This is Findon — These Findon Chronicles created by Valerie Martin contain scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

CRIMES CONNECTED WITH FINDON IN THE 1800s

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The scene is looking down School Hill in the early 1800s.   The Gun Inn is on the right hand side.   The Village House is on the left.   Cissbury Ring is in the distance.

Copyright Valerie Martin 2008.

Originally published in Sussex Local in October 2008

The first Census Returns for Findon were in 1801.  They did not go into great depth with details but gave the parish having 381 inhabitants.   Sixty-nine of these were recorded as engaged in agriculture.  Agricultural labourers were very poor.

Public hanging and gibbeting in Sussex ceased in 1799.   I have, therefore, not been surprised to find an abundance of crimes for the nineteenth century.    Firstly there was early in 1803, a poor man was stopped and searched by two ruthless footpads somewhere between Arundel and Findon (near Patching Pond).   Not altogether satisfied with the meagre belongings the man was carrying on his person, the villains —

Secondly, there was the crime of Joseph Terry who was born in Thakeham and was one of twin sons born to Henry Terry.  Joseph settled in Findon as a carpenter.  

At the age of 43 Joseph was committed on 16th June 1818 at Horsham.  Convicted as a rogue and vagabond having been found lying naked in the open air. He was tried on 13th July 1818 at Horsham Sessions.  He was sent back to Findon for his misdemeanours.   I know quite a bit about this villager of the past. He was 5 ft 6½ins tall, of slender build, with a fair complexion and brown hair.  He had grey, hazel eyes and a thin face.   He had a scar on his left leg.   If I had more ability as an artist, I would be able to give you a photo-fit image of him! 

Joseph was a first cousin twice removed to Albert Short Senior of Findon Farm.  I am also told that he was also in some way connected to the Ockendens of Findon at the time.

In the early nineteenth century the lot of smugglers was not a very happy one as a major crackdown was launched on their occupation. Perhaps it is best not to know the full share that Findon folk took in smuggling in the 1800s.  The name if a Findon smuggler comes to mind — that of Mr. Lillywhite who lived at Gore Cottages at the foot of Bost Hill.

On 2nd March 1824, a not uncommon crime of a ruffian occurred in a Findon street.    A baby girl of under one-year-old was being carried in the arms of her nurse in the village when a neighbour came out with a piece of cake and handed it to the infant.   The nurse had hardly taken a few steps carrying the baby eating the gift when "a worthless boy espied the tempting morsel in passing, snatched it out of her hands and ran away with it".   

The baby obviously cried out in dismay but to no avail as the brutal ruffian was no where to be seen..... and nor was the morsel of cake. 

From the Sussex Weekly Advertiser of Monday 18th September 1809 it has come to my notice that Charles Coppard of Findon Farm fame obtained a General Certificate for Killing Game.   Other Findon villagers of the day were also served with the same certificate, namely James Olliver, John Richardson and William Richardson.  

Charles Coppard's name particularly came to my attention because he had occasion later to write to Charles Goring at Wiston to apologise in 1829 for trespassing and killing a hare at Findon Park.    He had to pay the market price of the hare in question plus damages..    He duly received a receipt for the fine from J. Penfold who was Mr. Goring's solicitor.

I have not come across the name of Charles Coppard before in connection with crimes.   He was a tenant farmer and leased some 145 acres of land from the Lord of the Manor, William Green. He worked some of the agricultural land that in later years was to become known as Findon Farm.  During Coppard's day his farmland comprised of 60 acres of wheat; 39 acres of barley; 25 acres of oats and 21 acres of other crops.   

Following the Revolution in France in 1830, there was some stackfiring in England.  Four thatched houses in Findon were destroyed by fire and this may have been the cause — that was the story going the rounds at the time.    Or were these mishaps due to the construction of the properties with thatch roofs I wonder?   I do not know how many houses were normally burned down as an annual occurrence.

If you are reading this in Australia you just may have your roots buried in Findon if you have the surname of "Thompson" in your family tree.

In the nineteenth century there was an agricultural labourer living in the village named William Thompson and at the tender age of 21 years he was caught stealing from the property of a gentleman named Thomas Grey.     I have no more info on Thomas Grey and do not know where he lived but can only assume the crime was carried out in Findon.    

William made off with two watches... one gold and the other silver.   Not only that but also a horde of seven silver teaspoons and other articles.  

The outcome was not good for William as he was sentenced at the Spring Lewes Assizes in March 1835 to be transported for life for his misdemeanour.

Now I come to a glimpse into early Victorian days in Findon.  By January, 1838 there was a constant stream of beggars in the centre of the village of Findon.   These very rough and unwelcome vagrants banged on the doors of cottages and if not receiving goods to their liking, would swear abuse at the occupants.   Some carried knives and terrified the poor unsuspecting villagers. 

This practice was particularly unbearable during the dark winter nights.  The problem seemed unsolvable and in the end the inhabitants decided to take matters into their own hands and contribute to the wages for a Night Watchman who was paid a guinea a week. 

It was intensely cold that January as the selected man started his solitary pacing of the village centre in an effort to keep the peace in Findon on Tuesday, 13th February 1838.

From Cissbury Ring, looking west one can see the rows of roofs of Findon Valley with the downland of High Salvington rising beyond.  Behind is Highdown Hill with its own historic windmill site and traditional burial ground of the South Saxon kings.     Highdown Hill is just within sight of Findon from some of the highest points and in 1853.was the location of a crime.

25 year-old George and his brother William, aged 20 years were two of the nine sons of the Clear family of Angmering.   Most of the boys in the family were unemployed and were described at the time as looking half starved.  

George and William were charged before the magistrates on 15th January 1854 because it was said they had used wires for the purpose of taking game.   The brothers had been detected setting wires in Mr. Henty's field in Pot Lane near Highdown Hill.

They were committed to the House of Correction for one calendar month, and to be further imprisoned for six months if they failed to find the required sureties.   It is documented that Superintendent Norman gave them food, which at the time it was said.....

"they ate voraciously".

I can't help wondering if they provided the sureties or not!

In February, 1890, George Caplin, a most trusted employee of the farmer George Hampton of Findon for twenty-five years, was found dead in a tank at the rear of the cattle shed where he was employed.  He had always been a well conducted and respected man.  His employer was a great Findon Sheep farmer of the era and lived at North End Farmhouse for close on half a century.  His Southdown flock was renowned and known far and wide. 

The Coroner’s jury returned a verdict of ......

“suicide while temporarily insane”. 

George Caplin had not been himself during the previous weeks and considered by friends and relations to be of unsound mind since losing his wife.  He had been out of the Infirmary about two months and was very depressed and deemed not responsible for his actions in taking his life.  He was interred at St. John the Baptist Church in the village on Monday, 17th February 1890. The burial service was read (as was the custom at the village church at that time), over those ...

“who lay violent hands on themselves”.

Here I come to the end of the 1800s..... but I would like to mention one happening ten years later.   A Findon man, Frederick Miles, was described as "the laziest man in the village" by Police Superintendent Bridger when the offender appeared before Worthing Magistrates in 1910.   Frederick Miles was charged with "sleeping out" and received a sentence of seven days in prison.

John Greves of Walton on Thames (ex-Findonian) emailed in August 2011 to way "Dear Valerie, Dreaded Findon Headmistress described me as the laziest boy in her school .... slept out on many occasions.

Wonder why a Police Superintendent got involved .... suspect there is more behind this .... close pal of the Beak maybe".
 

Date unsure for this Findon crime of the past.... but I guess it was late 1800s or very early 1900s.    It all happened on a Sunday when the congregation of St. John the Baptist Church in Findon noticed that the Bishop's chair given by the Marchioness of Bath of Muntham Court, had vanished from its usual place in the place of worship.    The church had been broken into and the chair stolen by culprits unknown.   They had come prepared and had severed through the chains securing the chair!    

If Ebay had been around in those days, we would have known where to look for it!

This comes to my next question.    What is a bishop's chair?

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Answer:     It was a special chair on the side of the sanctuary reserved for the diocesan bishop on his visitations to St. John the Baptist Church... the throne of the bishop!

This is Findon — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.