Documents > Newspaper clipping relating to John Chapman Pottrell, dated 01/01/1851
The below newspaper clipping was sourced from The Times Online archives. I believe the Mr. Potterill mentioned in the article must be John Chapman Pottrell, but it could possibly be one of his brothers, Thomas or Edward. I am surprised to read that John Law slept in the Pottrell home "for protection", leaving his "aged wife" alone in his own home..
| Person of interest / Location | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mr Potterill, of Furneux Pelham, Hertfordshire | Mentioned | Probably John Chapman Pottrell. |
The following story is an extract from The Times newspaper, dated 01/01/1851 and is transcribed to include any typos and grammatical errors:BURGLARY AT FURNEUAX PELHAM -- On Monday the 23rd ult., the cottage of a labourer, named John Law, in the employ of Mr. Potterill, of Furneaux, Herts, was forcibly broken into between the hours of twelve at night and one in the morning. As Law sleeps in the house of Mr. Potterill, as a protection, his aged wife was was left alone in the house, was disturbed between 12 and 1, by a knocking at the door; she at first thought it was some neighbour requiring her services as a midwife, and she got up and asked who was there, when a voice called out with an oath, "Open the door." Immediately an arm was thrust through the glass, and opened the window, a man springing into the room and threw her on the bed, and covered the clothes over her. He then unfastened the door and let in another man. Pillows and clothes were heaped upon her until she was nearly smothered, and they threatened to blow her brains out if she moved for three hours. The men spoke in a disguised tone, as if they had something in their mouths. They then ransacked the house, and took away some wearing apparel, two stone bottles of home-made wine, and some tea and sugar, and about 15s in money.