Kirkley Hall a farming estate just outside Ponteland in
Northumberland was owned by wealthy landowner Nathanael Ogle, as well as other
properties around the country. The families who lived on his estate at Kirkley
Hall always paid their rent on time and in the Spring of 1809, it was time for
the farmers and labourers to pay their half yearly rent again. When he left his
estate Nathanael would leave Michael Aynsley the owner of a nearby modest
estate at Newham in charge of his financial affairs, this time it was to
collect the rents. Because of an increase the rents would total £1,150. It was
on the 3rd April while enjoying himself with friends, Nathanael received a
letter from Michael with the good news. The rents had been collected and the
bags of gold and silver, along with the rolls of notes were in the wooden chest
hidden behind the secret panel. Michael had also boasted The devil himself
could never find it.
At 8 o'clock the next morning when Michael went back to Kirkley Hall, he found
the door and a glass panel smashed open the chest ransacked and the money gone.
Obviously the thief had known where to look. When he was informed of the break
in Nathanael called detective Lavender from Bow Street, London to find his
money. After only a few days at Kirkley Hall, detective Lavender had found most
of the money left in shrubbery. One of the few people who had known about the
secret safe was an odd job man, he had worked for four years at Kirkley Hall.
James Charlton, known as a very honest and hard working man he was also very
poor and soon became a suspect. James was married with four children and in
lots of debt but within days of the robbery, all his debts had been paid in
cash. Detective Lavender found witnesses who had seen James in the pub offering
to buy friends drinks, waving banknotes around. He was also seen paying six
pounds to James Sillick a leather seller from Newcastle, three pounds to Sarah
Kyle and thirteen shillings to Margery Harbottle who ran a grocery shop.
On the 17th May James was arrested by detective Lavender and taken to Newcastle
Keep, he was held in chains until the August assizes. When he went to court it
was to find Michael Aynsley the person who had been in charge of the stolen
money was also the prosecutor. James Carlton pleaded not guilty and said he had
borrowed ten pounds from his brother to pay his debts which his brother
confirmed. James then went on to accuse Michael Aynsley of the crime brining in
witnesses who told the court Michael had been very nervous after the arrival of
detective Lavender. Also a servant from Kirkley Hall, Dorothy Hodgson described
how Michael Aynsley had said to her the money would turn up the next day and it
had. The defence suggested that Michael Aynsley had stolen the money while Mr
Ogle was away knowing James Charlton had borrowed money so he would get the
blame. Giving him the benefit of the doubt the jury cleared James and he was
set free.
While being held at Newcastle Keep James shared a cell with well known thief
and liar William Taylerson, who told the guards that while he was there James,
boasted that he got away with the burglary. As William Taylerson was in prison
for horse stealing and facing the death penalty, he said he would give evidence
against James Charlton if he was reprieved. That was when another prisoner
shouted at William Would you hang another man just for your liberty? William
answered Yes, Liberty is sweet! On his way to Ponteland, James was again
arrested and taken back to court. Where on the evidence of William Taylerson
the jury this time found James guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison with
hard labour.
