The Great Christmas Eve Robbery

Here is Mrs Graham of 18 Heriot Row writing to her brother Robert on Christmas Eve 1845.

“The cook this morning going with her key to open the back court found that the back had been forced open and the larder stripped of everything in it!  Two sides of mutton, a goose, a turkey and fowls and a piece of beef 6-8lbs.

The thieves had come over three or four walls to do this and had used a number of Lucifer matches which were found in the court. The master of foot stopped the wall in two places where the lime had crumbled and sent for a policeman immediately.  He has reconnoitred the premises and has taken note of what is missing and is to make a search but he is so inert and indifferent that I doubt if he could do much good. 

A ladder has been stolen from St Vincent Street. My mother is quite vexed and thankful that the washing house quite full of clothes was left unmolested.  It is really very provoking as there is no feeling of safety left.”

Three days later things were little better.

“Yesterday John Anderson went in the Stockbridge station of the police following which the sergeant immediately sent a man to look at the premises and take a list of all that had been taken.  In the afternoon two of the principal people came and said they could make nothing of it and that five larders had been robbed that night. 

When I told them a man had been seen the night before all the way from Earl Gray Street (which is right beyond the canal) at half past 3 o’clock in the morning by our washerwoman who came from that direction at that early hour, the policeman said that if they met people carrying large parcels at that time of night they could not question them as they might be brought in for deformation of character!

The police have been too trifling and indifferent over this whole affair.”