Hertfordshire Genealogy: Old Hertfordshire News: Fraudulently dealing in Straw Plait

Fraudulently dealing in Straw Plait, St Albans.

From the Herts Advertiser, 18th November 1882

CITY PETTY SESSIONS – Wednesday

Before the Mayor (Mr. S M White), Mr E S Wiles, Mr H J Toulmin, and Mr C K Dyer.

FRAUDULENTLY DEALING WITH STRAW PLAIT.

Emma Cramphorn, a married woman, living on Bernard’s Heath, was charged that having been the bailee of certain straw plait of the value of 5s 6d which had been entrusted to her by David Davis, manufacturer of Grange Street, she did fraudulently convert the same to her own use. The evidence taken on the occasion of the previous hearing on the 8th inst was read over. – Defendant, who elected to be dealt with summarily, pleaded that she had had no felonious intention in the matter. She intended to return the plait. – Fined Ł1 and allowed a fortnight in which to pay.

The Emma Cramphorn mentioned in this news item is almost certainly the wife of Frederick Cramphorn, who at the time of the 1881 census was living at Bedford Road, St Peters, St Albans:

Fredk. CRAMPHORN	Head	38	Plate Layer	St Albans
Emma CRAMPHORN	Wife	32	Sewer	Harpenden
Sarah SEABROOK	Niece	6	Scholar	Harpenden

Frederick was almost certainly the son of Robert and Mary Cramphorn, who were living in Half Moon Yard, St Albans, with their family, including Frederick, at the time of the 1851 census. Frederick and Emma "Crampham" were living in Boundary Road, Sandridge New Town (Bernards Heath) at the time of the 1891 census and the news item suggests that they were one of the first families to move into Boundary Road, where construction started in late 1881 or early 1882. (Boundary Road was deliberately built just outside the city boundary to avoid paying the city taxes.)

For further information on the Cramphorn family see:

CRAMPHORN, St Albans, late 19th century

Poaching Rabbits at Sandridge in 1860

Stealing Turnip Tops in St Peters, St Albans in 1864

Trespass in search of Conies in St Michaels, St Albans in 1866