File:Wilhelmina Fletcher, arrested for stealing (22642279164).jpg

English: Name: Wilhelmina Fletcher

Arrested for: not given
Arrested at: North Shields Police Station
Arrested on: 15 August 1906
Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-41-Wilhelmina Fletcher
The Shields Daily News for 22 August 1906 reports:
“At North Shields Police Court today… Wilhelmina Fletcher (30), a married woman, was charged with having, between Aug.17 1905 and Aug. 14 1906, stolen a silver watch and gold albert, a silver brooch, three fancy quilts, half a dozen tea spoons, half a dozen pillow cases, three linen sheets, three blankets and other articles, valued at £6 10s, the property of Jane Robertson, a widow, living at 58 Stephenson Street.
The prosecutrix said the accused and her husband had a furnished room taken from her. She missed some bedclothes and taxed the accused with having taken them and she admitted having done so. Sergt. Hall said the accused went to the police station and gave herself up. From what she said witness went to 58 Stephenson Street and ascertained from the prosecutrix that the accused statements were true. Witness recovered the property which had been pledged for £1 19s 3d. The accused said she had been short of money but she intended to redeem the goods.
The Deputy Clerk (Mr A. E. Kidd) said that this was a plea of not guilty and the court would have no alternative to committing the prisoner for trial. Subsequently she pleaded guilty in order that she might be dealt with summarily and expressed her sorrow. The husband came forward and said he was somewhat irregularly employed but he had invariably been in a position to give his wife sufficient for domestic requirements. There were no children.
The Chairman: “Does your wife drink?”
The husband: “Occasionally.”
The Chairman, addressing the accused, said the Bench would credit her with the fact that she had given herself up to the police and would deal leniently with her. They would commit her to prison for one month in the second division.
Applications by the pawnbrokers for the refunding of the money advanced on the goods were granted in this case.”
These images are a selection from an album of photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1916 in the collection of Tyne & Wear Archives (TWA ref DX1388/1).

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