03 Leicester/Thomas/John/William
William Moulding son of John and Sarah

Born - 1823 Leicester. Baptised 25 August 1823 St Mary de Castro, Leicester
Wed - 10 September 1851, St Margaret, Leicester
Died - 1868 Bedford Street, Leicester.
Burial 30 September 1868 Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester
William's age at burial should be at least 45, not 43.
1851 - 9 Needlegate, Leicester. Framework knitter.  William was lodging at  the home of his brother John & his wife Sarah Moulding. Also living there were John & Sarah's children Thomas, Ellen & Mary Ann. Also lodging there was William's wife to be, Hannah Smith, a 21 year old unmarried seamer born Rothley (as was Sarah Moulding). William's relationship to John Moulding is not given, but it has been confirmed by Ann Fairhurst that he is his brother. Hannah is also confimed as the sister of Sarah Moulding.
1851 - Sanvey Gate, Leicester. Framework knitter. At the time of his marriage in September 1851.
1861 - 31 Bedford Street, Leicester. Stocking maker. William (age 35) and Hannah (age 29) and living with them was William's brother Thomas (age 45). All the surnames were listed as Moulden.

William appeared as a witness at the murder trial of William Brown (alias Peppermint Billy) in 1856. The following are two extracts from the Leicestershire Summer Assizes of 1856. (Incidentally, Peppermint Billy was the last person to be hanged in public in Leicester, before a crowd of 25,000 on 25 July 1856). Follow this link to find out more.

WILLIAM CONDON will prove as follows: I am a Superintendent of Police residing at Melton Mowbray. From information I received, I, on the morning of Thursday the nineteenth of June last about five o'clock, went to the Thorpe Toll-Bar. When I got to the Thorpe Arnold Toll-Bar I found the body of Edward Woodcock lying dead on the House floor in a pool of blood. There was also the dead body of a Boy lying on a Bed in an adjoining Room. When I got to the Toll Bar I found a Man named Bishop and the Witness John Clayton. I received from John Clayton a Tobacco-Stopper and Pistol which I now produce. I searched the pockets of old Woodcock and found Two sixpences and a knife, and his Watch was hanging in the pocket of the Bed in which was the body of the Boy. There was also a shilling's worth of Copper money in the Window of the Bed-room. I went to the Hovel of a man named Moore about 300 yards from the Toll-Bar, the Hovel was situate in a Field of Mowing Grass, and I observed fresh footsteps from the Hovel through the mowing grass in the direction of the Toll-Bar and the footsteps passed through a Gap from that Field into a grazing field near the Toll-Bar. I could distinctly in the grazing field by the Hedge side see the same track pass to a Gate within a short distance of the Toll-Bar. There was some stubble in the Hovel and it appeared as though some person had been sleeping upon the Stubble. The Tobacco-stopper I now produce I have shewn to a man named Cooke a Watch maker at Nottingham. The Pistol I now produce I have shewn to a man named William Asher and a man named William Moulding both of Leicester. I also produce a leaden bullet which I received from the witness Barwis. The Bullet will go down the Barrel of the Pistol.

WILLIAM Moulding will depose as follows: I am a Frame-work Knitter and reside in Bedford Street, Leicester. I know the Prisoner. I first saw him on a Sunday about three weeks previous to his being committed on this charge against his Brother John Brown's door in Bedford Street. I also saw him on Wednesday the eleventh day of June last in his Brother's house, he came out of the House into the Street about seven o'clock in the evening and I began to talk to him about running away with his Brother's wife, he said he had not run away with her, he said he only went on the road with her for protection and if any man "mislested" her he would blow their brains out "God strike him dead if he would not", and, added "here it is" at the same time pulling out of his left side pocket a pistol. The pistol now produced is about the same size, and looks like the one the Prisoner took from his pocket on that occasion. I observed it had a Dark Barrel and Lock and looked new and a Cap was on the Nipple