William Durrant (1828-)

From Historical Hastings


'Elephant'/'Trunky' Durrant
Born1828

William 'Elephant' or 'Trunky' Durrant was a petty thief who frequently stole water cress and mushrooms among other goods to sell on. He was described as being small in stature, measuring 5 feet (1.5 m) in height.

At the commencement of 1854, William was awaiting trial for stealing stays (corsets) from Spencer’s shop. While in gaol, he got on to a w. c. where himself and others were washing, and with surprising agility, climbed the high wall and over the cheveaux-de-frize[e], and after dropping into the ​road​, ran off without being caught. On a previous occasion, when P. C. Adams laid hold of him, he slipped out of his shirt, and ran off, leaving the tattered garment in the hands of the constable[1].

1859 saw William on the other side of the law; he (at the time being occupied as a fisherman) and another fisherman named Beany together with a porter by the name of Pepper were sat on the beach under a fishing boat at dawn drinking beer when they were joined by William Raison, a middle-aged taylor and pick-pocket. Raison shared some of their beer and tobacco, then, after a period his 'hosts' fell asleep. Raison started going through their pockets; first Pepper, then Durrant. Durrant awoke and lashed out at Raison. Following a scuffle in which Raison gained two black eyes a coast-guard and police officer arrived - the coast-guard just in time to stop Durrant carrying out his threat to throw Raison into the sea. The would-be pickpocket was subsequently arrested and sent to the Quarter-Sessions to face a misdemenour charge in which all three parties gave evidence[2].

He obviously was not discouraged from his life of crime by his punishment for the above offences, for in 1869, he was fined 5 shillings for stealing some watercress from Wastel Brisco's garden; his occupation at this time being given as a 'shoeblack'[3].

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