On This Day in Wembury — 5 March 1940
The Western Morning News reported that Michael Morris, of Thorn House, Wembury, had been charged at Plympton with stealing £73 14s. from his employer, Gerald Stanley. Police traced him to Union Street in Plymouth, where he was found carrying a large quantity of cash. He was remanded for a week while inquiries continued.
Reflection: £73 14s. in 1940 would equate to several thousand pounds in today’s money, a striking reminder of both the seriousness of the theft and the economic pressures of wartime Britain. The case underlines how personal trust and financial responsibility within rural households and estates could unravel dramatically, with consequences still recognisable to us.
Source: Western Morning News, 5 March 1940
Curated and written by Wembury Waves using material from the British Newspaper Archive.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.