Mexborough and Swinton Times May 11, 1928

Swinton Servant’s Thefts.

Lucy Law Hartley, 17, domestic servant, of 1, Quarry Street, Mexborough, was charged at the Rotherham West Riding Police Court on Monday with having stolen on December 17th, a quantity of jewellery and clothing, valued at £22, the property of Mrs. Eleanor Machell Baker, of Brookfield House, Swinton.

Mrs. Baker said defendant was employed by her and in consequence of a number of articles being missing she looked in Hartley’s room and found some of the articles. Everything had been taken out. of locked drawers.

Sergeant Hessledine said that on April 4th he visited the residence of Mrs. Baker and found the jewellery. He saw defendant and charged her with the offence. She replied “That’s All I have got; I have not got the fur.” Witness afterwards visited’ the girl’s mother, who said defendant had taken the two pillow-slips, but not the sheets. A little later defendant came in and said, “Own up to it, mother  I’ve told them all about it.” Her mother then said they had been burnt. Defendant, in court, said she ‘was very sorry it bad happened.

Mr. E. Rose, in binding the defendant over for two years in the sum of £5, to be under the supervision of Miss Haslam, said that it was a serious charge and the bench were trying to help her if they could. It was a bad start for a girl of 17 years of age. She was ordered to pay £1 costs.

Dorothy Davis, 17, domestic servant, of West Road, Mexborough, was bound over the sum of £5 to be of good behaviour for two years, and, ordered to pay £1 costs, for having stolen a quantity. of jewellery and clothing from Mrs. Eleanor Machell Baker, of Brookfield House, Swinton.                          .

Defendant had been employed by Mrs. Baker for two years

Sergeant Hessledine said he received a. complaint about the missing articles and saw defendant, who denied the charge. The father of the defendant said there had been no complaints from Mrs. wilier with regard to his daughter, and the articles had been brought to his home under the impression that Mrs. Baker had finished with them.