On February 6th 1875 William Coles, a labourer from Leighton Bromswold in Huntingdonshire, was convicted of "stealing a Valentine." Valentine cards first appeared in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century. By the 1870s many Valentine cards had become ornate and valuable items, printed on expensive paper and decorated with satin or lace. Coles clearly considered it worthwhile to steal one.

Habitual Criminal Returns

Given the date of his summary conviction, it is possible that Coles had stolen the Valentine in order to post it later to the woman of his dreams. Sadly, he spent 14th February 1875 in prison.

Coles was sentenced to three calendar months hard labour in Huntingdon County Gaol, and was released in May. He gave his age as "twenty," but he was in fact almost 22, having been baptised on 14 May 1853 in Leighton Bromswold.

Coles was something of a persistent offender. In 1870 he had been found guilty of assault, and in 1872 he had been caught stealing money from a house.

Huntingdon County Gaol, where William Coles spent Valentine's day in 1875. Photograph reference Huntingdonshire Archives WH2/79

The page giving details of Coles's previous convictions.

The Coles family had lived in Leighton Bromswold for many years, and were fairly poor. William's mother, Lucy Coles, gave birth to at least eight children; his father William worked as an agricultural labourer.

Source:
Coles's crime is recorded in the Habitual Criminal Returns volume for Huntingdon County Gaol 1873-1878. The original of this document is held at Huntingdonshire Archives, reference Accession 4440/368/89.