Report of Ralph Clayton, Recorder of Pontefract on 2 individual petitions (the prisoner...

Report of Ralph Clayton, Recorder of Pontefract on 2 individual petitions (the prisoner and William Arton, inn keeper) and 2 collective petitions (66 people and 56 people of Pontefract) on behalf of William Towndrow, shopkeeper and waiter, convicted at Pontefract on 7 August 1810 on 2 charges of theft of a silver extinguisher, property of Rachel Milnes, widow/Robert Pemberton Milnes MP, of Fryston; and of the theft of 4 napkins property of William Arton, innkeeper, whilst the prisoner was employed as an occasional waiter. The prisoner's lodgings were searched, as he was believed to be dealing in base coin. The prisoner's wife Martha Townrow and daughter Theodoria were also indicted but all three were acquitted, as there was an error in the indictment. There are letters from Henry Goulbourn; Mr Hodgeson; Lady Mixborough and Lord Pollington, MP; a covering letter [signature illegible] and a certificate of good conduct from F Hodge[?].Grounds for clemency: the extinguisher was found the waistcoat which had been purchased, the extinguisher was not found until the waistcoat was to be washed and the prisoner did not know to whom the extinguisher belonged, he prisoner has no previous convictions and has a wife and 5 children to support. Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: the punishment the prisoner is receiving is more severe than was ordered (was initially confined in the Wakefield House of Correction) and this is possible ground for a mitigation of the prisoner's sentence. Folios 47-64.