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VICTORIAN HOORAY HENRYS

Thanks to Vic Rosewarne for spotting these two items in the newspaper archive. He adds:
These two incidents occurred within a few days of each other, it shows how irresponsible young Victorian gentlemen ? could behave.

SILLY FROLIC

For some time past the inhabitants residing on both sides of the Great Western Road, as well as persons passing along that extensive thoroughfare, have had frequent reasons to complain of the conduct of certain gentlemen who, when returning late from races, dinners, &c., have caused considerable alarm by breaking windows and doing other damage, without any clue having been obtained to the names of the perpetrators of the outrages. The police from the commencement of these outrages have been most strenuous in their endeavours to detect the parties, but from the rapid rate at which the offenders having invariably driven, their endeavours were fruitless until Tuesday last, when, in consequence of the conduct of a party of military officers while returning from Egham races through Brentford with a four-in-hand carriage, they were followed by Inspector Marquard of the T division, who overtook them at Hammersmith, and took into custody one of the party, whom he identified, and conveyed to the station house at Brook Green.

Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, the accused appeared before Messrs. G. Baillie and C. Turner, the sitting magistrates, at the Three Pigeons Inn, New Brentford, the large room of which was crowded by the inhabitants anxious to witness the proceedings.

The name of the accused was stated to be Walter De Winton, Cornet and Sub-lieutenant of the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards, Knightsbridge Barracks, and the charge entered on the police sheet was "throwing missiles in Old Brentford, in the parish of Ealing, to the danger of persons passing, and at the windows of several dwelling houses, with intent to break them."

The accused was accompanied by Captain Thomas Naylor, of the same regiment, who had become bail for his appearance.

Marquard deposed that he was inspector of the T division, and resided at Old Brentford. About half-past six o'clock on the previous evening he was standing near the station-house in that town, when he saw a carriage and four horses, on which were a number of gentlemen, coming through the town towards London. The defendant and another gentleman, whom he also noticed, were sitting at the back of the carriage, and he saw defendant throw something from the carriage, as it passed along, which struck a female, named Eliza Smith, who was standing on the opposite side of the road. Saw also the defendant throw two or three other times, and once it appeared to him that what was thrown fell near to the window of Mr. M'Gowan, a tea dealer, opposite the cage. The other gentleman also threw at the same time, but witness has been unable to identify him.

A number of persons immediately assembled, and one named Taylor, having informed him that a window had been broken, and that the party continued throwing as they proceeded through the town, witness immediately got upon his horse and pursued tam as far as Hammersmith Broadway, where he overtook them, and a very hard gallop he had to do it. On stopping the carriage, he told defendant that he understood he had broken a window, and that he was, in consequence, his (witness's) prisoner, and must go to the station-house at Brook Green. Witness having believed that it was stones that were thrown, told the defendant so, but defendant said they were not stones, but this, showing witness a detonating ball, the size of a large marble, which, from containing s good sized thimble full of small stones, were calculated to injure the faces of persons struck by them, particularly the eyes, On his return to Brentford, he found that no windows had actually been broken, the report from the explosion of the balls occasioning the mistake.

Eliza Smith, residing in Cannon Alley, Old Brentford, deposed, that she was standing tying up her child's shoe as the carriage passed, and some thing struck her on her heel, which made a loud report, and at the same instant a parcel of pebble stones burst out of it.

Mr. H. Richards, a respectable surgeon, at Old Brentford, deposed, that he was standing at the door of Attfield's omnibus office, in Old Brentford, when he first saw the carriage. There were several gentlemen on the outside, and after it had passed a few yards, he saw one of the gentlemen who sat on the back part of the roof throw something with considerable violence. That more attracted witness's attention, and he saw the same gentleman throw a second time. Could not think what his object could be, until he saw an aged respectable female walking along, at whom it appeared to have been thrown, as the gentleman looked at her and laughed. After that he threw a third time. The person he had spoken of was the defendant. It was a fair man.

Mr. James M'Gowran, tea-dealer, Old Brentford, deposed, that he was sitting in the shop behind the counter, when he saw the carriage passing, loaded with gentlemen. One gentleman in a brown coat, who was sitting inside, threw something at his window, when he instantly heard a crash, as if a window had been broken. He ran out directly, and called to them that they had broken a window, but on examining he found he had made a mistake, and discovered on the pavement a piece of paper with a number of little stones in it.

Mr. James Crew, shoemaker, of Old Brentford, deposed that he also was sitting in his shop when the carriage passed, and saw a gentleman, who was sitting behind, throw something towards his window. He thought the glass would be broken, but fortunately hit the wall about six inches from the window. Was firmly of belief the defendant was the gentleman whom he saw throw.

Mr. Richards recalled. Could not say the defendant was one of the gentlemen who threw. There was one dressed in a blue surcoat, who did, but could not say the defendant was that person; but the gentleman whom he had before spoken of, and who was dressed in a white mackintosh, he could identify. That gentleman was standing opposite (pointing to Captain Naylor, who was standing leaning over one of the bars encircling the bench).

Captain Naylor immediately asked the witness if he meant to say he saw anything come out of the captain's hand, but he saw him in the act of throwing.

The Magistrates then ordered Captain Naylor to be placed at the bar, by the side of his brother officer, and asked him if he had anything to say in answer to the charge ?

Captain Naylor replied he had only had one of the detonating balls in his possession, which he had given to the inspector at the station-house, and if he had been guilty of throwing them, it was not likely he would have offered himself as bail, or have attended the bench that day.

Mr. De Winton said he had no idea that the balls he had thrown would do any mischief or injury, nor did he still believe they would.

Mr. Richards declared that they were thrown with very great violence, and if they had hit a person in the eye, would, in his opinion, have done much mischief and injury.

The Bench having conferred together, said they would direct the police in all future cases of the kind to stop the whole of the parties, and, without admitting them to bail, take them before them or some other magistrates of the district. Such proceedings might be an amusement for schoolboys, but not for officers and gentlemen, as defendants were. They would, therefore, fine them each in the fully penalty of £5, or in default, imprisonment.

Mr. De Winton immediately pulled 10 sovereigns from his waistcoat pocket, which he laid upon the table, and both defendants were then discharged.

(Evening Mail - Friday 27 August 1841)

Links

For more about this area of Brentford and its residents, see notes for numbers 273-289, 290-296 and 297-318. These have links to other photos, family histories and maps of the area, including the tithe map which was prepared around this time.

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FURIOUS DRIVING

Yesterday three fashionably dressed persons whose names appeared on the police-sheet as John Goldsmith, aged 26, of 14 Albany, Piccadilly, gentleman; Raymond Newton, aged 30, of Sloane Street, gentleman; Henry Newton, aged 25, of George Street, New Road, gentleman; and Richard Boyle, aged 19, of Newgate Street, servant, appeared in discharge of their bail before G. Baillie, Chairman, the Rev. Dr. Walmsley, and Mr. B. J. Armstrong, the sitting magistrates, to answer a charge of having, on the evening of Thursday last, being drunk, and furious driving a phaeton and a pair of horses in the township of New Brentford, and thereby injuring a horse and harness, the property of Wm. Cullen; also assaulting and resisting the officers in the execution of their duty; assaulting James Ayres, and violent and disorderly conduct at the Police Station, at Old Brentford.

The conduct of the defendants having excited great indignation amongst the inhabitants of the town, the magistrates room at the Three Pigeons Inn was crowded by persons anxious to hear the case.

The defendants having been placed at the bar, the following witnesses were examined : --

Edward Scotney, a police constable, T 29, deposed that on Thursday evening last about seven or eight o‘clock, he was on duty at Brentford End, in the parish of Isleworth, when he saw a phaeton and pair, having a servant in livery behind, coming through the Isleworth turnpike towards Brentford, the horses galloping at a tremendous rate. Seeing there was likely to be great danger caused by their coming so fast, he went into the middle of the road, and holding up his hand, called to the driver, who was the defendant Raymond Newton, to pull up or he would run over somebody, but he kept on regardless of witness' caution, and they were soon out of sight. The horses were going at a rate of from 14 to 16 miles an hour. The phaeton was on its right side of the road.

Mr. John Rogers, lighter man, of New Brentford, deposed that he was standing, on the evening in question, with some neighbours opposite the Pigeons Inn, when he observed the phaeton coming at a tremendous rate over the bridge. A horse and chaise, with two persons in it, were passing at the moment, and fearing an accident he called them for god's sake to pull out of the way. They drew up on one side and the phaeton passed them without striking them, but it struck against a wagon opposite the Market Place. He followed them, and on reaching the Half Acre, he found the phaeton jammed in between an omnibus belonging to Mr. William Cullen, of the Castle Inn, and the post at the corner of the road. In a minute afterwards a policeman came up and attempted to take defendants into custody, but the police were resisted so violently by the defendants that the inhabitants assisted them by taking off the horses, and drawing the carriage with the defendants to the Station House. The Defendants were urging the horses to the utmost. Witness assisted in conveying them to the station. The hind part of the phaeton was on the crown of the road. There was not room for the phaeton to pass between the posts and the omnibus.

Joseph Smith, T 60, deposed to taking the defendants into custody. On getting into the phaeton to do so, he was immediately collared by Mr. R. Newton and the groom, who struck him several times, and they both tried their utmost to throw him out of the carriage. He then drew his staff, and in the scuffle struck Mr. R. Newton twice over the arm, after which he sent off to the station for assistance, and one the arrival of another constable, the inhabitants unhitched the horses and drew the phaeton to the station. The defendant Boyle, whilst this was done, struck several persons who were pushing behind with his hat. At the station house Mr. R. Newton and Boyle were very disorderly, so that before the charge could be taken they were obliged to be placed in a cell. They pulled the pens out of the sergeant's hands while taking down the charge; called the police rogues and vagabonds, saying they wanted to rob them; and the defendant Goldsmith swore if the police attempted to lay hold of him he would knock them down. They were all intoxicated.

Creed, a police serjeant, T 15, deposed that when brought to the station the defendant R. Newton and the groom refused to get out of the phaeton, but at last more constables were procured, and they were dragged out. In the station house they all impeded the charge being taken by every means in their power, and called him and the other constables all the foul names they could lay their tongues to. When locked up in the cells, a little whicker door was left open for air, when, seeing a female cross the yard, they called her ------ and used other insulting words to her, after which they imitated catcalls and the cries of dying persons, besides hallooing "murder" with all their might; and at last seeing the wife of the Inspector passing a window of the station house, they made use of most beastly and disgusting language, so the female inmates of the station were compelled to be removed to another part of the premises, but an immense crowd remained collected round the station until past 10 o'clock.

Mr. R. Newton inquired why some of the females who were so abashed had not been produced. The fact was, that the principal damage was done to his own phaeton, and the disturbance would not have happened had not the policeman jumped into the carriage and struck him twice over the arm and abused him.

Smith denied instantly that statement, and several respectable inhabitants on their oaths declared that there was not a word of truth in what Mr. R. Newton had stated, and passed a warm eulogism on the police for the temper and forbearance they had displayed under the insults and blows they received.

The Bench said the line of defence adopted by the defendants had more than anything convinced them of the truth of the whole of the evidence against them, and the Bench then withdrew to another room to deliberate whether they should not commit the defendants to hard labour at the House of Correction for a month, and, after an absence of an hour on their return into Court, Mr. Baillie said the Bench had convicted the whole of the defendants of the charges made against them. They had done so after a most lengthened and patient investigation, and, being desirous of administering the law without reference to the parties being rich or poor, he had hesitated for some time, and had very unwillingly given way, his intention having been to commit each of them to the House of Correction for one month. Under the supposition, however, that they were gentlemen, and moving in that station of society in which such punishment would be a slur upon them for their future lives, he had consented to the infliction of penalties, and the decision of the Bench was, that Mr. Raymond Newton pay a fine of 40s. for furious driving, or one month's imprisonment; also £5 for assaulting the policeman Smith, or one month; £5 for the assault on the policeman Travis; or one month; and 40s. for disorderly conduct at the station, or one month. John Goldsmith, for assaulting Mr. Ayres, £5, or one month, £5 for assaulting policeman Keywood, or one month; and 40s. for improper conduct at the station, or one month. Richard Boyle, 40s.for assaulting policeman Keywood, or one month, and 20s. for his conduct at the station house, or one month; and Mr. Henry Newton 40s., or one month for disorderly conduct at the station house. They had made a difference in the case of Mr. Henry Newton, but they considered Mr. Raymond Newton's conduct well deserving of a committal to the House of Correction.

Mr. R. Newton immediately pulled out a roll of Bank of England notes, and paid the whole of the fines, amounting to £31.

(London Evening Standard Tuesday 31 August 1841)

Links

Vic Rosewarne has researched the histories of both and Jim Storrar's map shows their locations.

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Page published February 2020