is what may be called a middle-sized person, weighing about 11 stone. I am happy to say he was not a Leicestershire man, but was very well known in this town, and was in the habit of visiting the most respectable families. I feel happy if this information will be conduced to the laudable end which you have in view in making this inquiry.
I am, Sir, most respectfully,
Your very obedient Servant.

P.S. He is a man of pleasing address ; and when he speaks shews his teeth, a longish visage, and a high forehead, of a Jewish correspondence.

Trewman's Exeter Flying Post or Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser (Exeter, England), Thursday, April 18, 1822; Issue 2951.

At Leicester Assizes the Grand Jury found a true bill against the Rev. W. Towne, for the wilful murder of Miss Wright, at Bottesford. Mr. Towne has fled the country, and will be outlawed unless he surrenders for trail.

Whitehall Evening Post (1770) (London, England), Thursday, June 18, 1789; Issue 6567

On Tuesday the 9th inst. as Mr Dadsley, of East Thorpe, in the parish of Bottesford, Leicestershire, was walking in the grounds near his house, he met a neighbour with a gun, which he borrowed ; no sooner did he get clear of the person, than he put the butt end into a dyke, and the muzzle to his left breast, and pusing the trigger either with a stick or his toe, the contents entered his left breast, and came out at his right, which occasioned his immediate death.

St. James's Chronicle or the British Evening Post (London, England), Thursday, July 12, 1798 ; Issue 6329

Mr. Henry Handley, master of the Free Grammar School of Fillonghly, Warwickshire, was a few days ago, elected Master of Bottesford School, in the county of Leicester, patronised by his Grace the Duke of Rutland.

Business
E. Johnson's British Gazette and Sunday Monitor (London, England), Sunday, January 16, 1803; Issue 1211.

Thomas Pickworth, Bottesford, Leicestershire, butcher ; to surrender Feb. 7. 8. 22., at the Angel Inn, Grantham. Attornies, Messrs. Dyneley and Sons, Gray's Inn, London.