Page 192 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

1790-1799

.. 9 0 0 7 NEWS (General Post-Office, June 23, 1790)

THERE being the greatest Reason to suspect that one William Lownds or Lowins, otherwise called William Hope, is
the Person who robbed the Mail between Penrith and Keswick, on the 25th Day of February last (which Robbery was
advertised in the London Gazette of Saturday the 6th Day of March last) he having negotiated at a Banker's in Newcastle
upon Tyne, on the 3d Instant, in the Name of William Hope, a Bill of Exchange, for £541 &. which was taken out of that
Mail, with a forged Endorsement thereon.
The said William Lownds or Lowins, otherwise called Hope, is about Thirty-five Years of Age, Five Feet Eight or
Nine Inches high, stout made, dark Complexion, has remarkably good black Hair, which he wears tied behind; he has the
Appearance of a Seafaring Man, and is supposed to have been born at Congleton in Cheshire, has been in Ireland lately,
and has a little of that Dialect: He has lived at Sunderland, and was married there about Ten Years ago, but has not lived
with his Wife for some Years.
He was again married at Alfreton in Derbyshire, in 1785, to Amy Clark, by whom he has two Children, and has
resided at Hexham in Northumberland since the 8th of March last. He left that Place the 4th Instant with his Wife and
Family, whom he left at Darlington, and after transacting some Business at the Two Banks there, he came to London in the
Mail Coach, and arrived on Monday Morning the 7th Instant, and immediately went to Mess. Smith, Wright and Gray,
Bankers, where he negotiated a Bill of Exchange, and wrote the Name "W. Lownds" thereon.
He is supposed to have in his Possession a Promissory Note of one of the Banks at Newcastle, dated 3d June, 1790, for
One Hundred Pounds, payable on Demand to Mr. William Hope, or Order.
Whoever shall apprehend and convict, or cause to be apprehended and convicted, the said William Lownds or Lowins,
otherwise called Hope, of the said Robbery 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 the said Robbery, or knowing thereof, shall make Discovery whereby the said William Lownds or Lowins, otherwise
called Hope, 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 .

.. 9 0 0 8 NEWS (General Post-Office, July 6, 1790)
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 N orthwich, on the llth 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 llth 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 Ss. 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 llth 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 1&. 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,

169