Newspaper Reports, 1814 Friday 28 January 1814 LIVERPOOL EPIPHANY SESSIONS Thomas Hampson for attempting to commit an unnatural crime – To be imprisoned eighteen calendar months in the Borough Gaol, fined 100l. and to be imprisoned till paid. (Liverpool Mercury) Saturday 5 March 1814 This day the Judges of assize open their commission at our County-Hall, and on Monday will commence the trials of the following prisoners, viz. John Cobley, charged on suspicion of attempting to commit an unnatural crime, at Clipstone. . . . (Northampton Mercury) Tuesday 5 April 1814 The Assizes for Salop concluded on Saturday se’nnight, the ten following prisoners received sentence of Death: . . . and Wm. Wheeler, for having committed an unnatural act on the body of Ann Vandrell, of the age of five years and a half; this last is left for execution: the others are reprieved. (Chester Courant) Saturday 23 April 1814 J. Cobley, of Clipston, this day stood in the pillory, erected on the market-hill, in this town, for one hour, agreeably to his sentence at our late assizes, at which he was convicted of an attempt to commit an unnatural crime. He is nearly 70 years of age! The populace appeared greatly incensed, and scarcely ceased the whole time pelting at him with rotten eggs, potatoes, &c. &c. (Northampton Mercury) Saturday 11 June 1814 . . . was committed to Walsingham Bridewell, . . . by the Rev. H. N. Astley, on the 30th of May, R. Dalamahoy, of Little Walsingham, charged on the oath of Edm. Buscall, of the same place, with having several times assaulted him, the said Edmund Buscall, with intent to commit an unnatural offence. (Norfolk Chronicle) Thursday 7 July 1814 OLD BAILEY. FRANCIS STURGIS was indicted for stopping John Scotland on the King's highway, putting him in fear, and taking from his person two tokens. It appeared by the statement of the Prosecutor, that he was passing along Lisle-street, on hs way home, between eleven and twelve o’clock, on the night of the 19th of May, when the Prisoner, in company with two men and a woman, attacked the Prosecutor and accused him of having ill-used the woman. The Prisoner represented himself as an officer of justice, and insisted that the Prosecutor should go to the watchhouse. He expressed his willingness to go, having committed no offence, and it not being likely the partyi could extort money from him, the Prisoner changed his tone and charged him with unnatural propensities. Shocked at an imputation so base the Prosecutor gave the Prisoner three shillings and afterwards an eighteen-penny piece, when he was suffered to depart. The Prosecutor met the Prisoner some days after when he identified him and caused him to be secured. Guilty – DEATH. (Morning Chronicle) Monday 8 August 1814 At the Assizes for the County of Kent, which ended at Maidstone, on Thursday last, the following Prisoners were capitally convicted, and received sentence of death, viz. . . . John Otooway [sic], and Henry Youkens, the former aged 33, and the latter, 21, for an unnatural crime, at Horton Kirby. . . . – Otooway and Youens are left for execution; the other unhappy men were all reprieved before the Judges left the town. (Sussex Advertiser) 9 August 1813 The following prisoners have been committed to Chester Castle since our last, for trial at the ensuing assizes: Robert Schofield, aged 68, a shopkeeper, from Norbury, charged on oath, with having committed a detestable crime on one John Charlesworth, with the consent of the said J. Charlesworth. . . . (Chester Courant) Monday 15 August 1814 The following prisoners were this week committed to the county gaol: Eusebius Edwards, for an unnatural crime; . . . (Hampshire Chronicle) Thursday 18 August 1814 John Ottoway and Henry Youens, convicted at the late Assizes for Kent, of having committed an unnatural crime, are to suffer the awful sentence of the law at Penenden heath, this day. (Morning Chronicle) Friday 2 September 1814 CHESHIRE SUMMER ASSIZES, MONDAY, AUGUST 29. . . . The proclamation for the suppression of vice and immorality, being read, Sir William Garrow addressed the Jury, as near as we could collect, to the following effect:– . . . The calendar, I am sorry to say, contains one case, to which it will be proper for me to direct your attention. It is for an offence, in the noticing of which I shall follow the delicacy of the law, by not calling it by name. It is one of that depravity – that unnatural description – and will come before you attended with evidence of so offensive a nature, as will render the execution of your duty disagreeable and disgusting. From the circumstances, however, which I have collected together, I am fearful it will only come under the class of a misdemeanor; but of this you, by the testimonies which will be brought before you, will be the best judges. . . . SENTENCES. . . . That unnatural brute, in human shape, Robert Scholfield, was convicted of a detesable crime yesterday morning, and immediately sentenced to be fined 6d. confined to hard labour two years, and during that period, to be twice whipped in the prison. His Lordship gave a particular injunction that the sentence should be rigorously carried into execution, and remarked, that the reason the punishment of the pillory was not awarded, was because the Court was apprehensive, that the just feelings of irritation, which must actuate the public, might break out into such an excess, that the prisoner’s life would fall a sacrifice. (Chester Chronicle) Tuesday 6 September 1814 THURSDAY, SEPT. 1. Women and Children were very properly refused admission into the court this morning. The first trial which took place, was that of Robert Schofield, aged 68, a shopkeeper, from Norbury, charged with an unnatural assault upon John Charlesworth, and with committing or attempting to commit an unnatural crime, with the consent of the said John Charlesworth. The evidence in this case, was of too disgusting a nature to detail; and the Judge expressed a hope, that if any persons were in court, for the purpose of taking it down, they would refrain from making it public. He was found guilty of the assault and attempt, and after a very suitable and justly severe address from Sir William Garrow, immediately sentenced to be fined 6d. confined to hard labour two years, and during that period, to be twice SEVERELY whipped in the prison. His Lordship gave a particular injunction that the sentence should be rigourously carried into execution, and remarked, that the reason the punishment of the pillory was not awarded, was because the Court was apprehensive, that the just feelings of irritation, which must actuate the public, might break out into such an excess, that the prisoner’s life would fall a sacrifice. (Chester Courant) Wednesday 21 September 1814 OLD BAILEY MOONCO, a Lascar, aged 28 years, was indicted for committing an unnatural offence on the body of George Towrey, a child of between eight and nine years of age, on the 16th of the present month, in broad day, in a field near Shadwell Dock, and found GUILTY – DEATH. (Morning Chronicle) Saturday 22 October 1814 Charles Pegg, aged 67, was found guilty, on the prosecution of the Court of Guardians, for an intent to commit an unantural crime. The prisoner was sentenced to three months imprisonment, and to stand in the pillory on Saturday, the 29th instant. (Norfolk Chronicle) Saturday 5 November 1814 On Saturday last, Charles Pegg, for an assault with intent to commit an unantural crime, stood in the pillory in the Market-place, for one hour; the hoary headed culprit was then taken back to the City Gaol. (Norfolk Chronicle) Monday 26 December 1814 Execution. – Yesterday morning Munnoo, a native of the East Indies, for an unnatural offence; J. Magennis, a Catholic, for burglary; and J. Strangeways, a Protestant, for highway robbery; were executed in the Old Bailey. They were each attended by a Priest of his respective persuasion, and conducted themselves in a manner becomming their unhappy situation. (Salisbury and Winchester Journal) Friday 30 December 1814 EXECUTION. – On Friday morning James Strangeways, for house-breaking, James Gaginis, for highway robbery, and Monoo, for an unnatural crime, were executed before the Debtors’ Door, Old Bailey. A few minutes after eight o’clock, Strangeways was conducted to the scaffold, attended by a Catholic Clergyman; Maginis soon after came forwards, accompanied by the Ordinary of Newgate: their fellow sufferer Monoo, the black, was then brought to the fatal tree, attended by a priest of his own country. Having penitently permitted the last offices of the executioner, they were left a few seconds in prayer, and appeared perfectly sensible of their awful situations; they were then launched into eternity. (Cambridge Chronicle and Journal) SOURCE: Various newspapers, dates as given. CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation: Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Newspaper Reports, 1814", Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 7 November 2014 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1814news.htm>. Return to Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England