Timeline
1832? – Estimated year of birth.
1855 – 15th December – Thomas Ford is committed in Mackworth for stealing wheel tines.
1855 – 21st December – Extract from the Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal – “On Friday night last, at about 11 o’clock, police-constable Madeley was on duty on the Ashbourne road, Derby, he observed two men, named Thomas Ford (a militia private) and Solomon Booth, go past him; about an hour later he saw them return, carrying a sack. Examining it, and finding it to contain a quantity of old iron which had been used as a tire to cart wheel, took them into custody. Subsequently ascertained that the property had been stolen from Mr. Johnson’s, wheelwright, Mackworth, and the prisoners were then taken before Dr. Bent and committed for trial. On the morning of the theft police-constable Hill, whilst searching for the owner of a lead cistern which he had taken from a notorious character, in Derby, called at Mr. Johnson’s, and seeing the copper and iron tire in the yard recommended that the articles should put in a place of greater safety, or they would most likely be stolen; the copper was accordingly removed, but the iron being left the rightful owner, was surreptitiously carried off at night by the thieves whose apprehension we have noticed.”
1856 – 1st January – Thomas Ford, a married 24-year-old labourer and militia private, was tried at the Derby General Quarter Sessions and was sentenced to 4 years after having been found Guilty of stealing shaft wheel tines.
1856 – 4th January – Extract from the Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal – “Solomon Booth, 34, fitter, Thos. Ford, 24, a militiaman, were charged with stealing, on the 14th of December, three half-wheel tires of iron, the property of Philip Goodall, of Mackworth.—Booth pleaded guilty; Ford not guilty.—Mr. Barker prosecuted ; prisoner undefended — Prosecutor, a wheelwright Mackworth, deposed to seeing the iron safe on the evening of the 14th Dec., and to his missing it the next morning. Police constable Madeley, Derby, said, about half-past ten o’clock on Friday morning, Dec. 14, he was duty on Ashbourne road, when saw the two prisoners going towards Mackworth, Ford having something bulky in his pocket. About twelve o’clock the same evening he met the two prisoners on the Ashbourne road, coming from Mackworth. They had a bag with them and on witness searching it he found the iron produced, which was identified by prosecutor as his property. —Guilty. Previous convictions against both prisoners were proved.—The Court said Booth had been five times in prison—three times for neglect of family, once for misdemeanour, and once for felony; whilst Ford also had been convicted three times of felony. Four years’ penal servitude.”
1856 – 9th January – Extract from the Derby Mercury – “Solomon Booth, 34, fitter, and Thomas Ford, 24, labourer, charged with stealing, on the of 14th of December, three half wheel tires of iron, the property of Philip Goodall, of Mackworth. Booth pleaded guilty – Mr. Barker prosecuted; Ford was undefended. Prosecutor deposed that he was a wheelwright, at Mackworth; on Friday, the 14th of December, he had twelve wheel tires safe in his yard; next morning he found three of them (produced) were gone. – Police Constable Madeley, of Derby, was on duty on Ashbourne-road, on the night mentioned, and saw prisoners go in the direction of Mackworth; in about an hour they returned, and having a bag in their possession he stopped them, and finding that it contained three half tires, took them into custody. -Guilty- Both prisoners were proved to have been previously convicted. In passing sentence the CHAIRMAN remarked that he received a very on bad character of the prisoners; Booth had been five times committed, and once convicted of felony, whilst Ford had been three times convicted and imprisoned for felony. He should sentence each of them to four years’ penal servitude.”
1856 – 23rd January – Transferred to Millbank Prison. He is given the prisoner number 2083.
1855 – 15th February – Transferred to Pentonville Prison. He is given the prisoner number 6429 and his behaviour is described as being good. It is also listed that he is a Class 1 prisoner.
1856 – 27th March – Transferred to Chatham Prison. He is given the prisoner number 872 and his behaviour is described as being Very Good for at least 18 weeks. He is also noted as having a long face, full features and a scar on his right wrist which is also broken.
1859 – 6th May – Removed from Chatham Prison and transferred to Woking Convict Invalid Prison. Prisoner Number 48.
He is described as fair complexioned with brown hair and grey eyes, his height is 5’7. He is noted as having a long visage with full features, including a prominent forehead on which there is a scar and a broken wrist on his right hand. His next of kin is his wife, Ellen Ford, living at 9 St Helen’s Walk, Derby.
1859 – 31st December – Released from Woking Convict Invalid Prison.