Interesting history

To me anyway! That there's a history of baking in my family, even if it was from stolen flour.

I wonder what they used to bake?

937. CHRISTIAN RYLE , stealing 100lbs. weight of flour, value 16s.; the goods of Isaac Blackbourne Hurst, his master; and CATHARINE LOUISA RYLE , feloniously receiving the same.

MR. PAYNE conducted the Prosecution.

ISAAC BLACKBOURNE HURST. I am a baker, at Royal-hill, Greenwich—Christain Ryle was my servant for about a year and eight or ten months. In consequence of a communication made to me, my attention was directed to him in the bakehouse—I called in an officer, about nine or ten o'clock is the evening, and searched about the flour-room—I found about twenty-five empty bags, which had had flour in them, concealed behind the four-sacks—next day I searched for them again, and they were gone—no one had access to the flour but him—I have discovered very great deficiencies in my stock of flour for the last eighteen months—after he was in custody he sent for me, and I went to him—he asked me to forgive him, as Mr. Baxendale had forgiven his man—he said he would come and live near me, and nothing of the kind should happen again, or he would leave the country.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Did you threaten to shoot him or to cut his throat? A. No, it is not true—I did not take up a dough-kaife and threaten to cut him in quarters—it was on a Tuesday night that I discovered this; I cannot tell the date—it was the night I received an anonymous letter by the post—I did not ask him if he had any enemies—I did not go to his house and ask for him to return to his work, and all should be forgotten.

JOHN CARPENTER (policeman, R 84.) I took Christian Ryle into custody—I told him he was charged with robbing his master of a considerable quantity of flour—he made no reply—I took Catharine the same day, and on the evening of the remand I fetched the prosecutor—the prisoners have been living together as man and wife the last twelve months, but before that, they lived apart—Christian Ryle said to the prosecutor he hoped he would forgive him, as another master-baker in the town had forgiven his man—he said,

"If you will take me back, I will come and live in the neighbourhood of your own house; you shall watch my proceeding; nothing of the kind shall occur again; if you will not forgive me, I will leave the country, and go home to Germany."

COURT. Q. Do the prisoners bear the reputation of being man and wife? A. They do.

CHRISTIAN RYLE— GUILTY. Aged 41.— Transported for Seven Years.

CATHARINE LOUISA RYLE— NOT GUILTY.

(There were two other indictments against the prisoners.)

(The prosecutor stated his loss at 100l.)

And that's how you end up in Australia!