On 10th October 1886, The Surrey Mirror reported
that a serious offence had taken place on the premises of Guildford Union
Workhouse. Frank Maplestone Riches, who been
appointed Temporary Master of the Union owing to the death of the previous
Master, Mr Hardwick, was charged with embezzlement of £10, the money of the
Guardians.
Mr Riches was prosecuted by the clerk to the Guardians, Mr
Mark Smallpeice. Riches had disappeared
after agreeing to a meeting to go through the accounts, to look for an
explanation of ten pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence which was unaccounted for. A specific amount of five shillings paid to
Mr Riches by a coal merchant was not forwarded to the Guardians.
Frank Mapleston Riches had been taken into custody in Alnwick,
Northumberland, from where he was taken to Guildford for judgement. He was found guilty of embezzlement and was
sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.
 |
| The former Cuckfield Workhouse |
This was a sad termination of his lifelong connection to
Workhouses. In 1861 he was living at Thingoe
Union Workhouse in Bury St Edmonds where his parents were Master and
Matron. By 1881 Frank was Assistant
Master at Cuckfield Union Workhouse in Sussex, where his older brother Thomas
T. Riches was Master so it would have been a natural progression for Frank to
become Master of Guildford Union Workhouse.
What a pity that he succumbed to the temptation of dipping into the
funds to which the responsible role of Master gave him access.
Sources
British Newspaper Archive
No comments:
Post a Comment