Boys will be boys..

[John]

Portsmouth Evening News - Friday 22 August 1890

SAILOR BOYS' ESCAPADE.

THEFT OF A YACHT FROM GOSPORT.

Yesterday afternoon three boys belonging to H.M.'s training-ship St. Vincent deserted from that vessel in a daring manner. Thursday afternoon is always observed as a holiday on board, and the lads were granted leave to go ashore, the majority being attracted to a cricket match on the recreation ground at Haslar. The three in question went to Portsmouth and hired a light boat from Mr. Batchellor, stating that they wished to go out for a row. They pulled away across the harbour into Haslar Creek, where Captain Arms' cutter yacht Excelsior, a fine little sea boat of about ten tons, was moored, and in the temporary absence of the man in charge the boys boarded her and got her under weigh. The vessel, which is valued at £300, is well found in every respect, and was only recently fitted out ready for sea. The sails were bent, and the daring trio, who had purchased some cheap caps ashore and assumed a sort of yachting costume, succeeded in passing the St. Vincent and reaching the mouth of the harbour unobserved. Shaping their course towards the Isle of Wight, and favoured with a good breeze, they soon found themselves off Bembridge. They passed the night afloat, and, there being no provisions on board, two of the party left the Excelsior in the skiff, which they had towed behind the yacht, to go ashore in search of food. The exact spot in which they landed is not known, and they have not since been heard of. Early this morning the cutter was sighted three miles off the Nab light ship by two local pilots, who boarded her, and finding only one boy on board, suspected that there was something wrong. The uniform of the deserter betrayed him, and the pilots navigated the vessel back to Portsmouth, where they arrived about noon. The lad was at once taken on board the St. Vincent and placed under arrest. Captain Arms is at present away from home, and the vessel is in charge of Mr. Grant, his son-in-law, who has to consider the question of salvage and to decide whether the theft of the yacht shall form the subject of a charge before the civil Magistrates or be left for the naval authorities to deal with. It is a singular coincidence that some years ago another vessel belonging to Captain Arms was stolen from Haslar Creek under similar circumstances. In that case, however, a St. Vincent boy went away in her single handed with the intention of sailing to France, but got into difficulties and was observed by the Coastguard at Littlehampton, who handed him over to a police constable.

[Pete]

 THIEF'S DIARY.
Edward Faller, aged eighteen, a draper's assistant, of Lamberhurst, Kent, has been, at Newport (I.W.), sent to prison for three weeks' hard labour for breaking into Mr. Cresswell Gray's steam yacht White Ladye, at Cowes, and stealing a pint of brandy liqueur. The prisoner was found asleep on a settee in the saloon with liqueur and biscuits by his side. He had a diary recording that he had slept on vessels at Southampton, Portsmouth, and Isle of Wight ports. The following entry appeared on October 11th: "Got passage to Cowes. Slept on yacht Aline  and made a haul."

Welsh Gazette 23/10/1902

[John]

Chatham News - Friday 17 November 1939

POLICEMAN NEARLY SHOT

By Rochester Boys With Stolen Rifles.

THREE THOUSAND ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION

At Rochester Juvenile Court, on Tuesday, three Rochester boys, one aged 13 and two 12 years old, came before the Magistrates charged with stealing three B.S.A. rifles and 3,000 rounds of ammunition, the property of Messrs. Short Bros. All the lads pleaded guilty.

Police-Sergeant Huntley told the Court that on Sunday, November 5th, he was walking across a field at Nashenden, Rochester, with his wife, when he heard the sound of rifle fire and several bullets "whizzed" past his face. After placing his wife in a place of safety he approached the boys, who denied anything about the rifles. Later one of the boys stated that they found them, together with some ammunition, near a farm. They also said that they had another rifle, which a man took away from them.

Mr. Walter G. Hughes, a farmer of Baker-street, Rochester, said that he saw three boys firing a rifle in Nashenden-lane on November 4th. When they saw him the boys ran away and dropped a rifle into the grass.

A member of Messrs. Short Bros. Rifle Club, Mr. Leslie Stedman, of Cornwall-road, Rochester, told the Magistrates that the Club held a meeting on October 31st, and when they left the store in Ethelbert-road, Rochester, everything was securely locked. When he returned on November 5th he found that the locked cupboards had been forced and three rifles and between three and four thousand rounds of ammunition had been stolen. He estimated the missing property to be worth about £25.

It was stated that the police had only recovered 200 rounds of ammunition.

A stepfather of one of the lads informed the Court that his son had never been in any trouble before, and that he had too much spare time on his hands since the schools had been evacuated.

The Bench (Mrs. I. G. Winch presiding) bound the three boys over to be of good behaviour for two years.

[John]

Dover Express - Friday 11 July 1947

FOUR HUNDRED BROKEN PANES.

When a fourteen year old boy appeared at Dover Juvenile Court on Wednesday, charged with breaking two panes of glass at the Citadel Barracks, it was stated that during the past three months about four hundred panes of glass had been smashed at the barracks.

Insp. Wilkinson said that at 8.30 p.m. on June 16th, an Army officer was in his garden at the Citadel Barracks when his attention was drawn to three youths sitting at the top of the moat. One of them was firing a catapult towards the barracks, and the officer heard the sound of breaking glass. He immediately mustered some troops who took the boys to the guard room, where they were later seen by P.C. Miller. Two of the boys were armed with catapults and the boy who appeared before the Magistrates that day admitted that he had broken two panes of glass.

Insp. Wilkinson said he had been told that during the two days preceding this incident, thirty-one panes of glass had been broken and during the past three months about four hundred had been smashed. To reach the top of the moat the boys would have to get past a cordon of barbed wire and notices were freely exhibited pointing out that it was W.D. ground and the public were not allowed to enter it.

The Chairman, Mr. G. Golding, examining the catapults, said there had been a suggestion at one time that those things should be made illegal, but it would probably mean waiting until someone was seriously hurt before anything was done about it. Addressing the boy, Mr. Golding said that sort of thing had to be stopped. In these days of shortage of material and man-power it was a very serious matter indeed. The cost of replacing those windows came out of the pockets of the public. The boy would be fined £2 and the Magistrates hoped that his parents would see that the money came out of his pocket money.

[Pete]

WHAT NAUGHTY BOYS DID. EXCITING BATHING ADVENTURE AT BEXHILL-ON.SEA. At Bexhill-on-Sea on Thursday there was an exciting adventure. A bathing machine was suddenly pushed off the beach by some boys, and was soon driven into deep water by a strong north-easterly wind. Inside the machine were a man and a. boy who could swim only a little, and for a time much excitement prevailed as to the safety of the pair. Boatmen put off, and attached ropes, eventually bringing the occupants and the machine, which had been overturned, to the shore. Their clothing had been washed away, and a vest containing a valuable gold watch and £5 in gold was discovered at low water.

Evening Express 16 July 1897

[Pete]

A man named David Collins, who has this week figured at the Dartford police court, is something of an actor and of a naturalist as well. He is known to the police as the old-fashioned boy owing to his ability to personate the character of a youngster. Some time ago when convicted of stealing wheat he told the prison governor that he was thirteen years of age, and his appearance was sufficiently juvenile to warrant the governor in accepting his statement. But, subsequently, inquiries were made, when it was ascertained that Collins, instead of being a street  arab of thirteen summers, was a full-blown man of thirty. Most of us wish we could equal Collins in hiding the marks placed on us by the hand of Time. As a student of natural history, Collins occupies his attention with mice. When charged at the police station on Monday with having stolen a quantity of wheat, six or eight live mice sprang out from the inside of his shirt, much to the consternation of the constables who were standing by. Perhaps the prisoner had taken the wheat to feed his pets nevertheless the offence will cost him his liberty for the next three weeks.

South Wales Echo 8 June 1887

[Pete]

 AN EXPENSIVE KISS.—At Rochester Charles W. Neile, florist., &e., High-street, Rochester, has been fined £ 2 2, for assaulting Mary Ann Walters, his domestic servant, by putting his arm round her waist and kissing her.

South Wales Daily News 29 April 1887

[Pete]

THE ALLEGED HEARTLESS OUTRAGE ON A CHILD. From inquiries it has been ascertained that the child, about ten years of age, the son of a farm bailiff at Brasted, Kent, has admitted to the police his story that when on his way home from school he was stopped by an unknown man, stripped naked, and left in the cold without any clothing was fabricated by himself. The boy reached home on Monday last, having only his shirt and one stocking on, and evidently suffering from exposure to the cold. He explained his condition to his parents by saying that a man, a description of whom he gave, had taken off his clothes and boots and left him with only his shirt and one stocking. The police were informed of the alleged outrage, and it was subsequently discovered that the boy had played truant on that day and had spent his school money. On being further questioned as to the remarkable statement he had made, he admitted that it was a false one, and that he had concocted it. He said he alone took off his clothes and boots and secreted the whole lot in a wood, where they were subsequently found in a bundle. It is supposed that the boy, having spent his school money, adopted this method to remove any suspicion on the part of his parents. From the first the police did not place a great deal of credence in the boy's story, and no arrest has been made.

South Wales Daily News  8 January 1889

[Pete]

CHARGE OF THROWING AT A RAILWAY TRAIN. At the Ashford Police-court, two youths named George Wilcock and Edward Marchant, both 19 years of age, and both belonging to Pluckley, have been charged with wilfully and maliciously throwing atones at a passing train, thereby endangering the lives of the passengers. Henry Moore, Dover, said he was under-guard of the train which left London at 2.50 p.m. on the 1st inst., and arrived at Ashford at 4.43. As he passed under the bridge at Pluckley, the train going at 35 miles an hour, a stone struck the observatory window at the top of his van, and the glass flew all over the place. He got on the coupling-box and looked out, and saw two young men leaning over the parapet of the bridge. If he had been on the other side of the van he must have been seriously hurt. Eli Goodwin, platelayer, proved that two youths were on the bridge from half-past three until after the train had passed. He saw Mr. Foot, the station-master, go to them. Mr. Foot proved that the two individuals were the prisoners. Police-constable Parker proved that when he apprehended them, Marchant said, "We were throwing stones, but we were not throwing at the train." Wilcock said, If a stone hit the train, it must have gone over the bridge by accident." Mr. Burra said the evidence did not disclose malicious intent, and it would be no use to send the prisoners to the assizes but in discharging them he said he was exceedingly sorry they had got off unpunished.

Aberystwyth Observer  11 October 1884

[Pete]

At Petworth on Monday, George Ayling, 9 was charged with attempting to wreck an ex- press train on the L. B. and S. C. Railway line at Pulborough, on the 20th inst.—Miss Clara Christian, of White Cottage, Pulborough, an artist, stated that she was crossing the line by the level crossing and saw the accused sitting on a stile close by. On the line was a very large stone, and a number of others smaller on both tracks. She removed them, and while doing so asked the boy who put them there and he said he did not know. She went on her way, but happening to look back, she saw the biggest stone back on the line, and the boy just running away from the spot. She turned to go back, but at that moment a train passed, and in doing so it crushed the stone to fragments, at the same time both engine and carriages bumping heavily. —The Chairman (to the prisoner): Have you any questions to ask this lady ?—Ayling No, what she says is all true. In giving their decision the Bench said that they did not wish to send the boy to an industrial school, but they must nevertheless punish him in such a way as would be a caution to imitators. He would be imprisoned for one day and receive six strokes with the birch at the hands of the Police-sergeant and if the father wished he could be pre- sent. They would like to add their appreciation of the conduct of Miss Christian in the matter.

Rhyl Record 8 October 1898

[Pete]

TWO SCHOOLBOYS BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES. At Croydon police-court, on Tuesday, two boys named Muddle and Shove, aged 12 and 11 respectively, were charged with attempting to wreck the midday express from Eastbourne on Wednesday last by wilfully placing two railway chairs and an iron fish plate on the metals between Purley Junction and South Croydon. Detective- Sergeant Ward apprehended the prisoners at the Bynes-road Board School on Monday afternoon, when Shove, is reported to have made a statement admitting that he was with the other prisoner when the latter placed a piece of iron on each of the four metals, saying he wanted to see the train run off the line, and that he should go home and look out of a window to view the accident that would result. The boys subsequently charged each other with the offence, They were remanded.

South Wales Daily News 28 October 1891.

The two boys Muddle and Shove, who have confessed to placing two iron chairs and an iron fishplate on the metals of the Brighton Railway on October 21st, whereby the midday express from Eastbourne narrowly escaped being wrecked while travelling full speed between Purley and South Croydon stations, were again brought before the Croydon magistrates on Wednesday. the engine-driver, Gilbert, swore that the train was going at the rate of about 40 miles an hour. Mr Ellis (for the company) pointed out that the magistrates had power to deal summarily with the boys, and Mr Dennis, their solicitor, urged the Bench to punish them by dividing a dozen strokes with the birch between them. He added that they had been kept in bed at the workhouse ever since their arrest, 10 days ago. and the boys were given good characters by the School Board officials. Muddle was sentenced to eight strokes with the birch, and Shove to six strokes.

Cardiff Times 7 November 1891

[Pete]

BOY TRAIN WRECKER. At Croydon on Saturday John Gregory, aged twelve of Coulsdon, was ordered to receive ten strokes with the birch-rod for placing two iron chairs, weighing 40lb. each, on the South Eastern line, between Kingswood and Purley The driver of the passenger train was unable to pull up. and the engine dashed into the obstruction. Another boy, named Coleman, aged  eight, was discharged.

Western Mail 14 November 1898