This story has been created by Wendy Westgate as part of the University of Tasmania’s HAA007 Convict Ancestors unit

The Trial of Martha VICO at the Old Bailey

457. MARTHA VICO was indicted for stealing, on the 12th of December, 1 watch,. value 1l. 5s.; 1 purse, value 6d.; and 2 shillings; the goods and monies of William Leighton, from his person.

WILLIAM LEIGHTON . I am a private in the 45th regiment of foot. I was out on furlough, and was at Edgware, on the 12th of December—I was going to Watford, to my friends—I got to Edgware about eight or nine o’clock at night—I went into the White Lion public-house, and found the prisoner there, in company with another woman—I got into conversation with them, and treated them—I paid about 2s. for what I had—I took out my purse to pay—I had 5s. or 7s. in it—I was rather under the influence of drink, but I knew what I was about—about eleven o’clock the prisoner and I went out together, and the other woman left us—I went into the fields with the prisoner, and laid down and went to sleep—I do not know whether I paid her any thing—I had a watch, fastened to a guard round my neck—the purse was in my right-hand pocket—I awoke between four and five o’clock in the morning, and she was gone—I missed my watch directly I awoke—the guard-chain was broken—I went into a public-house immediately, and then missed my purse—the prisoner was taken next evening—this is my watch—(looking at it)—I did not give either the watch or purse to her.

JOHN BLEUMAN . I am shopman to Mr. Marchant, a pawnbroker in Edgware-road. I took this watch in pawn between ten and eleven o’clock, on the morning of the 13th of December, for 12s., from a woman—I cannot positively swear to the prisoner, but I believe she is the person—I did not see her face, but I can swear to the bonnet she had on—I saw her before the Magistrate on the 19th, and believed her to be the person.

THOMAS BUTLER . I am a policeman. On the 13th of December I apprehended the prisoner, from the prosecutor’s description—she denied having the watch—I took her to the Magistrate, who remanded her for a week—on our road to Clerkenwell she became lame, and we got on a coach, with Susan Burr—she told Burr, in my presence, on the coach, that the was sorry to see her in trouble, for she had nothing to do with it, that she had taken the watch herself, and pawned it at Paddington—Burr was discharged at the next examination.

SUSAN BURR . I was in company with the prisoner and prosecutor at the public-house—I left them—I was taken up on this charge—the prisoner told me what the officer has stated, on the roof of the coach.

GUILTY .+ Aged 22.— Transported for Ten Years.

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.2, 13 June 2016), December 1838, trial of MARTHA VICO (t18381231-457).