Thomas Wilding lived at Leftwich Lane with his wife and children, now London Road, Leftwich.

On October 29, 1881, he went with his wife to the Bowling Green pub at Leftwich, it was 10.40pm, and they were only there a short while, and Mrs Wilding left after two minutes.

Her husband was with two friends, Jabez Mears and Thomas Birkenhead.

They left the pub at closing time and set off for home, walking up Worthington’s Hill. (Now known as Brockhurst Hill, part of London Road – it took the name from William Worthington, who occupied The Brockhurst (Hall) and pleasure grounds, including all of the surrounding fields).

While walking up the hill, a man bumped into Birkenhead from behind and said something that the men thought was in an Irish accent.

Birkenhead and Mears followed the man who ran up the road and then turned down Dobell’s Lane (named after Dobell’s farm that it led to).

All three men ran up the short lane and left Wilding at the top.

As Thomas Wilding was standing there, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. This rendered him unconscious.

Mears and Birkenhead did not return but continued home.

Between 1.30am and 2am Mrs Wilding, became concerned for her husband, it being so late since the pub had closed, so she went out to look for him.

Eventually, she reached the top of Dobell’s Lane and found her husband in the lane insensible.

His coat and waistcoat were open, and his watch and chain together with his muffler and stick had gone.

The police were informed and circulated the details of the stolen property.

Jabez Mears said that he recognised the man who had bumped into them, and he knew that he was working in the district. Over in Warrington, a gentleman named Thomas Greaves had two pawnbroker’s shops at 69 Church Street and 136 Bridge Street.

A month after the robbery, a man entered one of the pawnshops and wanted to sell a watch and chain for 30/-. When the assistant asked where he had got the watch, he said he had bought it from a man in Liverpool.

The assistant was suspicious, and the watch resembled one they had received information on. He kept the man who went by the name of Michael McCue, aged 40 years, while awaiting the police who had been informed.

McCue was arrested and taken to Northwich police station when the officer arrived.

At Northwich, he was interviewed by PC Green and denied the theft stating that he had bought it from a man near Stretton.

He was charged with robbery with violence and appeared at Northwich Magistrates Court on December 27, 1881, in front of Mr C Kay of Davenham Hall, who committed him to the Chester Assizes.

He appeared in front of Mr Justice Williams on February 7, 1882, where he pleaded not guilty. He was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months of hard labour at HM Prison Chester Castle.