Petitions to the Westminster Quarter Sessions: 1732

Philip Desternell, son of [...] Desternell of Paddington. WJ/SP/1732/06/004 (1732). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS653950006

To the worshipfull bench of justices
assembled at their quarter sessions

Your petitioner Philip Desternell son of [illegible]
Desternell of Paddington in the county of Middlesex [illegible]

Sheweth
that your petitioner on the fourth day of August [illegible]
did put himself apprentice to Enoch Markham of [illegible]
Covent Garden fan maker to serve him as an apprentice
for seven years from the date thereof in consideration
of which service and of 20 pounds in hand paid to the said Enoch
Markham he was by the said indentures of [apprentice...?]
to find and provide for your petitioner sufficient
wholesome meat drink apparel washing lodging [and?]
all other necessaries and teach him his art of fanmaking

That the said Enoch Markham about twelve months
since left his house and business and none to instruct
your petitioner the said art and about three months [illegible]
since the wife of the said Enoch Markham [illegible]
your petitioner out of the house and during the [illegible]
the said Markham was at home he neglected to [provide?]
for your petitioner sufficient apparell.

Your petitioner therefore humbly
prays to be discharged from the same [illegible]
indentures of apprenticeship

And your petitioner shall ever pray etc

• Philip [Desternell?]

Mary Mellison. WJ/SP/1732/06/005 (1732). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS653950008

To the honourable Sir John Gonson [illegible]
the chairman and to the [rest?]
of his majestyes justices of the peace
now assembled att the generall
quarter sessions of the peace now
holden att Westminster Hall in and for the
county of Middlesex

The humble peticion of Mary Mellison

Sheweth
that your petitioner was about nine years since married to
her present husband Thomas Mellison who brought him a considerable
fortune [illegible] which he hath very
extravagantly consumed and left her and one child wholly unprovided for
upon your petitioners goeing in a modest manner to demand the said
childs cloaths fo he by false accusacions caused your petitioner to be sent
to Bridewell where I remained six months att one time and [ten?] weeks att
an other in a very perishing condicion and must have certainly perished
had it not been through the kind and charitable assistance of Master
Barber and his wife.

That he hath since agreed to allowed your petitioner one guinea per quarter
but hath utterly neglected to performe his said agreement being for
the space of eight weeks last past perfectly supported by the charge
of [illegible] Master Geary the keeper of the Gate House where I continued [in?]
a very languishing condicion for a considerable time

That this prosecucion commenced against your petitioner [illegible]
very vexatious and oppressive your petitioner being very [innocent?]
of the crime laid to her charge.

Your petitioner therefore most humblie [prays?]
your honours to take your [illegible]
unhappy and miserable case into your
tender consideracion to comiserate [her?]
unhappy circumstances and as a
proper object of charity and
compassion to relive your petitioner
according to the merritts of her case and
your accustomed charity honour and
generosity

And your petitioner shall ever pray etc.

• Mary Mellison

Jane Steel, wife of Thomas Steel. WJ/SP/1732/06/007 (1732). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS653950011

To the worshipfull Sir John Gonson and the rest of the
honourable bench there for the city and liberty of Westminster

The humble petition of Jane Steel wife of
Thomas Steel

Humbly sheweth
that your peticioner sometime since [illegible]
one Charles Gallagher (who was a lodger to your petitioner)
for an assault upon her in her own house videlicet in beating and
dragging her by the hair of her head and after using her in a
barbarous manner turned her husband out of doors without any
manner of provocation given by your petitioner who was then and is
now bigg with child and the said Charles Gallagher is now
indebted to your petitioners husband in upwards of fifty
shillings for lodging to which prosecution the said Charles
Gallagher has given in bail and served your petitioner with
the notice annexed

Your petitioner therefore
humbly beggs that your worships
will take this case in your
considerations and in regard
of the hardship of her case will
be pleased to deal with the abovesaid
Charles Gallagher as in your
lordships judgement shall seem
meet.

And your petitioner (as in duty [bound?]
shall ever pray etc.

Charles Galagher, a prisoner in the Gatehouse. WJ/SP/1732/06/008 (1732). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS653950012

To the right honourable the chairman
and the rest of his majestyes justices
of the peace now assembled att
the adjornment of the last generall
quarter sessions of the peace now
holden att Westminster Hall in and for
the city and liberty of Westminster aforesaid
in the county of Middlesex

The humble peticion of Charles Galagher now
a prisoner in the prison of the Gate House in and
for the said city and liberty

Sheweth
that your petitioner hath served his present majesty
and his royall predecessers in the army for the space
of twenty eight years and upwards without any
blemish or disgrace.

That your petitioner was att this present sessions
by his own confession convicted of an assault upon one
Jane Steel the wife of one Thomas Steele for which he was
by the judgement of this honourable court fined in the summe
of forty shillings.

That your petitioner by reason of his great poverty is
unable to pay the said fine and must inevitably perish
in prison unless the same shall by be metigated by the mercy
and lenity of this honourable court

Your petitioner therefore most humbly
prayes your honours out of your
accustomed charity honour [and?]
generosity to metigate his said [fine?]

And your petitioner as in duty bound
shall ever pray etc

• Charles Galagher

John Muriott, John Hill, Elizabeth Kennedy and other inhabitants of St Martin Le Grand. WJ/SP/1732/06/009 (1732). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS653950013

To the right worshipfull his majesties justices of the peace for the city
and liberty of Westminster in their generall quarter sessions assembled

The humble petition and appeal of the severall persons
whose hands are hereunto subscribed being inhabitants of
the precint of Saint Martin Le Grand within the liberty of
Westminster in the city of London.

Sheweth
that by the rate made this present year 1732 for releife of
the poor of the said precinct divers inhabitants of the said precinct
are rated up to the full rent which they pay others not [illegible]
the vallue of their rent or house's [illegible]
[illegible] other inhabitant who pay considerable
rents are entirely left out of the said rate

That it has allways been a custom time out of mind
to have a [discretionable?] rate made within the said precinct and
was never known to be a pound rate till [illegible] of 2 [years?]
past. And your petitioners conceiveing the said [rate?] [illegible] be very
unequall and unjust therefore humbly appeal against the same
unto this court

And pray this court will be pleased to [illegible]
vacate the said rate

And your petitioners shall ever pray etc

• the mark of Mary Surman


• John Muriott
• John Hill
• Elizabeth Kennedy
• John Hannell
• Edward Elliott


• John Bradford
• Jenner Swaine
• Thomas Spring
• David Brady
• Philemon Manwaring
• Edward Francis his marke