DESPARD, Edward Marcus.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Manuscript documents recording the expenditure on prisoners in custody at Despard's trial. A fascinating set of documents, one signed by Lord Pelham as home secretary. They itemize the cost of maintaining three of Despard's co-conspirators, including the key witness for the prosecution, Thomas Windsor, during their imprisonment before trial. The costs include buying a great coat, hiring coaches to tour the conspirators' meeting locations, and burying Windsor's child.Windsor was a soldier in the Guards who was asked by Despard to scout Tower Hill and discover how to take the Tower of London and its armoury. However, he was uncomfortable with the plan and delivered documents to an army agent, Mr Bownas, who advised him to gather more evidence for the trial.One manuscript is signed by George Lyell, a royal messenger to the Home Department, and one by John Revett (or Rivett), a constable at Bow Street who attended the 16 November raid. They both record broadly the same information: a total expenditure of £221 13s. 6d. for living costs alongside incidental expenses. Rivett itemizes the incidentals thoroughly, including "coach hire to Finsbury Square, White Chapel, Tower Hill and other places... to point out the various public houses where the seditious meetings were held" (£9 8s. 6d.).

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