Newspaper Reports, 1747 Saturday, 31 January 1747 Last Tuesday one John Cooper was found guilty of Sodomy, at the Sessions at Guildhall; he received Sentence to stand in the Pillory, and to be imprison'd for a Year and a Day. (Westminster Journal or New Weekly Miscellany) Tuesday 21 March 1747 Extract of a Letter from Gosport, March 11. The Court Martial, mentioned in my last, was held on board his Majesty's Ship the Duke, in the Harbour, on Alley [or Alsey] Ann Jeyors a Turk, belonging to his Majesty's Ship the Princessa, for Sodomy, committed on a Boy, on board the Royal George Man of War; he is sentencewd to receive 500 Lashes in the whole, from Ship to Ship, and to be towed on Shoar [sic] with Halter about his Neck. (Ipswich Journal) Thursday, 30 April 1747 Yesterday one George Welding was committed to Newgate by Thomas Burdus, Esq. for assaulting Mr. John Penton, in Hyde Park, putting him in fear, taking from him his Hat and Wigg, and other things; and afterwrds attempting to commit the detestable Sin of Sodomy upon him; but was prevented by his Cryout out, and Persons thereupon coming to his Assistance. (General Advertiser) Saturday, 6 June 1747 Yesterday 7-night, about eleven o'Clock, two Men were detected in attempting to commit Sodomy with each other in the Middle Morefields, when one made his Escape, and the other next Morning was bound over to Hicks's Hall, where it is hoped he will meet with a Reward due to such detestable Merits. (Westminster Journal or New Weekly Miscellany) Friday 14 August to Friday 21 August 1747 LONDON, August 15. This Day a private Centinal of Col. Fitzroy's Company in the first Regiment of Foot-Guards, received 200 Lashes, being the last of 600 ordered him by a Court-martial, for Sodomitical Practices, and was drummed out of the Regiment with a Halter about his Neck. He was whipp'd on Thursday last on the Parade, where he received 200 Lashes. (Derby Mercury) 22–26 August 1747 Last Friday Morning a Soldier was haltered on the Parade in St James's-Park, after which he received 500 Lashes, and was drummed out of the Regiment, quite to the Admiralty Gate, for being found guilty of Theft, and Sodomitical Practices, a Paper with those Crimes written thereon, being fixed upon him. (Whitehall Evening Post) [A cutting from this newspaper, with the handwritten date "1747", was pasted into a copy of The Midnight-Ramble: or, The Adventures of Two Noble Females: Being A true and impartial Account of their late Excursion through the Streets of London and Westminster, London, 1754, British Library shelfmark 8285.cc.40.] 13 October 1747 Ipswich, Oct. 9. Yesterday the Sessions was held for this Town, at which John Griggs, a Man of about 50 or 60, was found guilty of an Attempt to commit Sodomy on a ~Boy of about 16. We hear that the Sessions are adjourn'd to Monday,and that then he will receive his Sentence. (General Advertiser) Saturday, 31 October 1747 Ipswich, Oct. 23. Last Saturday John Griggs, who at the last Sessions for this Town was found guilty of an Attempt to commit Sodomy, stood in the Pillory, and was pelted severely by the Spectators. (Westminster Journal or New Weekly Miscellany) CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation: Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Newspaper Reports, 1747", Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 16 June 2005, updated 22 Nov. 2011, enlarged 4 Dec. 2015, 5 Jan. 2021, 1 Jan. 2023 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1747news.htm>. Return to Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England