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Home > London > SE10 > Eight Bells

Eight Bells

Picture source: Ian Chapman


The Eight Bells was situated at 3 Greenwich Church Street. This pub is now used as a bookmakers.

From oldbaileyonline.org, 14th August 1865
802. HENRY HAMPTON (24) , Stealing 7s. 6d. the money of William Henry Taplin, his master.

MR. WILL Conducted the Prosecution and MR. CUNNINGHAM the Defence.

WILLIAM HENRY TAPLIN . I manage the Eight Bells Public-house, at Greenwich, for my brotheróIn May lout I engaged the prisoner as barmanófrom certain suspicions that I had, on saturday 16th July, I called in a constable named AlvinóI marked two half-crowns and gave them to him to have them passed over the baróthat was about 7 o'clockóI afterwards looked in the till and found that they were there and subsequently I found that one was gone, one remainedóabout 11 o'clock when the business closed 1 called both the barmen into the baróI told them I thought I was being robbed, and that I imagined the prisoner was the man that was robbing meóI then asked the prisoner if he had any objection to being searchedóhe said, "No," all he had in his possession belonged to him, and won what he had savedówe then went up stairs into his room, and in his box we found 1l. in small silver, rolled up in paper, and a silver watchóhe had 34 or 35s. on his person, and amongst the money the constable discovered the half-crown that I had markedóI recognised it directlyóI have not the least doubt it was the sameóon the prisoner being taken before the Magistrate on the remand we searched his box again, and found another pound in silver wrapped up in paper, and 9s. more in another piece of paperówe never allow a barman to give change from his own pocket, we always have sufficient money in the tillówhen I looked in and saw the half-crown I should imagine there was about 25s. worth of silver in the tillówhen the prisoner came into my service, he asked me to intercede and get his money weekly, which is very contrary in the tradeóhe said he was short of money he bad 25s. advanced to him, and I afterwards let him have 10s.óthat was some weeks before the night in questionóhe was in my service altogether eleven weeks.

Cross-examined. Q. You marked the half-crowns yourself I understand? A. Yes, the constable has themóI marked them with the point of a penknife in the earhole of the head, and in marking one of them the knife slippedóthis is one of them (produced)óit was on the Saturday that I marked the half-crownsóthere are three tills in my place, neither of them was lockedóthe half-crown found on the prisoner is not the half-crown given to the constable on the Sunday; it is one of those given to the constable on the Saturday.

COURT. Q. What wages did he receive during that 11 weeks? A. He only had the 25s. and the 10s. advanced to him towards his wages, he was to have 26l. a year.

JOHN SOAPER . I live at 4, Lamb-Jane, Greenwichóon Saturday evening 16th July, Alvin gave me two half-crowns, and told me to go to the Eight Bells, and get a pint of the best pale brandy, and to give these two half-crowns, which I didóthe prisoner served meóI got back 1s. 8d. changeóthis is one of the half-crowns given to me by the policemanóI know it by the mark there, and it is the same date.

ROBERT ALVIN (Policeman, R 148). On Saturday 16th July, Mr. Taplin marked two half-crowns and gave them to meóI gave them to Soaper with certain instructionsóhe brought me back a pint of brandy and 1s. 8d. changeóa few minutes before 11, Mr. Taplin called me in, with another constableówe went into the bar parlouróhe called the prisoner and the other barman in and said to them "I have been robbed, and I suspect you of robbing me, have you any objection to being searched?"óthe prisoner said, "No, all I have is my own, what I have saved"ówe then went upstairs, where the prisoner sleeps, and searched his boxóI asked him what he had got in itóhe said that he had got clothes and all that was in it was his own propertyóI unlocked the box and in the bottom of it I found 1l. 9 1/2 d. in small change, and a watch with an old-fashioned guinea piece attachedóI asked him if they belonged to him, he said, "Yes"óI asked him to turn out his pockets, he did so, and there was 1l. 14s. 10 1/2 d. in small change, and amongst the money I found one of the marked half-crowns I received from TaplinóI said, "Is this yours?"óhe said, "Yes"óthis is the one I can swear toóMr. Taplin then gave the prisoner into custodyóI asked him to what extent he had been robbedóhe said he could not possibly tell, be thought about 16l.óthe prisoner was taken before the Magistrate and remanded, and on the Monday morning I searched his box againówe turned everything out and I found wrapped up in a piece of paper, about a pound in silver, and in another paper I found 9s., and a few halfpenceóthe prisoner is a married man.

Cross-examined. Q. Did you get three half-crowns from the prosecutor altogether, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday? A. Yes, he marked them in my presenceóI marked the third one on the SundayóI am sure I did not mark the two on the Saturdayóif I have said that in my deposition, it is a mistakeóthere were three marked, and I marked oneóthis one found on the prisoner, was one of the two I got from Taplin on the Saturday.

MR. WILL. Q. What became of the half-crown that you marked on the Sunday? A. I gave it to Mr. Taplin again.

GUILTY .óRecommended to mercy by the Prosecutor

Confined Nine Months.
 

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