Tilburys at the Old Bailey 1720-1794

TILBURY OF THE BAILEY

A list, in brief, of Tilburys who were recorded as appearing at the Central Criminal Court, London, between 1720 and 1794. To read the complete trial notes, see the link below to the Old Bailey site - well worth a visit!


Date of trial
Name: status
Event
Verdict

2 June 1720
John TILBURY: victim
(theft of a silver watch, gold ring, gold locket)

24 April 1723
Tho. TILBURY: victim
(thief was of St. James Westminster; theft of two Guineas & 5s.)

13 October 1725
Mary FLEMING, alias TILBURY, Mary FILEWOOD, alias HASELHURST: prisoners
(theft: simple grand larceny)
NOT GUILTY

16 October 1728
Ann TILBURY: prisoner
(theft of 2 'Suits of Head Cloaths', 2 handkerchiefs, other goods, value 10d)
TRANSPORTATION

15 January 1731
Sarah TILBURY: prisoner; of St. Mary White-Chappel
(theft of money)
TRANSPORTATION

12 September 1733
John TILBURY: victim
(breaking and entering; intent to murder & steal goods)

16 January 1734
William TILBURY: Constable; kept the Tilbury Fort Alehouse in Shoreditch
(took prisoners before the JP)

24 April 1734
Mary COTTERELL, alias TILBURY: prisoner
(theft: pick pocketing)
NOT GUILTY

28 April 1742
Thomas TILBURY: victim
(pocket was picked of 15s.)

5 December 1750
John TILBURY: witness; hostler at the 'George' Hammersmith
(took and stabled a chesnut gelding of the prisoner)
(This 'George' was believed to date from 1656, but was replaced in 1911 by today's 'George' public house when Hammersmith Broadway was widened.)

25 February 1756
Jonathan TILBURY: victim; dyer, lived in Old-Street
(theft of thread & 'indico' from his warehouse)
(Jonathan's son: John TILBURY, witness)
(The Will of a "Jonathan Tilbary, Thread Dyer of Saint Luke, Middlesex" received probate on 17 April 1761 [PCC ref: 11/865]; and the Will of "William Tilbary, Thread Dyer of Saint Luke, Middlesex" on 7 October 1768 [PCC ref: 11/943])
(Jonathan was not a common name for Tilburys; see below.)

16 October 1765
George TILBURY: Constable
(took the prisoners to the 'Black Horse'; theft at Old Gravel-lane, Ratcliff-highway)
Read about Ratcliffe Highway in Victorian London

13 April 1768
Thomas TILBURY: victim; lived at 'Clapham in Surry'; butcher, held a little land
(theft of ten sheep from an 'inclosed' field)
(The Will of a "Thomas Tilbury, Butcher of Clapham, Surrey" received probate on 6 December 1762 [PCC ref: 11/882]; the Will of "Thomas Tilbury, Butcher of Clapham, Surrey" on 5 August 1788 [PCC ref: 11/1169]; and the Will of "Sarah Tilbury, Widow of Clapham, Surrey" on 16 April 1793 [PCC ref: 11/1231].)
Sarah Bisenden married Thomas Tilbury, butcher of Clapham, Surrey; a descendant emigrated to USA.
Details of 3 Bisenden family Wills which mention Thomas Tilbury

29 October 1783
Thomas TILBURY: prisoner; seaman on board the 'Nymph', London-Ostend-London
(theft of liquor)
NOT GUILTY

10 December 1783
Joseph BARKER, John Tilbury SMITH (two boys): prisoners
(theft of fifty pounds weight of lead, value 5 s. the property of Charles Waller, ... fixed to a ... building)
BOTH GUILTY, Whipped and discharged


Home office Report of 6 March 1792
(a2a/HO.47/15/74-fo.309-310)

Midsummer Sessions, 1791
John TILBURY: accused
(theft of 8 guineas, property of Henry BENNETT, on 6 July 1791)
Henry BENNETT, John LAWLE: witnesses
GUILTY - TRANSPORTATION (no grounds for clemency given)
Report of C. T. Kerby - recommendation: no mercy
Whether or not the 'Midsummer Sessions' were at the Old Bailey, or in another part of the country, is not stated in the brief note.

15 December 1792
Mr. TILBURY: witness
(deception: fraud)
(Mr. RAILTON, witness, sworn: "... Mr. SEWEL ... attorney at Norwich ... acquainted with Mr. TILBURY, who is a partner of mine, ...")
'Norwich', 'Mr. Tilbury': a Thomas Tilbury was sometime publican at "The Swan" Norwich. Another Thomas Tilbury was attorney in London, with connections to Norwich; he was the second husband of Catherine mother of William Harries Tilbury, the comedian, who was at first employed by Thomas as his clerk...(details from Thomas' Will).

16 July 1794
John TILBURY: prisoner
(theft near Fetter Lane, Holborn)
NOT GUILTY

17 September 1794
John TILBURY: prisoner, age 24 (charged with William COLEMAN)
(theft on 21 July near Leather lane, Holborn, of quilted cotton counterpanes)
NOT GUILTY: error in the indictment

17 September 1794
John TILBURY: prisoner, age 24 (charged with John COLEMAN)
(theft on 21 July near Leather lane, Holborn, of quilted cotton counterpanes)
TRANSPORTATION, 7 YEARS
John Tilbury, age 24, sentenced to 7 years' Transportation at Middlesex sessions in 1794, arrived at Port Jackson on board the "Ganges" in 1797 (see below).

18 September 1802
Sarah TILBURY: witness, lodged at No. 3, Tanner-street, St. Giles's (coalshop of Matthew M'NOLLY)
(theft of a bed)

15 January 1806
George TILBURY: victim, lived at No. 3, Great Woodstock-street, Marylebone, was a carpenter; kept a turner's shop
(theft on 2 December 1805 of a lady's cloth pelisse coat, value 18s.)
"On the day of lord Nelson's funeral, which was Thursday..."

3 April 1811
John TILBURY: victim, coachmaker, lived at No. 7, Edgware-road
(theft of 2 bridles, value 7s., on 19th of March)

7 April 1813
Mr. TILBURY, coach-maker of South-street, employed the accused, John Samuel ROWBRIDGE, and used to give work to the victim;
John HALL, farrier, (shop in Street's-buildings, Upper Mount-street) knew the victim, James MATTHEWS, a coach-smith who used to work in John HALL's shop
(manslaughter)

3 December 1817
John TILBURY: victim, coach-maker (of the 'Tilbury'), lived in South-street, Grosvenor-square
(theft of 'Tilbury' wheels made by ROBSON)
Samuel HAZELTON: witness - "I am certain they are Mr. Tilbury's; I made them - They are made different from other people's - They are levelled."

17 February 1820
John TILBURY: witness, signing-clerk (of bank notes...) at the Bank of England (only Tilbury working for the Bank)
(counterfeiting)
Post Office London Directory, 1852 (Small Edition)
John TILBURY, cashier, Stock Offices, Bank of England, Threadneedle St, London (hours 9 to 5)
This may have been a younger John TILBURY

12 April 1820
John TILBURY: witness, signing-clerk at the Bank of England
(counterfeiting)

15 January 1823
Edward TILBURY: witness, lived in High-street, Bloomsbury; next house belonged to his mother-in-law, Isabella GUSON
(theft of roof lead)
[GUSON - name of French Huguenot origin?]

16 February 1826
John TILBURY (John TILBURY, Son & Clarke): victim
(theft on 13 February of a gig cushion, value 4s.)
Henry GATES: witness - "I am in the employ of John Tilbury, Son, and Clark."

31 May 1827
Ann TILBURY: witness, daughter of Sarah TYSON who lived at No. 11, Jennings'-buildings, Kensington, since 1820; Ann TILBURY lived in New-cut, opposite Jennings'-buildings
(coining)
[Ann TISOM m. Thomas TILBURY 21 June 1824 St. James, Paddington]

11 September 1828
Richard TILBURY: prisoner (with 2 others)
(theft on 27 August of 1 bushel of oats, beans, & clover chaff, mixed, value 2s.; at the Red-lion Public House on the Harrow road, coming with carts from Paddington to Shepherd's-bush)
NOT GUILTY

9 April 1829
Edward TILBURY, father (surveyor) & son (his clerk): victims
(theft on 10 April of 3 shillings & 1 sixpence)

5 September 1833
William TILBURY: prisoner, age 22 ("not right in the head", "fell in love with Fanny Kemble")
(theft, on 3 September, at St. Dunstan, Stebonheath (Stepney) of 1 silver pepper-castor, value 12s., property of James Edward WATTS)
GUILTY - DEATH
Life of Fanny Kemble

William TILBURY is recorded as having been transported for life:
Vessel: "Susan"
Convicted Date: 5 September 1833
Voyage Date: 7 March 1834
Colony: New South Wales
Place of Conviction: Middlesex
County of Conviction: Middlesex; Westminster 2nd Session
Gaol Delivery 5 September 1833: Life
Reference (National Archives): HO 11/9

4 September 1834
John TILBURY of Mount-street, Grosvenor-square: victim
(theft on 3 August of: 1 saddle, value 3l.; 1 bridle, value 4s.; & 1 horse-cloth, value 20s.)
William LANGDON: witness - "I am a saddler. I bought the saddle and horse-cloth for 2l. 10s., of MARRS, whom I have known eight years."


1851

House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields
John TILBURY age 18, b. Whitechapel (Clerkenwell), Middlesex
Prisoner


From "Central Criminal Court"

by James Drover Barnett & Alexander Buckler

1883-4, 10th Session
page 480:
"... Mrs. TILBURY was confined within a few days of the 2nd of May; she shut a cupboard where there were medicines made up for which there were orders, and she refused to give up the keys to Daw[son] and myself, and I told him he must break open the cupboard and get them - I did not put my fist in Mrs. TILBURY's face - I cannot say ..."
page 481:
"... I have given to Miss [?] TILBURY - I will not swear whether she was alone when I gave it her - before May 2nd she made complaints to me of being uncomfortable at ..."
page 486:
Cross-examined by Mr. BESLEY:
"On the Sunday he was very angry ____ her having gone away - Mrs. TILBURY was confined on 1st May - I did not hear any noise or breaking of doors next day - I was in the ..."

[no date] page 95
Before Mr. Common Serjeant
507. James YATES (50), Unlawfully attempting to carnally know and abuse Mary Ann TILBURY, a girl under the age of 13 years. Second Count, indecently assaulting ...

[no date] page 477
Before Mr. Recorder: REG. v. TILBURY
807. "Harry TILBURY (41) and Florence Julia TILBURY (15) were indicted for unlawfully conspiring to charge George Gresham BELCHER, Joseph DAWSON, and Henry WHEELER with attempting to take ..."
"Harry TILBURY applied that this indictment, might be quashed on the ..."
page 478
"... the letter is one which the girl said she wrote in pencil at Mrs. MOORE's - the result of the inquiry was that the Bench unanimously dismissed the charge against Mr. TILBURY. ..." "'... the evidence of the girl has a great deal of doubt cast upon it by KING; as far as we can see it is not a sufficiently clear case to send, we therefore dismiss the prisoners' - that is the note when BELCHER, DAWSON, and WHEELER were charged with abduction ..."
[A George Gresham BELCHER was b. 2Q 1845 (W. Derby)]
page 483
".. don't think I saw him on Sunday - I heard on Sunday he was in great distress because he could not find his daughter - I knew the girl was in MOORE's cottage on the Saturday, and did not tell her father - MOORE's cottage is 150 or 200 yards from TILBURY's. Edward OVENS (Police Inspector, Edgware). Harry TILBURY came to me ..."

by Henry Buckler

1839, 7th Session, No. 1607 (pages 110-111)
Ann ANSBURY was indicted for stealing, on the 7th of May, 1 chaise seat-cover, value 2s. 6d., the goods of John TILBURY and others.
John TILBURY, Jun.: I am the son of John TILBURY - he has partners, and is a coach-maker, in Gloucester-place, New-road. On the 7th of May I received information, and missed a chaise seat-cover - I went out immediately, and followed the prisoner and three other girls to the corner of Hertford-street, where they seated themselves, and one of the girls gave the prisoner a brass bell-crank which she put into her bosom, and in doing so she dropped this cover - I secured her.
Mary HANDY: I was at the first-floor window oppostie the prosecutor's shop on the 7th of May, about a quarter before five o'clock - I saw the prisoner and the other girls - the prisoner ran from them into the prosecutor's shop, and took something out of the hind part of a carriage - she put it into her apron, and they all ran away - I gave information.
Prisoner's Defence: It was another girl took it - I had it to carry.
(The prisoner received a good character.)
GUILTY. Aged 10. - Recommended to mercy by the Jury.
Judgment Respited.

1839 (page 847)
Joseph DEAN and William TILBURY were indicted for stealing, on the 2nd of March, 1 truss of hay, value 2s., the goods of William COLLEY.
MR. PAYNE conducted the Prosecution
"... stealing, on the 2nd of March, 1 truss of hay, value 2s., the goods of William COLLEY"
REUBEN HALL (police-constable T 55.) "I was on duty near the Bell public house at Ealing on the 2nd of March at six o'clock ..."
"... TILBURY was so close to DEAN at the time DEAN went into the corn-house, that they almost touched one another - I took them both into custody - I then got on COLLEY's cart, and found two trusses of hay that were loose, not tied with ropes ..."
The full story

(Google Books Online snippets)


"Detail from the lives of non-elite people ...
accounts of over 100,000 criminal trials"

Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London, 1674-1834

The site also offers an overview of changing London at the time,
housing, work, daily life, reasons for stealing
Read the full trial notes, interrogation of witnesses, sentencing


From the IGI:

Jonathan TILBURY
m. Ann THURRON 22 May 1722 St Benet Pauls Wharf, London
2. John TILBURY Chr. 30 January 1723 St Giles Cripplegate, London

Father: Jonathan TILBURY:
2. Jonathan TILBURY b. 29 August 1736, Chr. 8 September 1736 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London; d. 1 July 1738
2. Jonathan TILBURY b. 22 October 1744, Chr. 16 November 1744 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
2. Jonathan TILBURY Chr. 16 September 1749 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London

Jonathan TILBARY
m. Sarah ALLEN 11 April 1732 Allhallows London Wall, London
2. Ann TILBURY b. 21 July 1735, Chr. 5 August 1735 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
[1736: see above]
2. William TILBARY Chr. 6 July 1739 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
2. Samuel TILBURY Chr. 7 May 1741 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
2. Edwd. TILBURY Chr. 9 December 1742 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
[1744: see above]
2. Sarah TILBURY b. 30 March 1746, Chr. 27 April 1746 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
[1749: see above]
2. Joseph TILBERY b. 6 June 1752, Chr. 17 June 1752 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
2. Eliz. TILBARY Chr. 5 February 1754 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
2. Eliz. Frances TILBURY b. 16 October 1756, Chr. 17 October 1756 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London


"Ganges"

Quotations are from "The Convict Ships" by Charles Bateson

Built: 1794 in India, 700 tons
Master: Thomas Patrickson (part-owner)
No. of convicts requested by Master Patrickson: 300
No. of convicts embarked: 203 (male)
Cargo: beef & pork
Surgeon: James Mileham (Home Department Surgeon-general)
(Bateson notes that Mileham was travelling to Australia to join the colonial medical establishment, and was probably inexperienced in the management of so many men on board ship; Bateson considers that an additional 100 convicts would have resulted in a much higher death-rate.)
Inspector at Portsmouth: Sir James Fitzpatick
(One of the first ships he inspected; he ordered structural changes and placed on board ventilators, fumigants, medicines, water purifiers. He allowed Patrickson to embark only 203 convicts instead of the 300 requested.)
Sailed: Portsmouth, February 1797
Died during voyage: 13
Arrived: Port Jackson [later Sydney Harbour], NSW, 2 June 1797
Convicts disembarked: 190 (many suffering from scurvy)

Governor Hunter to Under Secretary King - 20th June 1797
" ..Among the convicts lately arrived by the Britannia and Ganges I am pleased to find a few useful merchanicks (sic). This will enable me to discharge from wages some I have been obliged to hire."

Governor Hunter to the Duke of Portland - 18th September 1798
"The Ganges arrived on the 2nd of June. The convicts arrived in better health than those already mentioned, although some are highly scorbutic."

(The above information about Ganges is online at: AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-L Archives: September 2004)

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