Notes for: Annie Louisa Birch
Possible death: Sep 1967 Haringey 5b 704 age 81.
Cambridge Independent Press 30 Apr 1909:
SUSPECTED BURGLARS ARRESTED AT CAMBRIDGE
Smart Capture Leads to a Further Discovery.
The three men whose arrest in Cambridge last week was effected by the smartness of P. c. Walter Winter, were brought before W. H. Redfern, Esq. (presiding). C. F. Foster, G. Smith, H. G. Whibley, and P. H. Young, Esqs., at the Borough Police Court this (Friday) morning. The accused are Arthur Lane, alias George Ronald Robinson, aged 29, a smartly-dressed individual, having no fixed abode, and no occupation, Richard Smallwood, aged 30, French polisher, and Albert Smith, aged 23 bottle dealer, of 10 Little George-street, Hampstead-road, N.W. The charge originally preferred against them was that being suspected persons, they did loiter on Hills-road on April 22nd, with intent to commit a felony. The Town Clerk (Mr. J. E. L. Whitehead), who appeared to prosecute, now withdrew that charge, and substituted a charge of being found by night at the hour of 1.30, without lawful excuse, with certain housebreaking implements in their possession, with intent to commit a felony.
The Town Clerk remarked that P. c. Winter had acted extremely well and cleverly in the matter. As long ago as March 25th and 26th a man stayed at "Ye Olde Castle Hotel" and left, after bursting into the office of the hotel, and also into the bar, and taking certain monies amounting to about £14, a coat, and two umbrellas. On April 22nd, shortly after 1 o’clock in the morning, P. c. Winter saw three men opposite Rathmore House, on Hills-road, and from their manner his suspicions were aroused. He got into conversation with them and was told that they were in the building trade, and were looking for work. Afterwards they came towards the town. Lane parting from the other two, whom the constable kept under observation. Their movements continued to be suspicious, and when they had got as far as Bateman-street P. c. Winter signalled to P. c. Wright, and had the men taken into custody. Lane, whom the other men said they knew nothing about, having picked him up at Stortford, was afterwards encountered near Downing College gates, carrying a handbag. He asked P. c. Winter if he could direct them to the Lion Hotel, and Winter said he could, but when he got to the police station, he asked him inside. There the bag, which Lane said contained his tools, was opened, and a variety of house-breaking implements was discovered, making up, as the Town Clerk put it, a very nice burglar’s outfit. At the "Volunteer" public-house, in Trumpington, was found a pony and van, the latter of which bore Smith’s name and address, and in the stables were the two umbrellas stolen from the Castle Hotel.
Evidence bearing out this story was given by P. c.’s Winter and Wright, and Miss Annie Louisa Birch stated that Lane put up a horse and van at the "Volunteer" public-house, at Trumpington, on the evening of April 21. Subsequently the other two men entered the house with Lane, who paid for refreshments for them. Then they left, saying they would return for the horse and van at half-past six next morning.
Lane told the Bench that in spite of the tools being found upon him he and the other men had no felonious intentions. They were making their way back to London when they were stopped by the constable.
Smallwood and Smith also made statements, the latter saying they had only known Lane about a week. He told them he had friends in Cambridge, and they might get work there, and they walked about until the early hours of the morning looking for Lane’s friends.
The accused were committed for trial at the Assizes, and the Bench endorsed what had been previously said as to the alertness displayed by P. c. Winter.
Cambridge Independent Press 23 Jul 1909:
CRUELTY TO A HORSE
Cambridge Man Fined by the County Magistrates
At the Cambridge Division Petty Sessions on Saturday, before Lieut-Colonel Hurrell (in the chair), Professor Courtney Kenny, H. H. Wiles, W. W. Clear, E. H. Thornhill, and J. Lambert, Esqs., George Cornwell, labourer, of 9 Henley-road, Cambridge was summoned for cruelty to a horse, by working it in an unfit state at Trumpington, on July 9th, and Arthur Shrive, basket-maker, of 3 Peas Hill, Cambridge, was summoned for having caused the cruelty. - They pleaded not guilty.
Annie Birch, living at "The Volunteer," Trumpington, stated that on July 9th, about 10.30 a.m., Cornwell went to the house and asked if they could put up a horse for him which he said was lame. The animal, which was attached to a cart, was walked into the yard, and witness saw it went lame.
Inspector Laird, R.S.P.C.A., stated that from information received, he went to Mr. Saint’s place in Devonshire-road, Cambridge. He there saw a brown horse, which was very lame on the oft fore leg, and the tendons from the knee downwards were broken away, and giving out. The horse was unable to bear any weight on the limb. It was in a poor condition. On the near shoulder there was a large wound and there was a smaller one on the ridge of the back. Cornwell came into the yard and witness asked him if he were aware of the condition of the animal, and why he worked it, and he replied "It is not all my fault, I left Newmarket-road with the cart at 8 o’clock. I was glad that I did not meet a policeman on the way or he would have locked me up. When I got to 'The Volunteer' at 10 o’clock the horse was completely knocked up." Defendant also said that he left "The Volunteer" about 9 o’clock in the evening, but finding that the animal could go no farther Mr. Saint let him put it in his stable.