Welsh Legal History Society
Cymdeithas Hanes Cyfraith Cymru
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Before the creation of the "New Police" later in the nineteenth century responsibility for the detection of crime as well as its prosecution largely fell upon the victim. Advertisements such as this were common, although the reward offered here is a large one. Thefts of easily identifiable articles would often be attributable to "outsiders" for whom disposition of the goods might prove easier than for those in the immediate vicinity
Image provided by and reproduced with kind permission of Carmarthenshire Archives
BURGLARY AND ROBBERY,
Kilgwyn, near Llandovery, CARMARTHENSHIRE.
WHEREAS, on Thursday Morning, the 7th of November instant, between the hours of one and five o'clock, the dwelling-house of John Josiah Holford, Esq. called Kilgwyn, was entered by a Robber or Robbers, from whence he or they took plate to a considerable amount, various silver articles, and gold rings, from travelling dressing-cases broke open; great coats and other wearing apparel; a bay saddle horse of the value of one hundred guineas; a new saddle and bridle, &c. &c.
A Reward of Fifty Pounds
(OVER AND ABOVE THE ALLOWANCE BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT),
Is hereby offered to be paid by the said Mr. Holford, on conviction, to any person or persons that shall give information of the said robber or robbers, so as to cause his or their apprehension and conviction. A shabby looking great coat or cloak (but of small size) was left on the premises, also a pair of old boots, and a hat, likewise several implements of house-breaking. A suspicious looking person, of small stature, took up his abode at the Lamb Inn, at Llandovery, on Tuesday, and remained there the following day, having with him a brown pony of about 13 hands high, and a saddle, maker's name, "Pollock, Saddler to his Majesty, Charing Cross," which pony was found on the morning after the robbery, in a field near Kilgwyn House, and is ascertained to be the same that was standing at the Lamb Inn; and the great coat, boots, and hat, left also, are satisfactorily proved to have been the same he wore at Llandovery; the said man appeared to be between 25 and 30 years of age; thin, dark sallow complexion, and when he stands rests on the outside of his feet; he was seen on the morning after the robbery, within a mile of Trecastle, on the stolen horse (which is 15 1/2 hands high, a star in his forehead, slip of white on his nose, one of his hind legs with some white, the other and fore feet black), having on a pair of the stolen jockey boots, drab box-coat, and hat, but no handkerchief or neckcloth round his neck; he was noticed to have large saddle-bags, in which it is conjectured he carried some of the booty, though it is imagined he had accomplices that took another direction, probably Swansea or Llanelly. The four-pronged forks stolen are of the pattern, termed King's pattern (a scollop or shell at each end), a large assortment of gravy, butter, table, dessert, and tea-spoons, of the same; other spoons with merely a rim, but all engraved with a crest, greyhound's head and neck, as were the corner or side oval silver dishes ; large tea-pot, with white ivory handle; two round waiters, with gadroon edge, and arms engraved in the centre.
7th NOVEMBER, 1816.
PRINTED, AT THE CARMARTHEN JOURNAL OFFICE, BY D.REES
Burglary and Robbery at Kilgwyn, Carms, 1816
Before the creation of the "New Police" later in the nineteenth century responsibility for the detection of crime as well as its prosecution largely fell upon the victim. Advertisements such as this were common, although the reward offered here is a large one. Thefts of easily identifiable articles would often be attributable to "outsiders" for whom disposition of the goods might prove easier than for those in the immediate vicinityImage provided by and reproduced with kind permission of Carmarthenshire Archives
TRANSCRIPT
BURGLARY AND ROBBERY,
Kilgwyn, near Llandovery, CARMARTHENSHIRE.
WHEREAS, on Thursday Morning, the 7th of November instant, between the hours of one and five o'clock, the dwelling-house of John Josiah Holford, Esq. called Kilgwyn, was entered by a Robber or Robbers, from whence he or they took plate to a considerable amount, various silver articles, and gold rings, from travelling dressing-cases broke open; great coats and other wearing apparel; a bay saddle horse of the value of one hundred guineas; a new saddle and bridle, &c. &c.
A Reward of Fifty Pounds
(OVER AND ABOVE THE ALLOWANCE BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT),
Is hereby offered to be paid by the said Mr. Holford, on conviction, to any person or persons that shall give information of the said robber or robbers, so as to cause his or their apprehension and conviction. A shabby looking great coat or cloak (but of small size) was left on the premises, also a pair of old boots, and a hat, likewise several implements of house-breaking. A suspicious looking person, of small stature, took up his abode at the Lamb Inn, at Llandovery, on Tuesday, and remained there the following day, having with him a brown pony of about 13 hands high, and a saddle, maker's name, "Pollock, Saddler to his Majesty, Charing Cross," which pony was found on the morning after the robbery, in a field near Kilgwyn House, and is ascertained to be the same that was standing at the Lamb Inn; and the great coat, boots, and hat, left also, are satisfactorily proved to have been the same he wore at Llandovery; the said man appeared to be between 25 and 30 years of age; thin, dark sallow complexion, and when he stands rests on the outside of his feet; he was seen on the morning after the robbery, within a mile of Trecastle, on the stolen horse (which is 15 1/2 hands high, a star in his forehead, slip of white on his nose, one of his hind legs with some white, the other and fore feet black), having on a pair of the stolen jockey boots, drab box-coat, and hat, but no handkerchief or neckcloth round his neck; he was noticed to have large saddle-bags, in which it is conjectured he carried some of the booty, though it is imagined he had accomplices that took another direction, probably Swansea or Llanelly. The four-pronged forks stolen are of the pattern, termed King's pattern (a scollop or shell at each end), a large assortment of gravy, butter, table, dessert, and tea-spoons, of the same; other spoons with merely a rim, but all engraved with a crest, greyhound's head and neck, as were the corner or side oval silver dishes ; large tea-pot, with white ivory handle; two round waiters, with gadroon edge, and arms engraved in the centre.
7th NOVEMBER, 1816.
PRINTED, AT THE CARMARTHEN JOURNAL OFFICE, BY D.REES
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