Three weeks’ hard labour for taking tuppence-worth of tatties 

A strange theft 

The Shipley Times and Express 

Saturday 15 August 1891

Photograph of Young Driver in Mine by U.S. National Archives is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

At the Enfield Petty session James Nash, 40, of Sweet Briar Cottage, Edmonton, was charged with stealing a quantity of potatoes value at twopence, the property of Charles Richard Pike, farmer and market gardener. Nash was seen to pull the potatoes from the field you put them in the inside pocket of his coat and threw the tops aside bu Police Constable 377N. The constable pounced on Nash and took him into custody with the potatoes in his possession. From the bench Mr Latham told Nash there was not the slightest excuse for his conduct as he was employed and not suffering from hunger.

He was sent to the House of Correction and kept to hard labour for 21 days. Nash’s offer to pay a fine instead was declined.

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