File:Thomas Strong, miner, arrested for stealing rhubarb (23798625536).jpg

English: Name: Thomas Strong

Arrested for: not given
Arrested at: North Shields Police Station
Arrested on: 1 June 1906
Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-89-Thomas Strong
The Shields Daily News for 1 June 1906 reports:
“A SMART OFFICER. THEFT AT CHIRTON.
At North Shields Police Court today, Thos. Strong, miner, Chirton, was charged with having stolen from Mr Sisterton’s market garden at Chirton on the 26th ult. a quantity of rhubarb, value 1s, and further with having committed a similar theft this morning.
PC R. Askew stated that on the 26th ult., in consequence of a complaint received from Mr Sisterton, he went to the market garden kept by that gentleman. He examined some footprints in the garden and traced them to the fence, where he found a quantity of rhubarb leaves and a miner’s token bearing the number ‘34’. This morning at 4.20 witness was concealed in the garden and he saw the prisoner climb over the fence, go to the rhubarb bed and cut a bunch. Witness then came out of his place of concealment, and after a chase, caught the accused.
Upon searching him at the police station he found in his possession a number of tokens bearing the same number as the one he found in the garden on the 26th. He charged him with the theft on that date and he replied “Well, I will have to take the weight of it”. Mr Sisterton having given evidence as to the value of the stolen rhubarb, the accused, who had nothing to say, was fined 5s and costs on each charge, and ordered to pay 1s 3d, the value of the rhubarb”.
These images are a selection from an album of photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1916 in the collection of Tyne & Wear Archives (TWA ref DX1388/1).

(Copyright) We're happy for you to share this digital image within the spirit of The Commons. Please cite 'Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums' when reusing. Certain restrictions on high quality reproductions and commercial use of the original physical version apply though; if you're unsure please email archives@twmuseums.org.uk.