Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on John Archer, tallow chandler,...

Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on John Archer, tallow chandler, convicted at the Old Bailey in February 1798, for receiving 42lbs of stolen tallow (stolen by James Ritchie), value 46/-, on 10 January 1798. Evidences supplied by John Biggin, mate of the ship Commerce (owned by Robert Meldrum); John Lumsdale, sailor-boy on board the ship Commerce, who was an accomplice to the crime but was admitted to evidence on part of the Crown; Elijah Melkin, 'a Serjeant belonging to the Tower Hamlets; Robert Brown, 'an Officer belonging to Shadwell Office', Robert Meldrum, captain of the ship Commerce and 37 others. The tallow had been taken to Archer's shop and dropped into his cellar. Grounds for clemency: prisoner did not steal or procure the tallow or order it to be thrown into his cellar, previous good character and Mr Justice Rooke had no objection to the prisoner transporting himself. Initial sentence: not given. Recommendation: to transport himself and to give securities for the term equal to the remainder of his sentence. Folios 67-70. See also HO 47/22/10, folios 52-57.