Record revealed
Hoax letter signed by ‘Jack the Ripper’
This is one of hundreds of letters in police files claiming to have been written by the infamous Whitechapel Murderer – otherwise known as 'Jack the Ripper'.
Item
Recommendation for the mitigation of sentence for selected prisoners on board/in:...
Catalogue reference: HO 17/30/5
What’s it about?
This record is about the Recommendation for the mitigation of sentence for selected prisoners on board/in:... dating from 1821 Sept - 1821 Oct in the series Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
Is it available online?
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Can I see it in person?
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- HO 17/30/5
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1821 Sept - 1821 Oct
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Description (What the record is about)
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Recommendation for the mitigation of sentence for selected prisoners on board/in: In Newgate Gaol as objects for the Penitentiary.
Names and details of prisoners:
Elizabeth Eaton: aged 19 convicted at the Old Bailey 1821 of passing forged Bank Notes and sentenced to 14 years transportation; Anne Wood: aged 27 and Mary Davis aged 13 convicted at the Old Bailey 1821 of stealing knives and forks and sentenced to seven years transportation; Ann Groves aged 13 convicted at the Old Bailey July 1821 of Highway Robbery and sentenced to transportation for life; Caroline Goodwin: aged 35 convicted at the Old Bailey September 1821 of stealing 4 petticoats and sentenced to seven years transportation; Sophia Andrews: aged 26 convicted at the Old Bailey October 1820 of stealing a wallet: initial sentence: transportation for life; Lydia Smith: aged 18 convicted at the Old Bailey April 1820 of stealing various articles of their employers; initial sentence: seven years transportation.
Grounds for clemency (Recommendation Details): Sophia Andrews: 'totally unfit for transportation'; her parents will receive her; Lydia Smith: first offence; previous good character; exemplary behaviour in Newgate; she will go to her parents in the country.
Annotated (Recommendation Details): Eaton, Wood, Davis, Groves, Goodwin for the Penitentiary; Sophia Andrews and Lydia Smith: free pardons: 18 October 1821.
Other papers: A petition on behalf of Lydia Smith from 14 people of London and Bisham, Berkshire including the Prosecutor, Joseph Brown of Henrietta Street.
A letter from R Downham to Mr James Williams, Sheriff of London and Middlesex on behalf of Mr William Anderson and his wife who agree to provide for their daughter Sophia Andrews when she is released.
A letter from Ann Anderson, sister of Sophia Andrews (real name White) about her homecoming.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Former department reference (Former identifier given by the originating creator)
- Dh 5
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Subjects (Categories and themes found in our collection (our subject list is under development, and some records may have no subjects or fewer than expected))
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C14462942/
How to order it
- View this record page in our current catalogue
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- Select an option and follow instructions
Series information
HO 17
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I
See the series level description for more information about this record.
Catalogue hierarchy
Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
1,720,231 records
Within the department: HO
Records created or inherited by the Home Office, Ministry of Home Security, and related...
19,921 records
Within the series: HO 17
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I
184 records
Within the piece: HO 17/30
Petitions referenced, Dh, Dk, Dl and Dm. (Described at item level).
You are currently looking at the item: HO 17/30/5
Recommendation for the mitigation of sentence for selected prisoners on board/in:...
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