Convict Tales & Ancestors - Merevale Poachers

Merevale Poachers

Article in the Bedworth Echo

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"From the BEDWORTH ECHO', Thursday, December 19th, 1991 - 9

Lawrence Fretwell tells the tragic tale that befell the local community 163 years ago.

Four Collycroft Poachers transported to Australia - for shooting Christmas pheasants in Dugdale's woods at Merevale

ONE hundred and sixty three years ago today (Thursday), a gang of poachers, four from Collycroft and the rest from Nuneaton, went in search of game on the Dugdale Estate at Atherstone . Perhaps their motives were personal gain - or could they have been looking for pheasants to supplement their Christmas fare.

Whatever the case, they were caught and charged with poaching and shooting with intent to murder. They escaped the gallows, but were transported to Botany Bay, Australia, for seven years and never came back. In the early part of the 1800's, the traditional method of preserving the King's peace, by the use of unpaid constables acting under a Justice of the Peace, was proving inadequate even though in towns the system was supplemented by salaried watchmen and in London by the Bow Street Runners. In 1829, the Member of Parliament for Tamworth, Robert Peel, introduced the Metropolitan Police Act, which established a single police force in the London area. However, here in North Warwickshire in that year, the King's peace was still maintained by unpaid constables. This task was far from easy, at a time when almost every man in England had his own gun. One case which highlights this was reported in the Warwick Recorder on April the 13th,1829. On April 11th that year,11 men - four of whom were from Collycroft and the rest from Nuneaton - were charged at Warwick Crown Court with poaching and shooting with intent to murder. These 11 men were Joseph Warren, John Mogford, William Ireland, Thomas Darlistone, Henry White, John White, David White, James White, John Squelch, John Mellor and William Goldby. All 11 had been part of a gang of 12 men who had committed the offence. One of the gang, Joseph Cross, who came from Chilvers Coton, had turned King's evidence and was granted immunity from prosecution. All of the 11 accused pleaded 'Not Guilty'. Joseph Cross, who had turned King's Evidence, told the court that he knew all of the prisoners. It was noted by the court that while Joseph Cross was a man of 53 years old, all of the accused were young men in their teens, 20's or 30's. Cross told the court: "We met at Thomas White's house between 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock on the evening of December 19th. "It was there that we decided to go to Mr Dugdale's woods to shoot pheasants." Warren, Mogford, Squelch and the White brothers all had guns, Ireland had a pistol . "We left White's house some time after and separated but we agreed to meet up again at Gent's Barn". It is worth noting that in those days the area between Bedworth, Nuneaton and Merevale, near Atherstone, was all open countryside. There was a large manor house at Whittleford, another at Camp Hill and, of course, there was Ansley Hall, but all of these stood in miles of open countryside. Merevale Hall at that time had not been built. Cross continued: "After meeting up again we went into the Outwoods. By this time, it was well after 12 and we entered Merevale Woods by one o'clock." "There we came face to face with three keepers . Those in front called 'form a line' and we got together and blocked the keepers' path. " "After swearing at the keepers, we told them to 'Cut! Be gone!' "The keepers made off with us after them." "When we got to the Stone Pits, a gun was fired at the keepers to make them run away faster." "Soon after another gun was struck down, but only the cap fired. The powder in the barrel did not go off." "We pursued them up the field with Mellor, Warren and Ireland in front." "There were another two shots fired. Warren fired the last shot.". "We saw no more of the keepers. We killed seven pheasants." "We made our way back to Gent' s Barn where we finally separated." The next witness was William Yardley who together with his brother James Yardley and Thomas Smith were employed by Robert Hood, the Head Gamekeeper for Mr D.S. Dugdale, of Blyth Hall. Yardley stated that they had no guns on them and only carried sticks. He continued: " We passed through the Park into the Outwoods where we met several poachers armed with guns." "The poachers came up to us and said 'You bloody swines . What brings you here? You bloody well be off, or we'll give you something. Cut! Be off! " "They pointed their guns at us. One of the poachers stepped sideways and pointed his gun at my breast when only two yards from me. He was a short man, that could have been Warren, but I am not sure." "My brother Jim said: 'Don't hurt us, lads, and we'll go back.' "We went back and then we heard one of the poachers say, 'Damn their eyes, don't let them go off that way, put something into them." "We quickened our pace and the poachers followed. When we got to the Stone Pits, I heard a copper-capped gun struck down but the gun did not go off." "As we entered the open field I heard another go off and then two more. We were about 40 to 50 yards away from them poachers." "Robert Hood, the Head Keeper, came up a nd the poachers fired at him." "Warren was like the man who shot at Mr Hood, but I cannot be sure." In the witness box, Robert Hood stated: "I heard some firing and saw my men running away." "I then found myself facing a poacher. I saw him put his gun to his shoulder . It seemed to point straight at me." "I heard the shot, saw the flash and at the time I was ducking under the branch of a tree." "The bullet hit the branch only inches from my face." Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Joseph Cross, who had turned King' s Evidence, stated that he was a tailor by trade. He continued: " We were two or three yards off the keepers when someone called 'Form a line." When asked by Mr Hill, the defence lawyer; "Have you received the reward yet?" Cross replied; "No. I don't know when the reward will be paid. The keepers are to talk to me on that business." Mr Hill then asked: "Have you been to prison three or four times?" Cross: "The two first times were for assault, the third was for some ducks that me and one of the White's had fetched." "What do you mean fetched?" "I mean stealing ." replied Cross to loud laughter from the court. "The fourth time was for throwing a net away and the keepers found it. I had three months for that, but that was three or four years ago. They said they put me away for safety." There was loud laughter in the court at this remark. "Did you get into trouble over a matter of perjury?" "Perjury! What's that?" Further laughter. "False swearing." "No. "Cross answered. "Don't you know that by giving this evidence you are saving your own neck?" "That would be a good thing," replied Cross. The next in the witness-box was William Vero who was the constable for the Atherstone district. He stated that he had been threatened by most of the poachers when he apprehended them and some had resisted arrest. He continued: "Darlistone said he would advise Mr Dugdale to be as easy with them as he could, or he must watch out. "David White had run away undressed but was found afterwards up the chimney." The Judge, in his summing-up, stated that all were young, hard-working men, who were well able to maintain themselves and their families and this fact alone prevented him giving them the ultimate capital sentence. All were transported for seven years.

The Warwick Recorder for April 13th, 1829, is housed in Warwick Records Office."

Source: Extract, private communication from Carlene Smelt

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