In what was described as a curious case of theft, Jane Hamilton appeared before Winchester magistrates in 1907, charged with stealing jewellery and household effects from Elizabeth Friend who had been lodging with her.
In court she identified all the stolen property which had gone missing from her boxes during her stay.
John T Smith, a pawnbroker, confirmed most of the articles had been brought to his business and pledged by a woman giving her name as Hamilton with an address in Staple Gardens.
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Police Sgt Jacobs then told the court how he had gone to Mrs Heather's shop in the city and recovered a ring and a broach. When he returned to the police station where Mrs Hamilton had been under detention, she told him: "I know, I took them from the old gal's box but I was hard pressed for money."
The officer later searched her house and recovered the pawn tickets relating to the property, which was recovered.
Hamilton elected to be tried summarily and pleaded guilty to theft.
Her husband then made a dramatic intervention, demanding to be heard.
He told the magistrates how Ms Friend had been a former housekeeper to his wife's uncle. He had taken her in until she could find fresh employment but she made no attempt to do so and he ultimately had to tell her that he could not keep her any longer. She left but came back after four days, saying she had nowhere else to live.
He allowed her to return but when he fell into financial difficulty asked her to leave. It was at this point that she complained items were missing.
Ms Field had never paid any money for her lodgings and he had been keeping her out of poverty. "This is why my wife is in this position. It's the first time she has been before a court and I asked you to treat her leniently. Hamilton was dealt with under the First Offenders Act and bound over.
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