1819 – Estimated year of birth.
1819 – Baptised in Topsham, Devon, son of James and Grace Woodgate.
1841 – Census – James, aged 20, is working as a carpenter and living with his father James, a wagoner aged 55, his mother Grace, aged 55, James Woodgate and lodger William Bopell a 65-year-old wagoner, in Exeter.
1852 – 28th June –James is convicted of larceny from the person at the General Quarter Sessions in Exeter and sentenced to 12 months penal servitude.
1852 – 1st July – Extract from the Exeter Flying Post – “JOHN LACEY and James Woodgate were charged with stealing on the 8th of May, a quantity of lead the property of George Silman. The ownership of the property was also laid in the names of the Bristol and Exeter and South Devon Railway Companies. Mr. Coleridge prosecuted. Mr. Carter defended Lacey; and of Mr. Cox, Woodgate.
It appeared that in the month of May, Mrs. Silman, the wife of the prosecutor, who resides at St. Phillips, Bristol, was travelling through the county selling cheese, and bacon, and buying tea leaves, bones, and such like; and on the 6th of May, a bag of lead was forwarded from Newton Station to Exeter, directed to her husband to be left at the station. Not being able to write, Kerswell, the porter wrote the address at their request on a piece of parchment. On the 8th, she went to the St. David’s Station for the sack which could not be found; but she fancied she saw it in the prisoners’ waggon, who were loading iron in Messrs. Hitchcock’s compartment. She inquired of them if they had seen the bag, wherein Woodgate said it was all right, it was in Pickford’s place; Lacey at the same time endeavouring to cover it over with his foot with straw. She went with James, the porter, to Pickford’s place, but could not find it; and on her return she saw Lacey turning the bag out of the cart. She asked him “What he did that for; and how it was they could not see the difference between bars of iron and bags of lead?” Woodgate said “It had never been in the waggon.” Lacey said “Never mind, Mistress; I told Jim I thought “twas your sack of lead, and we tumbled it out of the waggon.” Woodgate replied “It Is not your sack of lead; and if it is, there’s no directions on it” She rejoined “Then someone must have taken it off.’ She, complained, and the prisoners were taken into custody. She could Swear to the sack amongst a hundred, from its being torn “A little this way, and a little that way”, and being tied at the end. She did not hear either of them say 1 they had made a mistake, in loading a chest of tea. There were compartments on the platform for the company,- Pickford, Hitchcock, and others: the division was a rail, and goods could be removed from one compartment to another, without lifting them over the rails.
In cross-examination, James, one of the witnesses, said the prisoners were loading their waggon in the compartment where he saw the lead in the morning, lying under the platform, opposite the company’s town department and seeing a bag in the waggon,, he pointed to it and asked if it was the one that one been lying under the platform? Woodgate said it was all alright, it was in Pickford’s place. The iron was lying in front of the Company’s train compartment, under the platform.
Inspector Honking took the prisoners in charge, and on the way to the station house, Woodgate said he had taken hundreds of things by mistake, and returned it when he pleased. On Woodgate, he found a parchment direction, with “George Silman, cheese factor, to be left at the warehouse till called for by Phoenix, per Tenby” That was scratched out with ink. On the other side was written, “One bag for G. Silman, Bristol.” Afterwards, at the station, near where he took them in custody, he found some fragments of a card, with portions of an address on it. Both were identified.
Mr. Cox, in addressing the Jury for Woodgate, said the question for their judgment was on undeniable facts, whether they believed the lead was taken with an intention to steal it, or whether it was taken by mistake, which men in the position of the prisoners performing their duties, were extremely likely to do. Mssrs. Hitchcock, in who employ the prisoners were, were general carriers, and not dealers in iron, consequently these men might have considered the bag in question was for them to deliver. They would bear in mind that the robbery was alleged to have been committed in the day time, with other waggoners loading near him, and the Company’s servants about the premises. With regard to the, straw with which the beg was said to be discovered with, that was used in loading the iron. The only evidence against him was his statement that the bag was up in Pickford’s compartment, when James pointed to it still in the waggon, which he considered improbable; and as a word made a difference in a conversation, he asked them to be cautious how they received it. The tumbling the bag out afterwards. was consistent with innocence, in having found out their mistake. The address on the card board might have been torn off by the iron in throwing it into the cart; and with regard to the parchment with the double address on It, when he saw it, considering it no direction, tore it off with this impression that the lead was a part of the metal they had to remove.
Mr. Carter, for Lacey, contended there was no evidence to his knowledge of any address being on the bag, and that he being in the cart receiving the goods, might have taken this beg from Woodgate in the honest belief it was all right. Lacey’s conduct was as innocent as any of them present today. Persons ought not to be convicted on suspicion, and if there were any doubts to give the prisoners the benefit of them.
The Learned Recorder, in summing up, said the jury were at liberty to convict one or both of the prisoners, according to the evidence. The important fact with reference to Lacey was his tumbling the lead out of the cart from a consciousness that the owner had come for it, supposing that Woodgate had stolen it with his knowledge. It was also possible that Lacey might have turned the lead out at Woodgate’s request, in perfect innocence of the theft. The defence for Woodgate was that the bag of lead was taken in mistake, but the statement that the bag was at Pickford’s place was a strange remark and likely to be made to divert the inquirer’s attention, and not such as they might expect if prisoner had made a mistake. His knowledge of there being no direction on the bag was an odd remark couples with the finding the parchment and card address. Then came the question whether the addresses were removed by accident, or that it was removed by some person or other not justified in doing so. If they believed the latter then they would have to say by whom was that done, and how did the parchment get into Woodgate’s possession. He could not understand why the prisoners should attempt to remove a package without a direction on it.
The jury found both the prisoners guilty. A former conviction against Lacey for embezzling 24s., the property of Mssrs. Davey of Topsham, his employers, on 12th October, 1845, was proved against him, and his being sentenced at to three months imprisonment. The prisoners were further indicted for stealing a chest of tea on the 8th May, the Property, of Mr. D. M. Ford. Mr. Coleridge said the only desire for the Railway Company had in pressing this case was to show to the public they were ready to protect them, and if the Recorder considered enough had been done he would withdraw the charges. The Recorder having intimated that was his opinion, the indictment was not pressed. The Prosecutor recommended Woodgate to the merciful consideration of the court.
The Recorder in passing sentence , said they had been found guilty of a serious offence, said he should not discharge his service to the public if he were not to pass sentence somewhat proportionate to the crime committed. The business of railways is not protected against from thefts of this kind, by a proper example being made of those convicted, could not properly be carried on. He sentenced Lacey to be transported for seven years. From what had been said to him with regard to Woodgate, although he could not yield to the kind consideration of the prosecutors to pass a mild sentence, yet he would pass a lesser one than he would have otherwise done. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.”
1852 – 3rd July – Extract from the Western Post – “John Lacey and James Woodgate were charged with stealing, on the 8th May, a bag of lead, the property of George Silman, of Bristol. Mr. Coleridge prosecuted; Mr. Cox defended Woodgate, and Mr. Carter Lacey. It appeared that on the 8th of May, Mrs. Silman and her son went to Newton Bushel selling cheese and bacon, and collecting old lead, and other things. They collected a bag of lead, and William, her son, took it to the Newton Station, where a porter, named Kerswell, wrote a direction on a piece of card board ; there was another direction on a piece parchment, which William Silman put on the bag himself, with the direction, George Silman, to be left at the Exeter Station till called for. Mrs. Silman and her son William came to Exeter on the 8th May, and enquired at the office for the bag, and a porter, named James, was sent with her to look for it. They went to the Company’s compartment for it, expecting to find it there, as it had been placed there upon its arrival at Exeter on the 8th. They could not find it, and went to the two prisoners, who were loading iron from Hitchcock’s compartment, and asked them if they had seen it; Woodgate replied, “It’s all right, its in Pickford’s place.” Mrs. Silman observed Lacey endeavour to cover something the waggon, which she thought was the bag, with straw. They however went to Pickford’s place, but could not find it; as they were coming back Mrs. Silman saw Lacey tumbling the bag out of the tail of the waggon; she asked what they did so for, and Lacey said, “I thought it was your sack lead, and took it out again.” Woodgate said, “It’s not your sack lead, and it is there’s direction on it.” Mrs. Silman then gave them into custody, and as they were going to the station house, with the Inspector of Police, Woodgate said he had taken hundreds of things mistake, and had taken them back again when be liked. The direction which wrote at the Newton Station was found broken in pieces on the ground at the end of the waggon; the piece of parchment was found in Woodgate’s pocket. The directions were identified, and the jury found both prisoners guilty. second indictment charged them with stealing, on the same day, chest of tea, but as the Company did not wish press the charge, as they were found guilty of stealing the lead, it was withdrawn. former conviction having been proved against Lacey, he was sentenced to seven years’ transportation, and Woodgate twelve months’ imprisonment.
1855 – 1st November – Extract from the Exeter Flying Post – “JAMES WOODGATE, charged by his employers, Messrs. Martin and Parkin, iron founders of the Bonbay with having stolen several brass castings on Tuesday evening last, was fully committed for trial.”
1855 – 31st December – James Woodgate, a married with three children 36-year-old labourer, was tried at General Quarter Sessions of the Peace in Exeter and was sentenced to 4 years after having been found Guilty of larceny by a servant.
1856 – 5th January – Extract from the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette – “James Woodgate was indicted for stealing six brass castings, the property of his masters, Messrs. Martin and Parkin, ironfounders.—He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced, in consequence of a former conviction, to 4 years’ penal servitude.”
1855 – 7th March – James is transferred from Exeter City Gaol to Millbank Prison and given the prison number 2282.
1856 – 28th July – Transferred to Pentonville Prison, his prisoner number is 5586. He is described as being Good during his stay.
1857 – 27th March – Transferred to Chatham Prison, his prisoner number is 861. He is described as being “well-proportioned”.
1859 – 6th May – Received at Woking Convict Invalid Prison. Prisoner Number 56.
He is described as having a fresh complexion with dark brown hair and grey eyes and his height is 5’11 and his body well proportioned: an additional note states he had a “healthy” general appearance. In addition, his notes state he has 2 moles on his cheek and 1on the back of his neck. He is noted as being married with 3 children and protestant. His next of kin is his wife Ann Woodgate, living at Preston Street in Exeter.
1859 – 30th December – Released from Woking Convict Invalid Prison.
1860? – His wife Ann Woodgate dies.
1861 – Census – James Woodgate, aged 41 and working as a porter, is living with his son William, aged 11, in Preston Street, Exeter.
1861 – Census – James’ next wife, Tabitha Born a 37-year-old boot binder, is living with her widowed mother and daughter, Marian aged 7, on Paxton Street in Exeter. Tabitha is not listed as married or widowed and so it is presumed the child has had out of wedlock.
1871 – Census – James Woodgate, aged 57 and working as a labourer, is living with his wife Tabitha, his son George, a 23-year-old Railway Porter, and step-daughter Mary Ann Born, a 17-year-old servant. They are living at 2, Mermaid Road, Exeter.
1872 – At some point between January and March, James marries Tabitha in Exeter.
1873 – 16th March – James Woodgate dies in Exeter and is buried on this date at the Church of St Mary Major in Exeter.
1877 – At some point between January and March, Tabitha Woodgate dies.