Contribution box

[wrinkly]

I recently found an ancestor on the Criminal Register........ oops... embarrassing........ but intriguing.
He got 6 months imprisonment with 12 months police supervision for larceny.
Hull C.C. found the newspaper report and the report of the quarter sessions for me.
What did he steal? "A contribution box containing five copper pence and certain foreign coins".
6 months seems a long time for 5d... even though it was his second offence...........
Does anyone know what that would be in today's money?
Incidentally he was caught red-handed and the box was locked so he probably had no idea how much (or little) was in it.......
Wrinkly

[Procat]

Hi Wrinkly,

Have a look here.

[wrinkly]

Hi Wrinkly,

Have a look here.

thanks Procat. The offence took place in 1866 - the 1860 conversion rate is 90p and the 1870 is 95p......... still doesn't seem a lot does it! Times were hard.... maybe he is lucky he wasn't transported!

Wrinkly

[Procat]

Does seem a lot for such a trifling amount. But as you say, times were hard then. Perhaps it was not his first offence,

[Peter Goodey]

A "contribution box" suggests something charitable. Then, as now, stealing from a charity was considered a particularly heinous offence.

[Nannas]

Hiya,
Sometimes it wasn't about "what" you did to offend but about "who" you offended.

There were people sent to jail for a year for stealing 'one slice' of bacon,,,,and others who murdered illegitimate children who only got good behaviour bonds!!!
Small offences were supposted to be "3 strikes and your out" but it sometimes just depended who you offended with your strikes..

I doubt it was the amount of money in the box, but more who the box belonged to.

Nannas

[Waitabit]

Times haven't changed all that much have they?

[wrinkly]

I doubt it was the amount of money in the box, but more who the box belonged to.

Nannas

Hi Nannas - you are right. The box belonged to the Hull Port Society and I emailed Hull CC to ask if they knew what it was/is.... apparently it ws the Port of Hull Society's Sailor's Orphan Homes at Newland............ which makes it worse.......
am I still welcome at B-G?!?!?!?

Wrinkly

[Procat]

am I still welcome at B-G?!?!?!?

Wrinkly

Of course. We don't believe that the sins of the fathers should be borne by the children.

If we did that there would be a lot less members.

[susan-y]

Of course. We don't believe that the sins of the fathers should be borne by the children.

If we did that there would be a lot less members.

You are so right, Procat! Very few of us have nothing but in our trees. One of my ggggrandfathers died in Huntingdon jail while serving 6 months for stealing a pewter mug from the local pub Sadly he left behind a young family..

Sue