Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century

by PHILIP RAWLINGS

  9 Daily Journal, 4 November 1724, 18 November 1724; London Journal, 7 November 1724, 14 November 1724; Parker’s London News, 4 November 1724; Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 7 November 1724; British Journal, 7 November 1724, 14 November 1724. There had been two ostriches which, unlike Sheppard, were, at 27 hands, very tall, but, like him, at least metaphorically, ‘They will eat Iron, of which they are very fond’: Daily Journal, 21 September 1724.

  10 Select Trials, at the Sessions-House in the Old-Bailey, for Murder, Robberies, Rapes, Sodomy, Coining, Frauds, Bigamy, and other Offences. To which are added Genuine Accounts of the Lives, Behaviour, Confessions and Dying Speeches of the most eminent Convicts, 4 volumes, London, 1742, vol. I, p. 146. Among the major theatrical pieces based on Sheppard’s life were The Prison Breaker, or the Adventures of John Sheppard, London, 1725, which was performed at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln’s Inn Fields; this was later rewritten, with songs added, by Thomas Walker as The Quaker’s Opera and performed at St Bartholomew’s Fair with Walker in the role of Sheppard. Also J.Thurmond, Harlequin Sheppard. A Night Scene in Grotesque Characters as it is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London, 1724 (see Select Trials, vol. I, p. 147). Satirical pieces included An Epistle from Jack Sheppard to the Late L– –D C– – – – –LL–R of E– – – – –D [London, 1725?], a satire on Lord Macclesfield. Two prints showing Sheppard’s confinement and his escape on 15 October were published by Thomas Bowles and John Bowles in late October: Daily Journal, 26 October 1724; Daily Post, 28 October 1724. These were probably the prints bought by George II (Daily Journal, 3 November 1724), although other prints were published (Daily Post, 4 November 1724). Bowles and Bowles themselves produced another print after Sheppard’s recapture: Daily Journal, 6 November 1724.

  11 Francis Place Manuscripts, British Library, Add. Mss 27,827.

  12 W.H.Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard: A Romance, 3 volumes, London, 1839.

  13 Evening Post, 17 October 1724.

  14 Weekly Journal, or Saturday’s Post, 17 October 1724.

  15 British Journal, 17 October 1724; Weekly Also London Journal, 24 October 1724.

  16 Daily Post, 2 November 1724. Also London Journal, 7 November 1724.

  17 Daily Journal, 2 November 1724, 3 November 1724; Daily Post, 14 November 1724.

  18 Daily Post, 14 November 1724; Evening Post, 14 November 1724; Parker’s London News, 16 November 1724.

  19 Daily Journal, 11 November 1724.

  20 The History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild, Thief-Taker. Joseph Blake alias London, [1725?], preface.

  21 [D.Defoe], The History of the Devil, London, 1726, pp. 489–90.

  22 Select Trials, vol. I, p. 146. See H.Bleackley and S.M.Ellis, The Trial of Jack Sheppard, London, 1933, pp. 127–30.

  23 Daily Journal, 14 November 1724.

  24 Daily Journal, 17 November 1724. The report in Parker’s London News, 18 November 1724, is ambiguous: it says that Sheppard ‘left a printed Pamphlet with Mr. App bee, (as he himself tells us in his Daily-Journal) and desired (Right Irish dear joy) that it might be forthwith printed and published, tho’ it was already done to hand’: Parker’s London News, 20 November 1724. Elsewhere Applebee was enigmatically referred to as Sheppard’s ‘sole Executor’: Authentic Memoirs of the Life and Surprising Adventures of John Sheppard: Who was Executed at Tyburn, November the 16th, 1724. By way of Familiar Letters from a Gentleman in Town, to his Friend and Correspondent in the Country, London, 1724.

  25 A huge crowd had gathered a few days earlier for the King’s Bench hearing at which Sheppard’s death sentence was confirmed, and a number were injured in the crush: Daily Journal, 11 November 1724. As it turned out there was a riot at Tyburn after Sheppard’s death (see p. 74, note 65), and according to the London Journal, 21 November 1724, ‘Never was there a greater Crowd assembled on any Occasion’.

  26 J.R.Moore, A Checklist of the Writings of Daniel Defoe, Hamden, Connecticut, 2nd edn, 1971, items 466 and 468, pp. 193–5.

  27 Daily Journal, 14 November 1724, 16 November 1724, 17 November 1724, 19 November 1724, 20 November 1724, 23 November 1724, 2 December 1724.

  28 Daily Journal, 17 October 1724, 26 October 1724, 2 November 1724, 13 November 1724.

  2 THE HISTORY Of the remarkable LIFE of JOHN SHEPPARD, containing A particular Account of his many ROBBERIES and ESCAPES, Viz.

  LONDON: Printed and Sold by JOHN APPLEBEE in Black-Fryers, J.ISTED, at the Golden-Ball near Chancery-Lane in Fleet street, and the Booksellers of London and Westminster. (Price One Shilling.)

  His robbing the Shop of Mr. Bains in White-Horse-Yard of 24 Yards of Fustian. Of his breaking and entering the House of the said Mr. Bains, and stealing in Goods and Money to the Value of 20 l. Of his robbing the House of Mr. Charles in May Fair of Money, Rings, Plate, &c. to the Value of 30 l. Of his robbing the House of Mrs. Cook in Clare Market, along with his pretended Wife, and his Brother, to the Value of between 50 and 60 l. Of his breaking the Shop of Mr. Philips in Drury-Lane, with the same Persons, and stealing Goods of small Value. Of his entering the House of Mr. Carter, a Mathematical Instrument Maker in Wytch street, along with Anthony Lamb and Charles Grace, and robbing of Mr. Barton, a Master Taylor who lodged therein, of Goods and Bonds to the Value of near 300 l. Of his breaking and entering the House of Mr. Kneebone, a WoollenDraper, near the New Church in the Strand, in Company of Joseph Blake alias Blewskin and William Field, and stealing Goods to the Value of near 50 l. Of his robbing of Mr. Pargiter on the Highway near the Turnpike, on the Road to Hampstead, along with the said Blewskin, Of his robbing a Lady’s Woman in her Mistress’s Coach on the same Road. Of his robbing also a Stage Coach, with the said Blewskin, on the Hampstead Road. Likewise of his breaking the Shop of Mr. Martin in Fleet-street, and stealing 3 silver Watches of 15 l. Value. ALSO

  A particular Account of his rescuing his pretended Wife from St. Giles’s Round House. Of the wonderful Escape himself made from the said Round-House. Of the miraculous Escape he and his said pretended Wife made together from New-Prison, on the 25th of May last. Of his surprizing Escape from the Condemn’d Hold of Newgate on the 31st of August: Together with the true manner of his being retaken; and of his Behaviour in Newgate, till the most astonishing and never to be forgotten Escape he made from thence, in the Night of the 15th of October. The Whole taken from the most authentick Accounts, as the Informations of divers Justices of the Peace, the several Shop-keepers above-mention’d, the principal Officers of Newgate and New-Prison and from the Confession of Sheppard made to the Rev. Mr. Wagstaff, who officiated for the Ordinary of Newgate.

  [p. i]

  TO THE CITIZENS OF London and Westminster.

  GENTLEMEN,

  EXperience has confirm’d you in that everlasting Maxim, that there is no other way to protect the Innocent, but by Punishing the Guilty.

  Crimes ever were, and ever must be unavoidably frequent in such populous Cities as yours are, being the necessary Consequences, either of the Wants, or the Depravity, of the lowest part of the humane Species.

  At this time the most flagrant Offences, as Burning of Dwellings; Burglaries, and Highway Robberies abound; and Frauds common Felonies, and Forgeries are practic’d without Number; thus not only your Properties, but even your very Lives are every way struck at.

  The Legislative Power has not been wanting in providing necessary and wholesome Laws against these Evils, the executive part whereof (according to your great Privileges) is lodged in your own Hands: And the Administration hath at all times applyed proper Remedies and Regulations to the Defects which have happen’d in the Magistracy more immediately under their Jurisdiction.

  Through the just and salutary Severities of the Magistrates, publick excessive Gaming has been in a manner Surpress’d, and some late Examples of divine Vengeance have overtaken certain of the most notorious lewd Prostitutes of the Town, which together with the laudable endeavours of the great and worthy SOCIETIES,1 has given no small check to that enormous and spreading
Vice.

  But here’s a Criminal bids Defiance to your Laws, and Justice who declar’d and has manifested that the Bars are not made that can either keep him OUT, or keep him IN, and accordingly hath a second time fled from the very BOSOM OF DEATH.

  His History will astonish! and is not compos’d of Fiction, Fable, or Stories plac’d at York, Rome, or Jamaica, but Facts done at your Doors, Facts unheard of, altogether new, Incredible, and yet Uncontestable.

  He is gone once more upon his wicked Range in the World. Restless Vengeance is pursuing, and Gentlemen ‘tis to be hop’d that she will be assisted by your Endeavours to bring to Justice this notorious Offender. [p.1]

  THE LIFE OF JOHN SHEPPARD, &c.

  THIS John Sheppard, a Youth both in Age and Person, tho’ an old Man in Sin; was Born in the Parish of Stepney near London, in the Year 1702,2 a Son, Grandson, and great Grandson of a Carpenter: His Father died when he was so very Young that he could not recollect that ever he saw him. Thus the burthen of his Maintenance, together with his Brother’s and Sister’s,3 lay upon the Shoulders of the Widow Mother, who soon procured an Admittance of her Son John into the Work-House in Bishopsgate-street, where he continued for the space of a Year and half, [p. 2] and in that time received an Education sufficent to qualifie him for the Trade his Mother design’d him, viz. a Carpenter:

  Accordingly he was recommended to Mr. Wood in Witch-street near Drury-Lane,4 as a Master capable of entertaining and instructing her Son: They agreed and Bound he was for the space of seven Years; the Lad proved an early profficient, had a ready and ingenious Hand, and soon became Master of his Business, and gave entire Satisfaction to his Masters Customers, and had the Character of a very sober and orderly Boy. But alas unhappy Youth! before he had compleated six Years of his Apprenticeship, he commenced a fatal Acquaintance with one Elizabeth Lyon,5 otherwise call’d, Edgworth Bess, from a Town of that Name in Middlesex where she was Born, the reputed Wife of a Foot Soldier, and who lived a wicked and debauch’d Life; and our young Carpenter became Enamour’d of her, and they must Cohabit together as Man and Wife.

  Now was laid the Foundation of his Ruin; Sheppard grows weary of the Yoke of Servitude, and began to dispute with his Master; telling him that his way of Jobbing from House to House, was not sufficient to furnish him with a due Experience in his Trade; and that if he would not seek out to undertake some Buildings, [p. 3] he would step into the World for better Information. Mr. Wood a mild, sober, honest Man, indulg’d him; and Mrs. Wood with Tears, exhorted him against the Company of this lewd Prostitute: But her Man prompted and harden’d by his HARLOT, D – – – n’d her Blood, and threw a Stick at his Mistress, and beat her to the Ground. And being with his Master at Work at Mr. Britt’s the Sun Ale-house near Islington, upon a very trivial Occasion fell upon his Master, and beat and bruised him in a most barbarous and shameful Manner.6 Such a sudden and deplorable Change was there in the Behaviour of this promising young Man. Next ensued a neglect of Duty, both to God and his Master, lying out of Nights, perpetual Jarrings, and Animosities; these and such like, were the Consequences of his intimacy with this she Lyon; who by the sequel will appear to have been a main loadstone in attracting of him up to the fatal Tree.7

  Mr. Wood having Reason to suspect, that Sheppard had robb’d a Neighbour, began to be in great Fear and Terror for himself. And when his Man came not Home in due season at Nights bar’d him out; but he made a mere jest of the Locks and Bolts, and enter’d in, and out at Pleasure; and when Mr. Wood and his Wife have had all the Reason in the World to believe him Lock’t [p. 4] out, they have found him very quiet in his Bed the next Morning, such was the power of his early Magick.

  Edgworth Bess having stol’n a Gold Ring from a Gentleman, whom she had pick’d up in the Streets, was sent to St. Giles’s Roundhouse; Sheppard went immediately to his Consort, and after a short Discourse with Mr. Brown the Beadle, and his Wife, who had the Care of the Place, he fell upon the poor old Couple, took the Keys from them, and let his Lady out at the Door in spight of all the Out-cryes, and Opposition they were capable of making.

  About July 1723,8 He was by his Master sent to perform a Repair, at the House of Mr. Bains, a Peice-Broker in White-Horse Yard; he from thence stole a Roll of Fustian, containing 24 Yards, which was afterwards found in his Trunk. This is supposed to be the first Robbery he ever committed, and it was not long e’re he Repeated another upon this same Mr. Bains, by breaking into his House in the Night-time, and taking out of the Till seven Pounds in Money, and Goods to the value of fourteen Pounds more. How he enter’d this House, was a Secret till his being last committed to Newgate, when he confess’d that he took up the Iron Bars at the Cellar Window, and after he had done his Business, he nailed them down again, so that [p. 5] Mr. Bains never believed his House had been broke; and an innocent Woman a Lodger in the House lay all the while under the weight of a suspicion of committing the Robbery.

  Sheppard and his Master had now parted, ten Months before the expiration of his Apprenticeship, a woeful parting to the former; he was gone from a good and careful Patronage, and lay expos’d to, and comply’d with the Temptations of the most wicked Wretches this Town could afford as Joseph Blake, alias Blewskins, William Field, Doleing, James Sykes, alias Hell and Fury,9 which last was the first that betray’d, and put him into the Hands of Justice, as will presently appear.

  Having deserted his Masters Service, he took Shelter in the House of Mr. Charles in May-Fair, near Piccadilly, and his Landlord having a Necessity for some Repairs in his House, engag’d one Mr. Panton a Carpenter to Undertake them, and Sheppard to assist him as a Journeyman; but on the 23d of October, 1723, e’re the Work was compleat, Sheppard took Occasion to rob the People of the Effects following, viz. seven Pound ten Shillings in Specie, five large silver Spoons, six plain Forks ditto, four Tea-Spoons, six plain Gold Rings, and a Cypher Ring; four Suits of Wearing Apparel, besides Linnen, to a considerable [p. 6] value. This Fact he confess’d to the Reverend Mr. Wagstaff before his Escape from the Condemn’d Hold of Newgate.

  Sheppard had a Brother, nam’d Thomas, a Carpenter by Profession, tho’ a notorious Thief and House-breaker by Practice. This Thomas being committed to Newgate for breaking the House of Mrs. Mary Cook a Linnen-Draper, in Clare-street, Clare-Market, on the 5th of February last, and stealing Goods to the value of between 50, and 60 l. he impeach’d his Brother John Sheppard, and Edgworth Bess as being concerned with him in the Fact; and these three were also Charg’d with being concern’d together, in breaking the House of Mr. William Phillips in Drury-Lane, and stealing divers Goods, the Property of Mrs. Kendrick a Lodger in the House, on the 14th of the said February:10 All possible endeavours were us’d by Mrs. Cook, and Mr. Phillips, to get John Sheppard and Edgworth Bess Apprehended, but to no purpose, till the following Accident.

  Sheppard was now upon his wicked Range in London, committing Robberies every where at Discretion; but one Day meeting with his Acquaintance, James Sykes, alias Hell and Fury, sometimes a Chair-man, and at others a Running Foot-man. This Sykes invited him to go to one Redgate’s, a Victualling-house near the Seven Dials, to [p. 7] play at Skettles, Sheppard comply’d, and Sykes secretly sent for Mr. Price a Constable in St.

  Giles’s Parish, and Charg’d him with his Friend Sheppard for the Robbing of Mrs. Cook, &c. Sheppard was carried before Justice Parry, who order’d him to St. Giles’s Roundhouse till the next Morning for farther Examination: He was Confin’d in the Upper part of the Place, being two Stories from the Ground, but e’re two Hours came about, by only the help of a Razor, and the Stretcher of a Chair, he broke open the Top of the Round house, and tying together a Sheet and Blanket, by them descended into the Church-yard and Escap’d, leaving the Parish to Repair the Damage, and Repent of the Affront put upon his Skill and Capacity.

  On the 19th of May last in the Evening, Sheppard with another Robber named Benson, were passing thro’ Leicester-fields, where a Gentleman stood accusing a Woman with an attempt to steal his Watch, a Mobb
was gathered about the Disputants, and Sheppard’s Companion being a Master, got in amongst them and pick’d the Gentleman’s Pockets in good earnest of the Watch; the Scene was surprisingly chang’d, from an imaginary Robbery to a real one; and in a moment ensued an Out-cry of stop Thief, Sheppard and Benson took to their Heels, and Sheppard was seiz’d by a Serjeant of [p. 8] the Guard at Leicester House, crying out stop Thief with much earnestness. He was convey’d to St. Ann’s Round House in Soho, and kept secure till the next Morning, when Edgworth Bess came to visit him, who was seiz’d also; they were carried before Justice Walters, when the People in Drury-Lane and Clare-Market appeared, and charged them with the Robberies aforemention’d: But Sheppard pretending to Impeach certain of his Accomplices, the Justice committed them to New-Prison, with intent to have them soon removed to Newgate, unless there came from them some useful Discoveries.11 Sheppard was now a second time in the hands of Justice, but how long he intended to keep in them, the Reader will soon be able to Judge.

  He and his MATE were now in a strong and well guarded Prison, himself loaded with a pair of double Links and Basils12 of about fourteen pounds weight, and confined together in the safest Appartment call’d Newgate Ward; Sheppard conscious of his Crimes, and knowing the Information he had made to be but a blind Amusement that would avail him nothing; he began to Meditate an Escape. They had been thus detained for about four Days, and their Friends having the Liberty of seeing them, furnish’d him with Implements proper for his Design, accordingly Mr. Sheppard goes to work, and [p. 9] on the 25th of May being Whitson Monday at about two of the Clock in the Morning, he had compleated a practicable breach, and sawed of his Fetters; having with unheard of Diligence and Dexterity, cut off an Iron Bar from the Window, and taken out a Muntin, or Bar of the most solid Oak of about nine Inches in thickness, by boring it thro’ in many Places, a work of great Skill and Labour; they had still five and twenty Foot to descend from the Ground; Sheppard fasten’d a Sheet and Blanket to the Bars, and causes Madam to take off her Gown and Petticoat, and sent her out first, and she being more Corpulent than himself, it was with great Pain and Difficulty that he got her through the Interval, and observing his Directions, was instantly down, and more frighted than hurt; the Phylosopher follow’d, and lighted with Ease and Pleasure; But where are they Escap’d to? Why out of one Prison into another. The Reader is to understand, that the New Prison and Clerkenwell Bridewell lye Contiguous to one another, and they are got into the Yard of the latter, and have a Wall of twenty-two Foot high to Scale, before their Liberty is perfected; Sheppard far from being unprepared to surmount this Difficulty, has his Gimblets and Peircers ready, and makes a Scaleing-Ladder. The Keepers and Prisoners of both [p. 10] Places are a sleep in their Beds; he Mounts his Bagage, and in less than ten Minutes carries both her and himself over this Wall, and compleats an entire Escape. Altho’ his Escape from the Condemn’d Hold of Newgate, has made a far greater Noise in the World, than that from this Prison hath. It has been allow’d by all the Jayl-Keepers in London, that one so Miraculous was never perform’d before in England; the broken Chains and Bars are kept at New Prison to Testifie, and preserve the Memory of this extraordinary Villain.13