Leeds Assizes poster

Bill announcing the programme of the first Assizes held in Leeds, 6th August 1864, detailing cases including those of Joseph Myers and James Sargisson.

A woodcut shows the High Sherriff in his carriage, accompanied by two policemen in top hats. It records the visit of the High Sherriff and Under Sherriff (Mr. Frederick C. Trench Gascoigne and Mr William Grey) and two assize judges (Sir Colin Blackburn and Sir Henry Singer Keating).The judges were to arrive at Wellington Station and would stay at the Queen’s Hotel. From there a grand procession was organised to the Town Hall where the High Sherriff and judges would be welcomed by the mayor, Obadiah Nussey. The bill optimistically states that “It is confidently expected that the populace will observe their customary decorum and assist the police in preserving order”. As well as conducting their judicial business, the visitors were to be lavishly entertained with a mayoral dinner and a Soirée Musicale.

Out of the 67 cases listed, only six were from the Leeds area. These included William Newton Ackroyd (forgery), Edward Ackroyd (misdemeanour – four cases), William Thompson (burglary), John Lofthouse, Edward Buckley, Samuel Buckley and William Sykes (assault and robbery), Patrick Nalls (assault and robbery) and the sad case of Mary Ann Winterbottom accused of attempting to murder her child.

Aside from the usual cases of murder, assault and robbery, there are a number of crimes which shine a light on Yorkshire society in 1864. There are rural crimes such as arson of a haystack or sheep stealing and industrial crimes including “damaging warps” in Batley (i.e. sabotaging a textile loom) and “stealing German silver and brass casting models” in Sheffield. A number of people are accused of “uttering base coin” which meant knowingly using forged coins. Someone else was accused of “stealing a post letter” and another of “attempting to upset a train at Whixley”.