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The Windsor and Eton Express.
Bucks Chronicle and Reading Journal

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Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express



5th February 1842

Windsor Association

The annual meeting of this society for the protection of property, &c., was held at the Castle Inn, on Wednesday last, when the usual, and somewhat unusual business at such meeting was transacted, for several members were excluded from the society for the non payment of their subscriptions and fines. Mr.Cantrell was again re-elected treasurer. At the dinner, after the meeting, upwards of eighty members sat down, the Treasurer in the chair. The dinner, wines, &c., provided by Mr.Chater, were excellent, and the harmony of the evening was contributed to by some good singing by Mr.Field, the professional gentleman engaged, and by others of the company.

The Duchess of Gloucester, in addition to her Royal Highness's usual charities, sent �50, to be given away at Bagshot-park, to the poor of the parish of Windlesham, on the day of the christening of the Prince of Wales, in tea, sugar, bread and butter; fuel and clothing having been lately distributed.

Theatre Royal Windsor

In consequence of the unsuccessful season which has just terminated under the management of Mr.Dodd, the present lessee, the amateurs of Windsor and Eton, have consented to perform one night for his benefit, when we trust that their exertions will be crowned with success, and ensure him a bumper.

On Monday night two youths, the sons of Mr.Stark, landscape painter, and Mr.Moss, surgeon, of Windsor, were in the Long Walk, where on looking for something they had dropped, they found two bunches of keys and several loose keys, which proved to belong to Mr.French, of York-place, and which formed part of the property stolen from his house on the night of the royal christening.

Novel Mode of Catching an Owl

A very fine specimen of the horned owl has lately been seen habitually to visit the barn of J.Palmer, Esq., of Dorney, and at length it was determined, if possible, to catch it; but how to do it ? , was the question. However, one of the servants of the gentleman hit upon the following expedient:- He baited a fish hook with a live mouse, and fixed the little prey to the barn door at night and left him there. The next morning early on going to see the result of the experiment, he found to his great delight that it had succeeded, for the bird had taken the bait and was firmly caught.

A New Charity School is intended to be established at Sunninghill, a subscription to erect and found which has already been commenced.




Death of Mr.R.Roberts Her Majesty's State Coachman

The death of this very old and faithful "servant of the crown" took place on Tuesday at the Royal Mews, Pimlico. Mr.Roberts has filled the above situation upwards of thirty years, and that with the highest credit to himself, and satisfaction to his noble employers, and to those placed above him in his department. His character for hospitality and charity is well known to a numerous circle, and many will lose a very excellent friend. It is somewhat remarkable that not withstanding his heavy afflictions (for he has been "a martyr to the gout" for many years) he has always been ready to perform the duties of his office; and it was not until the late christening of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales that he ceased to perform his duty. He will go to the grave much lamented by all who knew him, and perhaps his successor will never have it in his power to say that like Roberts he was state coachman of "four Sovereigns." Mr.Roberts, we believe, was in his 82nd or 83rd year.




Pigeon Shooting

A fat hog was to have been shot for at Burnham on Tuesday last, but although there was a tolerable muster the entries did not fill. The parties present, however, made up several sweepstakes, the first of which was won by Mr.Morley; the second was divided between Messrs. Duckett and T.Howard; the third was won by Mr.Duckett; and the fourth was divided between Messrs. Bishop and Simpson.

Last week a sparrow match was shot at the same place between Messrs.J.Howard, H.Agar, and W.Williams, the former winning, after shooting a tie with Mr.Williams.

The Star Pigeon Club met on Thursday in the Brocas, when a snuff box, given by Mr.Dash, of the Star and Garter, was contended for, free of entry, to members - nine birds each. Twelve shot for the prize, which was won by Mr.J.Howard, who killed all his birds. A sweepstakes (seven entries) succeeded, which was won by Mr.Winyard, and one , at two birds each, was won by Mr.Hill. Mr.Duckett also shot two matches with Mr.Hill and won them. At the conclusion of the day's sport the parties dined together at the Star and Garter.

The Great Western Railway Deodands

Our readers will remember that at the inquests held on the bodies of the unfortunate persons who were killed recently on the Great Western Railway, at the Sonning Cutting, the juries returned verdicts imposing heavy deodands on the train by which those persons were travelling. On Saturday and Monday applications were made in the Court of Queen's Bench, by Mr.Talbot, that the inquisitions be returned into that court, with a view of quashing them on the grounds of their illegality. The Court granted rules nisi in each case, and the whole of the legal objections will shortly undergo discussion in that Court.

Berks Royal Hospital

The Treasurer of this excellent institution has just received a donation of one hundred guineas from the Great Western Railway Company, accompanied by a letter from Charles Russell, Esq., M.P., chairman, expressing their warm acknowledgements to the hospital for the kindness bestowed on the sufferers by the late melancholy accident.




Windsor Police - Monday
[Before John Clode, Esq. (Mayor), and Sir John Chapman]

Joseph Collier, a shoemaker, working for and living in the house of Mr.Rose, his master, was charged with deserting his two children and leaving them chargeable to the Windsor Union.

This was the second offence of the same nature with which the prisoner had been charged, he having in July last left his children unprovided for, and unprotected, for which he was then punished.

It appeared that the prisoner as a shoemaker could earn if he pleased from 15s to 20s per week, and that Mr.Rose his master had constant work for him if he chose to work. On Saturday night week he left his lodgings (at Mr.Rose's) and without any previous intimation , and without providing for his children, he absented himself from home. The poor children were humanely fed by Mr.Rose on that and the following day, but on that day Mr.Rose caused an intimation for desertion of the children to be made known to Mr.Thompson, who informed Mr.Bailey, the relieving officer, who called and took the children to the workhouse, where they had been ever since. They were in a very filthy and neglected state. The prisoner returned home on Monday night after the children had been taken away, and learning where his children had been taken, he went to the Mayor, who said that an application had been made by the Relieving Officer for a warrant against him; however the Mayor, from the story the prisoner than told him, said of he (prisoner) would attend at the Town-hall on the Thursday following, the warrant should not be signed. He promised to attend accordingly, but failed to do so, and in consequence the warrant for his apprehension was issued.

The prisoner declared that he left home on business, and that it was previously understood that Mr.Rose would take care of his children for a few days a week, and he could prove it by Mr.Hill, who heard Mr.Rose say so.

The magistrates allowed the case to stand over until Mr.Hill and Mr.Rose were sent for, and they were in attendance in a short time, but their evidence did not mend the matter. Mr.Rose said he certainly had no objection to feed the children for a day or so and he would have no objection to take care of them on the Monday; but he never promised the prisoner, who when he left never said anything to him as to his intention to leave. Mr.Rose said the prisoner could earn 16s a week on the average.

The magistrates adjudged the prisoner to one month's hard labour in the borough gaol, telling him that it was a very lenient sentence, this being his second offence; and they warned him that if he should commit it a third time he would be sent to be tried at the sessions.

Henry Hill, a carpenter employed at the new mews, was charged with ill-treating his wife, and also with assaulting Sexton the policeman in the execution of his duty.

It appeared that on Friday night, about twelve o'clock, Sexton, while on duty in Thames-street, heard the screams of a female, and on going to the spot whence they proceeded, he found the prisoner beating his wife most unmercifully. Sexton interposed, and advised hi to go in doors, but instead of doing so he struck Sexton violently. Sexton then endeavoured to take him into custody, when the prisoner, vowing that he would not be taken by any one policeman, commenced hitting and kicking him, and in the struggle they both fell to the ground. At length the prisoner was conveyed by four policemen to the station-house.

The prisoner complained that Sexton had cut his head open with his truncheon, and exhibited a large scar on his head, and his shirt covered with blood to prove it.

Sexton said he did not use his staff until he had been struck and kicked, when he was obliged to do so.

It was stated that the wife declined to attend and prefer any charges against her husband.

The magistrates told the prisoner that the injuries he had received from Sexton were all owing to his own conduct. What had he to say to assaulting Sexton and kicking him the way described ?

The prisoner said he did not recollect kicking Sexton at all. The fact was he must have been mad at his wife's conduct, for he was sorry to say he had a bad partner.

Simms the gaoler said the man was generally very peaceable, but great blame he believed attached to the wife.

The magistrates said believing that some misconduct on the part of the wife led to all this, and that this was the prisoners first offence, they would only inflict a fine of 10s and 10s 6d costs, or in default of payment to three weeks imprisonment.

The money was shortly afterwards paid.

Alfred Dark was brought up for re-examination, charged with stealing a coat, the property of Henry Hand, from the coach office of Mr.Moody on Castle-hill; and a man named Henry Manners, who had been apprehended at Amersham on suspicion of being concerned in the robbery, was brought up.

It appeared that on the 24th ult., Hand left his coat safe in the coach-office at three o'clock in the afternoon, and on his return at nine o'clock in the evening it was missed. That evening at about six o'clock the prisoner Dark and two other men went into Mr.Bray's beer-shop at Slough, one of which men, stated to be the prisoner Manners, asked Thomas Bray, the son of the keeper of that house, if he would purchase a coat which Dark had on, as he, Dark, wanted to sell it. He asked 15s for it, and Bray eventually bought it for 13s and half a gallon of beer. Dark then gave Manners 1s for his trouble in the disposal of it. Bray subsequently heard that the coat was stolen from Hand, and he not only gave it up but was the means of the apprehension of Dark, who was found at Wheeler's beer-shop in George-street. On Dark were found a number of sham gold rings.

The magistrates conceived that there was not sufficient evidence against Manners, and they discharged him, but fully committed Dark to take his trial.

Catherine Jeffries was brough up for re-examination on a charge of passing base coin.

The prisoner had undergone an examination last week, when she was remanded, to give time for further evidence being produced, and also that Mr.Powell, the solicitor of Her Majesty's Mint, might be communicated with. Mr.Powell was to-day in attendance, and he recognized the prisoner, who although only 18 or 19 years of age, was well known to that gentleman as being concerned in the passing of counterfeit money in the metropolis.

It appeared that on the evening of the 24th ult., the prisoner went into the Grapes public-house, Thames-street, and called for a glass of gin with which, having been served, she tendered a half crown in payment. Mrs.Coventry suspecting it was a bad one handed it to her husband, who at once pronounced it bad, and told the prisoner he would give her into custody, on which she hastily left and escaped before Mr.Coventry could get round the counter.

The following evening the prisoner was seen in Thames-street by Gibbons the policeman, with three men, and suspecting something he watched, when he saw her leave the men and go into the house of Mr.Darling, of the Red Lion. He followed and saw her offering a half-crown in payment for a glass of gin, but Mr.Darling had discovered immediately that it was bad, and the prisoner was given into Gibbon's custody.

The prisoner in her defence denied that she was in Mr.Coventry's house on the evening spoken of.

Mr.Powell said he knew the prisoner, who had at times gone by the name of Jeffries, and at others by the name of Williams, and that she had been in custody for passing bad money in August, and also in November last. He also stated that he knew a great quantity of bad money had been manufactured very recently in Westminster, and that a quantity of it had been disposed of in the Nag's Head public-house, Tothill-street.

The prisoner was fully committed for trial.

It is supposed that the prisoner and a woman who was last week discharged for want of evidence, form part of a gang who came down to Colnbrook, Windsor, and other places westward of London, hoping to get rid of their base coin about the period of the royal christening. We last week mentioned that several persons had been stopped at Datchet, who were suspected to have tried to pass off bad money at Colnbrook, but on searching them at a public house and nothing of that king being found on them they were set at liberty; also that on the following morning a bag of bad shillings was found in the room of the public-house by the Datchet constable, named Boulter. It appears also that where the same parties (as was supposed) had been refreshing themselves at a public-house at Colnbrook, they left behind them, no less than two crowns and twelve half-crowns, all counterfeit, which are in the possession of Thompson, a metropolitan constable stationed in that town.




Eton Police
[Before the Rev. Thomas Carter, C.Clowes, Esq., and M.Swabey, Esq.]

James Robinson was charged with stealing some withies from a wood at Wexham, belonging to Mr.Edward Edson, a farmer.

The case not being fully proved against the prisoner, he was reprimanded and then discharged.

Thomas Smith and George Style were charged on an information at the instance of Mr.Bulkeley for having trespassed on the grounds of Mr.Reffell, farmer, at Horton, in search of snipes.

This is the second time this case has been before the magistrates. The first information was defective in law, as it charged the defendant with being in the pursuit of game and it was dismissed. Mr.Bulkeley however laid the present one, and compelled all the parties to be present again, but he himself was absent, it being stated that he was obliged to attend at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr.Darvill, for the defendants, took an objection to the information on this occasion, to the effect that the magistrate, before signing the information, should have examined the party laying it on oath, as required by the 5th and 6th of William IV., which had not been done in this case, the information only being on oath.

The magistrates concurred in the objection, and dismissed the complaint, leaving it open for Mr.Bulkeley to consider whether he chose to lay a third information.