Through the years, several Pullums have had a brush with the law, but records show they were not only offenders but some were victims of crime, or had given evidence in court.

I have reviewed all the legal records of this type that I have found.
For this blog, I have reviewed only UK records, but I do have Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canadian legal records too.
Some legal records relate to Probate, Land, Tax, Insolvency etc. (and one seeking advice from a lawyer to keep a band name).
I have reviewed here only those associated with crimes. (although some may not be these days!)

Sources

Old Bailey on-line is a good source but court records etc. can be found on most Genealogy websites. There are also other sources and often court cases are reported in newspapers. The latter are harder to search for just legal records, so the numbers from these is unlikely to be complete.
Often records contain Latin and although Pullum is Latin for chicken in some legal records it relates to a horse/foal e.g. unum pullum equiuum – one young horse.
Defendants may be reffered to by  more than one name and it is not always clear if Pullum was their true name or their alias.

Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales is commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street in London on which it stands.

A search for “Pullum” found 6 records.
One was as a forename: Pullum Markham – member of First Middlesex Jury.
Of the other 5, three were witnesses (one the wife of the victim) two were on trial and found guilty.

Ancestry
209 records were in the legal section. The majority were related to Workhouse admissions and discharges others included land records etc. 5 were the Old Bailey records.
Of the court records there were 6 different Pullums. 5 were found guilty of their crimes, one was acquitted but had been in jail awaiting trial.

Results

From all sources, I have found 21 different Pullums associated with crimes.

Date range: 1697 – 2018

Most crimes were committed and the cases heard in London (this includes parts of London that were Middlesex and Surrey at the time). However there were also cases in Essex, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Yorkshire and Cumbria. Some infringements, mainly the later ones,  did not take place near where the person lived.

Victim & Witnesses

One case was a more modern day type of victim. In 1956, Horatio William Albert Pullum, the Wizard of Weightlifting, was awarded £200 plus costs in a libel action settlement.
Daily Herald. Wednesday 11 July 1956. Page 7.

The other Pullum who was a victim of crime was William Pullum.
The Old Bailey court record of 29th January 1849, states the case against Mary Tracey  as “stealing 9 artificial flowers, and other goods, value 1l. 7s.; the goods of William Pullum, her master. 
William’s son was an artificial flower maker and William himself would have used such flowers in his milliner business.
One witness was Susannah Pullum neé Abby, known as Susan Pullum , her statement being “I am the wife of William Pullum—the prisoner was in my service, and left me about two months ago—I have missed this frock and flowers, and other articles—these are mine (produced).”
So the court places William as the victim, although it seems the items belonged to his wife.
Mary, aged 19 years, was imprisoned for 3 months.
The Old Bailey online Ref: t18490129-541.

Apart from Susan Pullum above, there were two other Pullums who were witnesses in criminal cases.

Henry Christopher Pullum was a ” steward of the Turnway Society – it is the Temple watermen’s society”, who was at The Old Bailey on 11th April 1833. He gave evidence against John Strong, accused of pickpocketing 3 sovereigns. “On the 26th of March the prisoner paid me 4s. 8d. for himself, and 2s. 4d. for his father; he changed a sovereign to pay it.” John Strong was found guilty and transported for 14 years.
The Old Bailey online Ref: t18330411-89.

One was another William Pullum, who gave evidence against one of three men who burgled his employers house on 17th August 1862. Two of the defendants were found not guilty but the other Charles Pearce, aged 33 was sentenced to death for stealing 117 pairs of shoes.
oldbaileyonline.org. Rrecord/t18261026-70
However, part of William Pullum’s evidence casts some doubt on his own character.
Record and transcipton at : https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18261026-70?text=Pullum

Defendants

The Innocent

Lucy Pullum, aged 22,  was committed to Gloucestershire County Goal, awaiting trial on 11th September 1832, charged with having feloniously stolen, taken and carried away one cotton pocket and three pounds of the current coin of this realm on 9th day of September.
In October 1832 (16th or 23rd) at Shire Hall, she was acquitted of stealing.
There are two notes in the margin by the verdict: [1]  “ignoramus” (note: this is the latin for “we don’t know”)  [2] “Not a true bill”
Do these notes suggest that she was educationally subnormal, was unable to give evidence or that there was not enough evidence to convict?
Either way she spent at least a month in prison when presumably innocent.
Gloucestershire Prison Records. Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucestershire, England. Reference: Q/SG2/1815-1840.
Gloucestershire Prison Records. Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucestershire, England. Reference: Q/Gc/5/4.
The Bristol Mirror (Bristol, Avon, England). 27th October 1832. Saturday. Page 4.

The Guilty

Apart from  a very early case in 1697 and six driving offences in the 20th & 21st century,  the cases in the 19th century were in the years 1843 to 1897 and  50 – 67 % of cases involved stealing, but nowadays 2 would probably not be considered crimes.

The earliest record (1697) involves a Robert Pullum, along with 3 other labourers and a yeoman, who appeared in Essex on 24th February, accused of having “riotously broke into the dwelling house of Edward Gentleman there, assaulted him, and riotously took and carried away a “feather bed” worth 35s., a “feather boulster” worth 5s., and a “brass pan” worth 23s. of his”.
All pled not guilty. I have not found the outcome of this. I suspect the punishment was severe.
www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk.

Appearing on 6th June 1843 at the Shire Hall, Gloucestershire was Lee Pullom (a.k.a Lee Pullum or Charles Pullom / Pullum), on trial for stealing, on 31st May a mare, a saddle, and a bridle the property of John Pullom.”
He was convicted of horse stealing and imprisoned for 6 months in Winchcombe Gaol.
Gloucestershire Prison Records. Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucestershire, England

At the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 10th May 1858, Charles Augustus Pullum pled guilty to stealing cloth from his employer. He was sentenced to one month imprisonment.
Transcription: Charles Pullum at The Old Bailey, London, England
Note: 4 years later, when William Pullum gave evidence against a man for stealing shoes, that person was sentenced to death.
The Old Bailey online Ref: t18580510-545.
Home Office: Criminal Registers, Middlesex and Home Office: Criminal Registers, England and Wales

Percy Digby Templeton Pullum had an interesting life, which I have chronicled previously. If it wasn’t for his unusual name, one may think it was not the same person.
His brush with the law occurred in in 1881, when on the 23rd of September he appeared in Marylebone Police Court, where he was charged (with 2 others) with burglariously entering  90 Drummond Street, Euston Square and stealing about £120 on Wednesday 21st October.  He pleaded guilty and was remanded until 1st October. He appeared at The Old Bailey on 17th October where he was sentenced to 2 years (although another record states 18 months hard labour).
The Leeds Mercury. Saturday. 24th September 1881. Page 7.
Reynold’s Newspaper. Sunday 25th September 1881. Page 6.
The Morning Post. Saturday 24th September 1881. Page 7.
The Standard. Saturday 24th September 1881. Page 2.
The Manchester Evening News. Saturday 24th September 1881. Page 2.
Aberdeen Evening Express. 24th September 1881. Page 2.
The Aberdeen Journal. Saturday 24th September 1881. Page 7.
The Evening News and Star. Saturday 24th September 1881.

On 19th January 1885, in Clerkenwell, Henry Pullum was found guilty of grievous bodily harm .
He was fined £5, had to pay £10 costs and bound to keep the peace and be of good behaviour (£20)
There are no other details and Henry is a common name amongst Pullums, so I am unsure which person this relates to.
Criminal Registers, Middlesex and Home Office: Criminal Registers, England and Wales

A record from Wandsworth prison in 1888 has a prisoner recorded as Joseph Fullman or Pullum, aged 25. Although also recorded are his physical attributes which include a scar and two tattoos, I cannot match him to a known Joseph Pullum.
He was guilty of being drunk and disorderly, it was his second offence and he received 7 days imprisonment and fined £10 and 11 pence.
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; PCOM 2: Metropolitan Police: Criminal Record Office: Habitual Criminals Registers and Miscellaneous Papers

George Joseph Pullum appeared at the Central Criminal Court, London on 24th May 1897.
He was on trial for breaking and entering the shop (at 117 Houndsditch, London) of Isidore Newmark and another, and stealing four watches, his property (on the13th of May).
His defence was “A minute or two before the policeman took me a man said, “Here you are, here is something for you,” and gave me something, which I put in my pocket, and the policeman seized me immediately. I was never charged before, only for a drop of drink, and I have been in charge twelve days.”
There were several summary convictions against him. He was found guilty and sentenced to ten month’s hard labour.
The Old Bailey on-line. Ref: t18970524-394.

Also during this time, there were two I have looked at separately. (below)

20th & 21st Century – Driving Offences

The last 6 defendants were all accused only of driving offences. So minor infringements but included here for completeness and as there are a couple of interesting points.

At 7:45 am on Saturday , March 26th  1932, Leonard Alfred Pullum was fined 5s for having an obscured plate on car, on  Pier Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex. He was from Hackney but moved with his parents to Sussex.
The Observer and West Sussex Recorder. Wednesday. April 6th 1932. Obscure Plate.

In 1935 Frederick James Pullum had been  a Licenced Victualler at The Duke of York Public House in Hackney, for about 15 years. On the 3rd of September in Billericay, Essex, he was summoned for driving a motor vehicle under the influence of drink and for driving in a dangerous manner and without due care and attention at North Benfleet on August 25th.
There was a double collision on Sunday 25th August at 9pm. He was driving a car to Southend and hit a combination (motorcycle and sidecar). The driver of the comibination, his wife and 3 occupants of the car were taken to hospital. He was fined £25 and for dangerous driving £20.
He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months. And ordered to pay costs of £6/16/4.
The Newsman (Essex). Saturday. 7th September 1935. Page 3. Car Driving and Drink Charge.
The Essex Chronicle. Friday 6th September 1935. Page 2. Car Driving and Drink Charge.

William George Pullum was a bus ( L.P.T.B. – London Passenger Transport Board) driver  from Essex. In Hampshire on 11th May 1936, he was fined 20s for speeding on a motorcycle.
“William Pullum, who appeared, said he was a bus driver on holiday”
The Hampshire Advertiser and Southampton Times. Saturday 16th May 1936. Page 14.

The last 3 are recent and although all occurred in Lincolnshire, involved 3 different people:
(i) occurred in 2014. Police followed a Rover car after it hit a roadside verge. The driver admitted drink driving.
Court Report. rssing.com – newsfeed.
(ii) was a speeding conviction in 2015. The driver was fined £200 fine and received 3 points on their licence.
Court Report. rssing.com – newsfeed.
(iii) was in 2018. The person was fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £66 & costs of £85. His licence was endorsed with six points, after a case was proven for failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle. 
LincolnshireLive. The digital news channel of Lincolnshire Echo, Target Series and Retford Times.

Guilty or victim of circumstances

I have found records relating to two Pullums who were in court relating to debt.
William Pullum in 1852 and Henry Ebenezer Pullum (later Templeton) in 1861.

William Pullum was a successful laceman and milliner in Hoxton, London and in 1834 was doing well enough to be able to insure his house against fire.

He was in court in 1849, when his wife was a witness (above)
and he later appeared in court on 30th June 1852.

There were further court appearances (approximately monthly intervals) and things did not go well and he was committed to debtor’s prison
I don’t know how long he remained in prison but by the 1861 census, he appears to be back at Hyde Place (although now number 21) and has a job as a cab man
He does appear in court again in 1867 but this time to give evidence the inquest into a major skating accident in Regent’s Park in which his son died.
Morning Post. Wednesday. 30th June 1852. Page 7.
Perry’s Bankrupt and Insolvent Gazette. Saturday 19th June 1852. Page 398.
Perry’s Bankrupt and Insolvent Gazette. Saturday 4th September. Page 572.
The Morning Advertiser. Wednesday June 30th 1852. Page 6.
Perry’s Bankrupt and Insolvent Gazette. Saturday 7th August 1852. 508 (continued from same 6th August).
Bell’s New Weekly Messenger. Sunday 20th June 1852. Page 6.
The London Gazette. 31 August 1852. Page 2382.
The London Gazette. 6 Aug 1852. Page 2177.
The London Gazette. 15 June 1852. Page 1702.

Henry Ebenezer Pullum was a musician and proprietor of the African Opera Company from quite a young age. He toured the country as Henry Templeton and seems to have done well.
Evidence of being involved in court matters come from the fact that at least twice in 1861 he had had to alter the programme due to an injunction.

There also a Notice given by his attorney in The London Gazette on 5th June 1871 under the 1869 Bankruptcy Act, which says that on the 19th of June 1871 at 12 o’clock, at 32 Bow Street, Covent Garden, London was the first meeting of his creditors
The London Gazette. 6th June 1871. Page 2679. (The Bankruptcy Act 1869).

There was another Pullum (my great great grandfather), who is referred to on a concert ticket of 1898.
“Mr Harry Pullum, who through serious reverses in business appeals to his friends for their generous support” – we believe it worked!

These days debt is rarely considered a crime, although certain types of debt can still lead to imprisonment e.g. for criminal and court fines, income tax and VAT debts. However, going to jail due to debt was seen from as early as the 14th century and some sources state that by the 18th century, over half of England’s prisoners were in jail because of debt.

Because men were held responsible for households’ financial matters, nearly all imprisoned debtors were male. However, wives and children were sometimes forced to join their husbands and fathers in prison if they didn’t have the means to support themselves. Traders who were unable to pay their creditors could be declared bankrupt, thereby usually avoiding jail, but for those with personal debts there was no such escape.

Another instance of what would (definitely) not be seen as a crime today concerned Louisa Pullum nee Papps.

Summary & Conclusion

Cases not considered in the table below:
1657 sentence unknown
20th and 21st century – driving offences
Debt – one imprisoned

The difference in sentences seen, (especially if one takes into account the other cases mentioned, where  a man was transported for pickpocketing 3 sovereigns in 1833 and, in 1862 another sentenced to death for stealing shoes), seem related not so much to the year of the crime but the value of the goods stolen and perhaps more so, previous convictions. The Pullum found guilty for GBH especially appears to have got a light sentence.

Additional Facts

There were familial relationships between several of the Pullums mentioned:

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The Main UK tree on the pullum-one-name website has an additional 5 criminal records relating to those who were not Pullums at the time  or were related to Pullums:

Jane Pullum (or Pulham) married John Gibbons in 1884, and so was Mrs Gibbons and living and working at The Red Lion Inn, High Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, when in March 1905, she gave evidence against two girls. She had given bed & breakfast and they were later charged with fraud. 
The Gloucestershire Echo. (Cheltenham). 7th March 1905. Tuesday. Page 3 .

Louisa Papps married a Pullum after her appearance at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell Green, Islington, London on the 5th of September 1900. She had been taken into custody on 27th August accused of  “attempting to kill and murder herself”. She pleaded guilty and the Order of the court was: Father’s Recognizances in £5 and own Recognizances in 40s. To appear for judgement if called upon.
UK Home Office: Calendar of Prisoners. The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England.

Robert Charles Clark (alias: Robert Wallace, & Charles Robert Howard, Charles Robert Power) was married to Jane Caroline neé Pullum. His army records state that his military service was from 30th December 1901 to 7th May 1919. However, on the 9th of February 1903, at Lambeth Police Court, he pleaded guilty to robbery and with 2 other convictions, he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. He was sent to Wormwood Scrubs prison, and 2 years later, his description including that of his tattoos match that on entry to the army.
The Old Bailey online Ref: t19031019-20.
Metropolitan Police: Criminal Record Office: Habitual Criminals Registers and Miscellaneous Papers. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives.

Agnes Maria Price’s mother’s maiden name was Pullum. In 1894 she was a co-respondent in a divorce case.
Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, later Supreme Court of Judicature: Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Files, 1858–2002. J 77. Records of the Family Division and predecessors. Records of the Supreme Court of Judicature and related courts. The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England.

Edward Collin’s mother’s maiden name was also Pullum. In 1844, he was found not guilty of assault.
Worldwide, Home Office: Criminal Registers, Middlesex and Home Office: Criminal Registers, England and Wales

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Uploaded 27.11.2024