SHOW MENU

Mail robbery. William Lownds or Lowins suspected in the Penrith-Keswick mail robbery

General Post-Office, July 6, 1790
Raguin Code: NEWS –9008

THERE are the strongest Reasons to believe, that one William Lewins, the Person advertised in the London Gazette of the 26th of June last, and in all the London Papers about that Time, by the Names of William Lownds or Lowins, otherwise William Hope, on Suspicion of having robbed the Mail between Penrith and Keswick on the 25th of February, 1790, is the Person who also robbed the Mail between Warrington and Northwich, on the 11th of March, 1788, and likewise robbed the Mail between Chester and Frodsham on the 20th of June, 1789.

The said William Lewins was born in the Parish of Astbury, near Congleton, in Cheshire, and was married at Alfreton in Derbyshire the 11th of July, 1785, to Amie Clarke.

He lived at Chesterfield in Derbyshire for about Two Years previous to the first Robbery of the Mail, and followed the Business of a Weaver.

He negotiated a Bill of Exchange for £20 which was taken out of the said Mail at Chesterfield a few Days after that Robbery.

On the 22d of March, 1788, he negotiated to Mess. Roper and Rayner, of Leeds, another Bill of Exchange, taken out of the same Mail, for £69 5s. 6d. which he endorsed in the Name of "Wm. Brown."

On the 18th of April, 1788, he negotiated to. Mess. Wilberforce, Smiths and Co. of Hull, a Bill of Exchange for £111 likewise taken out of that Mail, and endorsed the same Name, "Wm. Brown," thereon.

He absconded from Chesterfield in the same Month, and was advertised in the London Gazette of the 26th of May, 1788.

On the 11th of April, 1789, about Eleven Weeks previous to the 29th of June, 1789, the Day on which the Mail between Chester and Frodsham was robbed, he went with his Wife and Child to live at Beaumaris in North Wales, assuming the Name of William Hutchinson, and lodged with one Mrs. Corry: In a few Days after this Robbery, he absconded from Beaumaris, and early in August following he negotiated at Oxford a Bill of Exchange for £14 18s. which was taken out of this Mail, and endorsed it in the Name of "Wm. Mall."

The said William Lewins is about Thirty-five or Thirty-six Years of Age, Five Feet Eight or Nine Inches high, stout made, of a dark Complexion, has remarkable good black Hair, which he lately wore tied behind, has a florid Complexion, large Lips, is rather heavy limbed, and thick about the Ancles, and has a Wife whose Christian Name is, and whom he generally called Amy: It is supposed that he went with his Wife and a little Child between Two or Three Years old, named Polly, to Ireland, in the Autumn of 1788, and returned to Beaumaris in the Spring of 1789.

Whoever shall apprehend and convict, or cause to be apprehended and convicted, the said William Lewins, of any of the said Robberies of the Mail, will be entitled to a Reward of TWO HUNDRED POUNDS, over and above the Reward given by Act of Parliament for apprehending of Highwaymen; or if any Person, whether an Accomplice in any of the said Robberies, or knowing thereof, shall make Discovery, whereby the said William Lewins may be apprehended and brought to Justice, such Discoverer will, upon Conviction of the Party, be entitled to the same Reward of TWO HUNDRED POUNDS, and will also receive His Majesty's most gracious Pardon.

ANTH. TODD, Secretary.