Wapping index
Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.
Residents at this address.
Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser 21 March 1806
The lease and goodwill, with immediate possession, of an old established Public houses and Premises, the Pear Tree, in Pear tree alley, near Sir William Warrens square, Wapping, with every convenience for carrying on an extensive trade.
John Lockie, a descriptive London Street Directory in 1810 describes "Peartree Alley, Cinnamon Street, Wapping, is nearly opposite King Edward St entering by 272 Wapping Street"
Bell's Weekly Messenger 29 December 1811
Summary - Shadwell Police Office, Monday, December 23rd
The examination of John Williams, apprehended by Hewitt and Hope on Sunday, two of the police officers at Shadwell. On his person were found a duplicate for two pair of shoes, pledged for 8 shillings and 1 pound 14 shillings in silver, with a 1 pound note.
On Monday, the fact that he had little money on the night of the fatal massacre of Mr Williams [Williamsons] family had been proved from his borrowing sixpence of the landlady of the Pear Tree public house; strong suspicions arose on Monday morning from a communication from an unfortunate person confined to Newgate for debt.
Mr Capper proceeded to the prison, and it appeared it was the landlord of the Pear Tree public house, Wapping; and the prisoner in custody was his lodger, and he had a maul in his house matching that found in the late Mr Marrs house.
John Turner, the lodger, who made his escape from Williamsons house, attended. He described the villain rifling the pockets of Mrs Williamson. He further stated that while he was going down the stairs, he was sure he heard a man slowly walking in the sitting room, and that the man could not have nails in his shoes. When he got to the door, he only saw one man in the position.
Mary Rice had cleaned for the prisoner for more than three years, but not for the last fortnight, She describes having washed shirts with bloody marks around the collar, like two finger marks. There was a tear in the breast and other spots of blood.
Mrs Vermilloe, the landlady of the Pear Tree explained her husband was in prison for a debt of 20 shillings, and has been for seven weeks. She confirmed there was a chest of tools belonging to a lodger, J Paterson, who had ben abroad since February last, and was now aware that the mauls were missing.
She is shown a maul, but undecided whether it is one of the mauls in her house.
Harris and Cuthburn, fellow lodgers to the prisoner at the Pear Tree stated the prisoner came home on the morning of the murder about one o'clock. They all slept in the same room, and there was a chest of tools. Harris thought the maul was like one played with by children in the yard. They were the nephews of Mrs Vermilloe.
Thursday, 26th December
Information received that a man of very remarkable appearance was detained in custody by the Magistracy of Marlborough, Wiltshire.
He was remarkably tall, and answered precisely the appearance of a man who was seen to run up Gravel lane, along with a shorter man, just after the alarm of murder was given. His apparel had been examined , and considerable number of blood stains on his shirt, which was also torn. A private correspendence between him and the man already in custody has been discovered.
John Frederick Richter, a young foreign seaman, residing at the Pear Tree public house, where John Williams lodged, was brought into custody.
A pair of blue trousers, under his bed, in a damp state, with the appearance of mud having been imperfectly washed away from the knees downwards. He explained they had been left behind by a man who had gone to sea; and he had appropriated them to his own use. He knew of no mud upon them, or of having washed them.
He knew Williams about twelve weeks, but not intimately. He never drank with him out of the house, and only at the Pear Tree public house. He knew of the tools, and likened that found in Mr Marrs house to one of these.
He did not know Williams was an Irishman, and remembered he had large whiskers three or four days before he was taken up. He did not think Williams was a mariner from his appearance, but had heard he was employed on board the Roxburgh Castle Indiaman.
Cornelius Hart and Jeremiah Fitzpatrick, both suspected of being intimately acquainted to Williams. Hart denied this fact. He remembered knocking on the door of the Pear Tree public house on the night of the murder of Mr Williamson, being unable to get into his own house. Fitzpatrick also disclaimed any intimacy.
Richter also did not know of any intimacy, but had seen them drinking gin together the morning after the murder of Mr Williamson.
In addition to the evidence given against Williams, it appears that on the morning of the murder of Mr Williamson, he was seen to wash a pair of muddy stockings in the back yard of the Pear Tree, and also that he had on a pair of tight shoes, which cracked a good deal when he walked.
John Cuthperson, a fellow lodger of Williams stated that on the morning after the murder of Mr Williamson, he saw a pair of his own stockings lying behind his chest, very much dirtied with fresh mud. After a dispute,Williams took them into the back yard, and washed and returned them to the witness.
Death of Williams
Friday morning, the turnkey of the Cold Bath fields prison found Williams suspended by the neck, from an iron bar, crossing the cell, on which the prisoners hung their clothes.
Mrs Vermilloe was questioned. Williams had deposited 30 pounds in her husbands hands after his return from the East Indies, in the Roxburgh Castle which was not all expended at the time of the murders.
Williams was in the habit of wearing large whiskers, and he had now cut them off. The mauls were something like those in her house. She remembered a Portuguese beig stabbed in Newmarket street, and that Williams and Richter were both in England at the time.
On the night of the last murder, Williams had told the witness that Williamson was going next day to pay his brewer, Williams name, she had heard, was John Murphy.
John Harris stated on the night of the murder, Williams came to bed at a little past two. He found the muddy stockings and shoes which Williams afterwards took, and washed them. Williams once observed that Mr Lee's house, the Black Horse, in Gravel lane, was a convenient one for robbery, the outlet behind was so good.
Mr Lee said that he once caught Williams opening his till.
Margaret Reilly, a girl of the town, said she saw two men run out of Gravel lane, one of them, with large whiskers, the other lame.
It appears that Williams was a shipmate of Mr Marrs, and came home with him about a year and a half ago, in the Dover Castle East Indiaman. Marr was Captains servant, and William an able seaman. He always passed by the name of Williams, except when he first introduced himself to Mrs Williamson.
Accidents and Offences
An inquest has been held at the Black Horse, New Gravel lane on the bodies of Mr and Mrs Williamson, and their servant, with a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown".
Sun (London) 27 January 1812
Bow street - Mr Graham went to the late unfortunate Mr Marrs premises on Thursday ..
The prisoners Hart and Alblass, who are still kept in close confinement, not being able to account for about a quarter of an hour of their time on the night of the murder of Williamsons and servant, it has been ascertained that a man can walk, at a very brisk pace, in less than five minutes, from their house to the Pear Tree public house.
Sun (London) 08 February 1812
Alblas and Hart are both discharged from confinement. Some remuneration was offered.
The creditors of Mr Vermilloe have been compounded, and he has been released from prison.