Robbery at the Shop of James Wemyss of Edinburgh

[dognose]

An advertisement of a robbery at the shop of the Edinburgh goldsmith James Wemyss:

Shop Broke Into, And Robbed In Parliament Square, Edinburgh.

Whereas betwixt the night of Monday the 9th, and Tuesday the 10th of October current, the shop of Mr. James Wemyss, Goldsmith in Edinburgh, situated betwixt the Goldsmiths' Hall and the Council Chambers of said City, was broke into and the following articles carried off, viz. 26 gold rings, some set with diamonds and the rest with stones; 24 plain gold rings; 5 seals set in gold; 1 gold broatch; 2 silver set broatches; 2 set crosses; 3 set ear-rings, one of them gold; 4 cut shank silver tea spoons, and one old plain silver do; 10 new silver table spoons: 1 silver tureen spoon, and the mouth of a dividing spoon- 2 silver punch spoons; 12 silver tea spoons, not quite finished but ready for burnishing; 1 silver seal with a ship on it, and one seal block; 12 silver stock buckles; 36 pairs silver shoe buckles; 3 single silver shoe ditto; 46 pairs of silver knee buckles, and four single knee ditto.

As the public, as well as the private party, are greatly interested that this daring robbery be discovered, it is requested that all Goldsmiths, Merchants, and other Traders through Scotland, may be attentive, in case any goods answering to those above mentioned shall be offered to sale, and to enquire how the persons who mav offer them to sale came by them, and to get them examined before a Magistrate, and secured in prison, in case they cannot give a good account of themselves, and prove how they came by the said goods.

Letters containing information may be addressed to Mr. William Dempster, Deacon of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths in Edinburgh, or to Mr David Downie, Goldsmith there, Treasurer of said Incorporation, or to Mr William Scott, Procurator-fiscal of the shire of Edinburgh; and in order that the person or persons guilty of the said robbery may be discovered, the Incorporation of Goldsmiths hereby offer a reward of Ten Guineas to any person who shall make such discovery, to be paid by Mr. Downie, their Treasurer, upon conviction of the offender or offenders.

Source: The Edinburgh Evening Courant - 1786

James Wemyss working period was 1738-1786, he was apprenticed, firstly to Edward Penman on the 8th July 1727 and then to William Aytoun following the death of Penman in 1729, granted Freedom 6th March 1738. The robbery at his premises on the night of the 9th October 1786 was more than the elderly James Wymess could take and he gave up business following that event.

The perpetrator of the robbery was the notorious William (Deacon) Brodie. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brodie" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Trev.