| Description | Deposition dated 26 November 1817 of Hannah Billans wife of Edward Billans. In June 1817 she was married by licence at Pocklington in the East Riding to Edward Billans chimney sweeper; and on 8 November 1817 she married Robert Cunningham by licence at Bishop Auckland in county Durham, while Billans was still alive. About three years ago, she borrowed 30 guineas from her mother Mary Wilson of Pickering widow, but has not given her any security for the loan or repaid any interest on it
Letter dated 28 November 1817 from Thomas Brown at the vicarage at Pocklington to the Revd Thomas Comber at Oswaldkirk rectory. Includes a copy of the parish register for Pocklington for the marriage on 7 May 1817 of Edward Billings of the parish of Market Weighton chimney sweeper and Hannah Clement of Pocklington widow. When the parties came to get a licence, Brown had questioned them more than he would have done had they been persons of respectability and credit. Billings was a minor and when Brown told him that he needed the consent of his parents, Billings said that his father was dead, and his mother lived in the south of England. Brown said that he required an affidavit from two people to say that Billings' mother consented to the marriage, and this was provided from those present, as "the parlour was full of their tribe". The intended bride had a young child in her arms. Brown believed her name to be Wilson, but she said that her name was Clement, and that she was a widow, whose first husband had died only a short time after they had married
Letter dated 29 November 1817 from John Bacon at the parsonage at Bishop Auckland to the Revd Thomas Comber at Oswaldkirk rectory containing an extract from the register of the parish of St Andrew Auckland in county Durham for the marriage on 8 November 1817 of Robert Cunningham and Hannah Billings both of that parish. Bacon points out the variation of the spelling of the name as Billings and Billans, and hopes that there will be a prosecution as the practice of obtaining licences fraudulently is far from uncommon
Letter dated 4 December 1817 from Thomas Paul at Malton to the Revd Thomas Comber at Oswaldkirk. The woman should have been committed to York Castle for trial at the Assizes for bigamy. As she has gone to Northallerton, she should remain there until the next Sessions, when an order will be made for her removal to the Castle. The clergymen of Bishop Auckland and Pocklington will not have to attend, as a copy of the marriage registers will be sufficient. Paul can act as attorney for the prosecution at the Assizes, the expenses of which will be paid out of the county rates
Letter dated 29 December 1817 from Thomas Mitchelson at Pickering to Thomas Paul esquire, enclosing documents transmitted to him by Mr Comber of Oswaldkirk. The woman Wilson was to be bound to appear and give evidence at the next Sessions, but he has been unable to find her. The whole fraternity are tinkers and pot people and have no fixed residence. He does not know whom Mr Comber intends to prosecute; and he does not know in which parish the culprit was apprehended. When Mr Comber committed the woman, he should then have bound the proper person to prosecute |