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Picture source: Ian Chapman

The Eight Bells was situated at 3 Greenwich Church Street. This pub is now used as a bookmakers.

From oldbaileyonline.org, 14th August 1865

802. HENRY HAMPTON (24) , Stealing 7s. 6d. the money of William Henry Taplin, his master. MR. WILL Conducted the Prosecution and MR. CUNNINGHAM the Defence. WILLIAM HENRY TAPLIN . I manage the Eight Bells Public-house, at Greenwich, for my brother—In May lout I engaged the prisoner as barman—from certain suspicions that I had, on saturday 16th July, I called in a constable named Alvin—I marked two half-crowns and gave them to him to have them passed over the bar—that was about 7 o'clock—I afterwards looked in the till and found that they were there and subsequently I found that one was gone, one remained—about 11 o'clock when the business closed 1 called both the barmen into the bar—I told them I thought I was being robbed, and that I imagined the prisoner was the man that was robbing me—I then asked the prisoner if he had any objection to being searched—he said, "No," all he had in his possession belonged to him, and won what he had saved—we then went up stairs into his room, and in his box we found 1l. in small silver, rolled up in paper, and a silver watch—he had 34 or 35s. on his person, and amongst the money the constable discovered the half-crown that I had marked—I recognised it directly—I have not the least doubt it was the same—on the prisoner being taken before the Magistrate on the remand we searched his box again, and found another pound in silver wrapped up in paper, and 9s. more in another piece of paper—we never allow a barman to give change from his own pocket, we always have sufficient money in the till—when I looked in and saw the half-crown I should imagine there was about 25s. worth of silver in the till—when the prisoner came into my service, he asked me to intercede and get his money weekly, which is very contrary in the trade—he said he was short of money he bad 25s. advanced to him, and I afterwards let him have 10s.—that was some weeks before the night in question—he was in my service altogether eleven weeks. Cross-examined. Q. You marked the half-crowns yourself I understand? A. Yes, the constable has them—I marked them with the point of a penknife in the earhole of the head, and in marking one of them the knife slipped—this is one of them (produced)—it was on the Saturday that I marked the half-crowns—there are three tills in my place, neither of them was locked—the half-crown found on the prisoner is not the half-crown given to the constable on the Sunday; it is one of those given to the constable on the Saturday. COURT. Q. What wages did he receive during that 11 weeks? A. He only had the 25s. and the 10s. advanced to him towards his wages, he was to have 26l. a year. JOHN SOAPER . I live at 4, Lamb-Jane, Greenwich—on Saturday evening 16th July, Alvin gave me two half-crowns, and told me to go to the Eight Bells, and get a pint of the best pale brandy, and to give these two half-crowns, which I did—the prisoner served me—I got back 1s. 8d. change—this is one of the half-crowns given to me by the policeman—I know it by the mark there, and it is the same date. ROBERT ALVIN (Policeman, R 148). On Saturday 16th July, Mr. Taplin marked two half-crowns and gave them to me—I gave them to Soaper with certain instructions—he brought me back a pint of brandy and 1s. 8d. change—a few minutes before 11, Mr. Taplin called me in, with another constable—we went into the bar parlour—he called the prisoner and the other barman in and said to them "I have been robbed, and I suspect you of robbing me, have you any objection to being searched?"—the prisoner said, "No, all I have is my own, what I have saved"—we then went upstairs, where the prisoner sleeps, and searched his box—I asked him what he had got in it—he said that he had got clothes and all that was in it was his own property—I unlocked the box and in the bottom of it I found 1l. 9 1/2 d. in small change, and a watch with an old-fashioned guinea piece attached—I asked him if they belonged to him, he said, "Yes"—I asked him to turn out his pockets, he did so, and there was 1l. 14s. 10 1/2 d. in small change, and amongst the money I found one of the marked half-crowns I received from Taplin—I said, "Is this yours?"—he said, "Yes"—this is the one I can swear to—Mr. Taplin then gave the prisoner into custody—I asked him to what extent he had been robbed—he said he could not possibly tell, be thought about 16l.—the prisoner was taken before the Magistrate and remanded, and on the Monday morning I searched his box again—we turned everything out and I found wrapped up in a piece of paper, about a pound in silver, and in another paper I found 9s., and a few halfpence—the prisoner is a married man. Cross-examined. Q. Did you get three half-crowns from the prosecutor altogether, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday? A. Yes, he marked them in my presence—I marked the third one on the Sunday—I am sure I did not mark the two on the Saturday—if I have said that in my deposition, it is a mistake—there were three marked, and I marked one—this one found on the prisoner, was one of the two I got from Taplin on the Saturday. MR. WILL. Q. What became of the half-crown that you marked on the Sunday? A. I gave it to Mr. Taplin again. GUILTY .—Recommended to mercy by the Prosecutor Confined Nine Months.

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