saloons, as they would be far outshone in personal appearance by the
younger girls of the other class referred to. We see them late in the
evening skulking about the dark lanes, or patrolling the streets, on
the watch for drunken sailors, whom they take into low coffee-houses
and beer-shops, and sometimes drug by putting snuff, or other
ingredients--sometimes laudanum--in his liquor. They look out for
north country sea-captains and sailors just come ashore, and sometimes
visit their ships lying in the river, at King James’s Stair, Wapping,
Ratcliff Gross, Horseferry, Regent’s Canal Dock, Stone Stairs, or New
Crane Stairs, Shadwell.
Some of these brutal women have bullies, convicted thieves, who are
sometimes dressed as sailors; some of them are river pirates, and from
their childhood have led a criminal life.
The average age of these prostitutes is from twenty to thirty-four.
Many are slovenly dressed, and very dissipated, and callous in
appearance. Some of them are women of colour, whom we have seen brought
to the police station at King David’s Lane, charged with plundering
coloured sailors of their money and clothes.
Number of felonies in the metropolitan
districts, by prostitutes, during
1860 692
Ditto, ditto, in the City 102
---
794
Value of property thereby abstracted in
the metropolitan districts £2,651
Ditto, ditto, in the City 323
------
£2,974
FELONIES ON THE RIVER THAMES.
There are a great number of robberies of various descriptions committed
on the Thames by different parties. These depredations differ in value,
from the little ragged mudlark stealing a piece of rope or a few
handfuls of coals from a barge, to the lighterman carrying off bales of
silk several hundred pounds in value. When we look to the long lines
of shipping along each side of the river, and the crowds of barges and
steamers that daily ply along its bosom, and the dense shipping in its
docks, laden with untold wealth, we are surprised at the comparatively
small aggregate amount of these felonies.
THE MUDLARKS.
They generally consist of boys and girls, varying in age from eight
to fourteen or fifteen; with some persons of more advanced years. For
the most part they are ragged, and in a very filthy state, and are a
peculiar class, confined to the river. The parents of many of them are
coalwhippers--Irish cockneys--employed getting coals out of the ships,
and their mothers frequently sell fruit in the street. Their practice
is to get between the barges, and one of them lifting the other up will
knock lumps of coal into the mud, which they pick up afterwards; or
if a barge is ladened with iron, one will get into it and throw iron
out to the other, and watch an opportunity to carry away the plunder in
bags to the nearest marine-storeshop.
They sell the coals among the lowest class of people for a few
halfpence. The police make numerous detections of these offences. Some
of the mudlarks receive a short term of imprisonment, from three weeks
to a month, and others two months with three years in a reformatory.
Some of them are old women of the lowest grade, from fifty to sixty,
who occasionally wade in the mud up to the knees. One of them may be
seen beside the Thames Police-office, Wapping, picking up coals in the
bed of the river, who appears to be about sixty-five years of age. She
is a robust woman, dressed in an old cotton gown, with an old straw
bonnet tied round with a handkerchief, and wanders about without shoes
and stockings. This person has never been in custody. She may often be
seen walking through the streets in the neighbourhood with a bag of
coals on her head.
In the neighbourhood of Blackfriars Bridge clusters of mudlarks of
various ages may be seen from ten to fifty years, young girls and old
women, as well as boys.
They are mostly at work along the coal wharves where the barges
are lying aground, such as at Shadwell and Wapping, along Bankside,
Borough; above Waterloo Bridge, and from the Temple down to St. Paul’s
Wharf. Some of them pay visits to the City Gasworks, and steal coke and
coal from their barges, where the police have made many detections.
As soon as the tide is out they make their appearance, and remain till
it comes in. Many of them commence their career with stealing rope or
coals from the barges, then proceed to take copper from the vessels,
and afterwards go down into the cabins and commit piracy.
These mudlarks are generally strong and healthy, though their clothes
are in rags. Their fathers are robust men. By going too often to the
public-house they keep their families in destitution, and the mothers
of the poor children are glad to get a few pence in whatever way they
can.
SWEEPING BOYS.
This class of boys sail about the river in very old boats, and go on
board empty craft with the pretext of sweeping them. They enter barges
of all descriptions, laden with coffee, sugar, rice, and other goods,
and steal anything they can lay their hands on, often abstracting
headfasts, ropes, chains, &c. In some instances they cut the bags and
steal the contents, and dispose of the booty to marine-store-dealers.
They are generally very ragged and wretched in appearance, and if
pursued take to the water like a rat, splashing through the mud, and
may be seen doing so when chased by the police. In general they are
expert swimmers. Their ages range from twelve to sixteen. They are
dressed similar to the other ragged boys over the metropolis. The
fathers of most of them are coalwhippers, but many of them are orphans.
They are strong, healthy boys, and some of them sleep in empty barges,
others in low lodging-houses at 3_d._ a night. Some live in empty houses,
and many of them have not had a shirt on for six months, and their rags
are covered with vermin.
In the summer many sleep in open barges, and often in the winter, when
they cover themselves with old mats, sacks, or tarpaulins. Their bodies
are inured to this inclement life. They never go to church, and few of
them have been to school.
Two little boys of this class, the one nine and the other eleven
years of age, lived for six months on board an old useless barge at
Bermondsey, and for other five months in an old uninhabited house, and
had not a clean shirt on during all that time. At night they covered
themselves with old mats and sacks, their clothes being in a wretched
state. Seeing them in this neglected condition, an inspector of police
took them into custody and brought them before a magistrate, with
the view to get them provided for. The magistrate sent them to the
workhouse for shelter.
These boys are of the same class with the mudlarks before referred to,
but are generally a few years older.
SELLERS OF SMALL WARES.
Felonies are occasionally committed by boys who go on board vessels
with baskets containing combs, knives, laces, &c., giving them in
exchange for pieces of rope, sometimes getting fat and bones from the
cooks. In many instances the owners are robbed by the crew giving away
ropes belonging to the ship for such wares. These parties occasionally
pilfer any small article they see lying about the ship, sometimes
carrying off watches when they have an opportunity. They generally try
to get on board foreign vessels about to sail, so that when robberies
are committed the parties do not remain to prosecute them, and the
thieves are consequently discharged.
They are generally from fourteen to eighteen years of age, and many
of them reside with their parents in Rosemary Lane and other low
neighbourhoods about the East-end.
This is a peculiar class of boys who confine their attention to the
ships, barges, and coasting vessels, and do not commit felonies in
other parts of the metropolis.
LABOURERS ON BOARD SHIP, &C.
These men are employed to discharge cargoes on board steam vessels
arriving from the coast, and also foreign vessels. They are frequently
detected pilfering by the police, and secreting about their clothes
small quantities of tallow, coffee, sugar, meat, and other portable
goods. These parties abstract articles from the hold, but do not go
down into the cabins. They have ample opportunity of breaking open some
of the boxes and packages, and of extracting part of the contents. As
they have no facility to get large quantities on shore, they confine
themselves to petty pilfering. Most of their booty is kept for their
own consumption, unless they succeed in carrying off a large quantity,
which rarely occurs. In these cases they dispose of it at a chandler’s
shop.
DREDGEMEN OR FISHERMEN.
These are men who are in the habit of coming out early in the morning,
as the tide may suit, for the purpose of dredging from the bed of the
river coals which are occasionally spilled in weighing when being
transferred into the barges. If these parties are not successful in
getting coals there, they invariably go alongside of a leaded barge
and carry off coals and throw a quantity of mud over them, to make it
appear as if they had got them from the bed of the river. The police
have made numerous detections. Some have been imprisoned, and others
have been transported. The same class of men go alongside of vessels
and steal the copper funnels and ropes, and go to the nearest landing
place to sell them to marine-store-dealers, who are always in readiness
to receive anything brought to them. The doors are readily opened to
them, early and late.
To deceive the police these unprincipled dealers have carts calling
every morning at their shops to take away the metals and other goods
they may have bought during the previous day and night.
SMUGGLING.
Numerous articles of contraband goods are smuggled by seamen on
their arrival from foreign ports, such as tobacco, liquors, shawls,
handkerchiefs, &c.
Several years ago an officer in the Thames police was on duty at five
in the morning. While rowing by the Tower he saw in the dusk two
chimney sweeps in a boat leaving a steam vessel, having with them two
bags of soot. He boarded the boat along with two officers, and asked
them if they had anything in their possession liable to Custom-house
duty. They answered they had not. Upon searching the bags of soot he
found several packages of foreign manufactured tobacco, weighing 48lbs.
The parties were arrested and taken to the police station, and were
fined 100_l._ each, or six months’ imprisonment. Not being able to pay,
they were imprisoned.
These two sweeps had no doubt carried on this illegal traffic for some
time, being employed on the arrival of the boats to clean the funnels
and the flues of the boilers.
Some time ago a sailor came ashore late at night at the Shadwell Dock,
who had just arrived from America. According to the usual custom he was
searched, when several pounds of tobacco were found concealed about his
person. He was tried at the police court, and sentenced to pay a small
fine.
In July, 1858, about midnight, a police constable was passing East
Lane, Bermondsey, when he saw a bag at the top of a street, containing
something rather bulky, which aroused his suspicions. On proceeding
farther he saw a man carrying another bag up the street from a boat in
the river. He got the assistance of another constable, and apprehended
the man carrying the bag, and also the waterman that conveyed it
ashore. The two bags were found to contain 229 lbs. of Cavendish
tobacco. Both persons were detained in the Thames police station, and
taken before a magistrate at Southwark police court. Prosecution was
ordered by the Board of Customs, and both were fined 100_l._ each, and
in default sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Being unable to pay
the fine, they suffered imprisonment.
In February, 1860, information was given to an inspector of the
Thames police of a smuggling traffic which was being carried on in
the Shadwell Basin, London Docks, from an American vessel named the
Amazon. The steward was in the practice of carrying the tobacco about
a certain hour in the morning from the vessel through a private gate
at the Shadwell Basin. Vigilant watch was kept over this gate by the
inspector, with the assistance of a constable. About eight o’clock
in the morning he saw a man coming up who answered the description
given him. He followed him into a tobacconist’s shop in King David
Lane, Shadwell. The officer on going in saw a carpet bag handed over
the counter. He seized it, and brought the man with him to the police
station. A communication was then made to the Board of Customs, who
sent an officer to the Thames police station. On making search on board
the ship, they found about two cwt. of tobacco. The man was tried, and
sentenced to pay a fine of 100_l._, or suffer six months’ imprisonment.
FELONIES BY LIGHTERMEN.
Numerous depredations are perpetrated by lightermen, employed to
navigate barges by the owners of various steam-vessels in the river
or in the docks, and are intrusted with valuable cargoes, the value
varying from 20_l._ to 20,000_l._ They have been assisted in these
robberies by persons little suspected by the public, but well known to
the police.
They have got cargoes from vessels in the wharves, or docks, to convey
for trans-shipment and delivery along different parts of the river,
and manage on their way to abstract part of the cargo they are in
charge of. Sometimes these robberies are effected on the way, sometimes
when they are waiting outside the dock for the tide to go in. When
they have not such articles on board their own barges, they remove
cargoes from other craft while the crew may be on shore at supper, or
otherwise. Sometimes they carry away articles about their person, such
as tobacco, brandy, wine, opium, tea, &c.
They occasionally steal an empty barge, and go alongside of another
barge as if they were legally employed to put the cargo into another
craft, and turn the barge into some convenient place, where they may
have a cart or van in readiness to remove the property. Sometimes they
have a cab for this purpose. Two days often elapse before the police
get information of these robberies.
In one instance a barge was taken up Bow Creek, with about twenty
bundles of whalebone and twenty bags of saltpetre, which were conveyed
away in a van to the city. The police traced the booty to a marine
store-dealer. The value of the property was 400_l._ Two well-known
thieves were tried for the robbery, but were acquitted.
In April, 1858, Thomas Turnbull and Charles Turnbull, brothers, both
lightermen and notorious river thieves, were charged with a robbery
from two barges at Wapping. Two lightermen were in charge of two barges
laden, the one with lac dye, and the other with cases of wire, near
to the entrance of the London Docks. These men having gone on shore
for refreshment, the two thieves rowed an empty barge alongside the
two barges, and took one chest of lac dye from one of them, and a
case of wire card from the other, in value about 25_l._ They took the
barge with the stolen property over to Rotherhithe, and landed at the
Elephant Stairs, where it was conveyed away in a cart. The property
was never recovered, but the police, after making great exertions,
got sufficient evidence to convict the parties, who were sentenced to
eighteen months each at the Central Criminal Court.
These unprincipled lightermen could get a good livelihood by honest
labour, varying from 30_s._ to 2_l._ a week; but they are dissipated
and idle in their habits, and resort to thieving. They often spend
their time in dancing and concert-rooms, and are to be seen at the
Mahagony Bar at Close Square and Paddy’s Goose, Ratcliffe Highway.
They generally cohabit with prostitutes. They are a different class
of men from the tier-rangers, or river pirates, who also live
with prostitutes. The lightermen’s women are generally smart and
well-dressed, and do not belong to the lowest order as those of the
tier-rangers do. The ages of this class of thieves generally range from
twenty to thirty years.
THE RIVER PIRATES.
This class of robberies is committed among the shipping on both sides
of the river, from London Bridge to Greenhithe, but is most prevalent
from London Bridge to the entrance of the West India Dock. The
depredations are committed in the docks as well as on the river, but
not so much in the former, as they are better protected. Robberies in
the docks are generally done in the daytime. In the river, the chief
object the thieves have in view is to enter the vessel at midnight, as
they know that when vessels arrive the seamen are often fatigued and
worn out, and they get a favourable opportunity of getting on board
and stealing. They steal from all classes of vessels, but chiefly from
brigs and barges. They take any boat from the shore and go on board the
vessels, as if they were seamen, being dressed as watermen and seamen.
When they get on board they go to the cabin or forecastle. Their chief
object is to secure wearing apparel and money. Watches are often to be
found hanging up in the cabin, and clothes are also to be found there.
In the forecastle the clothes are generally contained in a bag hanging
up by the side or bow of the ship. After they have effected their
purpose they row ashore and turn the boat adrift.
There is another mode of stealing they adopt. They get on board the
ships as if they belonged to some of them, and represent they belong
to a certain ship in a line of vessels commonly called a “tier.” They
proceed to the forecastle, where if they find no one moving about, they
go down and plunder. If they are seen by any of the crew they pretend
they belong to some other ship, and ask if this ship is named so and
so. They then say they cannot get on board their own ship, and wish the
crew to allow them to remain for the night.
In many instances the stolen property is found on their person, such
as coats, vests, trousers, boots, &c., and their own clothes are left
behind. They are generally from eighteen to thirty years of age, and
are powerful athletic men.
These robberies are greatly on the decrease, owing to the vigilance of
the police.
Several years ago there was a cry of police between twelve and two
o’clock midnight on board a vessel lying in Union Tier, Wapping. The
crew of a police galley proceeded to the spot, and ascertained that two
thieves had been on board a vessel there, and had concealed themselves
somewhere in it, or in the barges alongside. After searching some time
they discovered a notorious river thief in one of the barges. He was a
stout made man, about five feet nine inches in height, and twenty-two
years of age. A desperate struggle ensued between him and the police.
He struck the inspector with a heavy iron bar on the back a very severe
blow, which rendered him henceforth unfit for active duty. The pirate
resisted with great desperation, and defied the police for some time.
At last they drew their cutlasses, and succeeded in taking him. He
was brought to the police station, convicted, and sentenced to three
months’ imprisonment. He was afterwards indicted for the assault on the
inspector, and sentenced to fifteen months’ hard labour. Since that
time he has been transported twice for similar offences.
A few years since several river pirates were suspected of being on
board a vessel at Bermondsey, where they had stolen a silver watch
from the cabin. One of the gang was detected by the crew of the vessel
and detained. The crew shouted out for the police, when three of their
pals drew up to the side of the vessel in a small boat, representing
themselves to be policemen, with numbers chalked on their coats. The
captain of the vessel gave the man into their custody, and handed
over the watch to one of them. Next morning the captain went to the
police-station to see if the party was there. It was then the police
heard of the robbery, when it was found the supposed officers and the
thief were a party of river pirates who had infested the river for a
long time. As the ship was just setting sail the case was dropped.
Some time ago three constables went on duty at midnight in consequence
of a number of midnight robberies having been committed all over the
river, especially at Deptford, from the ships lying there. They went
out in a private boat in plain clothes. On getting to Deptford they
proceeded up the creek. After remaining there in the dusk about an hour
they heard a loud knocking, and suspected that some one was taking the
copper from the bottom of a vessel lying there.
The constables drew up to the vessel with their boat, and found two
men with a quantity of copper in a boat, with chisels and a chopper
they had been using. They arrested them, and were coming out of the
creek with the two boats when they discovered two other notorious river
thieves climbing down the chains of a vessel lying alongside the wharf.
They had been down in the forecastle, and having disturbed the crew
were making their escape when the officers saw them.
The officers thereupon made for the vessel, and succeeded in
apprehending them, and took them into their boat after a desperate
resistance.
The first two were convicted and sentenced, one to three months, and
the other to six months’ imprisonment, and the latter were sentenced to
three months each in Maidstone gaol.
The Commissioners of Police rewarded the constables with a gratuity for
their vigilance and gallant conduct.
Many of these tier-rangers or river pirates have a ruffianly
appearance, and generally live with prostitutes, on both sides of the
river, at St. George’s, Bluegate-fields, the Borough, and Bermondsey.
They confine themselves to robberies on the river, and are frequently
transported by the time they are thirty years of age. Occasionally a
returned convict comes back for a time, when he generally resumes his
former villanies, and is again sent abroad.
These tier-rangers in most cases have sprung from the ranks of the
mudlarks, and step by step have advanced further in crime, until they
have become callous brutal ruffians, living as brigands on the sides of
the river.
Number of felonies, &c., on the river
Thames in the metropolitan districts for
1860 203
Value of property abstracted thereby £712
NARRATIVE OF A MUDLARK.
The following narrative was given us by a mudlark we found on a float
on the river Thames at Millwall, to the eastward of Ratcliffe Highway.
He was then engaged, while the tide was in, gathering chips of wood
in an old basket. We went to the river side along with his younger
brother, a boy of about eleven years of age, we saw loitering in the
vicinity. On our calling to him, he got the use of a boat lying near,
and came toward us with alacrity. He was an Irish lad of about thirteen
years of age, strong and healthy in appearance, with Irish features and
accent. He was dressed in a brown fustian coat and vest, dirty greasy
canvas trousers roughly-patched, striped shirt with the collar folded
down, and a cap with a peak.
“I was born in the county of Kerry in Ireland in the year 1847, and am
now about thirteen years of age. My father was a ploughman, and then
lived on a farm in the service of a farmer, but now works at loading
ships in the London docks. I have three brothers and one sister. Two
of my brothers are older than I. One of them is about sixteen, and
the other about eighteen years of age. My eldest brother is a seaman
on board a screwship, now on a voyage to Hamburg; and the other is a
seaman now on his way to Naples. My youngest brother you saw beside
me at the river side. My sister is only five years of age, and was
born in London. The rest of the family were all born in Ireland. Our
family came to London about seven years ago, since which time my
father has worked at the London Docks. He is a strong-bodied man of
about thirty-four years of age. I was sent to school along with my
elder brothers for about three years, and learned reading, writing,
and arithmetic. I was able to read tolerably well, but was not so
proficient in writing and arithmetic. One of my brothers has been about
three years, and the other about five years at sea.